tube frame a-arm baja bug project

[Alaskanbaja]

I am currently building an a-armed bug and decided I would post what I have so far for comments and suggestions. Any help with suspension geometry and shock angles would be awesome. This is our first project car and we are flying blind.


started out with old 63' bug found in the woods with trees growing through got it going after swapiing motors and going through pretty much everything else and then decided to tear the whole thing apart and build a new car out of it.

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

Stick welder? Nice.

Sway a way . com has a bunch of suspention formulas.

[Alaskanbaja]

will post more pics as it gets done

[Alaskanbaja]

No mig welded frame didn’t realize how much better tig is until after but most suspension components are tig welded

[roscoe]

looks real good, keep the posting more pics

[ntsqd]

Flying blind has the advantage over "Analysis Paralysis" in that you actually get things done.
If you search the Shop section you'll find lots of various threads on suspension geometry.

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

Looking Great! Like Roscoe said keep us updated. Looks like a real quality piece. I like that upper J arm. Is that a standard design or is that your own design. Looks very very strong. Are those lines running along the chrome moly tubing reference marks for the centerline of the tube? What are you planning on running for shocks? Monroe? KYB? or Rancho? I have KYB on my class 5 (type) dune buggy and they work great.

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

Looking Great! Like Roscoe said keep us updated. Looks like a real quality piece. I like that upper J arm. Is that a standard design or is that your own design. Looks very very strong. Are those lines running along the chrome moly tubing reference marks for the centerline of the tube? What are you planning on running for shocks? Monroe? KYB? or Rancho? I have KYB on my class 5 (type) dune buggy and they work great.
That is out of line!

[BURLY]

That is out of line!
yea that was a little harsh!

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

That is out of line!

What? I luv bad ass bugs.

[Alaskanbaja]

Looking Great! Like Roscoe said keep us updated. Looks like a real quality piece. I like that upper J arm. Is that a standard design or is that your own design. Looks very very strong. Are those lines running along the chrome moly tubing reference marks for the centerline of the tube? What are you planning on running for shocks? Monroe? KYB? or Rancho? I have KYB on my class 5 (type) dune buggy and they work great.
That tubing is not chrome moly it is experimental zircon encrusted titanium its 65.00 per inch.I bought it from boeing aerospace. As for the shocks im going for Gabriel roadhandlers. We didnt make anything we buoght all the most expensive stuff out of McKenses catolog . This sport was founded by spoiled 16 year olds hiring the best and buying the best with mommies money like you and me.Not those guys piecing stuff together in there garages. HA HA HA,HA TUOCHE FLY BOY

[Fourstroker]

Good response Alaskanbaja. I love it. Seriously don't settle for less than Kings on that thing. Good luck

[5racer]

carefull flyboy these kids could be top t-t builders in 10 years we all started some place .no one sucks it out of there thumb.inless you have and we would all like to see some pics of your projects starting with your first one .hmmmmmmmm.he made this post for help not to get bashed .

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

That tubing is not chrome moly it is experimental zircon encrusted titanium its 65.00 per inch.I bought it from boeing aerospace. As for the shocks im going for Gabriel roadhandlers. We didnt make anything we buoght all the most expensive stuff out of McKenses catolog . This sport was founded by spoiled 16 year olds hiring the best and buying the best with mommies money like you and me.Not those guys piecing stuff together in there garages. HA HA HA,HA TUOCHE FLY BOY


Dude, that's hilarious! TOUCHÉ to you too. Keep chin up and keep up the good work. The United States was founded on the principals Build it, Beat it, Break it, fix it. There is no reason your 5 car can't be either.

[Alaskanbaja]

Bought fox 2.5 12 inch coilovers for the front end (all the shock companies seem about the same to me) pretty slow going but it is coming together.

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

In your first pic on the far left... How the hell are you going to fit that seat in there? Looks comfortable...but Jeeezzz do you really need to run a lazy boy...LOL

[racer_dude]

do you have any idea on how wide it is going to be? baja's rock

[WannaB-class5]

Any updates? I really want to see this thing!

[Alaskanbaja]

It is probably going to end up being around 86 inchs wide. We got the J-arm boxed and shock mounted. ended up cycleing at 23.5 inchs of travel :D

oh what hole saws do you guys use? ours keep self destructing every other use.

[McClintock]

Milwaukees seem to work well for us. Are you using cutting oil? And what speed are drilling at? I built a whole ranger cage, bumper to bumper, on 3 hole saws.

[91yotaprerunner]

looks like u have quite a bit of caster in that spindle?? is that at full droop in that pic

[Alaskanbaja]

yea that is at full droop. The caster angle is adjustable, by shimming the j-arm for and aft it just wasn't set right when the photo was taken.

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

[QUOTE=oh what hole saws do you guys use? ours keep self destructing every other use.[/QUOTE]

For plate, Milwaukees are good. Bi metal and a squirt of water or a dab of cutting oil, slow speed with a mill, solid constant pressure and a good fixture/clamp...

For notching tubes. Any brand hole saw, dry, JMR notcher. You can build that whole car and two more with one hole saw.

[WannaB-class5]

I have found that the slow speed is very important.

[Brandon_Charley]

I can't wait to see this thing finished, its an inpiration to all the beginners.

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

How Do... It... Know?

[Alaskanbaja]

Alright I am finally back, The commercial fishing went extra long this summer and I just got back last week. I became weak this spring and in the need to have instant gratification I bought a Honda 450r. But after I pay off the rest of that and everything I should have about 7000-8000 to spend on the rest of this car. It wasn't a bad session for a 15 year old kid:D . Anyways right now I am looking for a motor and a transaxle then I can start pricing it out and see how much else I can afford. For the motor I am hoping on getting a 2.5 Subaru motor or one of them new 3.0 H6s:p those look pretty sweet. Probably mate it up to a 091. Where can I get crome moly internals for a bus trans and how much do they sell for? But more immediate I need to get a front disc brake with spindle set up which ones should I get? I am looking for fairly cheap ones.
thanks

[baja_driver]

this guy does my tranny and it never fails!!

http://www.jgtranswerks.com/

[Alaskanbaja]

yea I don’t really want to have some one else make the trany because I would have to ship my core down to them which isn’t cheap when you live in Alaska.. so I was going to put it together myself I just need to know what parts I need to make it handle about 250 hp.
Thanks

[Ron_Burgandy]

It is probably going to end up being around 86 inchs wide. We got the J-arm boxed and shock mounted. ended up cycleing at 23.5 inchs of travel :D

oh what hole saws do you guys use? ours keep self destructing every other use.

Lennox hole saws work very well. The ones at home depot dont last more then 5 secs cutting any sort of angle. That looks like its going to be awesome...

[Alaskanbaja]

Need some advise,were ignorant up here in alaska no proffesional desert racers to pick there brains. micro stub or midboard? cars gonna have about 200 hp either subaru or honda v6 wieght about 2300 lbs.who makes best micro stub kit.I found these midboards athttp://www.mcmoffroad.com/brakes.html for $1000 apair .I need a water tight bearing assembly. we got some dunes near by but there laced with rivers and ponds.Was hoping to fab something out of auto parts but I think ill bite the bullet and buy a kit avoid frustration of broken homeade axles.