DNF - 2020 - Budget Offroader Build "The Offroadster"

Brianator

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Well folks, I've decided to take the plunge and enter into the build off! I've been on the fence about it until this past weekend when I found a full sized ATV frame on the cheap. This is going to be my budget built, off road, full suspension shifter kart! I dont actually have a set budget but I want to do it on the cheap (as is my way) with as many recycled/recovered/repurposed items and parts that I can!

Between work, home, other projects, down time ect. I'll only be able to dedicate a little time here and there to working on it plus the way I work on projects is slow as it is so what I'm thinking is that I will update this thread every week or two with progress and details. I will include prices of parts as I go and tally it all up at the end to see how much it has cost to build, all prices will be listed in Canadian dollars. They will not include fuel (to travel for parts/supplies) or tools, only hard parts used to create it.

I tend to spend alot of time, thought and "planning" as I go along so I don't find myself redoing things. I don't have an official "plan" (aside from my end goal) or any drawings nor will I, that's not how this fella rolls! My projects take shape as I go along and come up with more and more ideas of how I want to proceed, I guess you could say I'm wingin' it! I use the term "plan" loosely because it's a constantly changing, ever evolving idea...

Now that the introduction is done, on to the "plan" including parts and prices...
 

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Brianator

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I have only 2 certainties in my "plan":

1) I'd like to keep this thread as clean as possible so if we could keep the chatter to a minimum I'd surely appreciate it! I'm happy to answer any questions that are directly related to the build but if it's off topic please PM me. Comments ARE welcome!

2) Black. Lots of it! The frame will be painted with bedliner as will many other bits and pieces (I love the tough, textured look of bedliner and it's very durable!)


Now onto parts/prices:

-Offshore ATV rolling chassis $100 (I bought it recently just because)
-Kawasaki Brute Force frame $50 (bought for this build)
-Mini Chopper - owned for 2 years, got in trade, $300 value
-BMX bike owned 3 years $10
-Seat $100
-Ignition panel $30

*parts list is updated as they're aquired*

I also have an pocket bike frame and a bunch of various bits for it (axles, bearings, hardware, fuel tank, cables ect.) and a scrap snowblower plus other junk that may be able to donate parts/materials. I've also ordered a couple things from Amazon, mostly for the BMX parts project so for now I'll keep them under wraps.


The "plan" itself:

- Cut up the Kawi frame as I see fit to harvest the tubing which will be used to make a frame and other pieces.
- Cut what I don't want/need from the ATV, I will recycle as much as i can.
- Use the motor and wiring harness from the mini chopper for motorvation. It's only a 50cc, 4 speed semi auto BUT i already own it and I think this is the style of motor I'd like to use anyhow so a larger displacement replacement should bolt right on. I originally wanted a 80cc 2 stroke dirtbike motor but then I got to thinking that electric start and reverse would be pretty sweet, time will tell what direction I go.
- Use the BMX for... *stuff*. Maybe. I have an idea but need to play around with it first and see if it will work out as I want.

I guess that's it for now, I'll hopefully get to cutting this weekend! I wish everyone good luck in their build and be safe, injuries slow down progress *write that down*

Brian
 

landuse

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1) I'd like to keep this thread as clean as possible so if we could keep the chatter to a minimum I'd surely appreciate it! I'm happy to answer any questions that are directly related to the build but if it's off topic please PM me. Comments are welcome!

That "chatter" is what keeps people interested in a thread.
 

Brianator

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Well, I was able to spend a little time today to kick off the build and size things up. I stripped the ATV, cut out alot of what I need out of the way (still more to remove) then cut it half so I can start figuring out how much to stretch it out. I'm finding that to be difficult without having a seat to mock up, if any of you with offroad karts wouldn't mind giving me measurements from your floor pan to the top of the seat it would help give me a good starting point!

The Kawi frame has lots of tubing that will help, you'll see in the one pic where I've mocked it up against the rear end of the ATV that there's a large square part that will be a great floor pan area for the seat and the frame rails bend in and are the same distance apart (5-3/4") as the rails from the front half of the ATV so that's a bonus!

Here's a few pics of what I started with and some mockup, now that I've got a start I'll be able to pick away at it slowly but surely!
 

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Brianator

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Sorry the pics are sideways.... sometimes they do that and other times they don't, I haven't figured out why or a solution.

**edit** I found a solution and corrected the photos in the previous post.
 

gegcorp2012

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For phone pictures that rotate when posted (Android), try to edit one of the pictures using the phone editor then re-post.

I have seen where the rotate function on the phone photo editor may work on some photos.

The crop/resize function after rotating typically fixes it 100% of the time for me.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

Brianator

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Due to work and bad weather (snow if you can believe that!) I haven't been able to get any real work done on the build but i do have a small (but long and detailed) update!

I've found myself a very nice seat for $100, it weighs more than I was hoping for (30lbs without the rails and headrest) but it's so comfortable (yet firm) and supportive (check out those side bolsters!) plus without the headrest my helmet will comfortably clear it so I went for it. If I need to change my motor choice or gear down for now then so be it but this seat IS the one! Lol. My research has brought me to the conclusion that it's from either a Porsche or BMW of the 80's as those are the forums that seem to reference the brand and (close match to the) model.

