DTSFab.com (Desert, Trail and Sand)
General Discussion => Meet and Greet => Topic started by: Toufs on August 21, 2017, 11:55:08 PM
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Hello to everyone I am Toufik from a small island in the Caribbean called Antigua. I recently bought a Barracuda out of the US that was built by Lance-W a member of this site. I was very happy to have found this site knowing that the builder of my buggy is a member here, for the wealth of knowledge here and just being able to share thoughts with people that I have the same interest with. The buggy just arrived on island today and clearing port tomorrow so its not in hand yet. But be sure I will be calling on you guys when I need help with ideas when the time comes for maintaining it and when it calls for parts lol. Thanks for the read.
Toufs
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Hello to everyone I am Toufik from a small island in the Caribbean called Antigua. I recently bought a Barracuda out of the US that was built by Lance-W a member of this site. I was very happy to have found this site knowing that the builder of my buggy is a member here, for the wealth of knowledge here and just being able to share thoughts with people that I have the same interest with. The buggy just arrived on island today and clearing port tomorrow so its not in hand yet. But be sure I will be calling on you guys when I need help with ideas when the time comes for maintaining it and when it calls for parts lol. Thanks for the read.
Toufs
Welcom . You bought your new car from a great guy and a even greater fabricator. Good luck and we need pictures.
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Congratulations! Welcome and hope to hear more from you. Yes,Lance does some fine work and you should have many,many hours and miles of fun with the Lance buggy.
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Wow how cool. All the buggy offroading in So Cal and it finds its way to the Carribean!
Welcome to the madness!
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you will enjoy the info on this site. you will enjoy that rail and probably have plenty of sand to run it on over there!
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Glad to see you made it :)
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How's Hurricane Irma treating you? Hope you're OK !
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Irma appears to be a real bitch. Hope you fared well.
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Welcome,
Reports of 90% damage there hope you fared well
https://www.yahoo.com/news/antigua-barbuda-prime-minister-unprecedented-004718529.html (https://www.yahoo.com/news/antigua-barbuda-prime-minister-unprecedented-004718529.html)
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Hey guys, I must say thank God that the hurricane shifted slightly north before hitting us. If she did not shift we would have got the full force of 185mph winds gusting to 220mph. Our sister island Barbuda 27 miles away got the full force of it tho and they are well messed up with 95% of homes either damaged or totally gone. We have some trees down few roofs off some lines down and a carpet of leaves island wide with the 90mph winds gusting to 120mph. We are now on hurricane watch again for another 1 expected to hit us on Saturday (Jose). Pray for us. Thanks for your concerns guys will keep you guys updated. I would get into the few lill problems that the Cuda came with as it looks like the last owner after Lance neglected it but no time for that now, sorry. Gotta get back to another prep for another hurricane.
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Oh I forgot to mention that 1 life was lost in Barbuda and it was an infant. That is very sad. RIP to that baby. Sorry but I don't mean to get anyone sad today, just bringing the news to my DTS family.
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Glad a dts brother is OK.
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Pics I saw of Barbuda, 1 loss of life was a miracle. Stay safe!
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Hey guys I am happy to report that we dodged 2 bullets in a row. All is well and back to normal on my island. Very sad to say not all the islands were as lucky as us. Many dead, out of control violence and looting, people being robbed at gun point in their homes, shortage of gas, food and no electricity or running water. roads have washed away preventing travel. I tell you man, Barbuda, St Marten, Anguilla, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, are totally messed up. When I see how those other islands look I consider myself and Antigua to be very lucky and blessed. Anyway, time to get back to work on my new toy, I have not touched it in 2 weeks. As I mentioned before the Cuda came with some problems that needs attention due to the person who bought it from Lance neglected and did not maintain it too well or at all.
Lets see...There was water and rust in the fuel system, everything from the tank to the injectors. Took the tank, fuel lines, injectors and filter out and cleaned them out.
All the chrome on the shocks were brown with rust. Took A wire brush and wd40 to it and they look new again.
The throttle cable was sloppy and would not get any action on the throttle until the pedal is half way down. That was an easy adjustment.
The steering rack and some of the heim joints seem to be bad as there is about half inch of play on the steering wheel left to right. Also the heim joints on the steering column have play up and down, side to side (not a turning action)
My biggest problem is its over heating. We have checked the radiator, water pump, took out the thermostat, did a leak down test to check the head gasket, did a compression test, used different coolants and rain water. Now I am waiting for my brother to get back from the US with a water temp sensor but he is stuck in Miami because of all this hurricane crap with my parts (sad).
Did a full service, the oil looked kinda like mud but the spark plugs were ok but changed them anyway.
I think it needs disc pads, the pedal needs a lot of pushing way down to stop and the clutch pedal does not rebound back to the top, I think it needs a new clutch cylinder.
Hmm if I think of anything else later I will stick it in here.
Thanks for the read guys
PS..All my buddies are in love with the work Lance did and very excited to have all the little issues sorted out so we can see her perform in her full glory.
Toufs
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glad to hear you were spared. the rioting and lack of basic utilities is uderstandable given the circumstances. never a good thing. but really much can be done immediately for those situations.. as far as the rails is concerned.....thats quite a list! if i remember right previous owner had that engine out to replace the trans gears. so, as far as the heating issue goes....the busa engine can be difficult to bleed. sometimes its first try... sometimes its 12 try! what i have always found to work best for me is.......on top of the thermostat housing....there is a hose about 1\4" ID. it is basically a bleeder off the thermostat. so i mount that hose to a barbed fitting at top of radiator. i have or should say had bungs welded into my custom aluminum 15x32 two core two pass radiators. i did read you even pulled the thermostat trying to find the issue, sure would`ve thought that would`ve gotten any air but never know. some times air gets trapped in spot like the head and simply running the engine the rail on steep inclines takes them out with that bypass hose. only ran into this issue once. now you could have a bad water pump. may look ok at idle but may not move enough at rpm. sounds like it was never reasembled properly and left outide? how fast does it overheat? have you check the thermostat housing temp with a temp gun?
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Hey there dsrace, thanks for asking. I let it get to running temp on idle then after about 2 miles of driving not slow or flat out, the temp gauge starts going up. It will not over heat on idle tho, that I find weird because I ride sport bikes and once you get into city stand still traffic the temp gauge goes up until you get going with some wind coming through. I did forget to mention that the thermostat is bad and am running without it. To my knowledge the thermostat is not needed for cooling. But im getting 1 anyway coming with the sensor. My friend has a temp gauge that we are going to use but you know the whole busy with the hurricane prep and take down, buggy work was at a halt. Thanks for all the advice on the bleeding I will give it a try and hope for the best. I must say I never knew about the bleeding thing so I hope its as simple as that. WOW I would be so stoked. Really appreciate all the advice bro. Thanks for the read.
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Usually if you drill a small hole (1/8") in the edge of the thermostat itself it will let the air bubble pass and bleeding it will be a non-issue. I can't remember if I did it to that one or if the one in there was even the one in there when I sold it. It's a super common trick in automobiles and some manufacturers even do it from the factory. I've never had a negative side effect from it so I have always done it.
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ya a air bubbles do funny things but if it was a thermostat it would over heat at idle pretty quick. usually 1500 to 2k rpm gets the coolant flowing and helps cool as the water pump isn't moving quite enough coolant at idle. this has been my experience though i cannot state this for fact on all motors. a simple ir temp gun aimed at the thermostat neck will tell you what temp it is right there. on my busa , n/a or when it was turbo'd .....the temp gauge always went to half way and sat there. i did check with an ir temp gun twice to make sure. easy to do run it till it gets to where you think it's running hot and skid to a stop and jump out and check with the temp gun. will get you close and easy way to see if the temp sensor is working right. also have you checked to make sure the cooling fan is coming on? if the previous owner got a few other things incorrectly reassembled then he may have missed that one too. just a thought anyway. beyond all of that may need a larger radiator for where you are and how you drive. maybe larger fan then radiator once all else has been checked.
