This blog documents the restoration, and conversion, of a 1965 Humber (Singer) Vogue to a fully electric vehicle. The Vogue will be powered by an 11kW(modified), 3 phase industrial AC motor, controlled by an industry standard Variable Speed Drive (VSD) or Inverter. To be able to produce the 400 volts phase to phase the VSD will need about 600 VDC of batteries. A big thanks to the contributors on the AEVA forum: http://forums.aeva.asn.au/forums/

Monday, May 20, 2013

Wedges Installed - Problem persists

I finished installing the two degree wedges on both sides of the car on Sunday afternoon.

This is the front - about 4 to 5mm lift.

This is the rear of the axle perch.

The underside - just 'cause I took the picture.
The differential flange and the motor coupling flange are now within about 0.3 of a degree of each other.

....and the result. Absolutely no change at all!

We even locked the motor speed to 60 km/h to remove any doubt about speed variation and placed a big block of wood under the rear of the motor mount and jacked the car up about 15mm - no change.

I repeated a previous test and jacked under the middle of the motor cradle (the fan end of the motor) - no change in vibration. This stumps me. How can it be that taking so much load on the jack doesn't at least dampen the vibration?

I don't believe I have ever in my life put more effort into a problem with so little return.

So I am faced with a choice now of whether to give up on universal joints and have the tailshaft remade with CVs or persists in trying to find the reason for this vibration. Going the CV route doesn't automatically gaurantee a cure.

Suggestions from mechanically minded folk are very welcome but if you want to comment, please could you read the posts on vibration so we don't revisit older discussions too much (that isn't to say I haven't missed something).

I'm currently trying to ascertain what sized tube wall was used in the new tailshaft.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I couldn't see any mention of you checking or replacing the U-joint, I have had friends with the vibration problem you describe being cause by a defunct U-joint

Johny said...

Thanks for the comment. The tailshaft is brand new. New UJs, new sliding spline, new tube. I even took it back to have it rebalanced - with no difference at all.

Anonymous said...

it is unlikely but a failing pinion gear in your diff can cause

Johny said...

I'm 99.9% certain it's not anything to do with the diff now. All the vibration coems from the front end. I now suspect the front slip-yoke and Universal Joint. I have the tailshaft off again and I am trying to get it balanced flange to flange. I'll post the results.

Des Molloy said...

I don't suppose it is anything as obvious as out of balance wheels? I have enjoyed your saga to date with an eye on doing something similar if money ever becomes available. Good luck

Johny said...

It's a tailshaft speed vibration and I run it with wheels off. I think we may have found it - front tailshaft flange. I'll post as soon as I'm sure. Thanks for the kind words Des.