Torque steer

[Piledriver]

The VW swing axle pivots are neither CVs nor Ujoints... Not really sure what they are technically.
The end of the axle is a thick, wide blade.

Std U-joints have issues the SA setup doesn't. SAxle also a lot beefier, and always bathed in gear oil.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

My mistake: I wasn't clear that I was not talking about swing axles in particular but making a general statement that probably was more towards IRS than the paddles of swing axles. As I said, it was not meant to start a battle but just an interesting fact that had been stated; one that I don't ever remember have been stated before.

I know there has been discussion on swing vs. IRS vs universals at different times and for some things in particular but the concept of the number of "points of contact" was what I thought was interesting.

Lee

[Marc]

The VW swing axle pivots are neither CVs nor Ujoints... Not really sure what they are technically...

I admit, I don't know what they're called either...only thing I've ever heard of them being referred to is "blade & fulcrum-plate". The design's been around nearly as long as the automobile - Porsche didn't originate it, Edmund Rumpler did c1903.
Problem with it is that under high loading the fulcrum plates start to gall from lack of lubrication. The paddle-to-plate clearance is also critical (VW had three size groups for paddle width, denoted by different-color paint stripes on the axle). At one time you could buy "oversize" fulcrum plates, too, which had one or more grooves milled into the flat face - dunno if those are still around - to tighten up a loose-fitting assembly. Anymore, hardly anyone observes the factory spec for side clearance and just slaps 'em together with whatever parts are handy, which naturally has made matters worse.

[Piledriver]

Shame, seems like with modern coatings/materials etc it could be made just about bulletproof.
Some common greases these days far exceed even the best gear oils capabilities.

...or course I'm visualizing ceramic wear plates.
(and using it on both ends, it would be smaller than a CV, and capable of some telescopic action)

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Marc, your idea of parallel rods I think would be a great solution for the problem; similar to what we did with street rods. In order to change ending we had to split the wishbones, heat the end of the wishbones to bent them out to the frame then weld bungs on the ends for tie-rod ends. Next they went to nicer looking hair-pin wishbones but either way the beam (for example) still changed camber. Next then went to parallel rods with tie-rod ends or spherical rod ends which, as I remember, allow the beam to raise an lower keepinghte same camber.

If this is true then a proper (not EMPI style) coil overs/spring and the parallel rods has a good chance of working. As long as the proper rod lengths are figured out. Easy with the short travel of swing; mor difficult with IRS because of travel potential. I think you would also have to triangulate the pivot with parallel rods to so that is going to take more work than swing axles.

Good idea sir!

Lee