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Hey guys still here after Maria gave us some hurricane force of its northeastern side thank God we missed 3 bullets in a row, not that we totally missed it but D0minica 2 islands south of us is totaled with 3 dead so far from what im hearing, very sad news.
My new thermostat and sensor got here but at the same time we took out the radiator to have it pressure tested and the gas tank and injectors had to come out again because there is more rust in the filter again. So am having it sand blasted and inner coated. I just learned yhat you have to get it inner coated, never knew that before. Hopefully with the new thermostat, sensor, radiator tested (hope its good) and the new knowledge of bleeding, it will be all good.
The front end. Lance, thanks for the link for the rod ends, awesome. Now I need the sizes of all of them steering column included. I been looking at some cudas on youtube and saw some single pole (no joint from steering wheel to rack) steering columns that look really thick and solid. Looks like it had a different rack set as well. Not that I am rejecting your build but I like to see those better as it looks to be more solid, giving a more accurate feel on the steering wheel. I really bought this buggy to go racing on a local rally track so I need it to be on point. I will change the rod ends that need changing, the steering column support mounts as well and rack and see how it feels wit this setup first before I think about changing the steering system. I don't even know what brand it is or where to start looking for these things but hopefully somebody on here can point me in the right direction.
Thanks for the read guys sorry for boring you guys with my stress of having this thing for like a month now and not being able to enjoy it lol. Not even sure exactly when I got it, loosing track of days with all this hurricane crap going on.
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Glad to hear ya dodged and bullet with these storms. All these islands been dealing with storms forever, and some of the most resilient people on the planet. They will build it back again, better and even more beautiful.
Most steering column are 3/4", but Lance will have to chime in on which rack. As they do have diff splines on some. Guessing it has some play when turning. Sucks car wasn't maintained better, but best to tackle these little bits at home rather than ruining a day of fun.
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Time for a rack snuggy?
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glad you survived the hurricanes unharmed!
is your fuel tank steel??
well didn't see a meant ion of it but if your fan is coming on period and at correct temp then if this issue persists then i would look at either a higher cfm fan or larger radiator. is the radiator a 2 pass??
from what you described.....i'm betting this rail sat out side un covered while the previous owner had it.
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Glad to hear ya dodged and bullet with these storms. All these islands been dealing with storms forever, and some of the most resilient people on the planet. They will build it back again, better and even more beautiful.
Most steering column are 3/4", but Lance will have to chime in on which rack. As they do have diff splines on some. Guessing it has some play when turning. Sucks car wasn't maintained better, but best to tackle these little bits at home rather than ruining a day of fun.
There is about half inch play on the steering wheel left to right and when the steering is moved side to side and up and down there is also about half inch play of rocking. I have found it to be the steering column support (rod ends) and the rack. So the steering feels like a bowl of jello right now
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Time for a rack snuggy?
Hey dude sorry but I'm not sure whet that is. Here to learn buddy lol.
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glad you survived the hurricanes unharmed!
is your fuel tank steel??
well didn't see a meant ion of it but if your fan is coming on period and at correct temp then if this issue persists then i would look at either a higher cfm fan or larger radiator. is the radiator a 2 pass??
from what you described.....i'm betting this rail sat out side un covered while the previous owner had it.
Not sure what the tank is, if its steel or what. This is why I love having access to Lance through this site lol. The fan is working well and we even checked to see if it is blowing in the right direction and its all good. Lance told me he ran it all the time out in the desert where it was over 100 degrees and never had an overheating problem. Here in Antigua its always between 80 to 95 and plus we got that ocean breeze coming through all the time so I don't see why the radiator and fan in there wouldn't be good enough. At this point I'm hoping now the new sensor is in that will solve the problem. I got the radiator tested today and its fine.
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Not sure what the tank is, if its steel or what. This is why I love having access to Lance through this site lol. The fan is working well and we even checked to see if it is blowing in the right direction and its all good. Lance told me he ran it all the time out in the desert where it was over 100 degrees and never had an overheating problem. Here in Antigua its always between 80 to 95 and plus we got that ocean breeze coming through all the time so I don't see why the radiator and fan in there wouldn't be good enough. At this point I'm hoping now the new sensor is in that will solve the problem. I got the radiator tested today and its fine.
well must just be a sensor or air bubble then. on the bikes there is a fan turn on switch in the radiator usually. i was just wondering if you verified the fan was indeed turning on when the coolant was at temp. not sure how lance wired it or set it up. i do know lance and he is a stand up guy ( very nice work) but again not sure how it was wired. you do know it turns on and is spinning the right direction so that's good.
as far as rack snuggy goes...here you go
http://www.dtsfab.com/index/index.php?topic=2746.0 (http://www.dtsfab.com/index/index.php?topic=2746.0)
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well must just be a sensor or air bubble then. on the bikes there is a fan turn on switch in the radiator usually. i was just wondering if you verified the fan was indeed turning on when the coolant was at temp. not sure how lance wired it or set it up. i do know lance and he is a stand up guy ( very nice work) but again not sure how it was wired. you do know it turns on and is spinning the right direction so that's good.
as far as rack snuggy goes...here you go
http://www.dtsfab.com/index/index.php?topic=2746.0 (http://www.dtsfab.com/index/index.php?topic=2746.0)
The fan is wired to be auto and on a switch as well. I'm thinking you probably know the steering setup on my buggy as I'm sure you followed the Lance build on my machine. Do you know if that rack would be fitting to my steering system? I like how they look but what exactly is it for? to stop play? and if so, is play a normal thing in buggy steering wheels?
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Okay, I have some catching up to do. Can't post or respond anymore at work. Big brother has decided that DTS is a email server and blocked it. Rotten bastards!!!!!!
The gas tank is steel. It must have sat outside thru many rainstorms to have rusted that much. There used to be an inline filter underneath it? Regardless blasting it will solve the problem.
Yes the fan was wired for the factory Busa temp switch as well as a manual switch to turn it on from the dash.
First thing I would check on that steering column is the where the rod end is mounted into the frame for support. It came loose before so it might have come loose again. It's kinda hard to imagine the rod end going bad when there almost zero load on it. It is only one of the cheepo ones just for that reason though. Below I attached what I have for records of what I bought to build it 8 years ago. I'm SURE they cost more now.
(https://dtsfab.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dtsfab.com%2Findex%2FMGalleryItem.php%3Fid%3D1811&hash=e2bd942310840751c869bdbbea32b3ee28adc7c3)
(https://dtsfab.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dtsfab.com%2Findex%2FMGalleryItem.php%3Fid%3D1812&hash=e4bf730e48b3b7249af653b9d2389c06ef5d59e3)
Drill a 1/8" hole in the thermostat before you put it in.
(https://dtsfab.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aa1car.com%2Flibrary%2Fthermostat_bleed_hole.jpg&hash=81bf36e808de4613559d3d73addb0afca5846a5b)
Rack snuggy won't fit this steering box. So that won't help. The steering box is a latest rage Chinese unit. Fairly inexpensive. They're small and they fit. CHECK THE STEERING COLUMN MOUNTING ROD END!
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The fan is wired to be auto and on a switch as well. I'm thinking you probably know the steering setup on my buggy as I'm sure you followed the Lance build on my machine. Do you know if that rack would be fitting to my steering system? I like how they look but what exactly is it for? to stop play? and if so, is play a normal thing in buggy steering wheels?
check out what lance said as he knows that rail far better than i but yes lol i do know the build. honestly i cannot say which rack he used on the rail as i never paid attention. i use the heavy duty endload racks on my front end kits. i was thinking lance and doug used a mod'd version of something else but sounds like lance might have used something diff. you may still need a higher cfm fan but you won't know till you get it all back together. yes he did run it in the desert in 100* temps but no humidity there. well i assume, never been down there but it's plenty humid here and i have never been able to run the smaller radiators like others do or i run way to hot in a couple miles on dirt even. that's the only reason i suggested a larger radiator. it did work for lance and i assume the previous owner too but who knows if he left it outside and neglected it????
