Mini buggy front diff

[wyattboche]

I'm building a ST4 and I'm going to make it 4x4. Was wondering what you guys thought what might fit in the front to accept CV'S yet be shaft drive to accept Honda 500 rubicon atv drive shaft? I thought about a ford 7.5 rear diff and cutting the tubes off about 4" on each side. Then making custom axles with CV adapters on the ends. Would make them for front and rear maybe. I'm way out there.Has to be strong as it will be a work horse,and hunting vechile.

[nutz4sand]

How much power you plan to run thru it?

IRS front and rear or straight axe rear?

Shaft drive I am guessing?

How much travel you wanting?

[kevin quesenberry]

How about a Subaru rear diff or maybe one of these super rhino guys has pulled out the stock one for a spool. If you needed something as beefy as a 7.5, why not a T-bird 8.8? It already has a center section with flanges.

[wyattboche]

Originally Posted by nutz4sand

How much power you plan to run thru it?

IRS front and rear or straight axe rear?

Shaft drive I am guessing?

How much travel you wanting?

Want IRS front and rear. It's the amount of HP its the amount of torque. even so the amount of HP not even 60. But when you start pulling logs out of the woods something is going to break, more in likely fron shafts.Espically the whell and tire compo I'm picking out. I'm not expecting alot of travel, maybe 14".

[nutz4sand]

The front end out of a older Toyota 4wd with IRS can get those numbers and a rear end out of a Toyota Supra might be found with a similair ratio (they are IRS.)

One idea I always liked was two identical car IRS diffs. Point them both forward. Then run a shaft alongside them or alongside the car. Then run an enclosed chain from the shaft to the diffs. In the back a sideways mounted motor would send power to the shaft.

Short of doing some wierd gearing BS with different size tires (not fun and two spares to carry if you go deep into the trails.) I do not know of ANY gear ratio matching front and rear IRS's one could connect VIA a common shaft right down the middle.

But the above Toyotas is where I would start to look.

Geo tracker front ends are good too but again a matching IRS rear?

[ErwinBnl]

Are there chain driven differentials?

That would be ideal for my build

[wyattboche]

Originally Posted by nutz4sand

The front end out of a older Toyota 4wd with IRS can get those numbers and a rear end out of a Toyota Supra might be found with a similair ratio (they are IRS.)

One idea I always liked was two identical car IRS diffs. Point them both forward. Then run a shaft alongside them or alongside the car. Then run an enclosed chain from the shaft to the diffs. In the back a sideways mounted motor would send power to the shaft.

Short of doing some wierd gearing BS with different size tires (not fun and two spares to carry if you go deep into the trails.) I do not know of ANY gear ratio matching front and rear IRS's one could connect VIA a common shaft right down the middle.

But the above Toyotas is where I would start to look.

Geo tracker front ends are good too but again a matching IRS rear?

Would be nice with IRS. How would someone set it up for solid axles? Also must have a reverse. Probably should just put some ATV or UTV front and rear diff's in and make custom axles and a-arms. Do you think the Toyota diff's would be to heavy? Just thinking out loud.

[wyattboche]

Originally Posted by kevin quesenberry

How about a Subaru rear diff or maybe one of these super rhino guys has pulled out the stock one for a spool. If you needed something as beefy as a 7.5, why not a T-bird 8.8? It already has a center section with flanges.

Is the T-bird rear end the same as the Mustangs?

[nutz4sand]

As far as I know the Mustangs are solid axle. A lot of the later T-birds were IRS and the diff aint to heavy. I got one here thats supposed to be out of one but I have never seen one in a scrap yard to know. Its an IRS diff from Ford and its aluminum.

I do not know the use you plan to use it for Wyatt but your comment about the wheel and tires compo (compo? ;] ) and pulling logs out of the woods would make me run nothing BUT a car diff. If its gonna be a workhorse a few extra pounds are a good thing if it holds it together.

If its a racer then its a different story.

Heavy duty and lightweight usually mean $$$$.

If you were building just a one seater and wanted 4wd for say the mud then car diffs might not be needed. But the tires size may destroy anything quad sized.

Soooo what size tires are you planning on it having?

As for a chain drive front "diff" an older Polaris 4x4 quad used to use a chain drive front setup. Ok for what it was made for but not too much more.

[FugginZukin]

Not sure if this is much help, but I am using two Suzuki Samurai axles for my IFS/IRS application. I am going to cut them down, re-spline them, and weld 930 flages on the outer ends. Might be an option for you.