Golf Cart Rear End

[kc5etv]

Hello All

  Can anyone tell me if they or know anyone that has used a Golf Cart or auto rear end as a gearbox and how it worked, I have one off of a golf cart and was thinking of trying it as a gearbox, it has 6 to 1 ratio and doesn't seem hard to turn, I' am  hopping to try my 12 foot blades on it. I did a search with no luck.

Thanks for your help.

[richhagen]

I recall seeing photos of one with a ground mounted alternator, shafted to a tower mounted rear-end with blades, not sure exactly where, but possibly on this site.  Of course the Jacobs are geared to an alternator mounted in the tower as well.  Rich

[Todd a]

I do not see why it would not work, other than it is a bit heavy.  The more mass the slower it will spin.  Gears tend to add more resistance too.  Really the most efficient is a belt and pulley, but it is also the easiest to fail.

[Flux]

As always the pessimist I see many reasons why it wouldn't work.

I doubt whether the gears or motor would handle the power of 12 ft blades in any reasonable wind. As it stands the shaft is not up to the job and you would need to do something about it.

 Those things are designed for a specific duty and the life span in this application would be seriously short even if you got it to work at all.

Flux

[wooferhound]

Here are some stories about using a Rear End (differential) at the top of the tower to power a Generator on the ground at the base of the tower.

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2004/4/26/122213/779

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2006/4/27/92854/9406

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2004/12/24/145654/62

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2006/1/9/103933/9137