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Okay, I have some catching up to do. Can't post or respond anymore at work. Big brother has decided that DTS is a email server and blocked it. Rotten bastards!!!!!!
The gas tank is steel. It must have sat outside thru many rainstorms to have rusted that much. There used to be an inline filter underneath it? Regardless blasting it will solve the problem.
Yes the fan was wired for the factory Busa temp switch as well as a manual switch to turn it on from the dash.
First thing I would check on that steering column is the where the rod end is mounted into the frame for support. It came loose before so it might have come loose again. It's kinda hard to imagine the rod end going bad when there almost zero load on it. It is only one of the cheepo ones just for that reason though. Below I attached what I have for records of what I bought to build it 8 years ago. I'm SURE they cost more now.
(https://dtsfab.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dtsfab.com%2Findex%2FMGalleryItem.php%3Fid%3D1811&hash=e2bd942310840751c869bdbbea32b3ee28adc7c3)
(https://dtsfab.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dtsfab.com%2Findex%2FMGalleryItem.php%3Fid%3D1812&hash=e4bf730e48b3b7249af653b9d2389c06ef5d59e3)
Drill a 1/8" hole in the thermostat before you put it in.
(https://dtsfab.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aa1car.com%2Flibrary%2Fthermostat_bleed_hole.jpg&hash=81bf36e808de4613559d3d73addb0afca5846a5b)
Rack snuggy won't fit this steering box. So that won't help. The steering box is a latest rage Chinese unit. Fairly inexpensive. They're small and they fit. CHECK THE STEERING COLUMN MOUNTING ROD END!
Hey there Lance thanks for the parts list, its a lot more stuff than I expected lol. Is the first list for the front and the second for the back or is it all front? I checked the steering column support and both are tight. The side to side and up and down rocking on the steering wheel is coming from the steering column rocking inside the rod ends steering support. The left to right rocking when turning, is coming from the steering box/rack. Not the most versatile computer person but I will take a video and try to put it up on here so you guys can see exactly what I'm talking about. So it appears that I will just need to buy those 2 rod ends (steering column support) and a rack set.
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check out what lance said as he knows that rail far better than i but yes lol i do know the build. honestly i cannot say which rack he used on the rail as i never paid attention. i use the heavy duty endload racks on my front end kits. i was thinking lance and doug used a mod'd version of something else but sounds like lance might have used something diff. you may still need a higher cfm fan but you won't know till you get it all back together. yes he did run it in the desert in 100* temps but no humidity there. well i assume, never been down there but it's plenty humid here and i have never been able to run the smaller radiators like others do or i run way to hot in a couple miles on dirt even. that's the only reason i suggested a larger radiator. it did work for lance and i assume the previous owner too but who knows if he left it outside and neglected it????
Well after all is said and done when its back together and its still overheating then I guess a more powerful fan and larger radiator would be the next step. Keep your fingers crossed guys.
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Unless the radiator has been replaced since lance built it ,it should be capable of cooling the engine. I would see what fan is on it and verify the cfm if you can. If it was replaced for some reason,it may have been replaced with a cheap copy of a good fan. The cfm difference between 2 apparently the same types can be huge. I'm betting it is still airlocked or the fan is at fault or undersized now.
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Unless the radiator has been replaced since lance built it ,it should be capable of cooling the engine. I would see what fan is on it and verify the cfm if you can. If it was replaced for some reason,it may have been replaced with a cheap copy of a good fan. The cfm difference between 2 apparently the same types can be huge. I'm betting it is still airlocked or the fan is at fault or undersized now.
Thanks for the advice dude I will give it a look and see whats up with that. Trying to take 1 step at a time so I don't confuse myself lol
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Unless the radiator has been replaced since lance built it ,it should be capable of cooling the engine. I would see what fan is on it and verify the cfm if you can. If it was replaced for some reason,it may have been replaced with a cheap copy of a good fan. The cfm difference between 2 apparently the same types can be huge. I'm betting it is still airlocked or the fan is at fault or undersized now.
this would make the most sense. infact i could see the Po swapping the fans out. sometimes they just die or sometimes blades just fly off several times rofl rofl ;D ;D ;) ;)
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of course and this is just a thought....if you drive faster it will get more air ;D ;) rofl might have to change the posted speed limit signs after dark but it can be done lol
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this would make the most sense. infact i could see the Po swapping the fans out. sometimes they just die or sometimes blades just fly off several times rofl rofl ;D ;D ;) ;)
Ya,I think I went thru 10 before the problem was found to be a POS mount for the fan motors. A bit of epoxy and no more issues.Never broke another since.
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Is the water pump working? You could test it when it's cold by filling it all the way up and watching the filler port to see the water circulate. Just be very careful and DON'T do it when it's warm. Radiator water is 200 degrees and will burn you.
It's a Honda accord radiator. I'm pretty sure it was a 2 core when it left here. They make a 3 core but they're bigger/thicker. Spal fans are the best but they're very expensive. I replaced a two core in the two seater with a 3 core and a Spal fan I can't make it overheat. If I pushed it hard with the two core and the china fan it would get too warm. The only down side is the 3 core is thicker and the Spal fan is bigger. I don't know if it will fit in the single seater.
I don't think there's any significance to the first list vs. the second list from Speedway. Just measure the ones you need.
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of course and this is just a thought....if you drive faster it will get more air ;D ;) rofl might have to change the posted speed limit signs after dark but it can be done lol
Lol speed limit? whats that lol? Yea we have speed limits but naa not really lol its the wild west out here bro lol. That's why I love my lill island so much, the freedom. The first thing is, we drive/ride anything on the street. Anything can be street legal. You can ride any trail, forest, beach no permit needed. Drive out your gate, down the street, and hit the trails. For boating there is no trailering laws of permits needed. you know the simple stuff like that.
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Ya,I think I went thru 10 before the problem was found to be a POS mount for the fan motors. A bit of epoxy and no more issues.Never broke another since.
Yea I will put it on the to do list for sure. Tell me what is POS. Hope its not a stupid question lol.
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Is the water pump working? You could test it when it's cold by filling it all the way up and watching the filler port to see the water circulate. Just be very careful and DON'T do it when it's warm. Radiator water is 200 degrees and will burn you.
It's a Honda accord radiator. I'm pretty sure it was a 2 core when it left here. They make a 3 core but they're bigger/thicker. Spal fans are the best but they're very expensive. I replaced a two core in the two seater with a 3 core and a Spal fan I can't make it overheat. If I pushed it hard with the two core and the china fan it would get too warm. The only down side is the 3 core is thicker and the Spal fan is bigger. I don't know if it will fit in the single seater.
I don't think there's any significance to the first list vs. the second list from Speedway. Just measure the ones you need.
The water pump is working we tested it just as you said and saw the flow was good in the radiator.
The radiator was said to be a Honda radiator by my mechanic so I guess he knows his stuff lol. And also, would both lists be just front? Or do both lists include front and back setup? Just to know if this would be everything (rod ends) on the buggy.
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Yea I will put it on the to do list for sure. Tell me what is POS. Hope its not a stupid question lol.
You shouldn't have any fan blade breaking off the hub issues. It was apparently specific to the Flexalite Scirroco style fan/shroud . It was a huge issue for me the first 5 or more trips out. POS stands for Piece Of Shit.
