Now that it's done, and maybe even wheeled, is there anything you want to change? or will do differently next time??? Were there any home made tools or theorys that made /would make it more smooth of a build up???

well i didnt build a buggy but i just finished building a truck and i wish that i made it LIGHTER. every pound counts IMO. right now my rig weighs about 4500 pounds... probably more like 5000. if you can, try to keep it as close to or under 3000. you will climb much better, and wont break parts as easily.

so go with a 4 banger or small V6, manual tranny, light axles, and a small chassis. think single seat with not a lot of "extra" tubing.

hope it comes out good! :beer:

ya i would ditch my toy tcase and get a atlas so i could be competive in rock crawls :flipoff2:

Originally posted by camo
ya i would ditch my toy tcase and get a atlas so i could be competive in rock crawls :flipoff2:

ME TWO:D :D :D

Working on something kinda like a buggy, and changing stuff already.
Swapping D44 front out for a D60... 44" TSL's are too much tire for a D44. I know, duh... y'all don't have to remind me.
Swapping (eventually) Toy 22R for injected aluminum 1.9 four. Toy engine is too heavy. Carburetion sucks. EFI is cool. 150 pound motors are cool. :)
Shoulda put TSL's on all four corners instead of Boggers in the back.
Shoulda put the front axle farther back (didn't have the option--the steering just didn't work out that way). I can't winch sideways; the front tires are in the way.
Shoulda regeared the axles already.
Shoulda painted it in the summertime, instead of in January.

Mostly little stuff... the D44 was a big mistake; the rest, I can live with, without kicking myself too much. The Toy engine is temporary, till I roll it too many times and blow it up (or something). The Boggers, I'll deal with... I just have to watch air pressure really closely; overinflate 'em by a pound, and they suck. Have to keep 'em flat. The front axle location, I like for 99% of 'wheeling; that's enough for me. The axle gearing... is a cash thing. I don't have any. The paint... I can live with. Runs don't show unless you're standing next to it.

Build it light, if that doesn't work out start looking for a front D60. don't use tubing any heavier than needed. we had a lot of 2" .120 laying around, so we used it ...way too heavy. Ours weighs 4600+. Keep it low, if you can see over the top of the cage you're doing good...we cant. it's about 80" tall. ...too tall.

http://www.sonic.net/~sprocket/06070049.jpg
http://www.sonic.net/~sprocket/05090002.jpg

1. START WITH D.O.M. OR BETTER TUBING.
Mild steel bends, twist and and dents too easy.

2. DETERMIN YOUR TIRE SIZE.
Adjust the components and dimensions to fit the tires.

3. KEEP IT LOW, KEEP IT LIGHT.
It adds up fast.

4. KEEP THE SUSPENSION AS FAR OUTBOARD AND AS VERTICAL AS
POSSIBLE ( if using coil overs).
It will make the vehicle more stable.

Have fun and break out your wallet!
:smokin:

whoa looks like some CAMO action there... but howd ya roll it on flat PAVEMENT???

1. START WITH D.O.M. OR BETTER TUBING. Mild steel bends, twist and and dents too easy.


JR,

Just a note. First, DOM refers to a process, not a type or grade of material, second DOM tubing IS usually mild steel, normally 1018 or 1020.

Originally posted by urjb
Build it light, if that doesn't work out start looking for a front D60. don't use tubing any heavier than needed. we had a lot of 2" .120 laying around, so we used it ...way too heavy. Ours weighs 4600+. Keep it low, if you can see over the top of the cage you're doing good...we cant. it's about 80" tall. ...too tall.

http://www.sonic.net/~sprocket/06070049.jpg
http://www.sonic.net/~sprocket/05090002.jpg

HOLY NASCAR-FRAME-ACTION BATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd bet that frame/cage would pass a Nascar tech-inspection
any time!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice work, but it looks like it weighs 2k just sitting there!!!!!!!

--Sherpa

Originally posted by BillaVista


JR,

Just a note. First, DOM refers to a process, not a type or grade of material, second DOM tubing IS usually mild steel, normally 1018 or 1020.

Mr. BillaVista, .
Here are some specifications taken from a Jorgenson Steel materials resource book:

1010 electric welded mild steel. This is the stuff most people use.

C .08 - .13 ( carbon)
Mn .30 - .60 ( manganese)
P .035 (phosphorus)
S .035 (max) (sulfur)

1018 DOM piercing a hot rolled bar, hot finished
C .15 -.20
M .6 - .9
P .04
S .05 (max)

1020 DOM formed from strip and electric-resistance welded,
then cold drawn to size.
C .15 - .25
M .3 - .6
P .04
S .05 (max)

OK, blah,blah, blah whatever. But wait here's the interesting part.

