Would this U-joint work on a 4x4?

I found this universal steering joint for a go kart steering shaft from BMI carts and was wondering if i cut it in half and welded it to the output on a tranny do yall think it would hold up? Its for my 4x4 lawn mower http://www.bmikarts.com/Universal-U-Joint-_p_1465.html

It doesn't look very heavy duty, I wouldn't.

Ive got universals from a 4x4 truck but they are like 2 inches in diameter and would be a bit of a pain to pull out but i might try it

Look for a joint off a tractor, lik my Ariens Grand Sierra 2200. The deck is PTO drive so it uses two heavy duty UV joints. Find something like that and it might work. However, you need to remember, running a UV at a 90* angle wont work. 45* is pretty much their limit.

Doug Fackler wrote:

Look for a joint off a tractor, lik my Ariens Grand Sierra 2200. The deck is PTO drive so it uses two heavy duty UV joints. Find something like that and it might work. However, you need to remember, running a UV at a 90* angle wont work. 45* is pretty much their limit.

I dont think i need to turn much more than 45 for a 4x4 mower

Depends on the HP and angle. 15-30 degrees is normal bend, 45 is to much, but ok for steering.

Do you think with 190cc 4.5 foot-pound push mower motor would carry a 4x4 without stalling?

dylansrockinrigs wrote:

Do you think with 190cc 4.5 foot-pound push mower motor would carry a 4x4 without stalling?

Sure since you gonna use hydros, they don't care about HP or cu. since they have they're own hydraulic motor.

Thunderdivine wrote:

dylansrockinrigs wrote:

Do you think with 190cc 4.5 foot-pound push mower motor would carry a 4x4 without stalling?

Sure since you gonna use hydros, they don't care about HP or cu. since they have they're own hydraulic motor.

Im not using hydro's Ive got a foote and a spicer both are 6 speeds with the same gearing.

Depends on how fast you want to go.



That small motor won't be able to make much pressure/volume.

It really depends on how much actuall hydraulic power you need.

dylansrockinrigs wrote:

Thunderdivine wrote:

dylansrockinrigs wrote:

Do you think with 190cc 4.5 foot-pound push mower motor would carry a 4x4 without stalling?

Sure since you gonna use hydros, they don't care about HP or cu. since they have they're own hydraulic motor.

Im not using hydro's Ive got a foote and a spicer both are 6 speeds with the same gearing.

Oh, we'll maybe geared as a creeper from the engine side :p

I have one large pulley and the other needs a pulley.. I'm gonna make some hubs and run bigger tires all around so im thinking keep the stock gearing on the trannys and run a stacked pulley on the motor so i can run both tranny's... the little motor will just be for testing and until i can get a bigger one

dylansrockinrigs wrote:

I have one large pulley and the other needs a pulley.. I'm gonna make some hubs and run bigger tires all around so im thinking keep the stock gearing on the trannys and run a stacked pulley on the motor so i can run both tranny's... the little motor will just be for testing and until i can get a bigger one

Sounds good.

That little push mower motor is a strong runner and has chopped some tall grass so if it has enough power to move this thing good i might leave it on there

Have you considered using a old cv joint from a car?

Hillbilly Homer wrote:

Have you considered using a old cv joint from a car?

Yea.. Ive got some but i think im gonna make it skid steer instead

4x4 mowers seem to be all the rage since apparently, 2x4 isn't good enough. Sure a 4x4 mower would be cool, but there's no easy way making one while still keeping a "tractor" design. The biggest problem for 4x4 mower designs is in the steering system. "How can I transmit power from one shaft to another while still being able to twist the shafts off axis?" well, cv joints [NOT UNIVERSAL JOINTS] are probably the only way to go. you'll have to build a subframe to house the bearings and stuff for them, make a control arm to support the moving part that attaches to the hub, and all sorts of other overcomplicated crap. If anyone has an idea how to make a cheap, effective front wheel drive system for a lawn tractor, THROW IT UP HERE!

use a all wheel steer transaxle like the mower i just got its in this vid i put up[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1LdmTkiEhw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1LdmTkiEhw[/url]

Personally I hate CVs lol there obviously very good because it is what literally EVERYTHING has ... The only drawback to a normal U joint on a axle for 4x4 is you can't have fully independent, CVs are made for literally every angle (and farther at that) while U joints usually only have one angle. For instance you don't see a fully independent front end on a truck with U joints. They all have CVs because they "pull better" there reasoning is fully independent keeps the tire flat going over bumps instead of tilting the whole axle therefore leanin the tire over and loosing half of the tread on tire. Either way CVs are good until you over do there limit witch alot of people do... Including myself.

Btw they have "heavy duty" steering U joints that would be damn good for a 4x4 mower
Just my opinion

GenevaCustoms wrote:

Personally I hate CVs lol there obviously very good because it is what literally EVERYTHING has ... The only drawback to a normal U joint on a axle for 4x4 is you can't have fully independent, CVs are made for literally every angle (and farther at that) while U joints usually only have one angle. For instance you don't see a fully independent front end on a truck with U joints. They all have CVs because they "pull better" there reasoning is fully independent keeps the tire flat going over bumps instead of tilting the whole axle therefore leanin the tire over and loosing half of the tread on tire. Either way CVs are good until you over do there limit witch alot of people do... Including myself.

Btw they have "heavy duty" steering U joints that would be damn good for a 4x4 mower
Just my opinion

I'm going to have to disagree with most of this.

U-joints cannot maintain a constant angular velocity, and the "double-cardan" joint addresses this. A single U-joint (for the most part), can operate only at a limited angle, but it certainly IS variable. The double cardan effectively doubles the operating angle capabilities. The Rzeppa joint (Birfeild is similar) offers constant angular velocity and a greater angle of operation.

You do not see a standard Cardan (u-joint) in the frontend of an IFS 4x4 simply because the other types are superior. You certainly CAN use Cardan joints for an independant suspension, but travel is limited to the joints' maximum operation angle.

I was not very good at wording what I said. When I say they could only only turn one direction I meant that's what there usually used for. A straight axles front end with U joints the U joints only turn left and right not up and down AND left and right like a FIS with CVS DO. the U joints on a driveshaft only travel up and down with the suspseion. I have to agree CVS joints are able to be put at further angles and muiktiple at once. "a arm goes up, while your turning" that's two angles on that CV. axle lifts up the U joint stays level with the axle it is just turning.

A standard Cardan joint will do that, too. Like I said: We don't see them in the aforementioned application due to the superiority of the other types of joints.

Yea because U joints cannot maintain as big of an angle as CVS. Like.you said. Steering u joints that can turn 44s in mud while pulling should be far strong enough for a mower