Gokart differential identification

[Thepartsguy]

I got this 5hp home made gokart for free and was wondering what this differential was out of?? it works as it should. I’m converting it to a live axle so I have no use for it.

 

[redflash]

looks like a "Peerless 100"

Da Redflash

 

[Denny]

It’s out of a Gokart. Yours to be exact. Red nailed it though, peerless 100.

 

[madprofessor]

Hey experienced folks, enlighten me too on that Peerless 100. What's the ratio in/out, can you lube it, what's it rated for, are different ratios available?

 

[Thepartsguy]

Hey experienced folks, enlighten me too on that Peerless 100. What's the ratio in/out, can you lube it, what's it rated for, are different ratios available

 

[madprofessor]

Thanks for the web page, partsguy. This is weird..............Needle bearings and seals only available for the weaker (by 33%) 3/4" axle. I know I'm OCD, but I would only go with the strongest axle (1"), and wouldn't want it spinning on fixed bushings instead of bearings. For me that would mean extra pillow block bearings very close in on either side of the Peerless.
Wondering if the 4-bolt or optional 6-bolt sprocket mount is standard mini-hub size for gokarts, making more tooth-counts available.
Question: The "optional steel cut bevel gears" sounds like the strongest choice for me, but what are "automotive-type sintered metal" gears?

 

[Denny]

It’s a differential, an open rearend! The gears and bushings mean almost nothing unless a wheel is spinning.

 

[madprofessor]

It’s a differential, an open rearend! The gears and bushings mean almost nothing unless a wheel is spinning.

???????? Not understanding. Does the diff have to take the full torque of the motor or not? Does it not have 2 separate pieces of axle sticking out of it on either side? Doesn't the full weight of the rearend (with riders aboard too) bear down vertically (at rest) on those bushings?

 

[Denny]

Yes, yes, no.

 

[madprofessor]

Doesn't the full weight of the rearend (with riders aboard too) bear down vertically (at rest) on those bushings?

no.

Had to look at a pic of my current kart to shake the cobwebs loose, brain was stuck. Full weight of rearend rests on the outside axle bearings.
Zzzzzzzzzduhhhhhh.
I would say though that an extra pair of bearings sandwiching the diff is still a good idea. My kart has 4 pillow block 1" bearings with nothing but a sprocket and a brake disc on the 1-piece axle. Running each of the 2 half-axles through 2 fixed bearings each for a rigid axle setup would absolutely guarantee against uneven strain being put on the diff. Agreed?

 

[Thepartsguy]

Had to look at a pic of my current kart to shake the cobwebs loose, brain was stuck. Full weight of rearend rests on the outside axle bearings.
Zzzzzzzzzduhhhhhh.
I would say though that an extra pair of bearings sandwiching the diff is still a good idea. My kart has 4 pillow block 1" bearings with nothing but a sprocket and a brake disc on the 1-piece axle. Running each of the 2 half-axles through 2 fixed bearings each for a rigid axle setup would absolutely guarantee against uneven strain being put on the diff. Agreed?

The sprockets have a specific bolt pattern regular kart sprockets will not work. This is a 3/4 bearing axle. Keep in mind it’s just pipe over the 3/4 axle. the id of the pipe allows 3/4 gokart bearings to slip right in and the pipes can be cut to any length. I’m sure with the 1” axle you could source your own pipe and bearings to have it all set up like the 3/4 deal is. i’m almost sure you put 150ft pounds through one of these it’s not gonna hold. Wouldn’t bet on that but wouldn’t be surprised at all.

 

[madprofessor]

150ft pounds

Thanks a lot. Now it's stuck in my head. How much torque am I getting out of my 15+hp. Predator hemi 212 that came out of the box at 6.5hp. with 8.1 ft./pounds of torque. Now I'm going to create a migraine for myself trying to math out what the torque is now.
Think it's more than that 150 ft./pounds?

 

[Thepartsguy]

Thanks a lot. Now it's stuck in my head. How much torque am I getting out of my 15+hp. Predator hemi 212 that came out of the box at 6.5hp. with 8.1 ft./pounds of torque. Now I'm going to create a migraine for myself trying to math out what the torque is now.
Think it's more than that 150 ft./pounds?

Not sure if kenbar sourced there axles for the streaker gokarts from peerless but I got two streakers and The diffs were sent to the scrapyard. they were powered by 5hp Briggs engines. I was saying this Diff wouldn’t be my first choice for anything past a Shriners kart on flat ground maybe ridden twice or three times a month. Your predator would destroy it. Quickly.

 

[Willie1]

IF that is a Peerless - it isn't a 100 series. Doesn't anybody notice the obvious differences in the case? Or the difference in the amount of cross-bolts? There were a lot of diffs made years ago for rear engine riders and karts that aren't Peerless 100's and don't share any parts with them. Here is a good example - I harvested this diff axle from a Jacobson/Homelite rear engine rider.
Looks identical to a Peerless 100, but it is not one - the diff and side gears are 15 tooth instead of the 16 tooth of a Peerless 100, and the side gears are retained to the 3/4" axles differently. The company www.aviationpros.com has a lot of tech information about Peerless products and may be able to shed some light on what axle that is, but I highly doubt it is a Peerless 100.

 

[Willie1]

As has been touched upon - a lot of the torque rating has been based upon the diff not being supported properly. Without being supported directly at the sides of the diff, the pull on the chain tries to fold the diff in half. We have mounted Peerless 100 "style" (see above) diffs in applications using 16-20hp engines and 22" tires (both not advised) successfully by putting support bearings directly beside the diff on both sides - putting the diff in "double shear" - along with the usual ones at the wheel. We would break the input shaft gears or the shift keys off in the Peerless 700 transmissions before breaking the parts inside the 100 series diff.

I think true Peerless 100's use the same case housing sides regardless of axle dia. I have seen them with both bushings and caged needle bearings (one or the other, not both at the same time) supporting the sides with 3/4" axles, where the 1" axles only came with bushings. The O/D was the same for both I/D bushings and the 3/4" needle bearings and they were fitted as necessary to the axles desired.