What are some readily available CV joints with a high range of operating degrees? The length of the actual shaft doesn't matter too much, since all I'm after is a joint that will fit where the stock Sidekick joint has to go (clearance issues with the control arm, etc.).

I know Maxima halfs are good shafts to use, and are pretty close to the actual size of the sidekick shaft, but those are pretty hard to come by, I hear.

Do Explorer shafts have a better operating range than the Sidekick joint, or are they just larger/stronger?

Another question: Does the front end have to be widened out to fit Explorer shafts in, or does it need spacers once widened?

I posted in your other thread also but I saw the inner cv's on a Liberty and they look to have a long bucket although I couldn't take one apart to have a good look but it may be worth looking into

AH... just read your post... didn't see it for some reason before :-/

The only problem that I can see with the Liberty shafts is that  Liberties probably aren't very common in the scrap yards yet, considering how new they are... :-/

Sorry I'm not ther yet  :-/ ...  

BUT I'm afraid that reasearch  will come very soon.   I've been eyeing S-10 & Toyota PU shafts.  

A Story I heard was that the Toyota 86 - 95 IFS was / is designed as a 1-ton.  As in, With 1-ton Yota's in other countrys the 4wd IFS is the same as the USDM trucks.  Taco is a 1/4-ton US only truck designed with assistance from GM or it engineer(s).  

As I see it, Spline count and or knuckle/hub design will be the limiting factors.  You can change the diff and hub to match the new spline if you can mate the hub / knuckle.   Here with trial & error you can quickly get in over your head and make things too expensive & complicated.  

I'm looking to keep it simple, strong, minimize spares, and hope to stay away from custom 1-off consumable parts.  This might mean staying in the sammy / kick realm for a while.   Some stock type Longfield / Profield CV's  (Kerry Whitting's SOS is looking into it) would be the hot ticket.      

I have yet to see any Exploder CV's in the yard.  All of them here are the TTB design with solid axles and U-joints.

I also realize I'm as new to this end of the IFS as any one else, so i hope to follow along and learn too.

I don't know if this is going to help, but the
inner side CV only has a maximum angle of
25* and that is out of the vehicle using an
angle finder, the outer CV however can go
to 40* using the same method, so I'm going
to use outer CVs on both ends,  and eliminate
the stupid weak cup, and replace it with a slip
shaft to take up the movement

Wild

I don't know if this is going to help, but the
inner side CV only has a maximum angle of
25* and that is out of the vehicle using an
angle finder, the outer CV however can go
to 40* using the same method, so I'm going
to use outer CVs on both ends,  and eliminate
the stupid weak cup, and replace it with a slip
shaft to take up the movement

Wild

I was wondering about using outer shafts and getting rid of the cup... and yes, I have a few chewed-up cups laying around the garage back at home from the CV pulling out of the cup... poor design if ya ask me, but obviously Suzuki didn't

BTW, if I have the means when I get done with school, I'm stealing your slipshaft idear, Wild

Explorer shafts do not have a better operating angle that zuk, just stronger. :-/ Im working on a Toy swap right now. I will have answers in the next couple of days. I will keep you all posted.

mike

I sort of wanted to keep my ideas
under wraps, but free information
is better, everyone benefits this way

Besides if everyone could engineer
kick butt mod stuff you would all be
doing it.

Wild

so I'm going
to use outer CVs on both ends,  and eliminate
the stupid weak cup, and replace it with a slip
shaft to take up the movement

Wild

Thanks Wild, that sounds slick.  Let me know how it works.


Yep, Pretending to be an Engineer & Building my 4-door is great fun but I have a much greater apreciation for the lunch box style kits.  Trail and error can make for a short trip.

Very interested to hear more about the Toyota CV shaft results.  

My three biggest inspirations in this endevor all posting right in a row

I'm really looking forward to your progress Wild, unless you're going to keep everything under wraps from here on out... I love the idea of slipshafts... pure brilliance, if I may say so mahself

Will be tuned into hearing more about the toy shafts, Mike. BTW, do they have a greater operating angle, or just stronger?

And Whitfield, waiting on your progress in the field of steering so I can copy you Well, more or less build off what you find out through trial and error so I don't have to

I'm going to be posting the progress,
I still have some engineering and details
to work out, the first idea won't work like
I had hoped it would, so I'm on to another
way of keeping the tires/wheels flat on the
ground through their range.

It might not be a new approach after all, but
it will work good if I can get the engineering
and details worked out right

Wild

Have you looked into the Hummer cv's? The H1 Hummer uses cv's in it's axles. Even the H2 uses front cv's.

Will be tuned into hearing more about the toy shafts, Mike. BTW, do they have a greater operating angle, or just stronger?

Im not sure yet. First impressions are they are the same operating angle. As for strenght, we got a guy on 37s that is not breaking em. I think Im really on to something here. I am going to try to finish it up this weekend. I wasnt going to post about it untill I was done but all this talk about Cvs and I had to spill the beans.


Mike

Im not sure yet. First impressions are they are the same operating angle. As for strenght, we got a guy on 37s that is not breaking em. I think Im really on to something here. I am going to try to finish it up this weekend. I wasnt going to post about it untill I was done but all this talk about Cvs and I had to spill the beans.


Mike

Sweet. How does the physical size of the joints compare with those of Trackicks?