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Lol speed limit? whats that lol? Yea we have speed limits but naa not really lol its the wild west out here bro lol. That's why I love my lill island so much, the freedom. The first thing is, we drive/ride anything on the street. Anything can be street legal. You can ride any trail, forest, beach no permit needed. Drive out your gate, down the street, and hit the trails. For boating there is no trailering laws of permits needed. you know the simple stuff like that.
You are a very lucky man!!
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Ya,I think I went thru 10 before the problem was found to be a POS mount for the fan motors. A bit of epoxy and no more issues.Never broke another since.
yep but $hit still happens was my point and glad you got it figured out!
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Lol speed limit? whats that lol? Yea we have speed limits but naa not really lol its the wild west out here bro lol. That's why I love my lill island so much, the freedom. The first thing is, we drive/ride anything on the street. Anything can be street legal. You can ride any trail, forest, beach no permit needed. Drive out your gate, down the street, and hit the trails. For boating there is no trailering laws of permits needed. you know the simple stuff like that.
other than hurricanes that sounds like a dream place to live!!!!!!
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btw....with paddles.....that rail would be a blast on an open beach!!!!!!!!!! wot as high a gear as it will hold!!!!!!! and no law to chase you, a dream for most of us!
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You shouldn't have any fan blade breaking off the hub issues. It was apparently specific to the Flexalite Scirroco style fan/shroud . It was a huge issue for me the first 5 or more trips out. POS stands for Piece Of Shit.
Lol Ok now I know what POS is lol. Glad you got your rig sorted out tho, I hope it does not take me 5 times out to get mine sorted lol. Right now I'm just itching to go blasting around the island with no issues.
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You are a very lucky man!!
Well its definitely a puls in the life of an off roader lol
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btw....with paddles.....that rail would be a blast on an open beach!!!!!!!!!! wot as high a gear as it will hold!!!!!!! and no law to chase you, a dream for most of us!
It came with paddles. Looks to be the original tires that Lance put on there. Not going to be doing too much beaching as I'm not a big fan of rust lol.
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other than hurricanes that sounds like a dream place to live!!!!!!
Well it has its ups and downs but I love it most of the time. For an idea of what I bought this buggy for you can get on face book and look for Crabbs Raceway Antigua. Some cool videos on there.
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I wont be having any progress until Monday because the guy I know who has a sand blaster, his hose is dry rot. So I found this other guy today but he only works week days. Oh crap I just remembered I still have to order the tank liner. I'm seeing a bunchon youtube on the brands Kreem and redcoat. Any suggestions?
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No to both of those if your fuel has any ethanol content. This stuff is what I used. So far so good in E85.
https://www.kbs-coatings.com/tank-sealer.html (https://www.kbs-coatings.com/tank-sealer.html)
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No to both of those if your fuel has any ethanol content.
So what should I look for that could handle all fuels?
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https://www.kbs-coatings.com/tank-sealer.html (https://www.kbs-coatings.com/tank-sealer.html)
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https://www.kbs-coatings.com/tank-sealer.html (https://www.kbs-coatings.com/tank-sealer.html)
Thanks for this bro it looks like the real deal. I did not come across this one in my search and from what I read im liking it. And you say this can handle all fuels right? So if I was to want to get her tuned on some C16 or E85 (maybe it I turbo charge it) that sealer will be ok with those race type fuels?
Oh sorry im now reading you said E85. lol sometimes I don't read all before I respond lol
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So far in e85 I've had no problems and all the info I could find when researching what to use I found nothing to indicate it was not up to the task. I'll let you know in about 5 more years if it really is . ;D ;D rofl
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Thanks for this bro it looks like the real deal. I did not come across this one in my search and from what I read im liking it. And you say this can handle all fuels right? So if I was to want to get her tuned on some C16 or E85 (maybe it I turbo charge it) that sealer will be ok with those race type fuels?
Oh sorry im now reading you said E85. lol sometimes I don't read all before I respond lol
You can turbo that busa on 92 pump at up to around 10 pounds boost with appropriate mods to fuel system.
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Hey guys, I finally got the tank sealer and had the tank blasted and sealed. It took so long because all the shipping out of Miami is wayyy backed up. Now I'm waiting for it to set and decided to get a new spring for the throttle pedal because the one that it came with feels as stiff as pushing on a high performance race clutch. The one I got was too long and was trying to shorten it when I split the palm of my left hand open and had to get 6 stiches. So yea dudes the set backs are showing off right now lol.
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The next step would be sourcing an 11 inch rack and pinion. I found one in my searching part number 425152B and like the look of it but it is a 15 inch. Do any of you guys know of this rack and have any advise as to finding something like this in an 11 inch? I tried emailing 2 companies about this rack (which had no phone number on their site) and got no response.
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Then the next step after the rack would be either to fabricate or buy a front lower suspension arm. I don't know what side I need until I get the correct measurements. The reason I need one is because (Lance you not going to like this one lol) on the left arm where the shock is mounted to the arm is 3/4 inch closer to the outer end of the arm than where the right shock is mounted to the right arm. For example (not using exact figures cause I forgot what I measured) the bottom of left shock to outer end of arm is 10 inches. The bottom of right shock to outer end of arm is 10 3/4 inches. So finally I feel confident that I have found the pulling problem.
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Here ya go,
http://www.mooreparts.com/center-load-rack-pinion-heim/
to go on this
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425153-center-load-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-dune-buggy/
Sure you will have to redo rack mounts, but I think ya got that covered. May can find closer better price.
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Here ya go,
http://www.mooreparts.com/center-load-rack-pinion-heim/
to go on this
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425153-center-load-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-dune-buggy/
Sure you will have to redo rack mounts, but I think ya got that covered. May can find closer better price.
Thanks dude but those are center load and I'm looking for end load with the fork ends. I'm very new to this fabricating thing as I am mostly a race driver and not much of a mechanic. So I have to ask, if I got one of those center load racks and changed the ends on the steering rods to suit the rack, would it work even if eye to eye is not 11 inches?
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imo there shouldn't be any "pulling" one way or another from a 3/4" diff in shock location on a arms. i say this as if one heim may have been adjusted out farther than the other and your measuring to center pivot points of the center of the heim. adjustment at from and spindle side could add up to 3/4" pretty quick. imo, pulling would be for various reasons but one good reason would be if someone bent an a arm or spindle ( steering arm) or bent the rack mount or the end of the rack. you should check the caster on the spindles to see if they match. if one has more than the other then it will pull. just jack the front end off the ground and check alignment on the wheels too, a little toe in is ok but no toe out. i have actually bent the rack inside of a heavy duty end load rack and pinnion after hitting a wash out dead on sideways with my front wheel. it pulled to the right right after that and took me a while to find that issue.
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just a quick story....lol.... i n built and installed on of my front end on a customers rail. he is now a good friend but at that time as i said i installed it and also aligned it. he got it home and drove it down the road then called and said it was squirrly and pulling. i said well no way its the front end and told him to check the alignment on the rear as i did not. i didn't touch the rear because it was a trailing arm rear end and i am not a fan of those for obvious reasons. i pre fer 5 or 6 link rear ends and now over built gawdy dual a-arm rear ends LMAO! i am now a huge fan of the dual a-arm rear end btw! but he did check the rear and it was off a fair bit. when the rear ends aren't aligned then they will make the fronts feel like that too. just a thought to maybe re set the alignment front and rear to be sure before buying a bunch of parts if nothing is obvious that it's bent.
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imo there shouldn't be any "pulling" one way or another from a 3/4" diff in shock location on a arms. i say this as if one heim may have been adjusted out farther than the other and your measuring to center pivot points of the center of the heim. adjustment at from and spindle side could add up to 3/4" pretty quick. imo, pulling would be for various reasons but one good reason would be if someone bent an a arm or spindle ( steering arm) or bent the rack mount or the end of the rack. you should check the caster on the spindles to see if they match. if one has more than the other then it will pull. just jack the front end off the ground and check alignment on the wheels too, a little toe in is ok but no toe out. i have actually bent the rack inside of a heavy duty end load rack and pinnion after hitting a wash out dead on sideways with my front wheel. it pulled to the right right after that and took me a while to find that issue.