Up next is the 13" Momo steering wheel I had in my VW Golf (car is long gone) along with the wheel adapter, I've ordered a 10" kart wheel off Amazon so until it gets here I wont have a final decision but I'm liking the thought of the extra leverage of the 13" wheel to help with the ATV direct steering and large(r) tires. I do have the horn button cover, somewhere...

I have an idea to cut/couple the steering wheel adapter to the BMX gooseneck so the wheel will have it's own depth adjustment and would also make it easy to remove. I would use the forks main tube/bearings/steering stem from the bike too which will give it smooth, reliable, easy to service steering and the ability to add the gyro for wires or cables or who knows what...? I like to leave my options open!

I've also ordered a ignition switch panel, I plan to paint the flapper red, MAYBE paint the main panel strait black and change the 2 toggle switches on the right side to standard toggles with weather proof covers. Sounds like alot of work for a new item I know but it was the ONLY one with 2 accessory toggles available for cheap(ish) in a decent time frame. That carbon flapper has to go though (looks cheap to me), the rest can (and probably will) wait until I'm putting finishing touches on it and that might not be until next year for all I know but it's still part of the "plan"!

That's it for now, hopefully I've figured out a workaround for the pictures to be orientated correctly!

*edit* It worked! I'm an Android user, I noticed earlier today while sending an email that strait up photos rotated but landscaped photos did not so I took these photos in landscape and cropped them, hope this helps others out!
 

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Brianator

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I'm happy to report that I got a little bit of work done on the build the past couple days! The "floor pan/chassis" is now cut out of the Kawi frame (plus it's been stripped of brackets and hangers) and the rear bit of (whats left of) the ATV chassis that attaches to the rear swingarm has been stripped of everything not needed, ground smooth and sealed with a quick shot of leftover black paint to prevent rust. Looking at the timestamps on the photos it took me 3 hours to get that swingarm piece done!

Next up will be to fish mouth the bits of tube facing forward so the rear bar of the "floorpan" butts into the front tube of it so it can be welded together and then reinforced across the tubes with plate steel for strength, then I can start to figure out the overall length and steering!

That's all for now!
 

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Brianator

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It was a busy weekend but I was able to get a little something done! I got the swingarm piece finished (fishmouthed and prepped) and back on the swingarm so I could start lining up the chassis when I noticed it (the chassis) wasn't exactly strait... a little persuasion with a BFH and a block of wood tweaked er back to almost strait. Once it's fully welded/braced I'll continue to tweak/straiten it, I figured that abuse would be a good stress test for the welds and braces by simulating some real world shock.

I used zip ties to hold the pieces together (not very scientific, I know) while I lined up the chassis to be as centered as possible so I could tack weld it in place, it's tough taking measurements without points of reference... but with that done I'll be able to rig up a alignment "rack" to verify the pieces are true (or darn close to it), if they're not there's only 4 tack welds to cut and realign it but I'm feeling good about it as I just had my "eyecrometer" recalibrated to within 5.0% beeraccuracy so it should be good! :cheers2:

This "phase" is (expectedly) slow going, I only want to do it once so I'm taking my sweet time. I'm eager to get the rolling chassis complete so I can stand back, have a look at my handiwork and feel a sense of accomplishment! Plus it will be easier to move around! :wai:

Stay tuned for the next "episode"
 

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Brianator

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Quick update!

I built the alignment "rack" out of 3/4"x1" rectangular tubing that lived it's previous life as the main (piece together) rail of a garage door opener, as you can see in the second picture I've simply bolted it to the wheel hubs and is what makes it easily removable. I then added a crossmember up front that measures the same as the inside of the rear rails to square it up and a quick shot of leftover black spray paint to prevent rust. I'll be able to lengthen it easily to align the front of the quad with the rear half by adding more pieces of the rail and I should have no problem acquiring more!

The "chassis" is out a little bit more than I was hoping for but I only tacked it together so I could design the "rack" anyhow so no big deal! :cool:
 

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Brianator

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Yesterday I got to test out my new bench AND get something done on the build :wai: For the most part it was a success! I cut the above mentioned tack welds, realigned the "chassis" and started welding it in place. That's about the time I noticed that one of my fish mouth cuts wasn't quite "on point" (picture #2).... :oops:

In my own defense I was using a hole saw in my drill press and I've never tried it before so I'm just happy that was the only issue! Cant leave it like that though and I didn't want to "fill weld" it so :idea2: I cut a wedge of tube and slowly trimmed it until it fit in flush and snug (it's only sitting there in the one photo) and started tacking it down! :2guns:

I don't want to concentrate too much heat in one spot so I'm bouncing around slowly tack welding the bits together, those welds are "as is" with only a wire brushing and not been ground down, that cheap welder is actually doing pretty well since I put new wire in it! Seems to be getting good penetration, is controllable with minimal splatter and the welds are laying down good and flat! :thumbsup:

There's lots left to do until that "joint" is finished so I'd better get on 'er!
 

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Brianator

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Not my finest looking welds, I haven't been doing much welding the past couple years but I'm getting good penetration and they will be welded all the way across and reinforced by a steel plate for extra strength anyhow so I'm sure this joint will be super strong!
 

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Brianator

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I made the (upper and lower) support plates out of some scrap steel I had around that is decent thickness and welded them on then sealed it all up with some paint. I went a little overkill but I don't "plan" on being very easy on the machine so go big or home! :roflol:

Next step is to size up the length and attach the front end of the ATV and I'll have a roller! :wai:
 

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