Tensile strength; 1010 = 45 KSI
1018= 80 KSI
1020= 80 KSI

Yeild; 1010= 32 KSI
1018= 70 KSI
1020= 60 KSI

DOM tubing is almost TWICE as strong as standard mild steel tubing.
I wish my frame was made of DOM or, even better, thin wall (.95'') 4130 chromo instead of thick wall exhaust tubing so that it wouldn't bend, twist and dent so easy.

yep your right JR but Bill is right too. the tube isn't stronger because it is DOM it is stronger because it is 1018 instead of 1010. It is a percent or two stronger in regards to yield strength gue to the cold work introduced in the process of making it DOM. Since you can't really get 1018 or 1020 ERW unless you buy alot you are pretty much right, buying DOM tube will make it more dent resistant.

Originally posted by Gordon
yep your right JR but Bill is right too. the tube isn't stronger because it is DOM it is stronger because it is 1018 instead of 1010. It is a percent or two stronger in regards to yield strength gue to the cold work introduced in the process of making it DOM. Since you can't really get 1018 or 1020 ERW unless you buy alot you are pretty much right, buying DOM tube will make it more dent resistant.

My choice in tubing was referred to generically as DOM and still stands reguardless of wether your calling it 1018 or 1020, or even 4130. The fact that it begins with a stronger carbon base steel, or alloy, is my point.

only thing I can suggest is to mock up your entire drivetrain before you start, figure out where everything goes and block it up or even build a jig of some kind. include all seats and controlls, this way you can avoid a tube being in the way of something later, also helps decide how high it needs to be ect.
as to dom vs erw, yeah dom is stronger but at what cost? I'll give up the weight savings and run a heavier tube at half the price. maybe its just up here cause its not common but that stuff is treated like gold, hell half the steel suppliers don't even know what it is.

Originally posted by mytzlflick
maybe its just up here cause its not common but that stuff is treated like gold, hell half the steel suppliers don't even know what it is.

It's not just you, I run into the same problem here in dallas, I FINALLY found a place that actually has a good variety in stock, but they are prouder than shit of it.

It is nice to be able to swing by and pick up 1.50 x .250 wall DOM by the foot with no minimum buy though.

BTW, for any of you in the Dallas area, I recommend Metal Supermarket in Irving, TX. They can be found on www.smartpages.com just keep an eye on them that they don't change their story around on you between the phone and when you show up to buy your shit

Originally posted by ToyFamily
Now that it's done, and maybe even wheeled, is there anything you want to change? or will do differently next time???

I'd go with DOM.
To each his own! :beer:

I just priced some 1.5 x.250 1026 DOM today. Or was that 1028? Whatever, after he told me the price it kind of blew everything else right out of my head. That's all they had anyway (even in Phoenix it's hard to find DOM, every steel yard I called refered me to the same supplier) and the guy says it's stronger and more resilient than 1020 anyway. Higher numeric alloy number seems to indicate better stuff so, at least it sounds right, but most of what (little) I know about the alloys I've learned here or by asking a friend who is a machinist. FWIW, I need it for a cross over drag link and tie rod.

Anyway, the price is over $6 per foot for 1 stick at 20 feet! They'll sell less but it costs almost as much as a full stick by the time they tack on the "mutilation fee". Of course, they don't have any leftovers from previous rapes to sell. :rolleyes: I knew DOM was higher but that really blew me away. I was planning on sleeving the tie rod until I saw that price. Now I think it will likely be just fine without it. :rasta: Maybe I can find others here that need rods and want to buy my left over DOM...


I know this is a bit off topic, just throwing it out as a concrete example of DOM price and sourcing in Phoenix (Tube Service) for those who care. I'll be doing more checking tomorrow to see if I can do better. Anyone in Phoenix with suggestions, advise on suppliers, or a couple of pieces of scrap :smokin: send me a PM and I'll buy you a :beer:

1.5 .120 wall DOM 3 bucks a foot where I buy. LA is good for something I guess.

Bad dog that is a fair price you found. .25 inch wall tube is not common so you pay a premium for it. It is probably seamless instead of DOM which is at least as good.



Swapping (eventually) Toy 22R for injected aluminum 1.9 four. Toy engine is too heavy. Carburetion sucks. EFI is cool. 150 pound motors are cool.

That sounds like a cool motor what is it out of. Saturn has an aluminum 1.9 L (91-97) that makes 125HP stock but I think it is a lot heavier than that. A corrola 1zzfe engine has an aluminum block and might be swapable to a toy trans but I don't know what it weighs. Do you really know of a motor that meets those specs?

Originally posted by 9-Volt
whoa looks like some CAMO action there... but howd ya roll it on flat PAVEMENT???


that's not pavement... close though. Wacko flopped off one of those ramp like rocks out on the slabs at the con :D