Well coming from you I feel pretty good about myself measuring and checking most of what you said lol (yay im not as stupid as I thought lol). But I hear all what you saying bro and I measured from shock mount to end of the bar itself. I thought before measuring it to measure to the end of the bar (where the heim is mounted in) and not to the heim and there was the 3/4 inch difference. I think it does make a big difference just by the way I discovered it. I was sitting on a chair in front the buggy with my knees under the front using them to lift the front up and down watching the shocks expand and compress. I noticed the right shock was doing much more work than the left shock. The right side of the buggy was moving up and down while the left was not doing much at all. The right side compresses more and because it also expanded more, I would actually get the left wheel off the ground while the right was still grounded. This is because the shock mount on the right is closer to the inner end of the arm causing the arm to be pushed down more on expansion and up more on compression than on the left side. Now I could be talking shyt as I keep saying im not much of a fabricator or mechanic (just a little lol) And I hope I explained myself correct because I had issues trying to get a video of it onto this site. Have a think and let me know if there is any sense to what Im saying. All advice is appreciated.
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just a quick story....lol.... i n built and installed on of my front end on a customers rail. he is now a good friend but at that time as i said i installed it and also aligned it. he got it home and drove it down the road then called and said it was squirrly and pulling. i said well no way its the front end and told him to check the alignment on the rear as i did not. i didn't touch the rear because it was a trailing arm rear end and i am not a fan of those for obvious reasons. i pre fer 5 or 6 link rear ends and now over built gawdy dual a-arm rear ends LMAO! i am now a huge fan of the dual a-arm rear end btw! but he did check the rear and it was off a fair bit. when the rear ends aren't aligned then they will make the fronts feel like that too. just a thought to maybe re set the alignment front and rear to be sure before buying a bunch of parts if nothing is obvious that it's bent.
Yes for sure dude, I plan to get front and back aligned by this dude I know who deals with a few buggies on island. they say he is pretty good so we will see. Just wanna set it back up now. Have 1 more day for the tank liner to set then its back in with the tank and test the new thermostat and water temp sensor that went in over a month ago and have not been tested because I been waiting for the tank liner. So I will be sure to remember to bleed it like you guys said when setting back up and hope the overheating issue is gone. Then once the overheating is over I will start going through the other issues. All your advice is well respected and appreciated. Thanks bro.
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U need both pieces in links. Spread bar is 11” and boots to center load rack. U can’t get a heavy duty end load rack in 11” not that I’ve found.
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U need both pieces in links. Spread bar is 11” and boots to center load rack. U can’t get a heavy duty end load rack in 11” not that I’ve found.
Ohhh that's what the spread bar is for. Thanks awesome I learned something today.
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Well coming from you I feel pretty good about myself measuring and checking most of what you said lol (yay im not as stupid as I thought lol). But I hear all what you saying bro and I measured from shock mount to end of the bar itself. I thought before measuring it to measure to the end of the bar (where the heim is mounted in) and not to the heim and there was the 3/4 inch difference. I think it does make a big difference just by the way I discovered it. I was sitting on a chair in front the buggy with my knees under the front using them to lift the front up and down watching the shocks expand and compress. I noticed the right shock was doing much more work than the left shock. The right side of the buggy was moving up and down while the left was not doing much at all. The right side compresses more and because it also expanded more, I would actually get the left wheel off the ground while the right was still grounded. This is because the shock mount on the right is closer to the inner end of the arm causing the arm to be pushed down more on expansion and up more on compression than on the left side. Now I could be talking shyt as I keep saying im not much of a fabricator or mechanic (just a little lol) And I hope I explained myself correct because I had issues trying to get a video of it onto this site. Have a think and let me know if there is any sense to what Im saying. All advice is appreciated.
wasn't saying you didn't measure it correctly just wondering if y0u measured it with all factors accounted for. if one side is moving more freely than the other i suppose that could, maybe give a feeling of one wheel pulling to a point. i would really like to see pics again and upload video's to youtube then below the video select share.....copy and paste that link directly to a post on here and it will embed or can atleast click on it to watch the video. basically if you have on side moving faster than the other or if one side has more wheel stroke than the other this could cause a bump steer feeling but again i would align the front and rear first just to get a true idea of what is needed before buying any parts. my front ends are tight enough that if you shim the tie rod up using a 1/8" washer it will change toe in or out by 3/8" so that's really huge for a washer shim! also on my front ends i tell everyone when aligning one that it is very important to set the rack at center and clamp it so it cannot move while setting the alignment. it is important that both tie rods are set evenly if a arms are. if you don't start there the rest doesn't matter as it will stroke at diff times and create bump steer. this could be your issue " could" i'm not there so i cannot say for sure. lance would be the best person to ask how to align it.
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The rack that is in there is one of these (or it was when it left here). I don't know which one but there's very little difference.
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425145-end-load-11-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-vw-sand-rail-buggy/ (http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425145-end-load-11-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-vw-sand-rail-buggy/)
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425140-end-load-11-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-vw-sand-rail-buggy/ (http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425140-end-load-11-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-vw-sand-rail-buggy/)
The rod ends that come with the rack are removed (they're super wimpy) and replaced with these. The threads are cut off and then the clevis is drilled and counter-bored for a SHCS (Socket Head Cap Screw) bolt. Look at the one in the buggy and you'll understand.
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425152cv-replacement-clevis-end-for-end-load-rack-pinion/ (http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425152cv-replacement-clevis-end-for-end-load-rack-pinion/)
While the whole set-up isn't insanely bulletproof it worked for MANY years out here. There really aren't a whole lot of options in the size/space you have, trust me I looked.
Sorry for taking so long. Work's been a Bitch lately.
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just a quick story....lol.... i n built and installed on of my front end on a customers rail. he is now a good friend but at that time as i said i installed it and also aligned it. he got it home and drove it down the road then called and said it was squirrly and pulling. i said well no way its the front end and told him to check the alignment on the rear as i did not. i didn't touch the rear because it was a trailing arm rear end and i am not a fan of those for obvious reasons. i pre fer 5 or 6 link rear ends and now over built gawdy dual a-arm rear ends LMAO! i am now a huge fan of the dual a-arm rear end btw! but he did check the rear and it was off a fair bit. when the rear ends aren't aligned then they will make the fronts feel like that too. just a thought to maybe re set the alignment front and rear to be sure before buying a bunch of parts if nothing obvious that it's bent.
Wellllll,it's about time!!!!!!!
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Wellllll,it's about time!!!!!!!
ya that sentence was just for you fabr ;) ;) ;D ;D LMAO i know you think mine look a little gawdy and they do but not worried about up rooting any more trees in the trails.
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Here ya go,
http://www.mooreparts.com/center-load-rack-pinion-heim/
to go on this
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425153-center-load-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-dune-buggy/
Sure you will have to redo rack mounts, but I think ya got that covered. May can find closer better price.
So back on this rack again lol. Is this a front or rear steer? And question for Lance, would this fit/work? I don't mind having to move the rack mount but just need to know if this would be a good buy. The reason im changing it is because (I think I may have said before) the play from left to right on the steering wheel is about 3/4 inch before having any action on the rods. Now this is my first buggy and don't know if this is normal for this type of buggy/rack but I have drove a few Polaris and Yamaha buggies and they don't have that steering wheel play. Just wanna get it as tight as possible.
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The rack that is in there is one of these (or it was when it left here). I don't know which one but there's very little difference.
