Just Finished Utility Vehicle

[theo]

Did you build the front A-arms or buy them? I am looking to add front suspension on a project of mine and those look like they would work perfect.

They look somewhat like spiderkarts front suspension.

 

[BrianScott]

Did you build the front A-arms or buy them? I am looking to add front suspension on a project of mine and those look like they would work perfect.

I built the A-arms from 1 inch square 14 gauge tubing. I built a spiderkart 2 years ago and that is where I got the idea for the a arms.

 

[BrianScott]

Were did you get the idea from? That's one cool looking UTV you have there!!

I looked everywhere for plans for a UTV but could not find any so finally I started collecting pictures of them from out of magazines. From that I just started to "wing" it. That is the hard way to do it though. I really built this thing twice because I would end up not liking something then cut it apart and do it over again. I wish one of the places that sells kart plans would draw something up for a light duty UTV. All it really is is an overgrown go kart.

 

[wingnut]

Draw up what you did and sell your own

 

[Schmidt]

Looks great.
What kind of tubing bender are you using?

 

[BrianScott]

Thanks. I used a bender from Harbor Freight. I had trouble with the tube collapsing at the bend so I ended up inserting wooden dowels, that I turned down from hickory, snugly inside the tubing where the bend was going to be. This kept it from collapsing and the wood is obviously still in the tube. It really smoked where the wood was welded area!

 

[sideways]

Very nice!

As for the 1 wheel drive VS a differential thing, for off road work I'd much rather a 1wd setup as a differential sends power to the wheel with the least traction where as 1wd (obviously) sends 100% power to one wheel so it is superior off road.

 

[used2jeep]

I really like the crazy gear reduction. You get some from the torque converter and then a whole lot more from the jack shaft. NICE!