divette

http://www.dutchmanms.com/1_irsnav.html[/QUOTE]



....its amazing

REDC4CORVETTE

Jeb! how do you hold the axles inplace when you install the spool?
The set screws don't seem to hold.

The pass side of the pumpkin the axle flang cuts into the pumpkin.
How can I fix this.

jburnett

In the latest sets I've modified the axle attachments. Originally I was using a 5/16" ball end mill and spotting the axles and then utilizing the set screw arrangement. For most people this has worked fine but when we started putting them in cars with heim jointed rear suspension components (which have a lot more play in them) we started having problems with the axles moving in/out. So, I now mill a pocket .500" deep in the axles and use a shouldered bolt to positively lock them in.

To fix yours take the axles out and have a 5/16" hole milled into the axles .500" deep and get some 5/16 shouldered G8 machine bolts.

Tony, if I get to the point where I'm constantly killing the D44 I will be putting a solid axle in the car. I wanna run some 7's first and that's the ultimate goal; as soon as that goal is accomplished my *** will be going straight axle with ladder bars... It's just easier if I wanna seriously go class racing than to deal with not only the idiosyncrasies of the IRS but also the dirty looks I get from track officials.
-Jeb

TONYDEE64

I agree, at the point I start breaking stuff, I'm going to fab a trans cross member and put a nine inch in it.. I think a good trans cross member which extends from one side of the frame to the other would also be good to stiffen the car, as well as give me a connector point to attach my other rollbar points from the main hoop.

lcvette

well guys.. I am ready to start putting a plan together for a strong rear end assembly.. I have come up with this so far and would like your input on it!

Car creation case
carbon fiber half shafts
carbon fiber drive shaft
300M inner and outer yokes
modded hubs and wheel bearings
3.45 gears (going ont he turbo car, need them for high trap speeds)
as for the posi.. I sure would like to put a detroit locker in there.. have ya made any progress on it Jeb?
or go ahead and get a spool

my question after reading this post several times is.. would it be easier to grab one of thedutchman 9" rear end cases and making that work since the detroit locker may be a nogo from what I have heard?

I am not crazy about the idea of a spool as I may want to run this car on more then a drag strip down the road but want the security of knowing i am no gonna blast other parts fromt he piece of crap posi units they oput in our cases.

thanks for the help guys.

PS.. I also and seriously considering going coil over.. so I had planned on asking the company who does the axles and hubs if they could make reinforced shock supports to the HUBS? what do ya think?

thanks in advance!

Chris

REDC4CORVETTE

In my opinion tub and 9 " ford.
Where do I get my info ,from me!!!!
Spool not bad on the street but to make it work you will spend a fortune!!!
Let's see Car creations yes ,Bat wing also and 3.45 gears
I would go to 3.92 or 4.11.
The axles will have to be groved to stay in the rear end ,and the spool will have to be drilled and a set screw installed to keep them in place.
Well now I think I have an unbreakable rear end
Well the set screw lets lose and the axle backs out and bounces like a basket ball and bang half shaft goes.
You shouldn't have much problems running the spool on the street .
The spool makes the nose kinda dive when going around corners but not realy a problem.If you get crossed up just let off the gas it will correct the car rather quickly. I would get the adjustable shocks for the rear and make them as stiff as possiable.
Just my 02 worth.Yes it has been tried,some of us are just stupid,you can't fix stupid.I tried don't waste your money tring,go to a 9"FORD!!
I AM LUCKY I RUN A DRIVE SHAFT LOOP AND HALF SHAFT LOOPS

TONYDEE64

If you want this car to be a real drag racer, you need to put a straight ford 9" in and be done with it..

divette

Yes, undoubtedly, Ford 9" was a best, I too very much would like it...... BUT

... PlumCrazyVette run 1.35-60ft and 8.7 ET (157 mph) on IRS!!!

Means with similar power and such time ET - IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE IRS.

When you will go BELOW 8's - THEN about Ford 9 " we shall speak.

And to same - the complete set of STRIGHT AXLE CONVERSION at firm Neverlift costs - 12000 $!!!!!!

Well and that?

It is cheap?

Yes I shall do to myself SUPER-STONG IRS (about 6000 better $) is more cheaply in 2-!!!! Time, and most important -
- Mine Vette stay Vette, instead of to turn in Camaro/Firebird and them similar....

My opinion.


P.S.

Who has photos of Ford 9 " in C4 ?

Put to look it.

Thank.

TONYDEE64

I absolutely love the back end of your car. Looks mean as can be!!! I'd like to see some more pictures of it!!!! I don't think a straight nine inch would necessarily have to cost a lot to install. I saw some pictures once of a guy who used the same four link and shock locations as the stock IRS, and simply made a trans crossmember and a pretty simple cross member to mount a panhard bar locator for the rear. All you need is some tubing, a welder, and a tapemeasure.

Now, if you want tubs and a trick inboard full race four link setup, then yes you are looking at big money.

How in the world can you build such an awesome car as yours in Russia? Where do you find parts?