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425145-end-load-11-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-vw-sand-rail-buggy/ (http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425145-end-load-11-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-vw-sand-rail-buggy/)
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425140-end-load-11-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-vw-sand-rail-buggy/ (http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425140-end-load-11-rack-pinion-5-8-36-spline-vw-sand-rail-buggy/)
The rod ends that come with the rack are removed (they're super wimpy) and replaced with these. The threads are cut off and then the clevis is drilled and counter-bored for a SHCS (Socket Head Cap Screw) bolt. Look at the one in the buggy and you'll understand.
http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425152cv-replacement-clevis-end-for-end-load-rack-pinion/ (http://www.mooreparts.com/latest-rage-425152cv-replacement-clevis-end-for-end-load-rack-pinion/)
While the whole set-up isn't insanely bulletproof it worked for MANY years out here. There really aren't a whole lot of options in the size/space you have, trust me I looked.
Sorry for taking so long. Work's been a Bitch lately.
Hey there Lance whats up man hope all is well. Sorry for the late response bro but had nothing to report anyway lol. Still waiting on my mechanic/friend to get my tank back to me as I gave it to him to do the sealer work because my hand has stitches in it. But he been busy so I understand.
The rack in the buggy is one of those you posted here. Im looking at the rack in my previous post and was wondering whats your opinion on that rack for the Cuda.
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Bar far easiest is replace w rack originally used. And theres not much room up there for those other rack and spreader bar I linked.
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carl is right.......you should post some pics of the rack though.
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Bar far easiest is replace w rack originally used. And theres not much room up there for those other rack and spreader bar I linked.
OH mannn so are you telling me this rack and bar will not fit? That sucks, I'm really looking for something heavy duty like that. I don't know how well this will work but what I could do is take the measurements of the rack from the site and mock one up using a shoe box. Then I could stick it in there and see how much room it would have.
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carl is right.......you should post some pics of the rack though.
ok will get on that.
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pics will really helps us see what your dealing with and talking about.
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I don't mean to sound rude but it seems you don't have a grasp of how technical front suspension/steering geometry is. Nothing wrong with that but you will get into serious issues if you start changing the rack without at least a good basic understanding of how changing just one thing with the rack positioning or the mount locations of the inner tie rod heims even a very small amount will make drastic changes ,usually to bump steer ,that can/will ruin everything. There is a lot of discussion on here that I would suggest you search and study. We are,of course , always willing to answer any questions you have at any time but if you are set on changing out the rack to something different it will be in your best interest to study up a bit also. It will make a sometimes technically difficult task a lot easier.
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fabr is absolutely correct! like i said earlier.....moving my tie rod up 1\8" at the steering arm creates a 3\8" toe change at the wheel, in other words, bump steer. everything is designed to move in a certain direction, on the same point, at the same time. that is over simplifying things but pretty close. i've seen that rail run in person and lance does very good work, if not dead on than very very close. this is why i said before, something must be bent, also why i suggested pics. from what you've said i still wonder if the rack bar/arm is bent. i say this because the racks (rack and pinnion) i use are much stouter than those . i have bent 2 now, although they took a pretty good shot. one in a small washout in the dirt sliding sideways that put me up on 2 wheels and the other when i tried to go under a dune rather than over it lol long story but hit so hard i blew the ball of the heim out of the heim (low carbon steel teflon lined) fyi that is why double shear is sooooo important lol kept me from losing my steering altogether and why i went to all chromolly heims on my front end including tie rods!
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Ditto on the cromo/alloy/4130 heims. I refuse to use mild steel or even worse aluminum heims. I use QA-1 but FK and Aurora are great as well. QA-1's are usually less expensive.
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I don't mean to sound rude but it seems you don't have a grasp of how technical front suspension/steering geometry is. Nothing wrong with that but you will get into serious issues if you start changing the rack without at least a good basic understanding of how changing just one thing with the rack positioning or the mount locations of the inner tie rod heims even a very small amount will make drastic changes ,usually to bump steer ,that can/will ruin everything. There is a lot of discussion on here that I would suggest you search and study. We are,of course , always willing to answer any questions you have at any time but if you are set on changing out the rack to something different it will be in your best interest to study up a bit also. It will make a sometimes technically difficult task a lot easier.
Hey bro you are not rude at all but you are absolutely correct lol I am a bit clueless with this stuff lol some of the stuff you guys talk about I have to really think about what is being said to try to understand. That's why im grateful to be here so I could try to learn from some good guys with professional experience. What I have put a lot of thought into is trying to find a heavy duty rack that will line up exactly where the one in there is connected to the tie rod. Also I been looking at space in reference to the pedals. The rack mount in there is pretty high maybe like 2 1/2 inches (not sure) giving it a lot of room for change. Im thinking if I used an 11 inch rack and spread bar, move the rack mount and build a new one to accommodate, keeping the tie rods in the same position. I don't know bro, how does that sound?
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I don't mean to sound rude but it seems you don't have a grasp of how technical front suspension/steering geometry is. Nothing wrong with that but you will get into serious issues if you start changing the rack without at least a good basic understanding of how changing just one thing with the rack positioning or the mount locations of the inner tie rod heims even a very small amount will make drastic changes ,usually to bump steer ,that can/will ruin everything. There is a lot of discussion on here that I would suggest you search and study. We are,of course , always willing to answer any questions you have at any time but if you are set on changing out the rack to something different it will be in your best interest to study up a bit also. It will make a sometimes technically difficult task a lot easier.
Hey bro you are not rude at all but you are absolutely correct lol I am a bit clueless with this stuff lol some of the stuff you guys talk about I have to really think about what is being said to try to understand. That's why im grateful to be here so I could try to learn from some good guys with professional experience. What I have put a lot of thought into is trying to find a heavy duty rack that will line up exactly where the one in there is connected to the tie rod. Also I been looking at space in reference to the pedals. The rack mount in there is pretty high maybe like 2 1/2 inches (not sure) giving it a lot of room for change. Im thinking if I used an 11 inch rack and spread bar, move the rack mount and build a new one to accommodate, keeping the tie rods in the same position. I don't know bro, how does that sound?
That is correct, tierod heims must go back exactly where they are now, both horizontally and vertically. Rack I linked with spreader bar is about 4" from rack mount on frame to where tierods would mount. Didn't know if enough room to make that work? That one you have is prob 1-1/2"
And pretty sure, Fastcorvaire's rack snuggy works on that. Not needed to start, but over time they all wear inside, his snuggy has adjustment for takeing up slack. Very slick piece.
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I don't mean to sound rude but it seems you don't have a grasp of how technical front suspension/steering geometry is. Nothing wrong with that but you will get into serious issues if you start changing the rack without at least a good basic understanding of how changing just one thing with the rack positioning or the mount locations of the inner tie rod heims even a very small amount will make drastic changes ,usually to bump steer ,that can/will ruin everything. There is a lot of discussion on here that I would suggest you search and study. We are,of course , always willing to answer any questions you have at any time but if you are set on changing out the rack to something different it will be in your best interest to study up a bit also. It will make a sometimes technically difficult task a lot easier.
Hey bro you are not rude at all but you are absolutely correct lol I am a bit clueless with this stuff lol some of the stuff you guys talk about I have to really think about what is being said to try to understand. That's why im grateful to be here so I could try to learn from some good guys with professional experience. What I have put a lot of thought into is trying to find a heavy duty rack that will line up exactly where the one in there is connected to the tie rod. Also I been looking at space in reference to the pedals. The rack mount in there is pretty high maybe like 2 1/2 inches (not sure) giving it a lot of room for change. Im thinking if I used an 11 inch rack and spread bar, move the rack mount and build a new one to accommodate, keeping the tie rods in the same position. I don't know bro, how does that sound?
