CV Joints

[TCS4605R]

Has anyone bought the CV flanges that spline onto the gearbox output shafts?  The flanges don't appear on the Banks website but I understand they are available.  My question - does the hole in the flange line up with the existing hole in the splined output shaft?

Tom - 74 TCS - 4605R

[BDA]

I got Richard's NG3 kit which came with CV joints for the inboard side of the half shafts. The holes line up just like the stock U-joints. I pin the CV joints to the output shaft even though it may not be really required. I'm not sure which "CV flanges you're referring to. I would give Richard a call and ask him about it. You'll probably have to call him anyway since he really doesn't do email.

[TCS4605R]

Great - Thank you BDA.  I understand that you have a Hewland gearbox in your Europa - 4 speed or 5 speed.  I used to crew for an SCCA Formula Ford in the 'old days'.  How does the dog ring gearbox work on the street?  Does your installation allow gear ratios to be changed without removing the gearbox?  Do you have easy access to the rear gearbox cover?

Tom - 74 TCS - 4605R

[BDA]

You misunderstood. I have an NG3 not a Hewland. I had a Hewland in my Sports 2000. I don't think a Hewland makes much sense for the street. The NG3 comes from the turbo Renault Fuego so it's a good replacement for the trannies in Europas. It's a synchromesh tranny.

[TCS4605R]

Yep - misunderstood - didn't see how a Hewland dog ring gearbox would work on the street.  I take it you have CV joints in your rear suspension?  How did you add a suspension link to take the place of the U-joint halfshaft that is also used as a suspension link?

Tom

[andy harwood]

Here is a photo of Banks splined CVJ adapters. for the 100mm CVJ. Very well made. The output shaft and adapter holes lined up, my NG3 came from Banks with the adapters roll-pinned.

[BDA]

Yep - misunderstood - didn't see how a Hewland dog ring gearbox would work on the street.  I take it you have CV joints in your rear suspension?  How did you add a suspension link to take the place of the U-joint halfshaft that is also used as a suspension link?

Tom

Richard also sells a "twin link" rear suspension. Rather than using the half shaft as the upper link, there is a new upper link. I have a CV joint and a U-joint on my half shafts. I know it's not ideal but I'm unable to feel any difference in the half shaft velocity. The CV joint supplies the plunge.

[jbcollier]

CV joints have to be pinned as otherwise they may work their way off the output splines!

[SwiftDB4]

Yep - misunderstood - didn't see how a Hewland dog ring gearbox would work on the street.  I take it you have CV joints in your rear suspension?  How did you add a suspension link to take the place of the U-joint halfshaft that is also used as a suspension link?

Tom

Richard also sells a "twin link" rear suspension. Rather than using the half shaft as the upper link, there is a new upper link. I have a CV joint and a U-joint on my half shafts. I know it's not ideal but I'm unable to feel any difference in the half shaft velocity. The CV joint supplies the plunge.

Can you post a photo of your CV-U joint halfshafts? Thanks.

[BDA]

I don't have a picture of both ends of the half shaft at the moment but the outboard end is pretty much the same as stock - actually, IIRC, I got that as part of Richard's kit so it's probably a bit different in form but the function is exactly the same.

So the attached picture is at the tranny. The x-member is obvious. I've glued rubber on the top to cushion the trunk tray. This is the old style x-member. Richard has since changed it, likely to make it simpler and less expensive. The shift linkage is visible going toward the rear of the car. the upper link is visible above the half shaft in the picture and the lower link is is below it in the car.

The half shaft is metric which caused me a problem because the local drive shaft place didn't do metric. It may not be obvious from the picture but the CV joint is a three lobed affair. You can see that I glued magnets on the lobes for use by an electronic speedo pickup. I converted to GPS so those are off now.

Given the way Richard changes things, I would suspect that the CV joints he uses now could be different.

[TCS4605R]

Andy,

What was the cost for the Bank CV join flanges?

Tom
74 TCS - 4605R

[andy harwood]

The Banks CVJ adapter flanges, If I remember correctly, were about $300.00