LocostUSA.com

It is primarily a reliability issue.

Think of a ujoint with the OD as a gear. Flat on a table in the overhead view, the gear has one, fixed OD. Tilt the ujoint and now it has two ODs; one OD for the level arms and a smaller OD for the tilted arms.

With a fixed tilt angle, the gears would provide a higher and lower speed to an output. The larger gear is the drive, the smaller is the driven.
However, the angle swings past level with every rotation. The driven grows and shrinks. The output speed increases and decreases.

This video is a great audio/visual reference. It would be perfect if they had placed a card against the center gear around the 2 minute mark where the ends were equal velocity but the driveshaft velocity was fluctuating, then reduced the angles and rechecked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmV4qwLfOMY


(Technically, I should have said unsprung diff.)

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

It's a later VW Color, 90's vintage so wouldn't have been original if it is that color. Could be the L630 Cobalt Blue though.

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Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler

Started worrying about weight distribution considering the big ole turbos and steel skin.

Real scales cost money, so I went ahead and got a couple $15 bathroom scales. Plopped some plywood down to distribute the load a little, then chocked the other 3 corners up. Measuring the car in different positions and with different distribution along the scales net results within 5lbs of each other, so I'm 70% confident these numbers are meaningful.(any steering angle would throw the front numbers off wildly)

1734lbs, heavier then imagined, but its what I get for not paying attention to weight and cramming support beams everywhere possible. I'm not an engineer, so didn't know where the "smart" areas were to get by without Reinforcement, especially with how different this chassis is from the book. Read through the fea pdf that's around for these chassis, which is why I came to the conclusion to skin the body in steel. Guess this is a long way of saying, I'd rather be inefficient and somewhat safe, then figure out my chassis isn't strong at the wrong time.

While disappointed by the weight, the distribution is really good, nearly 50/50 and a good split between the sides. With a full tank of fuel and a driver the distribution will be closer to 55% rear, and going forward it'll get more weight to the passenger side. With a steel body, she will no doubt break 2000lbs, that aught to give me the dubious honor of world's heaviest locost!

But you will be able to leave black marks from the exit of one corner to the entrance to the next!

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Honey anyone?

This is key

Yes, the weight distribution looks really good - almost like it was a plan [LOL].

With that engine, a little weight could be a good thing. Even if it goes to 2,000 lb. your HP/ton should be excellent.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

With steering angle guestimated at 50°, binding and rubbing are a real problem with the front brake hoses. Took me a while to figure out that Flipping the 'em upside down on the caliper would keep it clear of the coilover and give a good mount position on the A arm.

Made wee little mount tabs.

Lines look good at full lock, with a little more slack then it may appear.

No rubbing in the opposite direction, though whatever wheels I get will be thinner with a similar scrub radius for more room.

A little worried about movement frequency of the hose with the A arms constant oscillation and only 7" between it and the chassis pickup for the hardline. Perhaps it's a non problem considering hoses are mounted to Struts in convoluted ways all the time.

That's a tough one. Here is another idea, rotated 90deg at the banjo, secured with a tab off the coilover pivot and should allow for a large radius bend at full lock.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Tried to make that work but it wont, the line binds into the coilover and the banjo fitting on the caliper pinches against things

The line goes on the far side of the coilover. The banjo fitting hits something?

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I misunderstood, the banjo rubs at 180° so I mocked it up real quick at 90°. Not happy with it, the line rubs in several places, the placement up top is really optimal if the movement isn't going to blow the line.

The picture does not show what I described and the bend in the banjo outlet can be straightened with a little hand pressure, but do what you want. I'm just offering ideas.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Pulled the motor to get access to the trans tunnel, also finish welded the front end and got a little paint down.
Manual swap parts have been collecting dust for about a year now, finally time to button up the engine!
Fancy machined pilot bearing adapter required a fancy press...
Cobbled this together and it worked a treat.
Hmm 6 puck unsprung clutch will be, lively.
Got to work on the trans tunnel sheeting.

Nicely done. Definitely a race cutch. No loosening clutch hub springs to worry about and no marcel spring. May be a tad harsh/chattery taking off smoothly.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

That clutch will be herky jerky in operation.

No forgiveness, not polite, forces you to be aggressive with with the throttle and or slip the clutch more than normal.

I like no marcel, but damper springs are very nice to have, unless you are going for 10 tenths.

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Honey anyone?