RE: Suspension help?

["Steve" <psmarks@home.com>]

Dave,

Keep in mind that John Wayland's direct drive Zombie is lighter than this
and is still shearing teeth off his Ford 9" with less traction than you're
talking about.  I hear time and again that direct drive is especially brutal
to drivetrains.  I'd go hellatough if I were you  ;o)

Steve

> Thanks Rick,
>
> All the info i can find on the Dana44 in the Jag IRS rear end says that
> it should be able to handle at least 500 ICE horsepower and similar
> torque. In fact Jaguar used the exact rear end on one of their V12
> racers without modification over stock and it held up to 542hp and about
> the same torque.
>
> You have to remember that my rabbit is also going to be light so my main
> problem is going to be actually getting enough weight over the reear to
> get myself moving.
>
> I looked at the Ford and dana60's but your right they are heavier.. and
> i'd rather have IRS over a solid rear axle but of course that comes with
> a loss in strength.
>
> On the other hand my brothers car <a 74 corvette stingray> is making
> 650hp at the crank from a bored out 454 <472 i think> and it can put the
> power down through a beefed up stock rear IRS <which is also a dana 44>
> and power it into the high 10's in the quarter mile without any
> problems. he did however destroy a turbo400 transmission =)
>
> I'd love some more information since I'm more of a front wheel drive
> import kinda guy <VW's> the only rear wheel drive experience i've had is
> in older aircooled beetles.
>
> The Jag IRS with the dana44 seems to be a favorite piece with the AC
> Cobra Kit car builders and i've seen loads of those with more than 500hp
> The Lowdown on what i'm hoping to do is Keep the car below 2100lbs with
> 56 smaller AGM's <14-16AH each> two 8" motors and a Zilla controller.
> direct driven to a rear axle of some sort.
>
> Cheers,
> Dave
>
> On Tue, 2002-01-29 at 19:49, Rick Pryor wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dave Hartnell" <dave.hartnell@techbc.ca>
> > To: "EV List" <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 5:26 PM
> > Subject: Suspension help?
> >
> >
> > > In an effort to make my EV rabbit project more worthwhile i'm going to
> > > be converting it from front wheel drive  to rear wheel drive using a
> > > Jaguar E-Type <XKE> rear end.
> > >
> > > I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about these rear ends
> and/or has
> > > worked with them before?
> > >
> > > I need to get it shortened to fit in the back and hope to fit 10-12"
> > > wide tires in with it <i will have to cut out the inner fenders in the
> > > rear and tub it>.
> > >
> > > This is all new ground for me but i'm not afraid of a challange.
> > >
> > > I've located an E-type rear axle complete with subframe from a 69-70
> > > Series II.
> > >
> > > I have been told the XKE was the one to get it from since it used a
> > > Dana44 rear diff and gearsets are easy to find. as well as upgraded
> > > diffs/lockers etc.
> > >
> > > If anyone has any urls or info they'd like to send i'd love to see it.
> > >
> > > The Rear end will be direct driven off 2 8" motors with no
> transmission.
> > >
> > > Cheers,
> > > Dave
> > >
> > > <pictures of the work in progress will soon be up at
www.plasmabunny.com
> > i am just setting up the dns/website>.
> >
>
>
> Hi Dave,
>
> >From my ICE racing days, I remember the Dana 40 series diffs to be a bit
on
> the weak side. The old Dana 60 would be my pick, or a Ford 9 inch with the
> removable third member. The weight increase of these two choices is a bit
of
> a disadvantage, but they are tough. The larger ring gear will give you
> better torque transfer through less steep gear face angles. Seems like the
> variety of selectable gear sets are more favorable to build up something
> more easily, I.E., the high 4's, low 5's.
>
> Is the Jag set-up IRS? That may be the advantage in one point of thinking,
> but  I don't think you will find it easy to tune for body twist when the
> meat sticks to the counter, if you know what I mean? The width of tires
you
> want to run tell me that you desire more traction than the 44 will likely
> have the strength to endure for long. I always liked getting the car going
> at nearly the same speed as the tire rotation after about 4 feet. With the
> torque increase from electric motor, as compared ot an ICE, you'll need
> every trick in the book to get where you want to be, ...the big end of the
> track.
>
>  Hope you have great results, no matter what you decide to try.
>
> Regards,
>
> Rick
>