Working with Rodney @Old_Houseboater on a new project. He posted a little about it a couple months back but here is an update teaser.
GOAL:
Increase speed of stock 2016+ GEM to 40+ MPH while maintaining reasonable range.
Reduce gearbox noise - factory gearboxes are really (really) loud.
Below are some pictures of our test mule.
This is a 2016 GEM, What @Old_Houseboater has built is a new gearbox (10:35) and half-shafts that will replace the factory gearbox. The only modification needed is to drill four new holes to bolt the gearbox down and swap out the half-shafts. The new gearbox mounting holes are slightly wider than factory. You use the factory mounting brackets on the new gearbox. This simple swap will take a factory GEM from 25MPH to almost 42MPH with stock wheels and tires.
Testing:
These gears are quiet It is hard to tell in the video below but high speed is normal gear noise as expected from a classic GEM and regen is almost silent.
We still have some work to do on the half-shafts to get the length perfect but we are not far off.
I will report back exact speeds once I can get a decent day for testing.
A big Thank You to Mike for the help in bringing this project to it’s present state. He has been putting this together and testing in a secret unheated garage in Siberia. Did you notice the little bitty motor he has on his machine? Awesome!!!
It has been a long cold winter, looking to turn the corner soon !!!
I think is is going to be a great easy kit for GEM owners to really get the true potential out of their cars.
Neat. I don’t see myself in a GEM Cube anytime soon, but that you guys were finally able to break past all the restrictions on the new ones is super cool.
I sent a catalog and drawing of how cv joints are spec-ed by dimensions. Is either shaft the correct length, so as to only need one new cv joint?
I have not yet found a place to by solid shafts only.
I will get that information this weekend - The biggest difference I see is the gear end of the shaft on the new cv joint is about 2" shorter than the cv on the factory shaft.
Dave emailed it to us a few days ago, I just sent it to you again.
I plan to pull the shafts apart tonight and get measurements before the Arctic wind rolls in and it -10 out.
I will email you the data.
Dave it would be interesting to try a Mount system that uses a Early stock gems mount system and NOT have to weld the mounts on the transmission like with Rodney’s kit
I think what point here is that the mount system would need fabicated. I am speaking for Grant so (sorry Grant) but I don’t know if he has the tools required to do so. ?
