Rubce Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 Hi AllDoes anyone know of an alternative driveshaft/rear hub arrangement which is suitable for a late non rotoflex mark 3 GT6? This is probably the feature I dislike the most about the car and I would love to replace it with something along the lines of CV joints etc.RegardsBruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esxefi Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 as well as what is discussed here I would also suggest......http://sideways-technologies.co.uk/forums/index.php/forum/67-drivetrain/both have good ideas and advice. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Both routes would require a change to Roto uprights and you would also need a lower wishbone, either GT6 ones or use Marcus's version using a pair of radius arms ( my choice would be the later)http://s545.photobucket.com/albums/hh369/marcusaurailius/GT6%20%20Suspension%20%20Modifications/Canleys.http://www.canleyclassics.com/rotoflex-vitesse-gt6-cv-conversion-kit/Or homemade from propshafts (Hope you don't mind me using your photo Laurence?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubce Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 Hi AllSo basically you are saying I have to convert the car to a rotoflex style rear end to enable me to fit CV shafts? :-/ I was hoping somebody had already some up with a replacement drive shaft/hubs/rear brake units for a long shaft GT6. RegardsBruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paudman Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 If the car is non-rotoflex already I presume the change is just to get rid of the u-joints? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubce Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 490 wrote:If the car is non-rotoflex already I presume the change is just to get rid of the u-joints? HiMy main desire is to eliminate those stupidly small bearings which run direct on the driveshaft with no inner race. RegardsBruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 They last a very long time. Buy a decent set of shafts and bearings, should see at least 50K miles if not more. Most Triumphs I have owned have done an indeterminate mileage, and I have replaced 2 from memory, and they were from cars that had been standing for many years. They were replaced with sh items, and no indication they had ever been worked on. UJ's are far more of an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard B Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 I suspect that longer driver shafts and GT6 power is an unpleasant combination for the life of those bearings. 'Bear' ;D in mind that they were originally intended for 50hp Heralds.Trouble is if you are going to do any uprating then people think of fitting two pivot points on the shaft, which then leads to lower wishbones etc...Not a large market for uprating the bearings (and carriers) for a swing spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paudman Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Richard_B wrote:I suspect that longer driver shafts and GT6 power is an unpleasant combination for the life of those bearings. I’ve owned my Mk1 for 14 years now and haven’t yet - fingers crossed - changed the rear bearings. It’s not THAT big an issue, unlike some modern cars like the Nissan Micra which require them changed every three months or so…. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubce Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 Hi GuysI don't share your apparent love of the rear arrangement on our mark 3 GT6. We have had two bearings failures in 6 years. I have no idea of the age of the bearings when we changed them the first time but the second failure was only 3 years after they had been renewed. The fact that the knackered bearing always seems to scrap the driveshaft as well is just plain stupid! The arrival of the rumbling bearing took the shine off our weekend at North Yorkshire Triumph event earlier this year.Perhaps we have just been unlucky, maybe it because we use our car all year round in all weather, perhaps the large number of speed bumps in our area all take their toll. Whatever the cause, the result is that I do want to replace them with something more bomb proof.RegardsBruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I'm in the same boat as you. I don't like the Triumph system but also don't want to add the rotoflex bits. There will be a way of doing it, just not even begun to explore it. Not had your bad luck though. In 2008 I had the bearings done, and two UJ's, and bearing carrier, and a half shaft replaced... :B The car gets driven daily with plenty of right foot and it's all still in there and working fine. My replacement shaft was second hand and all the work carried out by Moordale Motors. I believe there were a duff batch of shafts floating around which weren't properly hardened? Maybe you ended up with those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Not aware of any mods to beef up the swing axle bearings. Shouldn't really be needed anyway as the original arrangement lasts well if greased occasionally.All mods I know of involve doing away with the swing axles in favour of something that gives less camber change. These all involve the addition of at least one lower link and two joints of some sort in the driveshaft. Something based on rotoflex parts is likely to be easiest though MGF parts also have their attractions.Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS211083 Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Bruce, I have your answer. It aint cheap but they are bomb proof. Summer bros axles. I have a set and they have a much better bearings and bearing housing design etc the shaft is also uprated to be the strongest it can be. They are the longer shaft which is why I have not fitted them yet as I need the shorter shafts. I wont be selling these, as my new 180bhp engine arrives in the next few weeks. So you would need to get a quote from Summerbros which will be very eye watering. I paid £600 for my second hand set which was about half price if i remember correctly. However they are a direct fit and require no mods and should last a very long time. This I will be testing once they are shortened.Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paudman Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 The Canadian guys? Their website is down and the new one isn’t running yet so I couldn’t check them out. That IS an eye-watering price though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTeesside Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I dislike the arrangement on the Mk1 too and have been trying to think of ways to update it.I get a lot of vibration and rumble at high (legal!) speeds depending how bad the road surface is, I've had my prop and driveshafts looked at and all the UJ's are fine and everything is in balance.I overhauled the rear bearing carriers and the problem remains, so I just drive a bit slower now and live with a seat that massages my back nicely like one of those lounge chairs that were all the rage in the 90's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paudman Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 8778 wrote:I dislike the arrangement on the Mk1 too and have been trying to think of ways to update it.I get a lot of vibration and rumble at high (legal!) speeds depending how bad the road surface is, .If it’s caused by the road surface then no amount of fettling your Mk 1 will cure it. This is a 1960s suspension setup and was adequate for the day, in a car of that price. Using the best quality bushes and shocks will go some way to alleviating it, but you’ll never remove it completely. If it’s a vibration caused by the drive train then something isn’t right, and you may find a cure, but only the Roads Department can completely remove noise caused by uneven surfaces you drive over.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Garvey Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Another option like summit bros axles are:http://www.chequeredflagracing.net/Custom_Parts.phpPaul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS211083 Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 They look the same as the ones I have from Summer Bros. Probably the same.Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paudman Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I still reckon they won’t be much of an improvement against road noise or other rumbles, they may just be an expensive alternative to the originals and it’s a lot of cash to find that out… ??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubce Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 Hi GuysSome good suggestions :) Keep them coming! I like the look of those Chequered Flag bits but they are a bit rich for my blood :-/RegardsBruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS211083 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Have you tried playing with the tyre pressures to reduce the road noise. Also poly Blue wish bone bushes not the red as they are for race only. Also how is your steering rack mounted???? Poly blue again is the best option, if you have solid rack mounts then sell them on. Unfortunately you are limited with how civilised you can make the ride but I've actually very happy with the quality of ride in my Spitfire/GT6.Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gt6s Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 3762 wrote:Both routes would require a change to Roto uprights and you would also need a lower wishbone, either GT6 ones or use Marcus's version using a pair of radius arms ( my choice would be the later)http://s545.photobucket.com/albums/hh369/marcusaurailius/GT6%20%20Suspension%20%20Modifications/Canleys. http://www.canleyclassics.com/rotoflex-vitesse-gt6-cv-conversion-kit/ Or homemade from propshafts (Hope you don't mind me using your photo Laurence?) Not A problem. That is the finalized Mk3 version. I did look into getting those produced but the price was very much an issue. Ended up I only made two sets. They are effective but lot of work so I refused to make any more.Laurence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubce Posted December 20, 2014 Author Share Posted December 20, 2014 Hi AllDoes anyone have a spare set of rotoflex suspension they could sell me?ThanksBruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timireson Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 What do u need? I have the bits that I removed when going for cv. Any good?Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubce Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 7923 wrote:What do u need? I have the bits that I removed when going for cv. Any good?TimHi TImThanks for your generous offer :). However, I am considering fitting the rotoflex setup so I am replace the existing driveshafts with CV etc. So the bits I require are the bits that are still on your car :-/RegardsBruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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