geofff Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Hi Toby Mack, No probs, mine is a machined one piece item. Phew! If the prop went through the wiring I reckon it would just as easily have sliced through Kunifer brake pipe - which is what I plan to use - through the driver side compartment with the chassis rail between pipe and a possible flailing prop. Ta Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 If your one piece prop adapter is anything like mine then I reckon it should be fine. Because Im converting to R1 I needed to get the flange turned down by about 5mm to allow it to bolt onto the R1 output shaft (handily the splines are the same on both engines), but the material is very hard to the the extent that Im going to need to get it ground down rather than machined cos normal lathe tools etc won't touch it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Mack Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 If the prop went through the wiring I reckon it would just as easily have sliced through Kunifer brake pipe isn't the point that if you put the pipe in the corner of the tunnel the prop cannot get to it. Mates wiring was actually shredded in the engine bay near the gearbox. The stuff in the tunnel was fine (as where his pipes). I was changing my diff recently and reckon my brake pipes are safe (famous last words...) but the fuel pipe would likely take a battering! Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Hi Toby, This is where I could do with knowledge of how a prop detaches. If it's just going at the join (diff or engine end) and will stay in one piece then you just have to make sure that the pipes / wires at these points are placed in such a way that a flailing prop won't damage them. If on the other hand we are saying a prop can 'bend' / kink at any point along it's length then it could hit a pipe / wire placed in the tunnel where it has to kink outwards to pass a vertical bracing bar (of which there are a few I believe - from what I've seen of website pictures showing tunnel installs). This is being a little picky I know. When it comes down to it you have to analyse what the most likely problem / accident / damage is going to be and prep / build accordingly. That's going to depend on the use of the car to a large extent. Ta Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 I would say the most likely is for one or other end to become detached due to bolts shaking out etc, rather than the prop itself actually shearing or breaking at the joint. The former is what happened to me, the pinion bearing in the diff nose broke up which allowed the flange to vibrate the bolts out even though they were loctited in, the last bolt decided to let go at about 90mph down the back straight at Llandow, but again the tunnel contained it all OK and the wiring / pipework escaped damage because they were right in the corners of the tunnel. I have now modded the (English) diff nose so I can get locking nuts on the back of the bolts for double security, this was a highly complicated procedure involving the angle grinder chopping off the shrouded part of the nose casing on the top, which allows the nuts to clear without hitting anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Hi ChrisG & Toby, Fair enough. It would seem from the drivers who have had it happen that the pipework will survive. I'll put some tab washers on the prop to diff, & paint a white line and check them regularly, & use locking wire through all four nuts & use threadlock on the bolts. Anything else I can do? Ta Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Mack Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 I guess a shaft could fracture etc but I'd go on what Chris has said. Bolts letting go etc are much more likely. (mine worked loose but I spotted it before they came apart) EDIT you plan sounds good. Nothing will be foolproof so it is your decision whether failing propshafts are more likely than something hitting the floor. I am certainly happy that mine are down the tunnel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Hi Toby, I think I've misled you - sorry. I'm certainly not putting my brake pipe, fuel hose or loom under the car - I'm with you there. Run a kerb and bang. I'm running them through the car - the loom & fuel hose on different sides of the passenger compartment. The drivers side for the brake line. Ta Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Mack Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 ah, ok. another alternative I guess. But doesn't that make them vunerable to things sliding around in the passenger compartment? I guess if it is a race car only this isn't likely to be a problem. I would not trust my passengers not to stand on them... EDIT: hang on, just re-read your post. Brake pipes through the drivers compartment? How do you stop yourself standing on them? or are you just less accident prone than I am? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Hi Toby, On BARC Car, no passenger seat so no passenger - not a problem there On the Blade car (haven't even started the build - just a dusty pile of chassis & parts at the mo) the passenger will be warned NOT to step on the convoluted tube covered loom and braided fuel hose - both different sides of the passenger compartment. Actually this could be a problem for my more clumsy mates - hmmmmmmm - maybe loom and brake pipes on drives side and just fuel in passenger compartment attached to the floor with P clips and right in the corner. On BARC Car brake pipes are rivnutted / P clipped to the tunnel ali panel just above the floor line. From karts I'm used to standing on the seat, both hands onto the back of seat or tunnel top and car side and sliding straight legged into position. So I never come anywhere near the brake pipes I better not now I've said that It feels fine when I'm in the car. Soon find out if I've cocked up - on the track. Then I can alter for Blade car. Ta Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingu Posted May 25, 2005 Author Share Posted May 25, 2005 Now you've all got me thinking - what if I want to add an adjustable bias valve later? Maybe brake pipes through the inside of the car would make sense. Actually no. I WOULD stand on them Top corners of the tunnel it is then. I agree - I think the shaft would miss them if sufficiently tucked up. I wasn't worried about shaft bolts before but now I will make easy to see paint marks. Learning something new every day! P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Hi Blatman, Effectively we already have that with the diagional bracing down the tunnel. It would probably be better if you had ali sheet on the inside of the tunnel as well. I think this would be better at deflecting a thrashing prop rather than it digging and then snapping through the bracing bar. What do you reckon? Also when is max pressure put on the prop? Starts? I must admit I've always thought hill climbing / sprinting more dangerous than circuit racing. Higher chance of "knocks" from other competitors during racing but MUCH higher chance of an off on those undulating / tight / twisty 'tracks' with tree stumps awaiting you on sprints / hills. Therefore higher need for safety kit / build / prep. Ta Geoff On your car, with the pipework inside, yes you do have extra protection, .but I'd still consider a prop guard anyway. On a road car, or race car with the pipework in the tunnel and exposed to the prop, a prop guard would be a good idea if you are concerned about a prop letting go. A nice hefty piece of *heavy gauge* tube or plate, formed to make a short secondary tunnel a bit longer than the UJ, and added to the chassis at the UJ area so that if one lets go, it is contained withing the guarded area would be the way to go, IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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