That is correct, tierod heims must go back exactly where they are now, both horizontally and vertically.And don't forget front to rear placement as well. All 3 dimensions/placements will have to be identical. Rack I linked with spreader bar is about 4" from rack mount on frame to where tierods would mount. Didn't know if enough room to make that work? That one you have is prob 1-1/2"
And pretty sure, Fastcorvaire's rack snuggy works on that. Not needed to start, but over time they all wear inside, his snuggy has adjustment for takeing up slack. Very slick piece.
^^^^^
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fabr is absolutely correct! like i said earlier.....moving my tie rod up 1\8" at the steering arm creates a 3\8" toe change at the wheel, in other words, bump steer. everything is designed to move in a certain direction, on the same point, at the same time. that is over simplifying things but pretty close. i've seen that rail run in person and lance does very good work, if not dead on than very very close. this is why i said before, something must be bent, also why i suggested pics. from what you've said i still wonder if the rack bar/arm is bent. i say this because the racks (rack and pinnion) i use are much stouter than those . i have bent 2 now, although they took a pretty good shot. one in a small washout in the dirt sliding sideways that put me up on 2 wheels and the other when i tried to go under a dune rather than over it lol long story but hit so hard i blew the ball of the heim out of the heim (low carbon steel teflon lined) fyi that is why double shear is sooooo important lol kept me from losing my steering altogether and why i went to all chromolly heims on my front end including tie rods!
Here is an idea I'm leaning towards. When i change the rack and either buy or fabricate the front suspension arms to be identical to each other (remember where the shock mounts to the arm is 3/4 off) if after putting it all back together i fail to get it lined up straight without bump steer, I was wondering if one of you guys were willing to take a trip out here and do the set up for me. All expenses paid. Ticket, place to stay, all meals and pay for the job. Plus i will make it fun with boating, partying, race track, you know whatever fun stuff. Who would be the best out of you guys for the job and would anyone be willing? (IF I CANT GET RIGHT)
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very tempting however what i was trying to suggest was, align the front end properly before tearing it off. this will tell you a lot......if its easy pull the rack apart and verify its not bent. i do remember what you said about shock placement and what you said you saw by moving them up and down. but even that wouldn't or i should say shouldn`t effect bump steer or pulling while driving. if you stting still and it feels like it turns easier one way more than the other then i would say caster is off a tad on 1 side or rack bar is bent, or heim at the end of rack if thats what you have. now why is it off?? prev owner didnt realign or hit something who knows but i would start there imo. building new a arms and modifying for a new and stronger rack is great but ........figuring out the issue is always better before such things imo.
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Totally agree with this.
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I don't know if lance has any CAD info on this available but if he does we could perhaps CAD up your needs for mounting a different rack.. Perhaps,,,,,,,,,,and that would be best way.Even then it takes very accurate fab work to accomplish what you want to do.
Easiest ,by far ,would be to put it back together as lance originally designed/set up the car.
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honestly i have never seen on of those racks like you have taken apart so i don't know what the insides look like. here are a few pics of what the heavy duty endload racks like i use look like. i am installing glenns rack snuggy onto my rack in these pics.
(https://s7.postimg.org/hetrkw4rb/Get_Attachment.aspx.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/hetrkw4rb/)
(https://s7.postimg.org/xd2hb1tuf/image.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/xd2hb1tuf/)
(https://s7.postimg.org/seeywjkwn/rs1.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/seeywjkwn/)
(https://s7.postimg.org/h22det1xz/rs4.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/h22det1xz/)
(https://s7.postimg.org/pkbtj6irb/rs5.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/pkbtj6irb/)
(https://s7.postimg.org/ih3y3mxx3/rs6.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/ih3y3mxx3/)
(https://s7.postimg.org/3xwt28znb/rs7.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/3xwt28znb/)
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pm lance and ask for directions on how to properly align the front end.
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The bigger racks are just not going to work. Period. There simply isn't room. When i built the two seater I tried knowing that the small rack linked above was marginal. There needs to be a medium sized rack. They just don't exist. If you go any bigger the tie rod fouling issue will get worse as a result the location of the tie rods moving forward. The location of the tie rods is already a design issue with the Edge design that Tony refuses to address. You cannot go wider either or you will induce bumpsteer. Just buy one of the small racks linked above and modify it to match what's in there. It'll last a long time. When I built the two seater I bought two racks and modified both so I would have a spare. The spare has never been out of the trailer.
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well....there you have it, straight from the designer/builder!
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The bigger racks are just not going to work. Period. There simply isn't room. When i built the two seater I tried knowing that the small rack linked above was marginal. There needs to be a medium sized rack. They just don't exist. If you go any bigger the tie rod fouling issue will get worse as a result the location of the tie rods moving forward. The location of the tie rods is already a design issue with the Edge design that Tony refuses to address. You cannot go wider either or you will induce bumpsteer. Just buy one of the small racks linked above and modify it to match what's in there. It'll last a long time. When I built the two seater I bought two racks and modified both so I would have a spare. The spare has never been out of the trailer.
Hey Lance sorry for the long halt on the update, been real busy at work with doing expansion on the store and getting new stock for the season. I realized after reading some of the meet and greets that I forgot so mention what I do. My brother and myself own a women clothing and shoe store so my life is like when you guys have to go shopping with your wife or girlfriend lol I hate it but it pays the bills lol.
Thanks for schooling me and putting me straight on the rack options, I needed that. I have a great idea and I think you gonna love it :) how about you selling that ready to go rack you have sitting in storage :) PLEASE lol that would be great. If you cant I understand. Let me ask this before I buy the same rack and have the same problem. Should a new rack like that one have 1/2" play left to right and also should it rock front to back on the heim ends?
Anyway I have some good and bad news. the bad is not so bad and the good is very good. The good news is the overheating was the gauge messing about all along. put a temp gun to it when the gauge was showing way high and the temp gun was normal. The bad news is 1 injector is sticking. Getting current but not firing. So tomorrow I will take the injectors out and clean them out with carb cleaner. Then once that goes well it should be running perfect and the next step would be (after Lance tells me "yes I will sell my already ready rack to you) get the rack, have it aligned and Im ready to go racing. Oh and some heim joints need to be changed, maybe I will change all in the front end.
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When you change out the heims,be sure to very precisely measure center to center distance to keep the arms as close as possible to how Lance set it up originally. Hopefully,last owner did not screw with that before you got it.
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I have a great idea and I think you gonna love it :) how about you selling that ready to go rack you have sitting in storage :) PLEASE lol that would be great. If you cant I understand. Let me ask this before I buy the same rack and have the same problem. Should a new rack like that one have 1/2" play left to right and also should it rock front to back on the heim ends?
The rack I have will not work for you. The ends are at different angles.
Rocking back and forth front to back sounds like the mount is just loose. You really need to take it off and see what's wrong with it. I can't speculate from here what might be wrong.
Yes it will have some side to side play in the steering wheel. There's way to many joints between the steering wheel and the tires and every joint is cumulative and adds to the slop. It'll never be like automotive rack and pinion steering. Just ain't gonna happen.
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well all in all good to hear. lance......does doug have one of these rack and pinions he would sell? sounds like he would just like a new one to install and save the old for a spare,
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well all in all good to hear. lance......does doug have one of these rack and pinions he would sell? sounds like he would just like a new one to install and save the old for a spare,
Nope Doug does it a completely different way. It would require re-welding the bracket that mounts the rack at a minimum.
He just needs to buy the parts I linked above and take them to someone with a lathe (Drill press would be hokey but ya never know) and mod the parts to match the one that's currently in there and he'd be back in action. It's really not that hard just takes a little bit of fab. First step I would take would be to take the one that's in there out? and look at what's actually wrong. But were not even at that step.
As I remember there's a snap ring in there that holds it all together. It could simply be that it popped out. BUT you have to take it apart and look................................
