If these are solid axle cars, pre IRS, then perhaps the answer is to modify
the rear hubs to a full floating design. This is what the Spridgets use,
where the hub is pressed onto the axle housing itself, and the drive axle
floats inside the hub, essentially retained by the wheel nuts. The stock
car guys do this as a matter of course to the Ford 9" rear ends that they
all use, so any stock car shop could probably be consulted. As far as
changing the entire third member, VARAC doesn't allow this under the rules,
but specific waivers on a car by car basis could be sought. There are a
lot of third member designs that have the same weakness - Volvo P1800,
Chevrolet, etc. Check out Circle Track for people who make full floating
rear ends for Nascar, etc.
A cheaper alternative in some cases is to weld the axle bearing to the axle
with a few big tacks, and then to press the bearing into the rear end
housing, perhaps rigging a way to positively retain the bearing into the
rear end. Better than nothing, and you can change bearings by grinding off
the tacks. No idea if this trick would work for the Triumph axles, tho.
Brian
At 12:36 AM 07/25/2000 -0400, Don wrote:
>This sounds like deja vu all over again.
>
>My TR-3 did a triple roll (two of them airborne)
>at Phoenix a few years ago. It happened coming
>out of a sharp banked turn. The car was so badly
>damaged, I just sold the wreck asis. I've always
>wondered about the cause, perhaps you've answered
>my question.
>
>Don Queen - Reformed British Iron Driver and Alfa
>Legend
Brian Evans
Director, Strategic Accounts
UUNET, An MCI WorldCom Company
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