Technical Drive Shaft Flange: Weak Link?

[the hobbler]

I have purchased this drive-shaft kit from D'Angelo---can't knock the quality, or the service that I got from them.

 

[Toshi 975]

I've always fancied those Dave. Is that a set for the driven end only? I considered them but as far as I can see they are inteded to over-ride the inherent weakness of the rubber/aluminium coupling. Doesn't the tripod still have to fit over the driveshaft splines and be able to slide up and down along it. I know it would be very helpful that it is properly encased in a rubber boot filled with grease but is it as good as a proper, modern CV-joint?

Yes they also rely on the splines on the drive shaft being in good condition. I never got round to fitting this set but I am told that you can fit and forget as they will not wear. If Mod500 sees this he may comment as he has been running them for a few years and I have a pal who fitted them to his 100+ HP 126. I believe that these were and possibly still are only made in relatively small batches by an engineering company in Poland when they switched production from drive couplings for modern cars.

 

[Toshi 975]

I’ve read about the tripod on the Italian Fiat forums but have never soon a picture of one, much less one for sale on the internet. Where can one be obtained and do you think it’s worth the effort and expense of installation?

I looked on the Axel Gerstl site , they are listing them and showing them in stock at €397 a pair.

 

[Richenrygarcia]

I reached out to D'Angelo Motori and asked about the difference between their kit and others for sale on the market. Below is the reply I received, translated from Italian via Google:

"Good evening, thank you for contacting us.

I'll explain quickly the difference between this kit that costs so much and a standard kit of axle shafts.

Our kit is all-hardened, the bells that will then be screwed on aluminum joint are steel too, while original ones are made of cast iron, and then have the headphones inside the metal bushing, while the others are in plastic.

All this means that you never break, and another thing, the drive shafts on the market are not perfectly straight, then they turn slightly when they work badly, while these are perfectly straight and coupling aluminum and rubber will not break anymore."

I hope I was clear and for anything else available."



Seems like a good answer to me. I think I'm going to pull the trigger and order them, unless I can think of a better solution overnight. The tripod does seem interesting!

 

[lazylobster]

So you pretty much have a lifetime guarantee on the D'Angleo items. And an email / response backing that up.
R

 

[the hobbler]

1 slight engineering anomoly with these kits is that you have to put the stub- axle (nyloc) nut on backwards. This is so that the rounded, nylon-insert end of the nut matches the inside ofthe part that fits onto the stub-axle. I didn't like the sound of this so I had a couple of small washers machined for me that match the inside shape of the part of the coupling that goes on to the stub-axle---means that I can put the nut on the correct way.
The same company also used to market a coupling kit that went onto the side of the gearbox, with short shafts into the diff, but I haven't seen this kit for sale for some time.

 

[Craig16]

Motomax in Poland are the company that make the tripod cv upgrade kit.

Link: http://www.motomax.pl/en/motomax-store/

Very helpful company and have responded quickly to emails in the past when I had queries and needed a new set of cv boots as a replacement.

 

[Richenrygarcia]

I looked on the Axel Gerstl site , they are listing them and showing them in stock at €397 a pair.

Ouch!!!

 

[timmycm850]

Hi All

The kit looks good with proper steel(not cast iron) flanges that are heat treated too for strength.

Tim

 

[Richenrygarcia]

Hi All

The kit looks good with proper steel(not cast iron) flanges that are heat treated too for strength.

Tim

I placed the order. Between the convincing from this board and the reply from D'Angelo motori, they seemed like the real deal.

 

[Richenrygarcia]

You can always fit the tripod kit, this is a spare set I have

Toshi, did you need to fit change your clutch when installing the tripod kit? I've read the 126 BIS clutch has flexible springs which avoid potential damage to the gearbox/clutch, to accommodate the tripod. Can you confirm?

 

[Toshi 975]

I seem to remember some debate about this potential issue some years ago as the possible slight cushioning of the rubber filled coupling had been taken out of the equation but was dismissed at the time.

 

[Richenrygarcia]

I seem to remember some debate about this potential issue some years ago as the possible slight cushioning of the rubber filled coupling had been taken out of the equation but was dismissed at the time.

Good to know. Looks like it’s an easy to install bit of extra insurance.

 

[Toshi 975]

Good to know. Looks like it’s an easy to install bit of extra insurance.

I think that the logic went something like most/many vehicles do not have any sort of cushion in the drive train apart from clutch control. I fitted a used Fiat 500D clutch plate in my '89 Bis in 1990 when the clutch went on a Sunday morning and I had to get to work the next day. It worked a treat

 

[Richenrygarcia]

The new axles and flanges arrived from D'Angelo Motori and they look glorious. Here's hoping that this is the solution to my woes.

 

[the hobbler]

Another trick that I do is to tap the bolt thread in the alloy/rubber couplings to their full depth. It CAN be done 'in-situ' (I have done it) but it is much easier to do it before you fit the new coupling. With the thread (8mm x 1.25mm) tapped all the way down, I then use longer (60mm if my memory is correct) bolts and extend the thread down the bolt as well, leaving 19mm (the depth of the hole in the splined flange) bare shank. It always struck me as strange to have all that depth of thread and not use it. I once had the situation where the bolts wouldn't stay tight in the coupling,and the only way that I could get round the problem pro-tem was to utilise the full depth of thread in the coupling. I now do it on all my drive-shaft couplings

 

[lazylobster]

The new axles and flanges arrived from D'Angelo Motori and they look glorious. Here's hoping that this is the solution to my woes.

Super quick service and delivery there

 

[The Whitakers]

The new axles and flanges arrived from D'Angelo Motori and they look glorious. Here's hoping that this is the solution to my woes.

They look properly manufactured over the cast ones...….may have to invest...…..

 

[the hobbler]

I have a set on my car--much better quality, you can see where the flanges have been heat-treated. A tip--D'Angelo often do a Christmas discount of about 15%---they did at X-mas 2019,which is when I bought mine.

 

[fiat500]

I got hold of some genuine Fiat driveshaft flanges...still boxed. When originally retailed it appears they were over £9.00 each. They look really good quality.

All I need to find now is a pair of original Fiat driveshafts to match...wish me luck.