Chain Driven Axle

[Neverdone]

Very interesting RPM!!!

I would love to see more pictures of the drive setup if you could......

[CORPO]

The topic made me think of this one... rear engine and chain drive

The third picture... I just thought that was awesome.. chain drive tandem axles

Last one looks like you basically have a rear axle that the chains are mounted too.. that would allow for the speed/rotational difference around corners.....? also very cool how the brakes are on the "upper" axle and not out at the wheels

[smallfoot]

Lot's of cool ideas! The Harleys had them as far back as 36 I believe on the Servi-car. They are straight axles with the chain sprocket and yes they are squirrely in several ways. Around corners and standing on breaks that seemed no matter how you did them, one would lock up before the other and away you go...heheh. ask me how I know. Got a 55 out in the barn that I built for my ex wife years ago. Took it away from her to save her life....

[Sam_Fear]

Originally Posted by Neverdone

Sam, no sure I understand what you're saying...

Kinda like that tractor above.

[Torchie]

Originally Posted by CORPO

The topic made me think of this one... rear engine and chain drive

The third picture... I just thought that was awesome.. chain drive tandem axles

Last one looks like you basically have a rear axle that the chains are mounted too.. that would allow for the speed/rotational difference around corners.....? also very cool how the brakes are on the "upper" axle and not out at the wheels

Last pic looks like it is from an old American LaFrance fire engine chassis. I have seen some pretty cool build threads using these frames as platforms to built giant speedsters. Don't know anything in regards to how fast they can go though.
Torchie.

[zzrodder]

Obviously the main issue is to have a differential or it's like driving a car with a spool. There are fancy chain or belt drive trike axles, all billet stuff and big bucks.
You could build one fairly cheaply using any type of rear diff that has a rear cover. Flip it over, remove and plug the pinion, toss the ring gear and mount a sprocket to the carrier. Of course, lubrication would be an issue since you'd have to run the chain out through a couple holes in the rear cover.... fill it with grease ???
So how would you drive it from the transmission end ??

[kenny c]

I don' know if this will help but I will trie to explain how I built the rear end for my wife's trike. I started with a mazda pickup axle. it has outer axle bearings that are captured to the axle so there are no clip in the carrier. I used the axle tubes cut off of the center section and welded them to two plates that I bolted 4 bolt flange bearings to that the carrier would spin in these are spaced apart the same distance as flanges of the bearings with spacer blocks and then wraped with a band of steel with openings for the belt to run in and out of. I enclosed the spider gears with a tin cover made from a center cap from a mag wheel it just happened to be the right size and installed a grease fitting to lube it. To drive it I removed the ring gear and machined the center out of an aluminium Harley rear pulley but you could do the same with a sprocket. I hope this helps.I'm sorry I don't have pictures.

[Neverdone]

Originally Posted by zzrodder

Obviously the main issue is to have a differential or it's like driving a car with a spool. There are fancy chain or belt drive trike axles, all billet stuff and big bucks.
You could build one fairly cheaply using any type of rear diff that has a rear cover. Flip it over, remove and plug the pinion, toss the ring gear and mount a sprocket to the carrier. Of course, lubrication would be an issue since you'd have to run the chain out through a couple holes in the rear cover.... fill it with grease ???
So how would you drive it from the transmission end ??

I have read some other discussion about what ya are saying.... This sounds like the best idea. But I would need to find some way to seal it or something for oil.

Driving from the trans would not be hard. It is a chain drive bike engine so that is why I want to run a chain axle.

Originally Posted by kenny c

I don' know if this will help but I will trie to explain how I built the rear end for my wife's trike. I started with a mazda pickup axle. it has outer axle bearings that are captured to the axle so there are no clip in the carrier. I used the axle tubes cut off of the center section and welded them to two plates that I bolted 4 bolt flange bearings to that the carrier would spin in these are spaced apart the same distance as flanges of the bearings with spacer blocks and then wraped with a band of steel with openings for the belt to run in and out of. I enclosed the spider gears with a tin cover made from a center cap from a mag wheel it just happened to be the right size and installed a grease fitting to lube it. To drive it I removed the ring gear and machined the center out of an aluminium Harley rear pulley but you could do the same with a sprocket. I hope this helps.I'm sorry I don't have pictures.

Kenny sounds like you are talking about the same thing ZZ said. Too bad no pics... I have plans for a mini rail and the back axle is made from geo metro parts so I was thinking of something like this but there is no diff so it would still be a solid axle turning issue.....

[RPM]

You need to check out this group, they race these cars with the solid rear axles and chain drive.

http://www.umdra.com/

[blacksheep]

Originally Posted by RPM

You need to check out this group, they race these cars with the solid rear axles and chain drive.

http://www.umdra.com/

It appears that these guys are drag racing, moving in straight lines. Not a lot of turning involved.