Eliminating Viscous coupling unit?

jpoopoojpoopoo Wagonist
in Engine & Drivetrain
so i removed my driveshaft due to some vibration and noticed the rear u joint is shot. im prob going to replace them all. but first off, i was wondering if there are any faults, or something that will not work properly if i just make a customize one piece driveshaft eliminating the Viscous coupling unit and of course keeping the u joints only at each ends?

i also noticed this driveshaft is FREAKING LONG as heck, so doing a one piece, does that mean there will be a bigger chance in vibration?

Comments

  • MrWhoopeeMrWhoopee Wagonist
    Eliminating the viscous coupling will place continuous strain on the rear diff, most likely causing an early failure. I wouldn't.
  • turbo_tegturbo_teg Council Member
    to get a 1 piece your gunna have to do it in carbon fiber or maybe aluminum but they both will be expensive. i wouldnt run it daily either its kinda like driving a truck in 4wd on the steets tight slow turns make the front and rear diffs fight eachother for a speed in which to travel. my suggestion would be to do what im doing i have a CRV driveline that im welding new wagon ends on and having it made the right length so when i want to be 50/50 i can just throw it in and out.
  • jpoopoojpoopoo Wagonist
    well damn, thanks for the info. the vc is kinda new to me for i was thinking it was like a rwd car. they make one piece (lightweight) driveshafts for rwd cars all day, and doesn't hurt the rear end/diff.
  • JakerJaker familEE
    I had a 1 piece driveshaft made for my RWD Wagon, and the only material that it can be made from is CF. Any other material is not stiff enough and too heavy for the length (86 1/4"), and can lead to whiping.

    The reason for the diff issues has nothing to do with the driveshaft. It has to do with the different ratios that the front wheels are driven versus the rear wheels, so when going in a straight line, or turning, the front wheels fight the rear wheels because they're trying to turn at different speeds. The Viscous coupler allows them to do that - turns at different speeds. A solid 1 piece driveshaft will not let that happen.
  • wicked_wagonwicked_wagon Band Wagon
    So what I'm getting is that if we remove the viscous coupler and install a standard driveline we will have a failure in the drivetrain (most likely the rear end) because the front and rear wheels are geared differently and with a standard driveline the engine would try to drive the front and rear wheels at different speeds...correct?

    If so couldn't we change the gear ratios either in the front or rear to match each other, install a standard driveline and just run open diffs without any problems? .....

    And if you really wanted traction , install LSD's in the front and rear....is this plausable?

    thoughts?
  • MrWhoopeeMrWhoopee Wagonist
    Yes, if you wanted to install LSD they would allow full time 4WD, not to mention all the colors. :mrgreen:
  • JakerJaker familEE
    The rear wheels always turn in a tighter radius than the front wheels. That's why when you mis-judge a sharp turn, it always seems that the inside rear is what hits the curb. Since they're turning in a tighter radius, they effectively turn slower. That's one of the reasons why there's a center diff/viscous coupler. It lets the rears turn slower than the fronts. This is one of the causes of the binding in the drivetrain when you have no center diff, or in our case either no viscous coupler, or one that is welded. We also get a bit of binding from the difference in drive ratios from front to rear.
  • oilspotoilspot Wagonist
    Jaker wrote:
    The rear wheels always turn in a tighter radius than the front wheels. That's why when you mis-judge a sharp turn, it always seems that the inside rear is what hits the curb. Since they're turning in a tighter radius, they effectively turn slower. That's one of the reasons why there's a center diff/viscous coupler. It lets the rears turn slower than the fronts. This is one of the causes of the binding in the drivetrain when you have no center diff, or in our case either no viscous coupler, or one that is welded. We also get a bit of binding from the difference in drive ratios from front to rear.
    good explanation!
  • wicked_wagonwicked_wagon Band Wagon
    Jaker wrote:
    The rear wheels always turn in a tighter radius than the front wheels. That's why when you mis-judge a sharp turn, it always seems that the inside rear is what hits the curb. Since they're turning in a tighter radius, they effectively turn slower. That's one of the reasons why there's a center diff/viscous coupler. It lets the rears turn slower than the fronts. This is one of the causes of the binding in the drivetrain when you have no center diff, or in our case either no viscous coupler, or one that is welded. We also get a bit of binding from the difference in drive ratios from front to rear.

    an explanation even I can understand...your the man....I thought the VC's main purpose was fuel economy,now I know its more involved...
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