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Max steering u-joint angle?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Wildfire, May 17, 2009.

  1. Wildfire
    Joined: Apr 23, 2006
    Posts: 831

    Wildfire
    Member

    Mine is ending up at about 45 degrees. The borgeson website says 35 is max - like they'd know something about it...

    Anyway the car seems to turn fine and not catch every 90 degrees. So, am I asking for instantaneous death or what?

    My set up is a vega box, two u-joints, one at the box, one at the end of the steering column, about 10" of DD shaft in between. I can't lower the floor support or it will interfere with the Model A pedals and the top is up against the dash (picture no column drop required - just a U-bolt).
     
  2. mink
    Joined: Oct 4, 2007
    Posts: 1,331

    mink
    Member
    from CT

    I doubt that you are measuring you angle correctly cause my borgeson u joint binds way before 45 degrees
     
  3. i like to keep them to about 30 degrees or less , it seams like any more they get kinky

    i agree with mink..are you measuring them correctly?
     
    clem likes this.
  4. FiddyFour
    Joined: Dec 31, 2004
    Posts: 9,024

    FiddyFour
    Member

    35* is the MAX... sometimes they wont bind, but they will fail from fatigue in short order if pushed over 35*

    if you're at 45*, might be time for a double joint to buy you the flex you need. remember to put in a support bearing for sure with a double joint
     

  5. hotrod-Linkin
    Joined: Feb 7, 2007
    Posts: 3,382

    hotrod-Linkin
    Member

    ya better double joint as stated in previous post.
     
  6. Wildfire
    Joined: Apr 23, 2006
    Posts: 831

    Wildfire
    Member

    I used an angle finder - the kind used to measure pinion angle and such. Set on the box, the needle is straight up at 90. Set on the DD, the needle is on 45. The steering column is at 40, but in a different plane.
     
  7. you need to post pictures , so i can use my calibrated eyeball on it


    i'm not saying your wrong , but in my experience 45 degrees doesn't work
     
    Hnstray likes this.
  8. Wildfire
    Joined: Apr 23, 2006
    Posts: 831

    Wildfire
    Member

    yeah, pics would be good. I'm too tired tonight. Tomorrow, pics for sure.
     
  9. hoggyrubber
    Joined: Aug 30, 2008
    Posts: 572

    hoggyrubber
    Member

    glad you asked, i was wondering about this too.
     
  10. Wildfire
    Joined: Apr 23, 2006
    Posts: 831

    Wildfire
    Member

    Screw it, I cut another hole in the floorboard and moved the column down. Now both joints are in the 30 degrees or less range.

    Now I have two holes to patch and the model a pedal head need about a 1/4" ground off each to provide clearance.

    Oh the joy.
     
  11. Special Ed
    Joined: Nov 1, 2007
    Posts: 7,967

    Special Ed
    Member

    Yes, but now you won't have to worry about your steering binding up on you, when you might need it the most! 30 degrees is good...
     
    Hnstray likes this.
  12. Carl Wurfel
    Joined: Nov 9, 2017
    Posts: 68

    Carl Wurfel

    Does anyone know of a less expensive version of a VDog varible angle ujoint? I need to make a 90 degree angle into my steering setup. The Vdog is perfect at 8-1200 dollars...
     
  13. D3A8FB75-D0B5-495B-8437-7365F771487B.jpeg
    Oem parts but last time I brought it up it was deleted. OT and foreign but about 1/12 the price.

    86978861-B9CC-4854-BAC1-9A5D835AB6FD.jpeg

    then if you want,,, these come in different flavors as well. Good for 40 horse power ( way more than human arms are capable of with 40:1 leverage) and in normal use spin more rotations in 1 min than you’re going to turn it in 20 years.
    939F82BE-B15E-4940-AF9F-F8FA2C13713A.png
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2020
  14. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,174

    Budget36
    Member


    You might look into some tractor parts sellers and look at right angle PTO adapters., seems I recall low HP applications in the 2-300 range, but have no idea what you'd have to do to make it work for you.
     
  15. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,174

    Budget36
    Member

  16. Desmodromic
    Joined: Sep 25, 2010
    Posts: 571

    Desmodromic
    Member

    Be wary of HP ratings alone. For example, a gear rated at 25 HP at 10,000 rpm only sees about 13 lbs-ft of torque. You will never put more than one horsepower into your steering system, but maybe 50 to 75 lbs-ft of torque.
     
    Hnstray likes this.

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