OK so I completely tubed out my toy from the front of the seats to the back of the truck. I'd like to get rid of the rest of the floor and fire wall, front pilars, and cowl. Anyone done it? Anyone figure out what wire needs to stay to have the charging system, and carb crap? Anyone use stock pedal assemblies on custom fire wall? I've been kinda toying with the ideal of not running a fire wall cause it is only a crawler. How much heat blows back from the fan when you are crawling?

Yes it's been done before. I also moved the rad to the rear and get very little heat from the motor. Not enough to notice while I am driving.

Check out the Maximum Sawzall thread

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51639&highlight=maximum+sawzall

I've kicked this idea around with friends before and the bottom line seems to be that the firewall is there for the occupants' protection. If you roll the possibility of gas, oil, brake fluid, tranny fluid, etc. spilling onto you goes way up. Ignite some of those fluids and you've got a real problem to deal with in a big hurry. I personally will always use one.:D

I should have rode with you Chris last time we were out to see how the heat thing is. I would think I would be getting more heat though do to the fact that I am keeping the radiator in the front. How much I dont' know cause the sides are gone, little hood, so no real tunnel to funnel the air towards me. Not really looking forward to the wiring deal though.

sawzall works...

no body left on my 85

save your time and just cut the body mounts and lift it off

i got rid of my stock wall and built a new one from diamond plate.

I was having vapor lock problems because of a weak fuel pump out in the desert at 110 degrees and I thought it would be easier to remove the hood then replace the electric fuel pump. It was to damn hot with no hood (and no windshield) so I put the hood back on and got under the truck to replace the pump. Its like having the biggest furnace turned straight at your face especially if its already 110 degrees out:)

Jason :)

Erik, I like what ya done, but...... Why do you want to get rid of the firewall. whats the point? a good idea would be to give me your rig and bend up a buggy...
PAt

Originally posted by Chris Geiger
Yes it's been done before. I also moved the rad to the rear and get very little heat from the motor. Not enough to notice while I am driving.
They let you run in rock crawling events without a firewall? There is a reason it is called a firewall. What happens if you blow your engine and a rod comes through and blows hot oil all over you and your kid? Sorry Chris in my opinion this is a stupid move on your part. Being light is one thing but being light and sacrificing safety to do it is stupid. Believe me I know what hot oil feels, I put a rod threw the side of a MC and was sprayed with hot oil and it took a while to heal up.:(

Only used the stock brake (cut up mount) and accel pedal pieces...
Jay

No, Hot is pouring moultin aluminum(3000 deg. F) explosing in your face without safty glasses because some dumbass cleaned out the tube with water a few minuets ago and didnt bother to mentioon it to me!!!FAWKERS, sorry, just venting.
PAt

Originally posted by OOP'S
They let you run in rock crawling events without a firewall? There is a reason it is called a firewall. What happens if you blow your engine and a rod comes through and blows hot oil all over you and your kid? Sorry Chris in my opinion this is a stupid move on your part. Being light is one thing but being light and sacrificing safety to do it is stupid. Believe me I know what hot oil feels, I put a rod threw the side of a MC and was sprayed with hot oil and it took a while to heal up.:(


On my goldwing I am sitting right on top of a motor covered with a gas tank. What am I worried about while riding? I tell you I am not worried about the motor comming apart. I am thinking about witch driver is going to hit me.

There will be a small fire wall behind the block for those events that require it. Currently the only event I am signed up for does not require a fire wall and I won't run one.

Rods don't just fail, they make noise long befor failure or fail as a result of over reving the motor. My DOA built motor is not some worn out piece of crap that's on it's last legs. I asure you it will keep it's rods iinside for many many years to come.

Now even if it leaked a rod, oil does not just start shooting out in volume. Oil is going to go out the sides of the motor and the motor is so far in front of me that I just would not get anything more than a few drops. No fan up front to even blow it back to where I set. The seat, dash, peddles and such have all been moved back on my rig further moving me away from the motor.

I do have a hood to keep fluids from shooting up out of the motor into my face.

As for hot water all the small water lines that go around the engine and been removed. Hot water comes in and out in the front of the motor only and is then routed under the floor to the back of the rig.


So what are you saying we should outlaw motorcycles, quads, and such? I think you need to take a calm down pill, you worry too much.

