RC51 powered "rhino"

[RC51 Rhino]

 Not really a start...I'm about 1/2 way done with a 3 year transformation of a golf cart turned 'rhino'. This thing started innocently enough, an old sports medicine car I got from a high school near my house and a 80ish FZR 600 engine from a crashed bike I found (literally found it on the side of the road!!). We killed that motor (it was pretty dead already) and installed the engine I had planned on using for a minirail...a 99 GSXR 750. Now things got HAIRY! The car was WAY too fast for the crap suspension and the remodel ensued. Got to drive it twice and a cooling problem killed that motor.
  Now I'm in the last stretch of this nightmare, altough Ive enjoyed most of it. I don't really remember what it looked like unless I look at the few pics I have of the old days. I started a Rorty R16s but I couldn't leave this poor heap alone...it called to me! The R16 went to the back burner and now, I'm getting somewhere!
  I'll post lots of pics as I get good ones...gotta clean out the garage and get the car on it's wheels. Thanks for reading this, guys. I really enjoy being hear and hope I can share any info that might help someone out.

The second incarnation, before the cage...


Not gonna let anybody see what my cage attempt looked like, that's someplace else we won't mention.

Front ride height



Rear ride height



Front bottomed



Rear bottomed



Sorry these aren't realy clear, not sure what happened to the camera.

[SPEC]

WOW
I like it

[Dqracer]

Looks good, it should be pretty quick with the gixxer in there.  my wife wants me to build her something similar to what your doing,, I like it.

[RC51 Rhino]

 Gixxer blew up a while ago...no we have the coolest yet, an '01 Honda RC51 engine! Aprox. 130 hp, tons of torque, and that sound, I love that v-twin sound!

[lockedup]

Any Updates??

[RC51 Rhino]

 Sorry, guys...just got back from Rocky Point and next week gotta move (only going a mile or so)... nothing new right now, I'll be getting with it here soon! I want this car done and a friend of mine is now doing something similar with an 01 GSXR 600 motor w/ my help. Hopefully we'll finish close to the same time with 2 guys building (extra hands always help!)...I'LL BE BACK!

[RC51 Rhino]

 Well, it's only been a COUPLE of months! Finally got the front to where I kinda like it, still have a bump steer problem to figure out. What do you guys think of the spindles? I know the steering heims need to be double shear, but what else? My travel has got me abit worried, too. I have about 23" with the 10" stroke shocks! I know it will work but I can't see a better place to put the shocks w/o them coming through the hood!

[Engineer]

Looks like it's coming along quite well!  I don't know if you are actually looking for advice, it looks like you have it well under control.   

If you want to reduce your travel a bit, you could move the top of the shock out, outside the front hoop, and as long an you don't go above the frame, I think the hood will still clear.  This would reduce travel as well as give the shock more power.  If it works and you like it then add the green brace!    From the look of the picture I can't tell if it would raise the front end.  If you want to lower your fully compressed height, you will probably have to go lower with the lower mount, and out if you want to reduce travel, looks difficult with the current lower arms.......

How far into the travel are the shocks in the pictures?  It looks like they might be about half way compressed, which means the arms probably droop waaay down at full extension.  Is this where the bumpsteer occurs?  It looks like you are well setup to control bumpsteer, but if it droops to a really sever angle, it is hard to control.

Moving the top of the shock would help the droop quite a bit.  Several others on here have mentioned making an aluminum spacer, and putting it in the shock to limit extension.  That or a limiting strap might be a solution if the droop is the only real problem.

Keep us posted, this build is looking good!

[RC51 Rhino]

 The car bottoms about 6" from the ground with 26" tires, not sure if I should go lower...there would be a clearance issue with my peddles. Right now I have an inch before the a-arm would hit the master cylinder...I might go the reverse a hung set-up to help this. Seems that would allow more use of the swing motion of the a-arms and put the bumpsteer to a different spot? It does occour more on the droop side of travel and I think 23 or so inches of travel is a bit much for this car. I could live with 16 or so if it worked well. I do some checking to see where and how much I'd have to cut out (old mounts) to re-do (again!) the shock mounts. Bottom will be pretty simple, I can mouve out prolly 4 or 6" on those and move the tops accordingly, we'll see. This car has come a long way, I tend to get bored easily with it now...it's been in one form or another for 3 years! Now, I see it MIGHT get done!

[Engineer]

Hmmm... You also might have a clearance problem with the top arm if you move the top of the shock out......  The trick with moving it out would be to go far enough that you can put the top alongside the frame and not below it, otherwise you end up raising the car even more.....

[RC51 Rhino]

I'm not against the idea of a different set of upper and/or lower arms, either. I could put the mount below the arm...a little, any way.

[Punkur67]

You could also move your lower mount down and out a little. This is how my lower shock mounts are.

[RC51 Rhino]

 Okay, got some great ideas on the front end...thanks to you guys, I'll be using a little bit of everything I've learned. Now to the rear!

 I had a solid rear axle at first, never got the suspension right and didn't like it...
 Next came my first try at trailing arms...not sure I like them at all. Don't have a wide enough spread at the mounts for me and too long to get the ratio right for the shocks....I know they would need a ton more bracing, you get the picture.
 The R82s arm is the one 'mounted' mine is the one on the ground.


I could use the R82s arms but I need a different bolt parttern (further down).

My other alternative is the old arguement of 'trailing arm vs h-arm' I have a set of axles and hubs from a Toyota MR2 which I thought would be great since they are off a rear wheel drive mid engine car. What are your thoughts on these....pros? cons?

I like the idea of the h-arms for simplicity and little or no plunge...

I will be taking out the Honda FWD trans and using this carrier...it's out of an '85 Kawasaki Tecate-3 and has all new stuff inside.

Hey Doug Heim or other RC51 guys... what final drive ratio do you guys like? Ive currently got a 50t rear, not sure of the front...it is a stocker.

 Please guys hack me up on this, I need as much help and encouragement as possible. I'd love to finish this car before it gets hot...130* in the garage puts my ass in the house or in the water every year!

[Jerry]

I like the overall shape of things. 23 inches of travel sounds like alot to me for something that size, (but i know less then zero about this stuff)

[Boostinjdm]

you need more boxing or at least a thicker plate where I circled with yellow.  When that plate flexes you are going to see those arms fold up like they're made of jello....and yes, widen out the attachment points.  Keeping those rear wheels where they're supposed to be is a leverage type of thing.  Now....quick somebody jump my shit and call me a fool..