Drive shaft angle????

[Lee]

Right, i have heard that the angle of the drive shafts have a massive effect on the way the car handles. How?? can someone explain, some yank was going on about drive shaft plunge and you want as little as possible on rutted tracks, but i am not sure why it would help and what to alter to change this, i thought the x-6 was the only car with an adjustable height gearbox or am i missing something

[mattym0310]

It adjusts the point of contact between the the driveshafts and the outdrives. In theory if this point of contact is raised forward bite is increased and you get less side bite. lowering the point of contact does the opposite; more side bite, less forward.

I thinkthis is correct??

[Lee]

So if the hub end is raised, less side bite and more drive??

[Chrislong]

Well done on opening that tin of worms!

The drive shafts always want to run in a perfect straight line to the diff, the faster the car the more that effect will occur.

So, running unhappy driveshafts / \ will mean the car will squat more due the the drive shafts pulling the wishbones up and in effect, softening the rear suspension. This is why raising the gearbox on an X-6 gives more drive.

Running happy drive shafts \ / will do the opposite.


With CVD's this effect is less, so when driving through a corner and the driveshafts are like this \ \ the wheels can still spinup without the straightening force as much as Losi dogbones will.... this is how the two driveshafts are used as a setup option. (and to be honest, I can't feel the difference).

There are so many variables, and if your bones and outdrives are worn - there'll be no benefit of using this as a tuning option as the driveshafts will always want to run in the peak of the worn section and lock the suspension solid (almost) when lots of torque/revs are going through the wheels. Therefore its also important to not have any tight spots on anything that is meant to move, and I mean ANYTHING.

Chris

[Lee]

Cheers for that chris, very well explained, i understand why now


Happy unhappy happy unhappy happy unhappy

[Chrislong]

Originally Posted by Lee

Happy unhappy happy unhappy happy unhappy

That'll be the ripple section, only accelerate when unhappy! or if not sure.... nail it anyway, it'll be right 50% of the time.

[Chris Doughty]

bone plunge is how much the end of the dogbone moves into the diff outdrive as the suspension moves.

as little as possible means free'er moving suspension when on power. and it will feel more similar on and off power - a lot of plunge stiffens the suspension on power

if you have a lot of plunge then the effect that Chris mensioned above is amplified.

you can normally change the amount of plunge by making your inner hinge pin as close to the outdrive as possible, and also the inner hinge pins as close to the 'ball' of the bone as possible.

[Richard Lowe]

Originally Posted by Chrislong

With CVD's this effect is less, so when driving through a corner and the driveshafts are like this \ \ the wheels can still spinup without the straightening force as much as Losi dogbones will....

I think you have that backwards Schlong, CVD's are the ones that want to straighten themselves under load

[Chris Doughty]

when looking at the top of the car, if the driveshafts sweep forwards as they go outwards the car will want to rise when on power.

if they sweep backwards the car will want to lower its self when on power.

[Chrislong]

Originally Posted by Richard Lowe

I think you have that backwards Schlong, CVD's are the ones that want to straighten themselves under load

Hiya Rich!

Now you say it, I have a feeling you are right. Can anybody else confirm either way?

[stegger]

Originally Posted by Lee

i thought the x-6 was the only car with an adjustable height gearbox or am i missing something

And the CAT SX

[Lee]

Originally Posted by stegger

And the CAT SX

I heard the production car is still 5 months away