Syncro 4&4 Discussion and Q&A last answered over 2 years ago.
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Well it was a really unusual one as far as green laning goes
We headed out last weekend and after being introduced to Lava Bread that isnt the loaf I was expecting but a pan full of cow sh*t and a dish that goes by the name of faggots we tackled Strata Florida. I personally have wanted to do this lane for a few years now and when we all got our heads together we managed to get a weekend planned. It was great to be out in Wales with the Welsh and what started as a really unusual tie rod fail then a rear drive shaft fail, then driving in one wheel drive with the rear diff lock engaged and all the power from the engine on one drive shaft ended the trip but boy did we have a laugh
Just got to say a massive thanks to everyone at Freds Garage in and if your down in South Wales and need to get your van fixed quickly then I cant recommend them highly enough.
syncroandy wrote: I think Al needs a 16". Or lighter right foot..
I totally agree on the 16" part if you going to drag your van up something like that with a TDI. I really dont think the 14" drive shafts and CV joints are up to the power transferred through them in those conditions but if your in it for the long haul and fancy a relaxed time you have to adapt a different attitude of preservation driving rather than the what the hell lets have a go way of driving. It is good though to get out and see what the limits are and what works in practice rather than just sitting reading stuff on the internet, bloody good fun too
Did you hear the splines strip on the way up the rock
I 'kin loves strata i do
Have said it on other threads though, might be best not to show off piste driving too much - RoW + Red Sox get a bit uppity and it gives them ammo
To be fair, ive done a fair bit of offroad since having this engine and had little problems really. Since then the van has done all the uk miles ive put down and additionally a few trips abroad including a few thousand miles down to Croatia etc. Weaknesses were already present i think.
It was some weird circumstance that culminated in this procession of failures. The weirdest of which is the steering tie rod. The anti roll bar drop link having popped out of its bushing is something to do with it all i swear, going to keep my eye on them, ive never had that happen before i changed to poly bushes.
That said, out of interest, are the 16" shafts heavier duty than the 14" or is it just the CV's that are chunkier? I was amazed to see the splines chew off of both of the shafts, but the second one could be that it was taking the power that should be distributed across two of them.
Mind you, that the first time I've ever broken a drive shaft in 6yrs of owning my van, so I think I'll stick to carrying spares rather than swapping to a 16".
Will try and reign in my right foot too...he he
Was a great weekend with great company and such a laugh. Would do it all again tomorrow.
I know I'm a wood butcher and not an engineer, so I'm probably way out on this but run with me.
The 16" shafts are 3mm bigger in diameter than the 14", but the spline profile looks the same. If the diameter is bigger then surely the forces are greater. Shouldn't the spline profile be heavier duty as well?
Rich
PeninsulaKid
New vans are great but they just ain't got no soul!
The 16" shafts are 3mm bigger in diameter than the 14", but the spline profile looks the same. If the diameter is bigger then surely the forces are greater. Shouldn't the spline profile be heavier duty as well?
I'm guessing that with the extra 3mm diameter that there's probably an extra spline or even two maybe? I've no idea how much extra strength a single spline would give though, one for the engineers...
Lee made a good point about the drive shaft thing. A supplier of his offered to make me some all singing/dancing tubular shafts, but if the shafts didn't break, you can bet your bottom dollar it would've been the gearbox instead. That power is going to be transferred somewhere else for sure.
we tackled Strata Florida. I personally have wanted to do this lane for a few years now and when we all got our heads together we managed to get a weekend planned. It was great to be out in Wales with the Welsh and what started as a really unusual tie rod fail then a rear drive shaft fail, then driving in one wheel drive with the rear diff lock engaged and all the power from the engine on one drive shaft ended the trip but boy did we have a laugh 
T4 Karmann Colorado
I think Al needs a 16". Or lighter right foot..
