inline driveshaft motor?

[SVOboy]

Originally Posted by droptail

roflwaffle, thanks for the link and input. I will read it and check back.

Guys, the thread is about installing an electric motor inline to a (truck) driveshaft.
Geo comments don't belong here.

Thanks

What does it matter if it's a truck or a geo if the concept is the same?

[MadisonMPG]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

What does it matter if it's a truck or a geo if the concept is the same?

I edited my posts, you can carry on.

[roflwaffle]

Meh, installing it in between the transmission output shaft and wheels, be it on a CV or a driveshaft, isn't a huge difference. Actually, coupling it to the output shaft instead of inline can be a lot more useful in terms of the available power at whatever speed. An inline motor will have the same gearing as the rear end, which means it probably won't develop decent power until high speeds, ~40-65mph depending on the gearing, which kinda offsets it's usefulness at replacing low load/low speed/low efficiency engine operation. Coupling it to the output shaft lets us optimize power output and motor efficiency via gearing, but it's also more complex.

[bennelson]

Netgain has some double-ended shafts specifically designed EXACTLY for adding in-line with a truck rear driveshaft.

They even have a black box (the EMIS) that connects to your OBDII that will control the motor added to an automatic transmission truck to make it into a hybrid.

Check out their motors and the EMIS at their web page:
TransWarP Motor Information

-Ben

[almightybmw]

there was a thread not too long ago, someone wanted to couple a motor to the front driveshaft of the 4WD transfer case. It would work just fine. Many enthusiasts have driven home as FWD trucks, so the strength and drive-ability is there. Your truck is 4WD, so that would work, but you'd be limited to 2WD from then on, not something I could give up. But you're from So-Cal? Do you use the 4WD for offroading?

[Ryland]

do some checking on the Future Truck Competition, some of the teams that have won did motors inline with the drive shaft, a team from Madison WI a few years back got 55mpg out of a Ford Explorer and the rules of of the competition give you more points for using off the shelf parts instead of custom made parts.

I wonder if there is room to do a chain drive between the motor and the drive shaft.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Ryland

do some checking on the Future Truck Competition, some of the teams that have won did motors inline with the drive shaft, a team from Madison WI a few years back got 55mpg out of a Ford Explorer and the rules of of the competition give you more points for using off the shelf parts instead of custom made parts.

I wonder if there is room to do a chain drive between the motor and the drive shaft.

There's usually a fair amount of space between the bed and drive shaft, but surely not enough to put in a 9" WarP or anything like that.

The other problem you'd face there is with suspension. You'd have to have a 2-piece driveshaft, with one piece being hung to the frame so that it didn't move with the suspension, to keep the chain from binding/skipping.

[bennelson]

Originally Posted by Ryland

I wonder if there is room to do a chain drive between the motor and the drive shaft.

I was throwing around some ideas with with the guys a while back about doing a hybrid pickup truck.

One idea involved a motor or engine in the BED of the truck with a chain or belt running down to the driveshaft.

[bluetwo]

I'm surprised on one mentioned Mikes Insight with the fifth wheel.

Mikes Insight - MIMA Honda Insight Modified Integrated Motor Assist

It's written so anyone can understand it so be patient. There's a LOT of good info there. Check out the link below too while you're at it.... in fact you might want to read it first.

http://www.99mpg.com/Projectcars/ewheelforanyvehicl

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Christ

There's usually a fair amount of space between the bed and drive shaft, but surely not enough to put in a 9" WarP or anything like that.

The other problem you'd face there is with suspension. You'd have to have a 2-piece driveshaft, with one piece being hung to the frame so that it didn't move with the suspension, to keep the chain from binding/skipping.

I'd say this is pretty much what you're looking at. He has a full-size Chevy truck, so the motor would probably clear the bed (or at worst, maybe he'd have to put a little hump in the bed over the motor), and beyond that, it's a question of turning the driveshaft into two driveshafts with the motor between and the various ends hung so they're at the correct angles.

As far as freewheeling the motor when it's not being used, I remember from the EVDL that there's no problem doing this as long as you don't overspeed it. You can check with Jim Husted on the EVDL, but I'm pretty sure that the shafts on the ADC can handle the torque from the engine.