Dirtbox Venom mini-buggy, 40+ horsepower!

[mysteryboy28]

are u using 1 master cylender with 3 connections or 1 master cylender with 1 connection and a seperate master cylender with the other 2

one master cylinder with 2 pistons. one piston has 2 connections, the other piston has 1. i got that part figured out, now just getting the pedal leverage worked out.

the second caliper i put on the left wheel ended up having a seized piston. i had taken both calipers off, and while pumping noticed one caliper's pads were compressing, but not the other. it was even really hard to squeeze it with pliers. so i put the original caliper back on. that one seems to work good now (especially now that i figured out the master cylinder thing).

 

[mysteryboy28]

as for the grinder... i've gotten 2 of their "heavy duty" 6 amp grinders, the ones with the paddle trigger. they've worked great - except both of the them had the wheel lock button break. the other cheaper grinders just fail mechanically or electrically (sometimes dramatically so! lol).

i think i'm gonna try my luck with another heavy duty grinder. the good news is: they all have a 90 day warranty. and of course they all seem to break within that time frame (i really give them a good workout!), so i just simply take them back and swap for a new one - free of charge! can't beat that for $25 after 20% off coupon. lol. once i actually start making some real money with the buggies i will totally be getting REAL tools.

 

[exenos]

So are you going full-time with these or do you still have a day job?

 

[mysteryboy28]

i build these, refurbish computers, do computer repair, and buy/sell stuff. waiting on my wife to finish the dental hygiene program - then she'll be my sugar mama!

meanwhile, that nice used air tank on craigslist was already sold like over a week ago (some people dont know how to delete their ads. jeesh...), so i picked up a tank at harbor freight for $20 after the 20% off coupon. picked up some adapters and a 1/4" barb, then hit home depot for a 1 1/2" wide 4" long galvanized pipe and cap to make the gas cap/neck. going to cut off the thread on the bottom of the pipe, making it effectively about 3 inches. that will be a good size neck to prevent spillage. will drill a small hole in the cap for a vent.

took back the flame thrower, i mean grinder (the 4 amp model), and bought another 6 amp heavy duty grinder. let's see how long the wheel lock button lasts on this one...

 

[mysteryboy28]

tank complete!

the bronze adapters were kinda flimsy. the 1/2" to 3/8" was fine, but the 3/8" to 1/4" adapter started bending/warping as i got it about half-way threaded. got it in all the way, and once i had tightened the barb adapter i noticed that the second adapter had started to split. hoping that since everything is so nice and tight that it'll be leak-free. otherwise it's back to harbor freight we go for new adapters!

i shook all the debris out of the tank, and blew it out really good with the air hose. will rinse it with some gas and test it for leakage before it's mounted.

 

[newrider3]

Nice.
This is going to be set up as gravity feed, right? You'll definitely want to run a shutoff valve/petcock in the fuel line or you'll pour out 5 gallons of gas through the carb vents onto the floor and into the motor when it's parked.

 

[OzFab]

Awesome

The filler neck is a bit "heavy duty" (IMO) but, I suppose, you work with what you have right?

 

[mysteryboy28]

Nice.
This is going to be set up as gravity feed, right? You'll definitely want to run a shutoff valve/petcock in the fuel line or you'll pour out 5 gallons of gas through the carb vents onto the floor and into the motor when it's parked.

it's actually got a pulse pump. an air hose runs from the motor to a fuel pump. the diaphragms in the pump will prevent fuel from going anywhere unless the motor is running.

i've got the sled tank on the rack on my personal buggy sitting well above the motor, and fuel stays where it's supposed to.

now that i know i can slap together a sweet little 5 gallon tank for under $40 i'll probably go that rout on mine too! might even spring for the 11 gallon... but i don't see myself cruising around for 24 hours straight. lol.

 

[mysteryboy28]

Awesome

The filler neck is a bit "heavy duty" (IMO) but, I suppose, you work with what you have right?

yeah, i thought it was a bit long as well, but since there's no baffles in the tank to keep things from sloshing around, i think the long neck will be a good thing.

 

[mysteryboy28]

just ordered up a couple of these handy dandy air filters, should be here in a couple of days. they are low density foam filters, so they shouldn't interfere with the fuel/air mixture. the paper filters were cheaper, but they would restrict air flow to a greater degree fo sho.

 

[mysteryboy28]

brakes are seeming to work good now. a little firm, but you're not gonna pull a hamstring or break a femur trying to come to a halt. i can't really change the angle any more, or if you really press in the brakes the pedal is gonna lock down and not return.

dang it's cold tonight! silly me wearing shorts and a leather jacket. lol.

