SXOR single seater build

I spent a few hours in the shop today before coming in for night shift. I got the axle squared up under the buggy and got the lower link and shock mounts tacked on. They’re snug, but as long as the link bolt on the passenger side will clear the 3rd it will be fine.

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I used a piece of flat bar bolted to the link bracket to get them at the same height.

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The upper link and the panhard bar are sitting where they need to be I just have to build the mounts for them. I started on a little Cinnamon Toast Crunch CAD but ran out of time.

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Made a little progress over the last couple weeks, but haven’t taken the time to update the thread. Also made stupid mistake and cost myself, but no surprises there. :laughing:

I got a text from @Jody Treadway earlier this week that one of the 3rds is done.

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I got the JHF high steer welded up on the knuckles.

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I scanned my cardboard template and sent it to a guy with a CNC plasma table and he converted it to a DXF and cut them out for me.

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I got the housing cut down to length and up on the table and locked down in the chain vise and welded to the table with the right pinion angle to start putting the Cs on. The Goatbuilt ram mount is also tacked on.

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There was about a .015” interference fit between the Cs and tube so I did the same as I did when I swapped the C on my 60. Did some sanding on both the C and the tube and was able to knock it on pretty easily with a 4lb hammer and get the caster right where I wanted it.

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Everything was going really good until it wasn’t…
 
I guess I got in too much of a hurry on the second C and didn’t sand enough. It started on good like the other. I was putting them 1.75” onto the tube. This one got .5” from being all the way on and just stopped moving.

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I got the bright idea to use some big threaded rod and plate and try to pull it the rest of the way on with an impact. So I grabbed some 1” rod and 3/4” plate from the scrap pile at work. Even with a 1400 ft-lb 3/4” impact it wouldn’t budge. It just bent the plate and killed the threads on the rod. She stuck.

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It wouldn’t even move trying to hammer it back off. So my only option was to slit it down the side to relieve it and knock it back off. You can see in the picture where I hit it with my purse a time or two.

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A few people have said to just use that same C and bevel the slit and weld it up, but I found another C from a guy in one of the FB buggy groups and I’d rather just do that. I got the tube cleaned up because it was gouged pretty good too. Once the new C gets here we’ll try again, and try not to screw it up this time.

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Hokie_YJ said:
I guess I got in too much of a hurry on the second C and didn’t sand enough. It started on good like the other. I was putting them 1.75” onto the tube. This one got .5” from being all the way on and just stopped moving.

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I got the bright idea to use some big threaded rod and plate and try to pull it the rest of the way on with an impact. So I grabbed some 1” rod and 3/4” plate from the scrap pile at work. Even with a 1400 ft-lb 3/4” impact it wouldn’t budge. It just bent the plate and killed the threads on the rod. She stuck.

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It wouldn’t even move trying to hammer it back off. So my only option was to slit it down the side to relieve it and knock it back off. You can see in the picture where I hit it with my purse a time or two.

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A few people have said to just use that same C and bevel the slit and weld it up, but I found another C from a guy in one of the FB buggy groups and I’d rather just do that. I got the tube cleaned up because it was gouged pretty good too. Once the new C gets here we’ll try again, and try not to screw it up this time.

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I'd use it again, no need to even bother welding it up, you're gonna weld all the way around anyway :laughing: With that said, the cut in it is going to cause a slight imperfection in your ball joint alignment. If I were building a high level racecar, I might would worry about it, but for your application, it ain't gonna matter, probably cause as much or more deflection welding it on to the tube anyway. Run a light bead just to keep it closed when you press it on, and then burn that puppy in place.
 
jeepinmatt said:
I'd use it again, no need to even bother welding it up, you're gonna weld all the way around anyway :laughing: With that said, the cut in it is going to cause a slight imperfection in your ball joint alignment. If I were building a high level racecar, I might would worry about it, but for your application, it ain't gonna matter, probably cause as much or more deflection welding it on to the tube anyway. Run a light bead just to keep it closed when you press it on, and then burn that puppy in place.
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I’ve already got a new one on the way or I would. I’ll keep it on the shelf in case something bad happens one day, or I do something stupid again (that’s inevitable). :laughing:
 
So it’s been almost two months, not much progress. There was also 5 weeks straight of 12hr shifts mixed in there too. :laughing: One morning last week I got the track bar mount tacked in place but I forgot to take pictures. Tuesday morning before work I drove down and picked up the 3rds from @Jody Treadway. Props to him for doing an amazing job on them and also storing them for weeks until I could get there to pick them up. Today I got a couple nice boxes from Branik via Lee Ravenel at Partially Committed Racing.

