Streetbike engine in buggy .....reverse ideas?

[lightning78]

Hey Im new here and looke like this is the place to be when it comes to buggies. Long story shore a buddy and myself are planning on building a few custom fab buggies that will run and undetermined streetbike engine (likely a 4 cyl) chain driven w/ independent suspension. I know ....nothing new here LOL

It's already been designed on solidowrks but One MAJOR problem......does anyone know how to put some sort of reverse setup in the buggy? If anyone has accomplished this please give some input. If not was it ever a problem not having it? Really confused as to how to go about this and any input would be MUCH appreciated! 

[Boostinjdm]

Try out the search feature.  There is lot's of info already here.

[Engineer]

It has been kicked around a few times.  Any reference to F-N-R is about reverse.  Forward neutral reverse boxes.  There are several available that range in reliability and price.

I can't seem to find the threads at the moment, but the Jeffco and RPM units come to mind.  The Jeffco also gives you a differential so cutting brakes are an option.


Here are some electric reverse ideas:

http://dtsfab.com/index/index.php?topic=784.0

[fabr]

I think the RPM box by Dan Roberto is probably the most universally used with the jeffco a very close second.Your choice may be dictated by packaging constraints as the 2 are very different in configuration. If they are to be lightweight buggies you may wish to just go without reverse.     Most smaller /lighter buggies do without reverse.

[fabr]

Oh ,and some are trying a honda tranny modified for buggy use. The jury is still out on that tho as some are claiming they are bullet proof in a buggy but there are reports that they are not really up to something like a busa or zx14.

[Engineer]

And the Achilles heel of all of the mechanical reverser's mentioned is the short chain from the motorcycle engine to the reverse box.  It can overheat and fail under hard use.    But I am sure you will be reading about that a lot. 

[lightning78]

Oh ,and some are trying a honda tranny modified for buggy use. The jury is still out on that tho as some are claiming they are bullet proof in a buggy but there are reports that they are not really up to something like a busa or zx14.

I read the ENTIRE 25 page thread on the civic trans .....looks like an awesome setupo that is the direction we plan to go and Im fully confident it will work perfectly. As for the power it can handle of a Busa or ZX14 ....not planning on going that big according to solidworks our design will be substantially less than 1000lbs ready to run and I don't feel anything more than a 750 (likely a 4 cyl 600) will be more than enough. We will design the chassis to accept up to a busa engine but porbably wont go any bigger than a 600 given the lightweight chassis setup. There comes a breaking point of too much power for the design and I really don't want to build a machine that fishtails with the slightest blip of the throttle I want to put the power to the ground not wheelie and slide around ....it's just not that  practical....if we make a bigger one then it will utilize a busa or ZX14