Build Off Entry: Dirt Devil Quadrunner

[brandongeiger2]

So got the quad need to get it running but ill be buying some steel next week i believe... can't wait to get this started! This will be my first "ground up" build

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Green-flagged, and good to go! Good luck, sir!

 

[brandongeiger2]

Alright everyone this is an extension of the build thread i starte

Alright everyone this is an extension of the build thread i started last week:
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14974
Ill be posting pictures as much as possible

Right now ive taken my attention away from the sometimes running engine and will be starting on the chassis on the 10th when ill be able to get some steel and some other things Here are some pictures of what went on today!
I may start a "video log" if i have a chance to use my brothers camera
I think the axle components havent ever been touched because everything still had factory paint(washers,nuts,etc) but theses are just some pictures i took when i tore apart the axle today and got rid of the very annoying chain guard....unfortunately this chain doesn't have a master-link so its going to be real fun resizing it for the kart but the brakes are really good so im real happy so far except for the engine problems but my buddy's dad is a Yamaha mechanic so he may be able to help me out.

 

[brandongeiger2]

oh incredible machine ))

If only i could get it running! haha im going to probably get a carb rebuild kit maybe that will help because the jets aren't in great condition along with the primer

 

[RobertD]

Looking great! Good luck.

 

[brandongeiger2]

so i found that my spark plug is kinda weak i'm gonna get a new one in the morning and also one of the holes in my carb was gunked up and it was the one that controls the idle with the choke on(i guess?) so im gonna work at everything when i wake up and see where it takes me haha lost track of time out there!

 

[brandongeiger2]

Today i was brainstorming about suspension i know im using atv or motorcycle shocks than i thought about using motorcycle forks for front suspension but after some thinking id have no way of connecting the top of the fork tube because most are aluminum
i could use a triple clamp to connect two of the forks to the top of the rear wheel shock tower and just the holes at the bottom for the axle to connect to the swingarm...luckily for me i bought a set of 1996 cr125 forks a while back to help me rebuild the forks on my bike so i have some extra fork tubes!
since the mounting holes are all clamps i was thinking how they could still pivot while being clamped... to my suprise skateboard ball bearings are 7/8''! (the same size as the hole in the triple clamp for handlebars so i think i may have motocross bike fork tubes as rear suspension...SO MUCH TRAVEL!(12.5 inches to be exact haha) What does everyone think?
sorry if that was hard to understand haha
Hows it sound??? i think itll work

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Now that's the sort of homegrown engineering I like to see!

 

[brandongeiger2]

Flywheel puller

so i needed a way to check how my magneto was holding up since that could of been the problem...only one problem i didnt have a flywheel puller. So why not make one...This is what i came up with and it worked great

 

[landuse]

How does that puller work?

 

[brandongeiger2]

How does that puller work?

Well the flywheel connects to a spindle just like on any clone engine, honda, tecumseh, etc... i drilled three holes where the starter basket bolted on than drilled a centered one and welded a nut to it so a bolt could be threaded in.
Once the plate is connected and you turn in the main bolt it forces the flywheel off the spindle.
This isn't my idea there have flywheel pullers for years just of a different design because most pullers thread into the very center of the flywheel and have a bolt in the middle to force the bolt off.

Here's a pic of a conventional one:

EDIT: i forgot to add the reason you would need one is because on dirt bikes, motorcycles, atvs anything with a magneto has a very strong magnetic hold to the flywheel and cannot normally be pulled without the use of special tools.

 

[bighead]

Today i was brainstorming about suspension i know im using atv or motorcycle shocks than i thought about using motorcycle forks for front suspension but after some thinking id have no way of connecting the top of the fork tube because most are aluminum
i could use a triple clamp to connect two of the forks to the top of the rear wheel shock tower and just the holes at the bottom for the axle to connect to the swingarm...luckily for me i bought a set of 1996 cr125 forks a while back to help me rebuild the forks on my bike so i have some extra fork tubes!
since the mounting holes are all clamps i was thinking how they could still pivot while being clamped... to my suprise skateboard ball bearings are 7/8''! (the same size as the hole in the triple clamp for handlebars so i think i may have motocross bike fork tubes as rear suspension...SO MUCH TRAVEL!(12.5 inches to be exact haha) What does everyone think?
sorry if that was hard to understand haha
Hows it sound??? i think itll work

I thought about using forks ever since that member big 4x4 build. If you did it right they would look like those high dollar long travel buggy shocks.

 

[brandongeiger2]

I thought about using forks ever since that member big 4x4 build. If you did it right they would look like those high dollar long travel buggy shocks.

EXACTLY WHAT IM GOING FOR...but i cant invert them because i dont have an independent suspension setup in the back so they will be in the same config. as a normal shock just cooler and im possibly using a linkage system for smoother shock travel if i have extra material

 

[brandongeiger2]

Alright guys I've been working on tearing apart the four wheeler even though its not running but I'm buying my materials tomorrow so i decided to just get the engine running whenever its done and mounted.. Here's a bunch of pics!

 

[brandongeiger2]

And the rest. the first one is of the breaker bar i made out of an old wrench haha works great though!

EDIT:Just added some pictures from today, i cleaned the frame up and took the rest of it apart, next step is to cut out the engine mounts and axle mounts.I'm real happy with some of the paints condition some looks brand new!

 

[brandongeiger2]

Update!

So today i finally got started and got some steel...I think i need to slow down considering this is my first build and all ive made a few mistakes but nothing that will bother my version of the plans Angles aren't easy to cut for a novice(more of a beginner) with a grinder haha but here is what i finished today when i got home...

EDIT and by the way in the third picture i put the engine carrier in to check for size im extending the bottom rails along with the top nerfs 10" longer than the plans call for

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Measure twice, cut once. Don't rush too hard, you've got four months. Besides- Even if you don't make the contest deadline, you're still building something cool and you can finish it whenever you can.

How are you cutting the angles? Doing it by hand, it's best to measure and mark all 4 sides of the tube and just cut slowly and carefully. I had the use of a 14" cut-off saw, and found I was actually making more accurate cuts by hand...

 

[TeamCheap]

For something that complex you may want to get a sheet of 3/4" plywood and cut it down to a reasonable size that you can use as a layout table.

One of the tricks you could use to help cut matching angles is to lay one piece of square tubing on top of two other pieces, get them all lined up and carefully mark where the tubes interesect each other then cut.

If you lay it out on something flat and make some reference marks you should be able to make matching sides relatively easy.

 

[theo]

Make a jig table, use small plywood blocks and assemble all the pieces for the floor and the mid section before you weld.

 

[fowler]

and tack weld it together first then go back and slowly weld each joint
so it doesnt warp
and it makes it easy to chop peices out