Motorcitydak
06-01-2012, 01:16 AM
After a lot of thinking about this, I still do not have a guarantee'd way to connect my drivetrain. It would be nice and easy if I was building a rear wheel drive car....but Im not. I have a viper t56 with the 30 spline output and the transfer case from a cadillac sts-4, I counted those splines and its 43 iirc. The trans needs a yoke in it to seal the back end of the trans, transfer case is sealed by its own input. I have a couple ideas to connect these two, some are better than others. I would like to hear from anyone with some input or an idea
1) Use the t56 output yoke, put a single u joint in it then somehow get a yoke to fit the transfer case. Problem is obviously the transfer case side. I found a company that will make splined shafts, I can get a shaft to fit the transfer case but then it still needs a yoke to attach to the u joint.
2) Flat steel bolt together flanges. Problems with this one are many. The flanges would have to be welded to a t56 yoke then bolted together. That still leaves me with the issue of the splined shaft for the transfer case. Plus, can a t56 yoke be cut off and then welded to while maintaining enough strength? Same thing with the transfer case side, could it be strong enough? I am guessing that heat treating both of these finished parts would be necessary. Once flanges were welded together they would be but in a lathe to true up the mounting faces of the flanges. I also do not like that these would be solidly mounted together which would not allow for any deflection
3) Basically idea #2 except that it puts a rubber guibo between the steel flanges. If you do not know what a guibo is, its a rubber disc with bolt holes sleeved thru it. It is used in many car's driveshafts to dampen the forces transmitted thru it. I had thought about using one from a 7 series BMW since it is larger in diameter and uses 8 bolts instead of some smaller car's 6. The 7 series is a big powerful car so I do not doubt this parts strength.
4) Solid splined coupler. I found a company offering to make something like this. They appear heat treated and they will do custom ones but up to $400 a piece. I can say that price is not a primary concern, this part HAS to be made. This has the same issues that I do not like about idea #2.
I plan on building separate mounts for the transfer case and transmission so I would like them to have some flexibility between each other. I also want the force from the transmission to be slightly dampened as it goes to the transfer case. That means that idea #3 is my best bet I think, if it can be done. What do you guys think?
1) Use the t56 output yoke, put a single u joint in it then somehow get a yoke to fit the transfer case. Problem is obviously the transfer case side. I found a company that will make splined shafts, I can get a shaft to fit the transfer case but then it still needs a yoke to attach to the u joint.
2) Flat steel bolt together flanges. Problems with this one are many. The flanges would have to be welded to a t56 yoke then bolted together. That still leaves me with the issue of the splined shaft for the transfer case. Plus, can a t56 yoke be cut off and then welded to while maintaining enough strength? Same thing with the transfer case side, could it be strong enough? I am guessing that heat treating both of these finished parts would be necessary. Once flanges were welded together they would be but in a lathe to true up the mounting faces of the flanges. I also do not like that these would be solidly mounted together which would not allow for any deflection
3) Basically idea #2 except that it puts a rubber guibo between the steel flanges. If you do not know what a guibo is, its a rubber disc with bolt holes sleeved thru it. It is used in many car's driveshafts to dampen the forces transmitted thru it. I had thought about using one from a 7 series BMW since it is larger in diameter and uses 8 bolts instead of some smaller car's 6. The 7 series is a big powerful car so I do not doubt this parts strength.
4) Solid splined coupler. I found a company offering to make something like this. They appear heat treated and they will do custom ones but up to $400 a piece. I can say that price is not a primary concern, this part HAS to be made. This has the same issues that I do not like about idea #2.
I plan on building separate mounts for the transfer case and transmission so I would like them to have some flexibility between each other. I also want the force from the transmission to be slightly dampened as it goes to the transfer case. That means that idea #3 is my best bet I think, if it can be done. What do you guys think?