cross post from automotive but since we're just talking lubing a ball drive, here it is:
Some friends donated a Paxton supercharger for my vintage gasser Falcon build. The unit is a fairly rare VR4 unit that has much more load on the ball drive than typical Paxton SN units.
For those not familiar, the ball drive looks like the planetary from an auto trans,except with 1 inch ball bearings instead of gears. The pulley turns the cage (part 13,below), which run the planets around inside the shell races. The races are shimmed to force the balls into the center spindle, throwing it forward at much higher rpm. (part 16 ball drive assy.)
Based on a SN93 with a 1:4.44 step up ratio, the VR4 has upgraded housing/impeller, and the races are shimmed to twice the rotational set up tension as others, which increases the heat to a point that a hollow dipstick/pump/oil cooler is included (and barely keeps up with heat produced of this blower)
This "race only" blower is run by some on the street using a larger radiator/pump to cool it.
ATF or Paxton's atf is recommended with some running B&M Trick Shift atf. The B&M fluid supposedly gives the balls more grip on the inner shaft.
If there are any engineers around that know ball drives- how much does the device require "grip" vs "slip" of the fluid? Should a friction modifier be added to atf, or could too much cause more problems?
"they" say to stay away from synthetics in these, but "they" dont say why.
I have some friends that run turbo street cars (1000hp) using tractor hydro in the trans (with a quart of atf for color,lol) that claim tighter converter stall under boost...and that the trans loves it....
my point: is there a better fluid/additive that can handle the intense heat and transfer is off easily and still give the "slip" and "grip" needed for a ball drive? I'm trying to design a better cooling system with a bigger pump, radiator and 2-3 gallon reservoir (blower only holds 10 ounces of atf.)
thanx
-rick
Some friends donated a Paxton supercharger for my vintage gasser Falcon build. The unit is a fairly rare VR4 unit that has much more load on the ball drive than typical Paxton SN units.
For those not familiar, the ball drive looks like the planetary from an auto trans,except with 1 inch ball bearings instead of gears. The pulley turns the cage (part 13,below), which run the planets around inside the shell races. The races are shimmed to force the balls into the center spindle, throwing it forward at much higher rpm. (part 16 ball drive assy.)
Based on a SN93 with a 1:4.44 step up ratio, the VR4 has upgraded housing/impeller, and the races are shimmed to twice the rotational set up tension as others, which increases the heat to a point that a hollow dipstick/pump/oil cooler is included (and barely keeps up with heat produced of this blower)
This "race only" blower is run by some on the street using a larger radiator/pump to cool it.
ATF or Paxton's atf is recommended with some running B&M Trick Shift atf. The B&M fluid supposedly gives the balls more grip on the inner shaft.
If there are any engineers around that know ball drives- how much does the device require "grip" vs "slip" of the fluid? Should a friction modifier be added to atf, or could too much cause more problems?
"they" say to stay away from synthetics in these, but "they" dont say why.
I have some friends that run turbo street cars (1000hp) using tractor hydro in the trans (with a quart of atf for color,lol) that claim tighter converter stall under boost...and that the trans loves it....
my point: is there a better fluid/additive that can handle the intense heat and transfer is off easily and still give the "slip" and "grip" needed for a ball drive? I'm trying to design a better cooling system with a bigger pump, radiator and 2-3 gallon reservoir (blower only holds 10 ounces of atf.)
thanx
-rick