 

[mysteryboy28]

put the first bar of the rack on, perfect spot to support the tank! will run a couple of straps over the top of the tank to hold it in place.

suckily (that's a word you know) the bronze adapters on the tank ARE leaking. will take them back to harbor freight, then probably get some good ones from a REAL hardware store, hopefully those won't warp and crack when i wrench them in.

should i use plumbers tape? or will the fuel eat right through it?

 

[fowler]

should i use plumbers tape? or will the fuel eat right through it?

Get some loctie 567 thread sealant that is the best for fittings

Use steel fittings, much stronger

Also u know u really don't need to reef on those fittings
They rely on the taper so snug is good enough with some sealant

 

[r97]

Did you remove the zinc coating from that pipe and the paint from the tank before welding them? Not the best idea to be welding the zinc, even if you have a fan running I wouldn't suggest it, not worth it. I would put a box around that master cylinder, it looks like it is just waiting to git a rock, or jam up with a pile of grass.

 

[Kawabuggy]

One other thing to note-your gas tank is sitting directly above the exhaust. While it may not be a problem when moving, if you are stopped, & idling, the heat from the exhaust is going to heat up the fuel pretty quickly. Hot fuel is not a good idea as you will lose more due to evaporation, and heated fuel can mess with your air/fuel ratios through a carb.

I would build some type of heat shield to put directly over the exhaust to keep the heat away from the tank. Further, some type of shield would be a good safety feature in case you spill while putting gas in it, you don't want it to run down directly onto that hot exhaust. Maybe something simple like an aluminum plate a few inches under the tank.

 

[landuse]

One other thing to note-your gas tank is sitting directly above the exhaust. While it may not be a problem when moving, if you are stopped, & idling, the heat from the exhaust is going to heat up the fuel pretty quickly. Hot fuel is not a good idea as you will lose more due to evaporation, and heated fuel can mess with your air/fuel ratios through a carb.

I would build some type of heat shield to put directly over the exhaust to keep the heat away from the tank. Further, some type of shield would be a good safety feature in case you spill while putting gas in it, you don't want it to run down directly onto that hot exhaust. Maybe something simple like an aluminum plate a few inches under the tank.

Good idea

 

[souperman000]

One other thing to note-your gas tank is sitting directly above the exhaust. While it may not be a problem when moving, if you are stopped, & idling, the heat from the exhaust is going to heat up the fuel pretty quickly. Hot fuel is not a good idea as you will lose more due to evaporation, and heated fuel can mess with your air/fuel ratios through a carb.

I would build some type of heat shield to put directly over the exhaust to keep the heat away from the tank. Further, some type of shield would be a good safety feature in case you spill while putting gas in it, you don't want it to run down directly onto that hot exhaust. Maybe something simple like an aluminum plate a few inches under the tank.

Or maybe look the other way, A shield behind the seat for protection and so you don't spill fuel all over your nice seat.

I am assuming you will paint the tank?

 

[mysteryboy28]

One other thing to note-your gas tank is sitting directly above the exhaust. While it may not be a problem when moving, if you are stopped, & idling, the heat from the exhaust is going to heat up the fuel pretty quickly. Hot fuel is not a good idea as you will lose more due to evaporation, and heated fuel can mess with your air/fuel ratios through a carb.

there is a nice big air intake under the right side of the tank, with a fan sucking air in at all times to keep the motor cool when the motor is running. i think this will allow plenty of ventilation to remove hot air from under the tank. kinda thinking i'm gonna bore out some vent holes behind the seat for fresh air to get through. yeah, i think i'll do that. lol.

meanwhile, found a nice 1/2" to 1/4" adapter for the tank at Lowe's, bypassing the need for a 3/8" to 1/4" adapter. much thicker wall adapter, so no flexing or cracking. threw some sealer on it, cranked it down (not too tight), and 2 hours and quick test drive later - bone dry! motor has some real power to it, but the chain is slipping. will try a half-link toninght, and it that doesn't work then i'll fab up a chain tensioner.

just bought a bunch of wire to connect up the lights and switches. that's my project for tonight. will have active brake light (pressure sensor in the master cylinder), and a nice bright pair of 55 watt headlights! when the lights are turned on the brake light will also illuminate (like a car, dim for parking lights, bright for brake light).

 

[B man]

Wheres the Air filter assembly at? Or did it have one? i like the filters you got though,

 

[mysteryboy28]

the air box does not have a filter. there's no dust in the winter! the hood had some foam to do a little coarse filtering, but that was it. the air box is too big to fit under the rack, plus the opening to suck in air points upward, which isn't good cuz water and rain will just fill up the box. drilling drain holes helps that, but doesn't solve the clearance issue.

i think the uni-filters i bought will look cool.