max no. of propeller shaft in a vehicle

[scorpiosandy]

hi friend!
i just want to know is there some kind of contraint using no of propeller shafts in a vehicle. currently we are manufacturing a vehicle with 4 nos of popeller shafts(bus). is it possible to provide 6 nos,7 nos propeller shafts, if nos of propeller shsfts are more- how it will affect the performance of vehicle.becoz more no of propeller shaft more mobilty of joints u get but it causes a problem of breakage,slip & dust entry points.

 

[GregLocock]

I'd guess that for a commercial vehicle you use as many shafts as you need to get the right whirl speed and axle articulation. In the passenger car world I can't remember seeing more than three.

The more propeller shafts you have the more problems you will get with balance and joint orientation issues. Obviously they'll cost more as well. Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[innovator]

Computer programs exist to work out all the design aspects of shafts (joint orientation, tube size etc) Contact your prop shaft maker. The company I used to work for used Dana Spicers computers.

We once made and supplied shafts for fire engine pumps and the sytem consisted of 6 shafts all at different angles.

John

 

[plasgears]

The basic car has three elements: trans drive with u-joint, mid shaft with front and rear u-joints, and the differential with u-joint. I am referring to a rear wheel drive. In limo work, where there may be as much as 120"+ extention of the body, we made additions in pairs. U-joint action demands mutual paired elements of u-joints.

 

[carnage]

and then there was the interceptor from the late 60's two engines two seperate driveshafts and two irs rear ends tied together with an axel in the middle.

now make a 40 ft limo like that and your sure to have at least 8 to 10 shaft peices.

 

[Rob45]

There's certainly no theoretical limit to the number of individual shafts you can have in a driveline. I'd strongly recommend contacting an Eaton (Dana) driveline specialist for assistance in designing any new driveline layout. They can provide you with a very simple-to-use driveline calculator program for use in figuring angles, so that you avoid excessive cancellation errors.