MuscleTang mod project thread (1971 M-Mach 1)

[c9zx]

Are you using synthetic gear oil in the differential? I lost two gear sets on a road course. Switched to synthetic and had no more gear set failures. I know this cooler works, my son has it on his S550. https://www.lethalperformance.com/f...DSaqFcfWWI-5jQ3bMhLccjziiKx6XpZUaAgx5EALw_wcB Obviously fabrication is required. Chuck

 

[tony-muscle]

I wonder if perhaps your heat issues aren’t coming from your brakes. The facts that you are super-heating your gear fluid so high could be breaking it down and not protecting your bearings. I have seen some cars in Motorsport add baffles to force air into the middle of disk brakes to help heat flow through the internal vents and cool the brakes quicker. If you can get the heat away from your breaks you can prolong the life of your bearings.
Additionally do you find your brakes spongy after heating up? If your bearings are toast that same heat is also destroying your brake fluid. Lots of guys in motor cross will bleed their brakes and add new fluid between races to get rid of water in the brake fluid which impedes brake pressure.

Sorry, but I never said that my brakes are heating up. Actually the rear brakes stay relatively cool and I have been increasing the bias. So far I have no issues with brake fading or anything. I don't think that the rear axle oil is over heating., but I will not know for sure until I measure the temperature. From what I hear what is happening is not abnormal in track cars so that's why race cars use the catch can for the axle oil. It makes sense. Hot oil increases the level, reduces the viscosity. Then higher speeds turn the gears faster which pushes the oil around and up the breather. My bearings are sealed and have their own grease so they don't depend on the axle oil.

 

[tony-muscle]

Are you using synthetic gear oil in the differential? I lost two gear sets on a road course. Switched to synthetic and had no more gear set failures. I know this cooler works, my son has it on his S550. https://www.lethalperformance.com/f...DSaqFcfWWI-5jQ3bMhLccjziiKx6XpZUaAgx5EALw_wcB Obviously fabrication is required. Chuck

My center section is from Strange and they actually recommend non-synthetic. I don't know why but now that we are talking I may shoot an email inquiring. Interesting cooler but I won't go that far until I can measure the temperature. I don't think I have an over heating issue. In track days you may have 15-20 minutes sessions before a break (including warm up and cool down laps), which is different than a race car where you can go around a lot longer.

 

[tony-muscle]

Today it was time to finish the rag joint upgrade project. I wanted to fabricate a steering coupler that eliminated the elasticity from the rubber rag joint, but I still want it to have some give. I fabricated a hybrid coupler with the rubber rag joint and a 1/8" aluminum plate. Since it was thicker than stock I couldn't use the pins because the threads were short. However, with the aluminum plate I shouldn't need the pins, but I still used a longer bolt for the sake of it. As for materials, I used my old coupler, got a 3.25" aluminum washer in Amazon and used 5/16" Grade 8 bolts for hardware (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09N38Q2PP?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details). I had to remove the riveted pins from the coupler with a grinder. It could be painted, but I am not too concerned about its looks as long as it functions. Testing will have to wait until the Spring.
The theory of my design is that the aluminum plate would eliminate any rotating elasticity but the rubber coupler will allow some flex in the shaft direction. If there is any flex between the steering gear and column the u-joint of the tilt column should be able to handle it.