Hookes joint

[Ferret]

There has been a few posts on hookes joints in the last few weeks. I have had a strange intermitent vibration for a couple of weeks now, there seemed to be nothing consistent about it other than it seemed worse when the engine was under load going up hill as others have mentioned.

Anyway, after reading these posts I crawled under to have a look at my hookes joint.

Yikes!! looks like it was about ready to fail tommorow. Thanks forum members you may just have saved me plently $$$$.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/02/247.jpg

[JDNSW]

I don't think I have ever seen one (anywhere near) that bad that has not failed!

John

[spudboy]

I didn't recognise Hookes Joint, so I looked up WikiPedia, and linked onto this fascinating device (well if you like engineering anyway):
Thompson Couplings Ltd - What is the Thompson Coupling (http://cvcoupling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=58)

Download the explanatory video if you have broadband & 5 minutes to spare (and an engineering bent).

How come our cars don't come with these devices as standard???

Cheers
David

[JDNSW]

.......

How come our cars don't come with these devices as standard???

Cheers
David

1. they are quite a new invention - about five to ten years ago. (For comparison the Rzeppa joint was patented in 1927, but first appeared on a vehicle with the Mini in 1958, and did not displace the double Hooke joint in Citroen for example until 1976, and Landrover used the Tracta joint instead in 1948, as did Willys in 1940, and did not use the Rzeppa joint until 1970)

2. They are bulky compared to other types of CV joint of the same strength

3. I don't think they are being mass produced yet, and hence are a lot more expensive.

But the main reason is that they are new and untried - and unknown. I would be surprised if many designers working for Landrover had even heard of them, let alone knew much about them. Thompson have said they are not trying (yet) to get into the automotive market.

John