Take care,

Tony

jburnett

Chris, you've about got it... I personally run a set of custom 3" chromoly halfshafts with billet yokes, but otherwise you're looking at a perfect copy of my rear. Spools aren't the greatest for street cars but surprisingly the Vette seems to deal with it better than any other car I've used them on. Just DON'T drive the damned thing in the rain!!!

Tony, the guy that was doing the stock pickup location 4-link straight axle setups was Frank Fernandez of RPM Racing... I've been doing some work with him lately and may be a test bed for a new stock pickup point conversion...We'll have to see.

Red, the axles actually have to be milled for a shoulder bolt instead of spotted or grooved for a setscrew...That was originally what I did when I built the first ones but they exhibited the same problems you're speaking of; it's even worse when using full-heim jointed suspension components. The axles are a PITA to mill for the bolt (better crap you some carbide) but once done they can be positively located and will not come out again.

It is a major pain and expense to build a bulletproof D44 IAS; but no more so that CORRECTLY installing a straight axle rear. Most of those I know will pay a competent (very important there) chassis builder to do the work. You're REALLY going to cut up the car (no biggie to some of us) and truthfully to do it in the manner I would choose will cost upwards of $10k... Plus, like Red says, some of us are gluttons for punishment and it's cool when you run 9's...or 8's...or 7's...and they look under the car and exclaim: "This SOB has an indy rear!!!" A few of us have proven the capability of a properly designed and built D44 in drag racing. Dennis and Stevie's purple monster is a good example, my formerly stick shifted high 9 second ride, Corky and Ski's bottom 10 second n/a rides, and a few others. We'll see if low 8's/high 7's are possible...If they are, groovy, if they aren't then we'll have found the true limit to what they'll take.
-Jeb

lcvette

thanks Jeb.. how much are the chromoly half's and where do ya get them? also.. Neat said you were tinkering with a locker to fit in place of the stock posi... hows that looking? any progress on it? and any word on those richmond spools? keep me posted!

Chris

AKS Racing

I have been running the same 3.45D44 since '98 with minimal issues. I recently thought I had cracked the case the last time I took it to the dyno (July), but from what I can see, the unit is just leaking between the batwing and the pumpkin. Unfortunately, the cradle obstructs the view of the lower portion of the case, so I will not know for sure until it comes out of the car.

I think many years, quite a few street miles, many 9 sec runs, and many very low 6 sec 1/8th mile passes are a true testament to the abuse that the D44 rear will handle.

Over that 8 years, I have broken two half shafts, twisted one other, one yoke, and several outboard hubs, and worn through three U joints (though I have replaced 8 over that span, plus the driveshaft pair once), but the center section remains intact with a ZF applying the power.

Prior to this, I broke three D44 cases. Eventually, you figure this stuff out.

Aaron

REDC4CORVETTE

Just so everyone knows I am running a 434 with 687 hp and 598 tq.Dynoed.
In the 1/4 mile at times the rear can be scarry,just don't jerk the wheel back to correct the car .
Yes I do run low 10's and 90% humity in the air. My problems are more with the trans than the rear.
I do have MT Drag slicks with the medium compound,I tried the soft but it was all over the track.
Just don't get the car in a posession where you have to make a tight turn and the spool will work .
Yes the car is set up for a 400 shot of nitrous,but I have never pushed it YET!

BrianCunningham

I found a pick of the forged subaxles someone on the forum was marketing, just thought I'd post it for you.

SloRvette

Brian, those are the Speed Demon ones. I twisted them the first time out.

tpi 421 vette

And last I heard they quit selling them until they could figure out why the were breaking.

divette

arghhh.....

How broke?.......... It is impossible....

It is what steel?

If it broke - is not Vasco 300M steel!

........I just now have bought at Jeb a complete set 300M billet axles - I is sure, they will not break as these.

Who such Speed Demons?
How to look at their production in Internet?

BrianCunningham

time for a complete redesign, like a larger diameter, the axle is a lot smaller than the hole in the upright.



The sealed bearing, which $uck anyways would need to be redesigned as well.

The trouble with subaxles is that they need to be alot shorter than those in a solid axle, therefore they don't 'wind up', so they need to be much stronger to take the shock loading of leaving the line hard.

SloRvette

If you look in my corvette photos you'll see the failure mode. Word is these were not properly hardened after machining. The stub axles I purchased through Speed Demon have nothing to do with the ones Jeb is setting you up with. After spending time talking with Dennis at the Cruise-In this year, I've got no doubts his stub axles are as good as you're going to get, given the limitation of the stock rear hub/bearing assemblys. If I was going to stay with a Dana 44, I'd have a set of them.

jburnett

I think Chris was having a problem with his heat treatment of those axles. Everytime I saw one that failed it looked like it was related to embrittlement.

The 300M axles are AWESOME!!! They're very well made (rolled splines, not machined, CNC'd center) and use close to $900.00 worth of 300M alloy in each pair. I don't believe there will be a problem breaking them and if there is we're already working on something that would go above and beyond...Think 33 spline and you're getting somewhere!!
-Jeb