# Using a Tesla motor in a 4x4 truck



## NwCali6 (May 22, 2021)

Is it possible to use the Tesla Drive shaft outputs to drive the front/rear drive shafts direct?

In my situation my front axle has a mid shaft disconnect. As long as the outputs turned the right directions would this not work? 

Or do people just connect them to the transfer case, if so, do they still use a axle output shaft or does the motor separate further to drive the transfer case?

I see the plus of keeping "low range" on the transfer, but I also like the idea of doing a direct drive and letting the Tesla drive box split power from front to rear and leaving the disconnect "on" while on pavement (meaning it would disconnect the front axle).


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## NwCali6 (May 22, 2021)

No thoughts on this?


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## dvk (Jun 16, 2019)

NwCali6 said:


> Is it possible to use the Tesla Drive shaft outputs to drive the front/rear drive shafts direct?
> 
> In my situation my front axle has a mid shaft disconnect. As long as the outputs turned the right directions would this not work?
> 
> ...


Hey,

Depends on how you plan to use your truck.

You can use it to get a full time 4x4, but wont be able to lock the center diff (which would be an open tesla unit). concern here is if one of your wheels lose traction, the other three lose drive torque, getting you stuck.

If you use your front axle disconnect, the truck wont drive- because the inbuilt differential will result in front axle output spinning free, with no torque going to the rear axle.

One easy fix for above two points could be permanently locking the Tesla differential (Welding maybe?). This ensures 50:50 torque distribution between front and rear axles, or in other words a permanently locked centre differential. since You can disconnect the front axle, you can switch between 4wd and 2wd easily, without compromising on capability to keep moving off the road.

I think the "low range" advantage of a transfer case is not very important. You will have an overall gearing much shorter than on a tesla, thanks to the final reduction ratios in your front and rear differentials. This means plenty of torque at wheels, but a limited top speed. It can be calculated precisely if you know the final reduction ratios and tire sizes of your truck, but going by generic reduction ratos (mostly somewhere around 3:1), expect 3x more torque on the ground, and 3x lower top speed than that of a tesla.

Best,


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## NwCali6 (May 22, 2021)

dvk said:


> Hey,
> 
> Depends on how you plan to use your truck.
> 
> ...


 Your right, spot on, not sure why I didn't catch it. It would make a decent awd setup though...

A solution to the one wheel problem would be to have lockers of some sort in both the front/rear differentials. 

As far as top speed goes, 80mph is probably about 10mph faster than I'll go.


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

NwCali6 said:


> No thoughts on this?


I have various thoughts, but this exact topic has been discussed so many times that it gets tiring repeating it. Search this forum for discussion of converting various 4WDs, especially Land Rovers...


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## NwCali6 (May 22, 2021)

brian_ said:


> I have various thoughts, but this exact topic has been discussed so many times that it gets tiring repeating it. Search this forum for discussion of converting various 4WDs, especially Land Rovers...


thanks, will do


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