shock absorbing drive flanges from ashcroft.

[andrew e]

Has anyone else seen these? i saw them in the august LRO advertised but couldn't find them on their website. They look like a great idea.They are a 2 piece hub (one piece connected on the axle, and the other on the 5 outside bolts) with rubber cushioning pieces in the middle to stop the massive shockloads on axles.

Andrew

[Slunnie]

dunno. Sounds like the LR tailshafts.

[uninformed]

if you look at the picture they are under "development" so this is why they probably are not on there web site. looks like they would stick out of the wheel quite a way.

serg

[ashtrans]

Has anyone else seen these? i saw them in the august LRO advertised but couldn't find them on their website. They look like a great idea.They are a 2 piece hub (one piece connected on the axle, and the other on the 5 outside bolts) with rubber cushioning pieces in the middle to stop the massive shockloads on axles.

Andrew

Hi,

we figure they only need to give a little rotary movement to loose the 'spike' of the shock load,

you can fit softer or harder polypropylene as required, this material is readily available and cost pennies, you can change the inserts every competition or every year just by removing the end plate,

we have made 5 pairs to replace the early thick front drive flange but are still debating whether to put them into production because :

1) we would need to make 2 types because of the 2 types of flanges,

2) they will be quite expensive, approx £ 240 pair,

3) do they work ?, yes they look cool, yes the theory is good but how can you test them reliabably in controlled shock conditions, not easy.

this is the biggest problem with the product from a commercial point of view, I need to spend £ 5000 to get the price break so I can sell at £ 240/pair. The question is will people pay this for a product which 'should' work, this I don't know and don't really want to put £ 5K of shiny metal on the shelf and then never sell it.

PS they only stick out another 5mm than the stock flanges,

I will try to post some photos tomorrow,

feedback welcome,

[andrew e]

send a set my way, i'll test them, try to break them, then if they work good, i'll buy them. (i'll expect a discount of course because by then they will be seccond hand). .

i do 350 kms a week plus weekends thrashing up and down rocks.

Andrew

[ashtrans]

send a set my way, i'll test them, try to break them, then if they work good, i'll buy them. (i'll expect a discount of course because by then they will be seccond hand). .

i do 350 kms a week plus weekends thrashing up and down rocks.

Andrew

I will see if I have another set available,

"i'll test them, try to break them, "

you will not break the cush drive, the question is whether you will break less CV's and shafts

[ISUZUROVER]

Interesting idea - seems to be a better approach than overload clutch type hubs.

Though it wouldn't work for people who are breaking parts from longer term lower fatigue loading or because their CV's are binding/balls coming out too far.

At what torque does full compression of the polyurethane occur (with the durometer of poly in there currently)?

[Slunnie]

well done Dave, I like your innovation!

[TuffRR]

Cool idea.

Price is a little high from a consumers perspective but i understand where you are coming from.

[Top90]

Dave at Ashcrofts

I personally think these would be a good idea and worth the £240 a set if they save shafts.

In the last year I have broken two front drivers side (ashcroft) shafts. I have not managed a CV yet as I only use origional LR ones.

I still use the ashcroft shafts as they have been broken during the 'learning curve' of more enthusiastic driving, not unexplained failures.

A set of these has got to be cheaper than buying and changing shafts.

Richard

[TuffRR]

In the last year I have broken two front drivers side (ashcroft) shafts. I have not managed a CV yet as I only use origional LR ones.

You broke aftermarket shafts twice and still haven't busted a stock CV?

Weird.

Do you have a front locker?

[Top90]

Yes, I've got ARBs front and rear.

I never use the front locker if using more than half a turn of lock to save strain on the front axle.

I have a lot of faith in genuine LR CV's. Funny thing is people say they are weak, but mine are the smaller 300TDi 90 ones and I've never had a problem.

As I said though each time it was 'sort of' my fault and the steering was straight.

Richard

[tony cordell]

Dave

any of the 5 sets available for testing?

[D9OSV]

I also have always broke Ash croft front shafts and not cv's or have had the shaft break in the cv rendering both useless.

Not fun when your leading an event

But part of the joy of Rover axles

Not!


Keep going Dave, be intrested to see if they work.

Any chance of giving some to someone who really will use them in anger?

And no i did not mean me

[tony cordell]

Jim have you fitted a TD5 then?

[pendy]

I think the five bolts attaching the shock hub would become the next weak link. I would imagine there would be more noticeable drivetrain slop changing motion from foward to rearward as well. Interesting idea though.

[andrew e]

any update?

[ashtrans]

Hi,

"any update?"

we have just finished making another 10 pairs of these, although I have no doubt they work, I am still not sure how commercially viable they are. So we thought we would just make a small batch and see how they go, only finished them last week so not on the web site yet.

we have substantually improved our halfshafts recently and if used with our new HD CV's it's debatable if the cush huds are necessary.

these are £ 240 / pair and are made to replace the early thick type drive flange FRC5806.

Before I get inundated with offers to test them for free, the answers no, they have been tested, the testers liked them and I know they work !

[ashtrans]

how come that photo didn't work ?????????????

[Bush65]

how come that photo didn't work ?????????????

There is a problem with attached pics for the moment. Linked pics work.

[ashtrans]

try that !

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/a ... /cush2.jpg

[ashtrans]

thanks John,

[Slunnie]

try that !

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/a ... /cush2.jpg

[mickrangie]

How good is that!!

what a brilliant idea!!

Well done!! My hat off to you!

[andrew e]

bugger. i now have 30 splines.







dont let scorpion see that.................

[rick130]

dont let scorpion see that.................

wouldn't matter, they'd just f&%k up the design anyway and ty to charge three times more than Dave.

[D9OSV]

Nice to see a post rear up again....

Since my comments on Daves halfshafts

He has supplied me with his new CV joints, and what can i say.....


WOW

Have completed 6 events with them, ( All top end events, NOT play days or one dayers ) Have not been placed lower than third in any of them and have driven very, very hard.....

And guess what?????

NO BREAKAGES

Very impressed, Thanks to Dave for his effort to make (at last)a CV worthy of use

Keep up the good work Ashcroft, Awesome

Regards

Jim