| Author |
Message |
    
Jroc (Jroc)
| | Posted on Monday, October 07, 2002 - 11:33 pm: | 
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Ok, went to MAR and had tons of fun! Came back with lots of great memories and tons o' mud! Completely FUCKED my Rotoflex coupling up! Drove home with bad vibes and thought it was due to all the mud or the new Equal tire balance system I had installed prior. Saw the results this morning and was somewhat relieved. Now what??? This thing was really fucked! Probably more from the long drive home than the trails. Lets hear some opinions about "upgrading" to a U-Joint. I've heard the argument that trail fix is easier with a Rotoflex, but is this also more likely to fail and need trail fixing??? Vibes are also supposedly less likely with a Rotoflex. Is this true? I have OME heavy springs all around and RTM 2" spacers and haven't experienced any vibes with the Rotoflex. Anyone go with the Great Basin Heavy Duty U-Joint and have an opinion about it? Worth it? Let it rip! And to all you fella's that were at MAR.......Weeeeeeeeee Doggie!!! By the way that Equal is incredible! Check it out at EE, worth every penny! |
Tom Rowe
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 08:17 am: |
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I put in a GB rear prop shaft with the double cardan joint. I noticed a vibration with it and put it down to tires I'd also changed. After about a year of procrastinatoin and fiddling with tire/rim combos I had the shaft checked at a driveline shop. It was out of balance and a $30 bill got the vibes out and I'm happy with it. There might be a *slight* vibe now, but it could still be the tires. I feel more confident in the shaft for the long term however, as compared to the rotoflex.
I haven't approached Bill at GB about the $30. Cheers |
muskyman
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 08:59 am: |
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the smaller profile of u-joint would have some advantages as far as ground clearence go, but the rotoflex is also a damper. it absorbs shock in the drivline.
I would be willing to bet that the rotoflex also cushins drivline shock to the point of protecting the transfercase ,••••••, and those expensive front cv's
I removed the rotoflex in a bmw autocrosser in pursuit of a tighter feeling drivline and ended up blowing up 2 getreg 5spd ••••••'s,replaced the rotoflex and never broke the •••••• again |
Eric Ratermann (Ericrat)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 09:18 am: |
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I had almost the exact same experience. With +2 inch springs and a weekend of hard wheeling the rotoflex is trashed.
I called Bill at GBR and said "set me up". You know you want to, everyone is doing it. |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 12:01 pm: |
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I've recently finished my conversion, and I'll get around to sending Ho some pics & a simple write-up. I used the uj driveshaft from a 1998 Disco to replace the roto shaft in my 1996 Disco. No vibes at all. True, the roto is easy to replace in the field, but after you replace it 5 or 6 times (@ at least $50 per), you start to realize the futility of it all. I knew that I'd have to replace it every time I did some serious offroading. It's easy to do, but it's a waste of time & money.
my last field replacement roto:
now:
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Erik G. Burrows (Erik)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 12:22 pm: |
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Seems like the rotoflex is nice to have, as a vibe dampener, so why not spend $40 on one of these:?
 |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 12:46 pm: |
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nice slider Erik, but the rotos are getting chewed by torque, not rocks. Now, I will be installing a slider similar to that to protect the uj....
I waited too long to post my images back there
last roto:
new uj:
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Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 12:49 pm: |
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screw the pics |
Erik G. Burrows (Erik)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 12:53 pm: |
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Oh, I didn't know they could get torn up by torque. I figured you guys were just dragging them on everything.
Although, looking at the bolt pattern, I now see it. Sheesh, I guess it's time I get a few spare rotoflexes! |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 01:21 pm: |
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always carry a spare, or at least be able to drop the rear shaft so you can limp home. I was popping those damn things like candy. |
Mike B.
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 11:38 pm: |
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Man, I really don't like the design of that rear diff slider. It's looks great, but I've seen one just like it break and tear a great big hole in the diff.
Look at that extremely long torque arm and the two weak bolts holding it in place. You hit that thing on a rock going forward or in reverse and it's coming off. The only way that might work is if you weld the rear directly to the diff underneath. Even then, I'll bet the front will bend up into the UJoint and leave you just as stranded as if you had nothing in place.
Thanks,
Mike B. |
Todd Phenneger
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 02:08 am: |
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Hmm,
My 94' Disco (Still Stock) just started to vibrate badly. Rotated tires and it changed but still vibrates and seems to get worse daily. Just started a 50mile commute for 3 days of training and its getting annoying.
Could someone tell me where the Roto is and how to replace it in 50 words or less? If pretty mechanically inclined but havent been under to look.
Is it the joint going INTO the rear diff like that Joint in the pic with the slider shows of is it somewhere else. Also, is the FRONT driveshaft susceptible to any vibration or breakage?
Thanks
Todd |
MTB
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 02:33 am: |
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Yes; Look at the Pic above it is the black rubber doughnut it is held on by 6 bolts remove them push your shaft towards the transfer case and slide the RF out. on the diff. flange you have a centralizing peg which slides into the shaft sometime the bushing in the shaft needs replaced if in really bad shape; but that will come with a new rotoflex. if you get the old roto out you know how to reinstall. |
Todd Phenneger
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 02:57 am: |
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Thanks,
Sounds like a Sub 1hr job total. I see what you mean by Easy Trail Repair. After doing it once I bet it takes about 15min. Esp if you park the vehicle so you can sit under it. :-)
My stock Disco is still a little tight underneath for working on with no Jacks. Wish I had a 2" lift to give me some extra room. Oh well, Guess thats what that 80lb piece of metal I call a Floor Jack is in my Garage For. :-)
l8r
Todd |
MTB
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 03:25 am: |
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The hardest part will be getting the bolts off. You may need to take BMF screwdriver to budge the shaft forward to get it past the centralizing peg on the diff flange but it will clear then the shaft will move to the side. You may want to invest in some jackstands it could get a little hairy when removing the bolts; hate to see the ass end fall off your floorjack. If you go to the left of this page to the Utilities and do a keyword search on Rotoflex it has been discussed plenty of times on here.
Good luck |
Paul T. Schram (Paulschram)
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 09:49 am: |
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Grease the driveshaft first so that it will telescope more easily, although it is far less common for the rear driveshaft to seize up like the fronts are wont to do.
While you're at it, don't forget to grease all of your universals. And the front sliding shaft!
Paul |
blue
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 03:00 pm: |
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nuts & bolts are 19mm |
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