True Constant Velocity Joints: Are they available yet for ANY car?

[GuyWithCavalier]

I am so fascinated by these guys in Australia who solved the CV joint problem elegantly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tmvBwVPcSs



Apparently they also now manufacture them, and have all kinds available.
They are even talking of putting them in helicopters to make them safer.

So my question is, are any racing cars using them now,
and can hobbyists get them for stock cars?

I am really interested in the low-wear/long life, and high MPG promised.

When do we get them?

[MagicRat]

For the auto hobbyist, I can see their products being most useful for the lifted 4x4 crowd, along with those "donk and bubble" builders.

Possibly also for steering shafts, for smoother, more linear operation.

[GuyWithCavalier]

Originally Posted by MagicRat

For the auto hobbyist, I can see their products being most useful for the lifted 4x4 crowd, along with those "donk and bubble" builders.

Possibly also for steering shafts, for smoother, more linear operation.

I guess a steering shaft could use CV too.

But I would have thought the biggest impact of this technology
would be in CV axles for FWD economy cars.
There should be significant boosts in MPG and part reliability/wear.
(0f course maybe auto makers don't want that last part)...

[Moppie]

New, or changes in automotive technology tend to be very slow to come to market.

5-10 years is not an unusual development time.
You need to prove the product is reliable and can be cheaply mass produced.
Then you actually have to establish the manufacturing capacity to build it and any improvement or benefit needs to be proven and tangible.

[vgames33]

Until this technology proves to be better than standard rzepppa/tripod CV joints (from manufacturing, efficiency, and reliability standpoints), it won't be adopted.

I wouldn't count on seeing them outside of niche markets any time soon.