My long term buggy project...

yeah, no prob.

broke them out of 1/4" AR400 plate. I'll have to do some mods to the oil pan skid due to the front driveshaft, but I'll do that once I get the driveshaft. Heck, I don't even have the front axle under there yet.


Rob
 
I got a lot done the past week or so. I finally got the skid plates mounted (not totally welded/bolted), but they are mounted. Also finally got the motor mounts finished and installed. The engine crane/hoist is off and the engine/tranny/TC is being held up by their own mounts now!!! Awesome!

Anyway, that left some room for me to re mount the rear lower links for a double triangulation setup, which has been done (half way). I've got to fab a few tabs to mount the links, but half of them are finished and mounted. Nothing is fully welded, but only tacked in case I change my mind, or screw it up.

More pics soon to come.


Rob
 
here are a few pics:

triangulated rear, skid plate, and motor mounts.








Rob
 

Attachments

  • P5120013.JPG
    P5120013.JPG
    43 KB · Views: 488
  • P5120018.JPG
    P5120018.JPG
    41.7 KB · Views: 543
  • P5120014.JPG
    P5120014.JPG
    48.4 KB · Views: 496
I'm jealous...

Questions:
Why not clock the t-case flat? EDIT: Starter and exhaust location issues.
Bending brake or cut and weld?
What's the drivetrain anyhow (just curious)... EDIT: Ford

J

Edited because I answered some of my own questions. DUH...
 
hobie said:
Why not clock the t-case flat?
J
Click to expand...

I think the driveshaft might hit something if he went all the way up with it.

I also have a question. In your last pic of the back axle and arms, will the axle go up high enough to cause the upper passenger's side link to hit that that tube comming across?
 
Yeah, the link will hit the tube cross brace. I just haven't removed it yet. I didn't want to remove it until I knew for sure that the suspension was gonna be located where it is now.

And yes, the driveshaft will hit the starter if I clock the transfercase. I could do it, but I'd have to make a 2 piece driveshaft.

In the end, I may end up having to make the shaft 2 piece (I'll know once I get the front axle under it), which will then allow me to clock the transfercase and also allow me to raise the skid as well. I've got this made so far, so I'm gonna try it like it is and modify later if I find it will all work out.



Skid bend or cut/weld??? Its all work done by the hydraulic bending brake. Same as the motor mounts and a lot of other parts.

I've got a lot of work left to do. Its coming along slowly, but surely.

Today I made some more tabs for the lower rear links. If you look closely at the links pic, you'll see only one tab mounting the link. All of the ones I needed wern't the right size/length, so I made some today, but didn't get a chance to install them. I'll do it this weekend. Once I get the links mounted, I'm gonna cycle the rear axle and check for binding, clearances, pinion rotation, etc. Then, if I'm happy with it, I'll weld it like it is.

I'd like to start the seat mounts soon so I can start to fab the firewall and any floor pannels I may want. But, I think before I do the seats, I'll fab the front suspension and get the front axle located and mounted.

Rob
 
Oh yeah! this is sweet!!! (see pics)

I finally got the 4 link mounted how I like it. Everything seems to work great without binding. The only part I'll have to change is the crossbrace behind the seats. The pass. side upper link hits it at full compression. No biggie, easy enough. I need to put a piece of tube behind the seats anyway for the harnesses, so I'll just cut that cross brace in the middle and re-work the lower half.

Also got the old spring plates cut off of the axle. Also got my laser cutter guy to cut a new flange for my diff so I can have another mount point for my upper link hoop.

Now its time to work on the front and the seats. I'll prob. do a little of both at the same time to keep me busy. first, I forgot, I must mount the rear springs and shocks (may wait on the shocks).

more to come.


Rob
 

Attachments

  • P5140001.JPG
    P5140001.JPG
    84.6 KB · Views: 562
  • P5140003.JPG
    P5140003.JPG
    81.2 KB · Views: 595
  • P5140008.JPG
    P5140008.JPG
    87.2 KB · Views: 549
oh yeah, very exciting. my wife just about had to literally drag me out of the garage to do some yard work this afternoon/evening.
 
I finally got my SAW air shocks. Can't wait to install them. I also got the rear coils mounted to the frame and axle, located the front axle and ordered more heims, etc.

I should start on the front links next week or so once I get my 15" rims mounted on a D60 front axle. Lots of grinding of the calipers/mounts.

Rob
 
I love it
p608-1119225758.jpg



My buggy as of this morning.


p608-1119225779.jpg




Man, I love this thing already and I haven't even sat in it yet


Measured the wheel base and its long, about 117". I can and may move the rear axle forward a bit. But I got other stuff to worry about right now, like getting it running and modifying the front stinger/frame to accept the air shocks better.

That front driver's side tire is off of the ground. The links are not binding, but the pass. side tire is binding against the air shock, so I'll have to modify the mounts. Once that is done, the axle will drop to the ground.

much more to come...

Rob
 
Good deal Rob.. getting closer!!
 
yeah, I'm still working on the rear steer. I just took the old drums and tack welded them back to the housing so I can flex it out and check for link binding. I've got the inner Cs for the rear steer, but no knuckles/hubs/rotors/etc. yet.

It is still in the works (rear steer)


Rob
 
i've got to re-work the front frame/rad. hoop/stinger to accept the air shocks better. right now they are binding against the frame and tire, so I'm only getting about 12" of travel out of the 18" air shocks.

Rob
 
after looking at the buggy and flexing it out, the rear axle has virtually no significant rear steer. If it has some, its hard to see it and I couldn't determine it with my eye. I didn't put a plumb bob on it, I may later on, but it looks great how it is.

The front works awesome as well, no binding with the links at all and the pinion rotates great with the links setup how they are. under compression, it rotates down a little and on droop, it rotates up a little. I think it wil work great after looking at it when it flexes.

Rob
 
are you gonna tie that link bridge to your rear center chunk?
 
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I'm not quite finished yet. Its all I needed to test the links. I didn't want to do extra work if maybe it wouldn't work like it is. Now I know it works great, so yeah, I'm tieing in the front and rear axle hoop. they will also have the hydro steering cylinder mounted to it with a skid.

oh yeah, I gotta add rear shocks too
 
I haven't posted much on this nor have I done a lot of work recently. However any of you that were at Agressive's Myrtle Beach Show may have seen it with the recently added air shocks up front. It hasn't seen any work since.

Anyone got any good leads on propane (not high dollar online stores); looking for junk yard stuff that I can pull myself. I may have found a few local, but I want to fish a little and see what I can come up with that may not need any work at all and may be complete.

Rob
 
If I had to do it again, I would spend $200 bones from www.propaneguy.com and get the components already re-built...

He's a great guy, and even helped me on a Saturday afternoon while troubleshooting my stuff.. and I haven't bought a thing from him!
 
I think I've got a lead on the pane setup for free from a fellow worker, if its missing out of the truck or isn't what I need/want, I'll def. look you guys up.

Rich, is that $200 for everything?
 
I think I've got a lead on the pane setup for free from a fellow worker, if its missing out of the truck or isn't what I need/want, I'll def. look you guys up.

Rich, is that $200 for everything?

John, how much. PM me
 
Back
Top