Please clear up some confusion for me. Which is the "best" type of drive train system

I know there are rubber or steel universal joints and I believe that the steel ones are reportedly the preferred because they don't perish on contact with oil like rubber do. I had rubber ones on the van but they have been changed to new steel/nylon uni joints.

So where do these "pot" joints come into the equasion I believe they serve the same function [ie transfer drive from the diff to the drive shafts on the way to the wheels] but which technology is better or is it a different strocks thing where one type is better for a specific application like rallying verses drag racing

I have steel uni joints - should I be looking to convert to pot joints??? I want my drive train to be as stong as possible because the plan is to pump some serious HP through it later.

Cheers Dat

I'm not sure about strength, but i'm pretty sure you lose less power throught the drive train with pot joints..

Pot joints are generally on rod change cars, but can be converted to go on the remote housing..

Pot joints are a PITA when pulling your motor out and even worse getting them back in..ask Baracade

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

my opinion is that pot joints are the best compromise between cost, strength and maintenance free'ness. They are a nuisance when getting the motor in and out, but generally worth the effort over rubber unis. I don't have any experience with the steel/nylon variety. Cooper S (and matic) hardie spicers are great when getting the motor out, and don't seem to have wear issues, but they're expensive.

just my $0.02

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"hardie spicers " - what ones are they?

These are mine and yes they were expemsive to replace new only a few months ago.
This pic taken from under the car

Those are Quinton Hazell QL5000 joints, $105/pr at Karcraft etc.
I believe the joint inside it is a Triumph TR6...

Hardy Spicers are the S or MiniMatic ones, normal car type steel U/J onto a flange with 4 bolts.

Advantage of pot joints over both these types- they are a true C/V joint, run smoother than U/Js, less power loss.

Note- if you fit pot joints to earlier cars (pre-73) the bloody shafts won't fit thru the subframe, unless you disassemble the pot joint....

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

like this on the matic motor I got the other week.... and I defy anyone to find a filthier motor than this - the pic is taken from above

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Well I paid a little more than that from a supplier here in Adelaide - but that's SA pricing for you. So these are good/bad? Triumph? that can't be bad surely Keep them or aim to swap out for pot joint's?

I have been doing some "collecting" and now have 2 sets of these and and a pair of pot joints to chose from. Is it worth the hassle to change over? To be accurate I only have the diff ends of the pot joint set, I would have to "aquire" the drive shaft ends of the joints. So how much would this set me back?

The Doc says - 'Hardy Spicers are the S or MiniMatic ones"
Sorry this statment has not relevance to me, I have never seen an S one or a matic one so I have no reference point to go by for a comparison.

I take it that Hardy Spicers are different to mine in the picture, but your description is a close description of mine so I remain a little confused. Mine are a cast central cross with nylon bushes on the 4 ends of the cross [suspended on small roller bearings] and held into the uni-joint housing by 4 U bolts [2 bolting to the engine side and 2 to the drive shaft side]. What is different about Hardy Spicers to mine? or are mine just a form of Hardy Spicer Uni-joints?

Sorry - slow learner

hey whodat... simultaneous posting.... see above

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Those U/joints, flanges and diff shafts are worth serious $$ now. Note the `matic side covers (can't see for crud) are not S ones, and won't fit a manual trans.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

WhoDat, the Triumph U/J inside yours is actually a Hardy spicer, (bigger size) adapted to fit the early drive yokes. Yes they are OK, except probably for all-out racing with big HP.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Kool thanks guys.

So plan is to stay with the existing Quinton Hazell QL5000 joints untill i get to the point of generating serious HP [I'll revist this one when we pass the 100hp at the wheels mark LOL]

Thanks again
Dat

Quinton Hazell QL5000 does sound cool, when you're talking to someone who is pretending they know all about minis, drop that into the conversation and see if they go "wooo, wow, that's serious"

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hey,
is that pic the back of a MGA or MGB gearbox?just dont look like a mini and looks a tad big