Van,
Background: I worked for 2 years at a company making composite tubes for
(among other things) carbon fiber driveshafts. (Pro-Stock dragsters, 1/4
mile circle track racers, some hi-perf. street cars, prototypes for
18-wheelers)
Driveshafts do not have to be centered, but drivelines (output shaft
/driveshaft/inputshaft) should be as in-line as possible. If the trans
output is offset, then almost always the diff is offset the same amount,
keeping the U-joint angles straight.
(take a look at a Jeep diff, since we can see them so well from DOWN NEAR
THE GROUND, and you'll see at least one and maybe both front and rear diff's
are offset)
Unequal length axles have no effect on performance, until you get into the
traction issues with dragsters. (longer beams twist farther under the same
load) Driveshaft angles greater than 7 degrees make for either
trans-chews-up-diff, or visa versa (both pricey propositions).
Raised vehicles try to minimize this by installing angle plates to rotate
the axle & diff. input shaft to point at the trans output shaft.
It is always important to have a driveshaft balanced when any work is done
to it.
Not sure if I've clarified or confused you more, but I'll answer more
questions if needed.
Fergus
'69 2000
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2000 06:07:59 EDT
From: DemonTSi@aol.com
Subject: Roadster motor centered...?
..... But I noticed that the tranny
tunnel is offset to the right to match the offset diff input shaft... so
does
this mean that the offset is built into the tranny, or is the engine and
tranny centered, and the driveshaft angled front center to mate up to the
diff?
Not sure if I'm making any sense right now, but I'm basically wondering if
it's usually best to perfectly center a motor/tranny and diff in a car and
then run the driveshaft at an angle between them. Or is it better to center
the diff, and then mount the engine/tranny and driveshaft a bit to the right
so that they make a straight run to the diff's input shaft? OR, maybe you're
supposed to perfectly center the engine/tranny and driveshaft, and mount the
diff a few inches to the left to center it's input shaft??
Sorry this is confusing, but I'm a bit confused...
Van
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