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I have a great idea and I think you gonna love it :) how about you selling that ready to go rack you have sitting in storage :) PLEASE lol that would be great. If you cant I understand. Let me ask this before I buy the same rack and have the same problem. Should a new rack like that one have 1/2" play left to right and also should it rock front to back on the heim ends?
The rack I have will not work for you. The ends are at different angles.
Rocking back and forth front to back sounds like the mount is just loose. You really need to take it off and see what's wrong with it. I can't speculate from here what might be wrong.
Yes it will have some side to side play in the steering wheel. There's way to many joints between the steering wheel and the tires and every joint is cumulative and adds to the slop. It'll never be like automotive rack and pinion steering. Just ain't gonna happen.
The rack is bolted on tight, no shaking on the mount. I noticed (I don't know what you call it) the shaft that comes out of the rack that connects to the steering column is also rocking in the rack housing. Will take it off and have my fab buddy have a look at it as I personally am not sure what exactly to look for lol. Fabbing a new rack should be a breeze at the a machine shop near by where I live. I have had awesome work done there and seen some very impressive stuff. So I think they will sort me out pretty good.
Whats killing me is what you said about the "slop". And I hope im not sounding rude so please don't get me wrong because I know you know what yu are talking about but, how do Yamaha and Polaris get away with it? I guess I will go by some buddies and have a look at their Yamaha and Polaris steering set up. I don't know if that will help rest my brain lol.
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When you change out the heims,be sure to very precisely measure center to center distance to keep the arms as close as possible to how Lance set it up originally. Hopefully,last owner did not screw with that before you got it.
I am with you on that bro. I don't know if it is or not aligned (probably is not as its pulling so hard to the right) and would have to get the alignment spcs from lance to take to the alignment shop. Im counting different numbers on the threads of all front end heims left and right. Maybe that's normal but i would need you guys to tell me so. Man I don't even know if it can go on an alignment machine or if its a situation where I have to count the threads on the heims.
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well all in all good to hear. lance......does doug have one of these rack and pinions he would sell? sounds like he would just like a new one to install and save the old for a spare,
Thanks dsracer Im really happy that I got that sorted.
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When you change out the heims,be sure to very precisely measure center to center distance to keep the arms as close as possible to how Lance set it up originally. Hopefully,last owner did not screw with that before you got it.
I am with you on that bro. I don't know if it is or not aligned (probably is not as its pulling so hard to the right) and would have to get the alignment spcs from lance to take to the alignment shop. Im counting different numbers on the threads of all front end heims left and right. Maybe that's normal but i would need you guys to tell me so. Man I don't even know if it can go on an alignment machine or if its a situation where I have to count the threads on the heims.
don't need an alignment machine although that would be nice to do a 4 way alignment but again not needed. just need to get the specific alignment info from lance and do as instructed. my money is still on a bent component either in the rack or at the ends but a bent heim etc etc steering component will do it too. as far as comparing it to a yamaha ;D be mindful that diff rack styles have diff characteristics. i say this as most utv's have electric power steering ( eps ) so to compare this you would need to take the body skin off to view the entire steering shaft to carefully watch it but the tq sensors inside the eps compensate as load and movement are applied. at idle if is what i think they are then the eps is at full assist so most sensitive so simply turning the wheels and watching really doesn't work. i just added eps to mine last winter and am very happy with it infact i would build another personal rail with out one but the slop i felt before , i do not feel now and it was min but i know it's still there in fact should be worse as i now have 4 u joints rather than 2 in order to install the unit so that should be double the play i had before in u joints alone.
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If heims are in good condition and all u-joints are in good shape there will still be slop in the rack as is used in almost offroad cars. It's just the nature of them even in perfect condition. Rebuild the rack,set up the alignment according to what Lance says he set it to and make the lower a arm the correct length Lance designed it to be. This is very important unless you just like chasing your tail for the fun of it..
Remember/be mindful of the reality that not only does the caster/camber/toe-in all need to be set at ride height but due to the nature of these things front suspension travel being much more than any street driven vehicle you will likely need to set all 3 then go back and readjust all 3 and then likely have to do it again till all 3 start to work in unision. Even then you may still have bumpsteer that cannot be minimized until you get the lower a-arm set/adjusted to the length Lance designed the arm to be. EVERYTHING revolves around this critical dimension.[/color]I hope Lance has that info for you. If not you will just have to stert in and chase your tail for a while.
I use this type caster/camber gauge and they work remarkably well.
https://www.joesracing.com/i-21091898-joes-caster-camber-gauge-with-magnetic-adapter.html
And when you do rebuild the rack,add a rack snuggy from fastcorvairs so you can keep the slop,as much as is possible,adjusted out of it.
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well said
fabr nice tool btw!
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As long as we're discussing steering u joints, I will only use Sweet u-j's. Very good quality,zero slop and they have almost everything ever made for these things except for the Unisteer EPS bastards. Realistically,there should be no slop anywhere but in the rack and ,most likely,the steering shaft bearings if plain bushings were used. That can be minimized by replacing them with delrin bushings fit just snug enough to remove slop but not so tight to cause shaft binding. If heims are used for shaft support,it is what it is.
Removing any end play in steering column will help remove felt slop also.
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Hey there DTS brothers, just want to let you guys know YES she is ready, well the power and cooling is sorted out and now just to get the slop and pull out of the steering which I think after studying it for a while will not be a problem.
The overheating problem was fixed with a new radiator. the old one was warped and I didn't notice for a while. I replaced it with a high performance radiator by Yonaka Motor Sports for a civic and BOOOOM she takes a while now to get to running temp and will not over heat sitting in traffic like street bikes do. NO MORE OVER HEATING!
The problem with lack of performance was du to a (and wait till you get this, was so simple) cut on one of the fuel injector O-rings and it wasn't even cut all the way through. When that was fixed OMG she burns tires on tar road all the way through third gear. I took it to the local drag strip and I woopt a Toyota supra butt and did 13.0 seconds at 98mph through the 1/4 mile from a stand still. All with no traction on those off road tires lol lol she is a beast and No mods not even an exhaust.
Lance I remember you told me you toped it out on GPS at 85mph. Is it possible you had that injector O-ring problem from since then and not notice? Tell you what bro I am no where in your class of being a mechanic or builder but if you were only topping out at 85 then I think the problem was there when you bought the engine. And maybe you were not very used to the power of these engines and thought it was fine? I don't know bro but being that I am used to sport bikes I know that, the performance was nowhere near normal when I got it, even with the weight difference I know it has to be a lot faster than that first test ride. But now BRO from gear to gear is like blinking. She is a monster that struggles for traction lol I love it. Cant wait to get some street and strip tires and go back up there. Then when I get the slop in the steering sorted I will take it to the rally track.
My biggest problem is time but I get some sometimes lol. Loving my toy tho and loving the adventure that comes with it.
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Oh by the way Lance I watched your vids on youtube a few times and was trying to find them again but could not. Whats your you tube name again? or one of your vid titles? thanks.
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don't know on the video's but good to hear on the engine and cooling. that's crazy but a small slit in any o ring on intake side would be a vac leak.
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don't know on the video's but good to hear on the engine and cooling. that's crazy but a small slit in any o ring on intake side would be a vac leak.
Yes sir exactly and what a major difference it made man. And to know we pulled out the injectors 3 times to clean them and didn't see the slit the first 2 times. You live and you learn bro lol. But Im so happy now im out there beating up on Supras and TypeR Hondas. I used to drag race a 900HP Mitsubishi EVO for my cousin thay does 9 second quarter mile times but he sold it and I been itching to get back on the track. Even though my Barracuda is no 9 second buggy im still really happy to be back out there and in a much more active time bracket.
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Your obviously enjoying it. Congrats!!!
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Your obviously enjoying it. Congrats!!!
Yea man its a thriller not a boring moment. Thanks.