Diff suggestions....

[incorrigible]

... for a trike ?

It's going to have an oldish bike engine so no problems about huge amounts of power. I was hoping to use some kind of very basic IRS

Cost and weight are the important things, in that order

[chassis 33]

Sierra? It's fairly light, and strong enough.

What engine are you planning on using? Could you utilise a Beetle, Renault or Alfa transaxle? Or do as most Formula Student cars do and don't run a diff, jut a direct chain drive to a back axle with CV joints in. After all, trikes don't handle that well anyway!!!

I did have plans a while back to run a reversed trike, with two front wheels and a big momma of a rear driven wheel

Regards
Iain

[stevieturbo]

Sierra is actualy pretty heavy...

Do consider a Subaru rear end. Still not light, but it uses lightish tubular suspension arms, instead of crappy big swing arms, and the diff is relatively small.

it also comes more or less in a suspension cradle ( + struts )

[incorrigible]

Thanks guys,

Both options have been considered, it'll probably end up being something like that

I've got a relatively complete Triumph spit sitting here that I might just butcher, just wondered if there was a cheap and plentiful option I hadn't considered

Car gearbox is over the top as a: it'll have a 750 ish bike engine, and b: the bike gearbox will be up to te job and small and light

I did consider chain drive but the only diff I could get for that would be a quaif job which is too much for this particular project (read cheap)

Cheers

Ben

>> PS Stevie, if you know anywhere I can get a cheap Scooby diff, let me know

Edited by incorrigible on Wednesday 19th July 12:18

[jeremyc]

incorrigible said:

I did consider chain drive but the only diff I could get for that would be a quaif job which is too much for this particular project (read cheap)

I think the suggestion was to simply run a chain drive without a diff - direct to driveshafts.

[incorrigible]

jeremyc said:

incorrigible said:

I did consider chain drive but the only diff I could get for that would be a quaif job which is too much for this particular project (read cheap)

I think the suggestion was to simply run a chain drive without a diff - direct to driveshafts.

Bigg fat wheels on the back and a bike wheel at the front

I don't think it would turn at all

I've just found a cheap shalf drive bike donor, so I might go down the live axle route after all

[Sam_68]

incorrigible said:

I did consider chain drive but the only diff I could get for that would be a quaif job which is too much for this particular project (read cheap)

Long, long ago ago, before the kit car boys decided that bike engines were the Next Big Thing and Quaife realised that they could make a quick buck out of people with more money than mechanical skill, the hill climb fraternity were cobbling together their own sprocket driven diffs for bike engined single-seaters from scrapyard bits.

Basically, you take the guts out of any differential you like, unbolt the crownwheel and bolt a fabricated sprocket in its place, enclose the diff. itself in a fabricated canister with an oil filler/drain plug on it, and mount the whole caboodle between a couple of thick plates of ally that carry your 'output shaft' bearings.

Visit any speed hillclimb and take a look at the Jedis, OMS's or other home-built bike-engined single seaters to get the basic idea.

[Avocet]

Ii've been told the Land rover "Freelander" rear diff is very light and compact.

[incorrigible]

Thanks guys,

Sam, definately one to consider

Avocet, cheers but too pricy ATM