Sorry Chris if I offended you but I have been in many a competition car that has "let go" with out warning. As I said it was my opinion and what is a couple of pounds of aluminum sheet going to hurt. If I were doing the “tech” inspection on something that I did not feel was safe it would be fixed or would not compete. I still have both of my feet intact because of a 1/8th inch steel “scatter shield” that diverted all of the shrapnel when the clutch and flywheel let go at 8000 RPM. Most MC’s are a bit different, they have a “dry sump” oil system so there is not that much oil in the crankcase.

As far as me taking a "chill pill", been on them for years and it is to bad that you have to get upset when some one points out an obvious “safety hazard” to you. But then again you are Chris Gieger.

Tell you what Pat, buy my buggy for 5K and I'll start bending up a buggy! hahaha I plan on having a fir wall of some sorts but not much of one cause I can see a lot better when there isn't much of one. Thanks a ton for the pic Jay, that was what I was looking for. Got any other pics. I'll check your site. I've been pondering ditching the brake booster cause my brakes work way better without it, due to the pinion brake set up. Not sure how it is going to set up or what kind of adapter I'm gunna have to make to make the push rod work the way it is supposed to. The point to getting rid of the rest of the body is that I want the ability to see everything like I have in the back and I want it to match rather than look like it is only half finished. If you are gunna buggy something, why do it only half way? I like the rear the way it is so I know I'll like the front too.

I also am not one to argue but I have lost rods more than a few times. They never gave any warning in my case. Once I was floored and thru a rod at 4000rpm and another time I was towing home from Hollister Hills and thru a rod at 55 MPH on Highway 25 coming out of Hollister. The first instance no parts were reusable--example broke the cam in three pieces, even the harmonic balancer spun on the rubber! The time coming home from Hollister I thought I broke the transmission as I thought something let go inside and got wedged and broke the case in two. Replaced the trans and the engine would not turn completely over as a rod had broken! Since I was running a 700R4 with a lock up clutch I guess when the motor stopped suddenly it broke the case in half as the rear tires tried to keep rolling. Anyway the point here is in the first case oil went everywhere and the motor stopped instantly (in milliseconds). There was oil under the hood and a bunch all most all of it on the ground. Oh yeah in the second instance the engine a small block Chevy only had 25,000 miles on fully race prepped rods (shotpeened, polished etc). The ARP rod bolt failed! So I do not think anyone can say that "it won't happen" I have had other rod failures but never took the motor apart but also no warning either. And yes I ride motorcycles too--One year I rode rain or shine as I was doing a rebuild of one truck and then my car blew a HG so I rode the bike all winter long...

Jason :)

Originally posted by ECF
Thanks a ton for the pic Jay, that was what I was looking for. Got any other pics. I'll check your site. I've been pondering ditching the brake booster cause my brakes work way better without it, due to the pinion brake set up.

Will have more buggy buildup pics soon.

I will not be running a booster on mine.

Jay

Cool Jay lookin forward to the pics. I'm gunna run a fire wall but nothing like the stock toy one. It will only cover the back of the engine and nothing else so I can still see what's happening on the passenger side(running a full fire wall blocks that view). I've never had a rod go but I have head of a guy that had that happen and it went through the block. I always wondered what a thin wall fire wall would do if it would stop the rod or not. I mean seriously it went through the block, why not the fire wall, I guess it would slow it down some though. Anyway I'll be building some sort of fire wall, just not much of one and the rest will be heavy guage expanded metal which should also protect against rocks, or flying engine parts! hahaha Thanks for the input guys.

Originally posted by OOP'S
As far as me taking a "chill pill", been on them for years and it is to bad that you have to get upset when some one points out an obvious “safety hazard” to you. But then again you are Chris Gieger.

geritol is not a 'chill pill'!

:flipoff2:

you ol' fart!

:D

Originally posted by Chris Geiger



On my goldwing I am sitting right on top of a motor covered with a gas tank.

Aren't Goldwings for old fat guys? :eek: :D

Originally posted by vova

Aren't Goldwings for old fat guys? :eek: :D

Yep :D :D :D

Jay

Originally posted by vova

Aren't Goldwings for old fat guys? :eek: :D

Just the name "Goldwing" in fully :rainbow: or did you mean "Goldmember" Chris????:flipoff2:

This thread has completly lost it's point.

Originally posted by Chris Geiger
This thread has completly lost it's point. I agree so lets all go ouT and blow an engine and get hot oil all over are selfs!!!!!!!:eek: :D ;)