Dirtbox Venom mini-buggy upgrade/rebuild!
- Thread starter mysteryboy28
- Start date
- Status
mysteryboy28
New member
Disclaimer: everything that I am doing at this point is the testing stage of building the buggy. A big reason for posting these trial and error situations is to help benefit you fellow go-karters, as well as to get some feedback and helpful (low cost low time consuming) suggestions.
So I lost a rear wheel while riding the buggy today. Lol. The rear hubs are welded on to the axle stubs, but only on one side. The weld broke loose while really punching it during a doughnut. The 82hp is crazy powerful, and my conclusion is to weld the hubs on BOTH sides of the axle stub. Will try that and see if I lose any more wheels. Lol.
So I lost a rear wheel while riding the buggy today. Lol. The rear hubs are welded on to the axle stubs, but only on one side. The weld broke loose while really punching it during a doughnut. The 82hp is crazy powerful, and my conclusion is to weld the hubs on BOTH sides of the axle stub. Will try that and see if I lose any more wheels. Lol.
mysteryboy28
New member
I know that on some of the big buggies they sometimes use tether straps to limit shock extension/wheel travel. However with the smaller shocks I'm using, this isn't the issue. I was simply expecting too much from the CV's by jacking the buggy up to 16 inches. I think 13 inches is going to be the magic number. Once I thoroughly test the buggy's other aspects, I will dial in the ride height.
I did notice however that the other CV (the one that didn't pop out) is a slightly tighter fit. So it is probably about a half inch longer than the one that popped out. This means that it had enough plunge to remain in the CV cup, while the other one was teeteering on the outside edge of the cup when it popped out. The trick is to have the right length CV axle so that the rollers extend into the cup as far as possible when the wheel/axle is lined up horizontally with the CV. This is a bit challening to do with the boots on. Lol.
exenos
Project Nut
Wouldn't be a bad idea to make up a set of limiter straps to stop the arm about .5" before full droop so the shocks don't get banged up as much.(Not good getting yanked to full extension, small chance the end cap will pop off)
Rustydog2010
NZ Nutta :|
Yep, I would get some limit straps, they are easy enough to make. I have seen them made from tie down strops. They just loop them over each other, use some stainless on each side and sandwich it. Then use some rivets and glue.
With the CV's normally they max out at about 30 degrees, this is when they'll start to bind. I would measure them when the buggy is just sitting there, Would really want to be over 20 degrees. Then jack it up and measure again.
You could use the limit straps to help the CV from binding when going over a jump aswell, if that is a problem.
With the CV's normally they max out at about 30 degrees, this is when they'll start to bind. I would measure them when the buggy is just sitting there, Would really want to be over 20 degrees. Then jack it up and measure again.
You could use the limit straps to help the CV from binding when going over a jump aswell, if that is a problem.
mysteryboy28
New member
Got to take the buggy for a good test drive in the parking lot across the street. Had my brother do the first one. He was too intimidated by the horsepower to really punch it much. Lol.
Then it was my turn... You can see me drifting and really flooring it - till the end when I hit that sand bank at 0:55 - banging up the rear hub pretty bad and bending it all to heck. Oops. Lol. I was still able to drive it home. The axle stubs held up to the abuse being double welded - but not the hub itself. Lol. Oh well, just gotta order up another hub.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vshJ1fIQ_kQ&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rseKqwCptww&feature=youtu.be
Then it was my turn... You can see me drifting and really flooring it - till the end when I hit that sand bank at 0:55 - banging up the rear hub pretty bad and bending it all to heck. Oops. Lol. I was still able to drive it home. The axle stubs held up to the abuse being double welded - but not the hub itself. Lol. Oh well, just gotta order up another hub.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vshJ1fIQ_kQ&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rseKqwCptww&feature=youtu.be
exenos
Project Nut
Do you have any place where you can give the buggy a real good workout? Jumps, stutter bumps, full speed runs, the works?
mysteryboy28
New member
Yeah, I've got the golf course. But I'm not going out there till I feel like I've got the bugs worked out. Getting stuck out there with a 800 lb buggy ain't cool. Lol.
mysteryboy28
New member
so went out to the garage for a bit, intending to pop out the axle stub and hub. turns out the hub wasn't bent - it was the axle stub! the axle is tilted right at the point where the axle enters the bearing - so that thing is wedged in there TIGHT. pounded away on it for awhile with a hammer and could not get it to budge. so i will grab up a couple new sawzall blades and cut the axle stub out - with the bearing attached. ordering a new bearing and hub tonight.
note to greaser: don't slam into stuff really hard sideways. lol.
note to greaser: don't slam into stuff really hard sideways. lol.
