[Duncan]

Assuming that you mean from the motor to the propshaft - that is the way my "Device" works
It means that you can put the motor where the gearbox would live

https://www.diyelectriccar.com/foru...dubious-device-44370p15.html?highlight=duncan

Mine was dead easy the Hitachi motor had a brake on one end - I snaffled the female spline drive and made a simple disc adapter to the prop shaft

 

[Duncan]

Yes - that is effectively what I did - but the motor takes the place of the transmission - leaving the whole "engine bay" for batteries

The adapter is a simple disc with holes tapped at 8mm and a machined ring on each side to keep the two parts concentric

 

[Duncan]

Reverse is easy - just use a reversing contactor

I used one off an old forklift - a small 24v one - but I did oveload it at the last drag races so I bought a bigger one

You will need need an adapter for your shaft - I'm NOT in favout of driving through the key you will need the taper lock type of adaptor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT4axK3haQ0

Next
the drive shaft - a two UJ type shaft needs to have some end movement - some axial movement
My car has that with movement of the female spline part on the male spline

Any type of clamping lock on a keyed driveshaft will NOT have any axial movement - so you will need the axial movement in the propshaft

A lot of (most?) car propshafts do have an axial sliding joint as part of the propshaft

 

[Duncan]

So the taper lock joint would take the place of a splined slip yoke to provide axial movement?

No - the taper lock would have zero movement - but most propshafts have a sliding joint as part of the propshaft


https://bearmach.com/propshaft-br-0404

The propshaft on this page has a sliding joint

Some propshafts don't have a sliding joint because the gearbox output has it built in

 

[Duncan]

OK first treat the propshaft as "parts"

The diff end will be a flange with four bolts

You need to get hold of another propshaft so that you have got the splined bit and both ends
That page I linked to was for landrovers (I think) but all sorts of machinery from the 50's to the 80's had propshafts and I'm pretty sure there are only a couple of sizes

Then forget about that bit until you have the adapter on your driveshaft and the motor bolted into the car

Now you need to measure how long a propshaft you need and take all your bits and that measurement to a local machine shop - they will cut and weld you a new propshaft

Here (NZ) I needed to get it balanced and to have some metal around it in case it broke

 

[Duncan]

So, What about if I got a coupler that mated the keyed shaft on one side and a six inch section of the output shaft from the original transmission? This would be able to slip into the original driveshaft. Would it be an issue strength wise being this length? Also, would it be an issue of the output shaft being in the slip yoke without the collar that was on the transmission tail piece?

Your problem with that is ensuring that it was well enough mounted to the motor driveshaft - it would need to be very rigid to avoid it whipping

I would prefer the driveshaft with the "plunging" joint in it -

 

[Duncan]

The page I linked to had an example

https://bearmach.com/propshaft-br-0404

That one is for a landrover

 

[Duncan]

OK that's an example - you may be able to just buy one the right length - or move your motor back or forwards until the length works out

Otherwise you would get a machine shop to cut and weld - you can see both ends of my driveshaft in the last picture - it's only about a foot long

Using an "off the shelf" one has a lot of advantages

In your shoes I would -
first look at your transmission tunnel -
is it large enough for your motor?
- can you make it large enough?
That sets where the motor can live

take your existing propshaft and offer it up - that will show how long a shaft you need and what size UJ you need to go onto the diff

Then go to your parts supplier and talk to him
Most older cars had propshafts, today BMW and Subaru and various trucks have propshafts

Find what there is - if you are lucky you can buy a new one or get one from a scrapyard

Don't forget the space needed for the adapter that goes on the drive shaft

 

[Duncan]

Hi
I would throw that coupling away - the very way it works guarantees that it will not be concentric

Can you shift the motor back the ten inches? - Shorter propshafts are better - if you have to do some metalwork expanding the transmission tunnel that is better than messing with the propshaft

You need a proper coupling the type that uses a conical thing to clamp onto your motor driveshaft

 

[Duncan]

I guess I could, would I still need a new driveshaft? I could even move the motor mid ship and hook into the diff. But, in any of these configurations I would need a slip drive shaft of some sort, correct?

Yes - you still need a slip/plunge joint -
change the order of events -
if you can move the motor then take your propshaft to your handy local scrapyard or other supplier and have a look at what he has

Then go back to the motor position - rinse and repeat until you have got it sorted

A new propshaft is not that expensive - could be best to bite the bullet and get a new one

 

[Duncan]

You only want the reduction gear if you are using a wimpy AC motor

A DC motor is a LOT cheaper
Does not need the reduction gear
And you probably don't need two

But it is a little less "sophisticated"

 

[Duncan]

Here's an idea I was thinking about. I still have the output housing and shaft from the transmission. If I could modify it to mount to the electric motor and it would solve a lot of problems. Here's the issue with that:

The original set up fed ATF to keep the output shaft for lubrication.

What if I tapped the housing for grease fittings to pump grease into the areas in question? Would this even work?

That sounds to me to be VERY VERY DIFFICULT - and with no advantages

 

[Duncan]

Hi Rob kr

I paid $100(NZ) form my first Hitachi 11 inch motor

The latest one I bought (as a spare) cost me $200

THAT is the cost of DC motors - and I'm pushing 1200 amps and 340 volts - 500 hp

You are comparing that to a limp wristed 70 hp at 15 times the cost!

AND the AC motor will need a controller that is a lot more expensive than a P&S

Modern OEM AC motors are GREAT

Aftermarket AC motors are wimpy and expensive

 

[Duncan]

Hi rob kr

This is my car
https://www.diyelectriccar.com/foru...dubious-device-44370p15.html?highlight=duncan

Not at all sure it's an example of what to do but it is great fun

Matt
The problem is that a DC motor controller is easy and you can very simply over amp and over volt them

AC motor controllers are much much more difficult and you can't just slap something together and go

 

[Duncan]

Hi Matt

Two engineers - Tesla and Forklift
The Tesla guy has low weight and power as absolute goals

The Forklift guy does NOT
If he designs a light motor then they need more weights and people will look at it and snear
Same with power

Saying that I AM getting a LOT more power out of my Hitachi motor - but I don't expect to get 200,000 miles out of it