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MG MGB Technical - Your View's ?

I have never heard of anyone fitting a carbon fiber drive shaft to a B or any british cars for that matter. Its a good way to shed some weight and it should put more of the engine's HP to the road. I would like to hear some knowledgeable views about this as I do not. They have carbon shafts for big v8 engines prices below a grand. Since the tolerances for our 4cyl is lower so should be the price in regards to the website I was looking at.


James
James

James,

Some people on this BBS use their MGBs for everyday transport, but I believe the majority of us keep them for pure pleasure. From that perspective, any modification is all right as long as you enjoy it!

Iīm not that knowledgeable, but I doubt if the weight saving you get from carbon fiber driveshafts will make any dramatic improvement as long as everything else in the rear suspension is standard. Donīt know what year your car is, but if it has a tube axle, an early banjo axle will save a lot more weight than lighter driveshafts.

Tore
Tore

I agree Tore. Then its all just a matter of peoples tastes.

What I'm saying is that it is part of the drive line. To have a lighter rotational force is a definite benefit. Just like a lighted or aluminum flywheel. The engine needs to use less of its HP to turn those parts which translates into more HP to the wheels. Again this is the assumption I am going under. Please educate me if I am wrong. I figure people go and balance and blueprint their B engines and fit a lightened flywheel which is not cheap. Why leave this out.

-James
James

See your point, and since some people are actually making carbon fiber drive shafts there is probably a reason for it. But the weight of the shaft is very close to the center of rotation, and at low revs. The flywheel is of course directly connected to the crankshaft, and the weight is distributed so it takes a lot more power to accelerate it. So I believe a lightened flywheel makes a much bigger difference than a light drive shaft.

Tore
Tore

Yes of course.
James

A big draw back this the carbon fiber drive shaft and its use on a road car is its lack of resistance to physical damage. Although very strong in its intended use a decent stone chip could render it useless.
Denis
Denis4

Aluminum flywheel, much more bang for the buck
Mike
MK Mike

Interesting Denis4. And I agree with you MK Mike. It wasnt a question of which one. Just looking for some feedback.
james

Copied from a website. Obviously we are not Pro Drag racers...

Advantages of Carbon Fiber

* Lighter than steel or aluminum.
* Three times torsional strength of steel.
* Torsional spring rate allows better tire hook-up.
* Torsional spring rate allows smoother shifting.
* Less shock load to the differential.
* Eliminates or dampens high speed vibrations.
* Reduces transmission and differential breakage.
* Characteristics can be varied by changing the wind, angles or diameter. PST offers both steel and 7075 Billet Aluminum yokes.
* In drag racing applications - a better 60 Ft. time.
* ET's have been lowered in some cases by as much as .120.
* In stock car racing better control out of corners is the result of the torsional spring rate.
* In road racing smoother shifting and better durability of transmission and differential have been reported.
* Tested on Cobra's at 180 MPH on Dyno with no vibrations.
* A much greater safety factor - carbon fiber will return to a fiber and not create shrapnel under the car, as would aluminum or steel shafts.

James

This thread was discussed between 18/05/2009 and 20/05/2009

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