argo driveline

[Beeman]

I have heard that argos.. (at least older argos) steer by a diff setup with brakes. No clutches?

Can someone run me through exactly how the drive gets down to the wheels (everything after the CVT)?

(I'm contemplating a mod to my beaten down prairie bobcat to make it drive with the diff and just brakes for steering)..

[GREASEMONKEY]

I can try an copy & paste the schematic from my parts list. That should show you what you want!

[GREASEMONKEY]

Here ya be!

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/platnumbug/JUNK/untitled.jpg

[m350]

The transmission, also has a open differential type gear drive setup inside it,,the trans part has reverse, neutral, low,high,,when in any of the gears,,rev it up,,it spins the diff powering both sides equally, through the output shafts moving the machine straight.

Connected to the output shafts is the brake Rotor,and double #50 chain sprocket,( 1 on each side),,when you want to turn,,you apply the Brakes on the right or left side,,the open style differential gears come into play(internally) actually letting one side of the diff slow down some or even stop depending on how severe a turn is needed,,letting off the brakes,,and that side catchs up and spins as one unit again.

Just rebuilt my trans,,it has 10 bearing in it,,the diff has 6 planet gears, that spin around 2 sun gears, inside a cage.

Here's a pic of the diff,, and inside the trans, couple of it back together,,,Hope it helps,,,,,,Mark

[Beeman]

so the steering is braking only. How does this fair on the on the trails? Does anyone feel pulling from side to side if the tires hit different terrain?

Thanks for the diagrams and pics... that pretty much summed it up

[evil8x8]

so the steering is braking only. How does this fair on the on the trails? Does anyone feel pulling from side to side if the tires hit different terrain?

Thanks for the diagrams and pics... that pretty much summed it up

I think that the Argo set up works great. The only time I can feel it pulling is if I am driving down the road and one side is on plowed pavement and the other is on snow covered pavement but I don't know if that is the diff doing that or just the snow. Anyways if the diff were to let one side open when you didn't want it to, you could just pull the brake on the other side and it would engage the first side.

[m350]

Yes,,If one side is spinning,,just pull that sides brake slightly, and power will be diverted to the other side,,,It deffinetly makes the engine work,,you can hear it pull down and work harder somewhat.

[artist1018]

Tire pressure has an effect on keeping the Argo, and a car, going in a straight line. Check tire pressure, and, measure tire diameter with a tailor's cloth tape.(borrow your wife's from her sewing kit, but, don't get caught)!!
Idle down your driveway and let go of the steering to see if your machine is pulling left or right. Low side will be the direction of pull.

[Roger S]

Beeman, do you mean if one side loses traction what happens? The vehicle stops moving and stays pointed forward. A max will continue if one side has traction but will steer towards the lost traction side. The argo will do like the max after you pull a lever to stop the spinning side. My concern is if your diff is strong enough to handle the stress of steering.

[Beeman]

Well, the open diff and brakes is the simplest setup, I just wanted to see how people felt with that kind of setup.

It might help to explain my old setup, the one that propelled the unit into the pole :P. It was my first go at a modification and I was new to all that goes with it (welding.. metal cutting... gearing..).

The drive came out of the three speed automatic transmission, via a CV cup with a small sprocket welded on the end. That then went to the original forward/reverse gear box (transmission) (this actually was always driven in reverse since I put the engine in backwards to give me space for the chains). From that transmission it went to the clutch/brake steering assembly and then down to the drive chains.

Obviously constant problems - the main ones were the skipping of the chain between both transmissions (I eventually built a heavy duty tensioner between the two).. and the diff seal on the 3 speed tranny (CV's were never ment to have latteral forces :P). The steering was always loose

I eventually cratered the origional transmission and so she sits.

The new idea is to use the 3 speed (flip the engine the right way around), install a new (non-welded) diff and drive two shortend CV axles to brake rotors on either side and use a sprocket off those down to the main drive line.

Therefore... driving just like an argo :P (and removing tons of useless weight)

[Robio_8x8]

If I were to improve on the Argo Trans...

I would add either a ratchet or clutch to the planetary gears when brake lever are not applied.

I was dreaming up of an idea (just an Idea) were I would engage a solid axle with sprockets on either end into the left a right Argo Idler chains *(Item #42) when both levers are forward. I would use some type of rod end bearing on each brake lever so that either lever would disengage the solid axle when brake lever was applied. all external

*





Just add left and right brakes sprockets and a whole lot of chain past the output shafts (Item #12) to this transmission for the Argo drive line

[Robio_8x8]

Argo posi idea addendum

Looking closer at the Argo Transmission there would be no easy way to engage sprockets between the left and right side .

I am now thinking of a way to apply a roller between the left and right side to the out side of the brake discs opposite to the calipers. The roller would only engage when both levers are in the full forward position and released by a linkage when either lever is pulled back even slightly.

The contact area would need to have allot of grip and be replicable not if but when it gets smoked