Attachments
-
DSCF4761.jpg
exenos
Project Nut
So 1 1/4 axle next time?
greaser
new here
wow that really bent, ok avoid curbs sideways check.
mysteryboy28
New member
so got a hub in the mail today. went out and cut out the bent axle (had to cut it in 3 pieces, as well as cut the hub up to get to the axle).
opened up the box, and it was a FRONT hub, rather than a rear hub (kawasaki brute force).
called up the ebay seller (after emailing them a pic of what they sent me), and they'll be dropping the CORRECT one in the mail tomorrow. bah. they said to keep the other one, cuz it wasn't worth sending it back.
picture 1 - what they sent me, picture 2 - what they SHOULD have sent me. they don't look REMOTELY similar. duhhh...
opened up the box, and it was a FRONT hub, rather than a rear hub (kawasaki brute force).
called up the ebay seller (after emailing them a pic of what they sent me), and they'll be dropping the CORRECT one in the mail tomorrow. bah. they said to keep the other one, cuz it wasn't worth sending it back.
picture 1 - what they sent me, picture 2 - what they SHOULD have sent me. they don't look REMOTELY similar. duhhh...
Attachments
-
IMG_20130403_182324.jpg -
$(KGrHqZ,!o!FEIPhpfI8BRLUScnRKg~~60_3.jpg
greaser
new here
along with the fact they are labeled lol
exenos
Project Nut
That is pretty bad, excusable if unlabeled but just plain stupidity if labeled.
fowler
New member
That's not too bad
Even caterpillar stuff up
We have had bolts labeled as bearings and had pistons delivered with rings installed upside down
I'd say u scored if u get to keep both
Even caterpillar stuff up
We have had bolts labeled as bearings and had pistons delivered with rings installed upside down
I'd say u scored if u get to keep both
mysteryboy28
New member
Yeah, but it was just another delay I didn't want to deal with. Lol.
Got the correct hub in the mail today. Heading out to the garage to get some work done!
Got the correct hub in the mail today. Heading out to the garage to get some work done!
mysteryboy28
New member
bored out the new hub to 1 inch to accomdate the 1 inch axle stub (just ground the spline teeth off really with the 1 inch hole saw on the drill press). welded the axle in place. mounted the new bearing. inserted the axle stub into the bearings. clamped down all of the set screws. threw the shock and tire on, went for a spin on the golf course. weee!
Attachments
-
IMG_20130406_175223.jpg -
IMG_20130406_175238.jpg -
IMG_20130406_175319.jpg -
IMG_20130406_180155.jpg -
IMG_20130406_180242.jpg -
IMG_20130406_180305.jpg
fowler
New member
have u thought about keying the hub to make this whole process alot easier
if thats not strong enough then double key it
spline would be better but cutting spines isn't a simple garage thing
if thats not strong enough then double key it
spline would be better but cutting spines isn't a simple garage thing
mysteryboy28
New member
2 problems with keying the hub are: the wall thickness of the hub isn't thick enough to key, and i dont have a broaching machine.
it really is quite easy to do the process that i do. bore the hub, slide an axle through it, then weld it together. done.
meanwhile, fabbed up the linkage for the reverse gear lever. i would have loved to have run the linkage up to the center floor of the cockpit, but too many things were in the way, plus that would be one more thing to eventually fail/wear out.
as you can see, the reverse gear lever is very accessable and easy to use. the passenger might get smacked by the driver in the back of the head when reaching for the lever - but they probably deserved it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ksP4Nly34
it really is quite easy to do the process that i do. bore the hub, slide an axle through it, then weld it together. done.
meanwhile, fabbed up the linkage for the reverse gear lever. i would have loved to have run the linkage up to the center floor of the cockpit, but too many things were in the way, plus that would be one more thing to eventually fail/wear out.
as you can see, the reverse gear lever is very accessable and easy to use. the passenger might get smacked by the driver in the back of the head when reaching for the lever - but they probably deserved it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ksP4Nly34
greaser
new here
Darn it I wish I could get youtube here at work. I guess I will have to wait until I get home to enjoy the video.
- Status