Okay, here’s my blog post about messing around with a NASCAR transaxle:
So, I got my hands on a used NASCAR transaxle. Don’t ask me how, it’s a long story. I’ve always been curious about what makes these things tick, so I decided to crack it open and see what’s inside.
Getting Started
First things first, this thing is HEAVY. Seriously, I almost threw my back out just getting it onto my workbench. I needed a buddy to help me wrestle it into place. Once I got it situated, the real fun began.
Tear Down
I started by draining the old gear oil. Man, that stuff stunk! It looked pretty nasty, too, probably seen better days. Next, I started unbolting everything. There are a TON of bolts on this thing. It took me a while, and I made sure to keep track of where each one went. I used a bunch of little containers to keep everything organized. I did not want put it back together wrong!
I pulled off the rear cover, and there it was – the gears! They’re way bigger and beefier than I expected. I was pretty amazed at how simple the whole setup is, though. It’s just a bunch of gears, bearings, and shafts, all working together.
- Gears:These were huge, straight-cut gears, nothing like the helical gears you find in a normal car.
- Bearings: There were roller bearings everywhere, all looked pretty heavy-duty.
- Shifters The shift linkage was external and super simple.
Inspection and Cleaning
I took out the gears and inspected them for wear. There were a few minor scratches, but nothing major. I guess these things are built to take a beating! I cleaned everything up with some solvent and rags. It took forever to get all the old grime off, but it was worth it. It’s always satisfying to see parts go from grimy to shiny.
Putting It Back Together
Reassembly was pretty much the reverse of the teardown. I made sure to lube up all the gears and bearings with fresh gear oil. I carefully put everything back in place, double-checking that I didn’t miss anything. I didn’t want to have to start all over, if did it wrong. Then, I torqued all the bolts down to the right specs. I found a manual online that had all the torque values, thankfully.
The Result
After a few hours of work, I had a fully assembled NASCAR transaxle sitting on my bench. I haven’t actually put it in a car yet, but it was a super cool learning experience. It’s amazing how these simple, but strong, transmissions can handle so much power. I’m really glad I had that practice.
Now, If you’ll excuse me, I need to go find a car to put this thing in…