Next up I need to get the BK King Joints welded in the knuckles and the knuckles on the axle so I can mount the ram and measure for tie rods. Then I need to replace the temporary upper link mount with something permanent.

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I hit the shop this morning before work with a plan to install the 3rd in the rear axle and slide in the shafts and drive flanges. I quickly realized I wasn’t man enough to wrestle the 3rd into the housing laying on a creeper. I can’t get it to the lift right now so I repositioned my jack stands, unbolted the shocks and upper links and rolled the housing back. I was able to drop the 3rd in that way, but after all that it was time to head to work. So in the morning I’ll bolt the axle back up and slide the shafts in and put the drive flanges on. Aside from gear oil and bleeding the brakes the rear end will be done.

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Minor setback this morning. I got the rear end bolted back in place. Started putting the shafts in and the long side shaft is 1” shorter than what I ordered. I’ve already talked to Lee at PCR and he called Branik. They said to send it back and they’ll get an another one headed my way. Pretty good of them IMO since they could’ve told me to eat it since it’s been so long since I ordered them.

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Shaft was supposed to be 41.6”.

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Some minor progress over the last few days. I welded the BK king joints in the knuckles using some 309 filler. Did the pre-heat, post-heat, slow cool. Again, definitely not a professional welder. Haha.

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Late last night I went to the shop for a few minutes and put in the short side rear shaft and drive flange. Just waiting on the correct long side shaft from Branik.

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I also shot a couple coats of paint on the knuckles last night. Just need to press in the lower BJs and I can temporarily bolt the knuckles up to work on the steering ram mount.

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Looks better than my welds. Which aint saying much! LOL! So is this the ball joint 60's that is the predecessor to the current 60 everyone loves?
 
ghost said:
Looks better than my welds. Which aint saying much! LOL! So is this the ball joint 60's that is the predecessor to the current 60 everyone loves?
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The outers are ‘05+ Superduty stuff, which is pretty much the new go to. The king joint is from Busted Knuckle, it’s their answer for the balljoint eliminators. I’ve never used them before, but they’re running them on all their bouncers with no failures yet. It basically just converts the upper back to a kingpin. A greaseable brass bushing replaces the factory caster/camber bushing in the C.

2005+ BKOR King Joints
 
Thanks I know nothing about the new 60's. I'm still hammering on my 78 dinosaur.
 
ghost said:
Thanks I know nothing about the new 60's. I'm still hammering on my 78 dinosaur.
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Same gears/internals. Just larger outers with the ability to run 1550 joints, or big bell RCV shafts, and unit bearings that can handle 40 spline or bigger stubs. Housing/tubes are also a little beefier.

For this one I’m just using the outers on a TG housing with 10” gears. I’m also working on a ‘05+ 60 for my LJ as well though.
 
Got down to the shop for just a few minutes this afternoon before work. Pressed in the lower balljoints and loosely bolted the knuckles on to start working on steering. That Goatbuilt ram mount is tacked on currently, but likely won’t be used.

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I’ve made some progress on the steering spread out over the last few days. I cut off the Goatbuilt ram mount. Then I used the TMR alignment tools clamped onto the knuckles to center everything up and kinda mocked up the 10” ram with the tie rods from the old axle.

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I needed to cycle everything lock to lock to measure the travel and check angles. I built a quick tie rod from some left over EMT conduit and some junk 3/4” heims. Lock to lock with the factory stops on the knuckles is just over 8” and 40* of steering which is what JHF says their weld on high steer will do with 8” travel. 10” of travel will get 50* of steering, which is what I was hoping for.

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I quickly bolted on one unit bearing and tire just to see what 40* would look like and if 50* would be possible. The tires might not hit anything at 50* but I think things would start getting close. And that’s with 39s, I’m ultimately wanting to run 43s one day. With spools f/r it’s not going to steer that great even with 50*, and more angle is just harder on joints and shafts. So think I’ll just stick with the 8” ram and 40*.

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During this time I discovered the front upper link mount I moved up some to get more separation now crashes into the track bar before full bump. I guess the fancy aluminum track bar will be getting replaced with steel with a small bend in it to clear. Maybe I can find someone to cut up and re-thread the aluminum track bar so I can use it for my tie rods.

Also in between other things I swapped the dual 3/4” master cylinder pedal for a single 7/8” master. The dual master setup just wasn’t right for the brakes on this thing. I used the brake calculator on Busted Knuckle’s site and the single 7/8” master puts the numbers right where it says it should be. So hopefully I’ll see a big improvement in the brakes. Everything is re-plumbed, but nothing is bled yet.

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The replacement rear shaft from Branik is supposed to be delivered today so hopefully I’ll have the rear axle buttoned up soon.
 
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