Ecotec Buggy

[customcreationsllc]

So I've started, the ultra light buggy design. I'm not expecting it to be finished for a couple years
I haven't gotten very far. Things keep changing but I have most of the hard parts ironed out. I figure I'd post what I got so far.
My intentions are to run RCrocs Crawling Class 4, RCrocs Racing, KOH, WE-Rock Pro Modified, Southwick Racing Unlimited Class, and best of all Street Legal.

I'm trying to keep the design simple and with common/part availability number 1 so I can get the cookie cutter operation going. I know a lot of the ideas are just pipe dreams I expect a lot of sacrifices are going to be made to make it all work together.

I’ve been doing a lot of researching and this is my recipe so far.

Motor:
Ecotec naturally aspirated for now.
Spark MSD distributor, ignition box, coil, and wires. 4 Paddle Reluctor Wheel, MSD P/N: PRD15377
Fuel: Propane or the Holley Commander 950 fuel injection off my CJ.
Alternator I’m hoping Powermaster can wire me up a single wire one.

Transmission:
AX15 internal slave
Sky Bell housing (GM PN 89060089)
Clutch 84 4cly camaro (1-1/8" 10spline 9" dia)
Pressure Plate
Jeep Hydraulic Slave
Pilot bearing from a 91 XJ

Transfercase: too many options I want to leave room for all.
231
247 all wheel drive with clutch pack nice for the road low range lockout.
300
231/300
Atlas out of my price range for now.

Suspension:
A lot of up travel I want the links and axle to clear the engine.
I want the to design full bump the rims level with the skid plate.
Front:
3 link ORI struts
Rear:
3 link ORI struts

Rear Axle
HP D60
TJ 35 spline shafts
5.38 gears
Spool or air locker if I have the money might go open for now save some money
Torino Set20 flange

Front Axle
HP D44 (Jana 54) D50 gears (I'll see if I can get it to work)
5.38 Air Locker open for now save some money
I decided to go with the axle U-joint strength of the Dana 60.
Still going to use a HP44 but the outers are going to be D50/60 knuckles and Cs.
Use the Unit bearing version from 3/22/99 to 2004 F250,F350,F450
The Hub need to be machined to 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern and inner spindles opened up for 35plines when upgraded.

D50 uses 30 spline similar toe D44 and D60 uses 35 spline which is available upgrade with ARB.

I will still fabricate my own Knuckles so I can setup my own steering arms.
This should actually be easier than D30 the ball joint presses into the knuckle so it is just a round bore D30 is tapered.

Only issues is finding seals for a front D44 with 35 splines.

I figure this route will save me about 200lbs over a Kingpin D60

66” width (XJ 60” hits my links)
Unit Bearing outers C’s will be gusseted, Knuckle will be Fabricated.
Unit bearings are lighter and allow more room for a larger CV joint.
Hubs the bearings are further apart stronger bearings heavier smaller CV joint

RCV axle shafts I like the CV shafts over U-joints smoother action but I’ll run stock shafts for now.


Brakes:
Master: Willwood triple set
CNC cutting brakes
Front:
(fabricated knuckle) Dodge 1500 2001 down rotors.
Calipers, 79 Chevy G1500 (GM standard 1/2 ton)
Rear:
Calipers, 79 Chevy G1500 (GM standard 1/2 ton)
Dodge 1500 2001 down rotors. with centering spacer.
(Cutlass/Cadillac with E-brake calipers to meet E-brake rules.) If Needed


Steering:
Full Hydro,
Ram on back side of axle
Ackermann set up for max turning of each tire not the best for high speed but this can be adjusted with fabricated knuckles
Pump PSC makes brackets for the Ecotec.

Radiator:
Location ?

Chassis:
2 Seater
Mild Steel design after everything is in the optimum location.
Wheel Base around 104, I'm shooting for 100 it is easier to make it longer than shorter.

Seats:
Corbeau, Baja XP

Body:
Polyethylene sheets fabricated to make a body.
Fenders will bolt onto axle/knuckle (street legal)
Windshield: CJ bolted on to pass inspection has correct stamping and windshield wipers sunglass or Lexan windshield from there out.

Tires:
37 meet WE-Rock Promod.
Inner Air Bead locks

Winch front/rear
Sway bar TBD

I’m sure I’ve missed a lot but I’ll keep updating it as I go.

Here is a little preview

[Ktmracer419]

i approve and look forward to this

lightweight is where its at

[clean4drxj]

looking forward to this as well

[#DEZERTDAD]

[Burton58]

why a 44 with unit bearings? would a front 60 be overkill for this?

[Pedro]

I will too be looking forward to this

[customcreationsllc]

why a 44 with unit bearings? would a front 60 be overkill for this?

I've been on the fence about this for a while. As everyone knows there is nothing between weak and super strong.

A ford dana 60 are over 500lbs I could go with a spidertrax axle but that cost big $$.

So I decide to go with the strongest small axle. I couldn't go with the D30, I need a D44 so I can get the 5.38 gears with a little 4cly with high revs I want the lowest gears I can get. You can always up shift. Plus lower gears puts less stress on the rest of the drive train. D44 also has a larger R&P.
The High Pinion front is both stronger and has more ground clearance.
I went with the HP D60 for the rear to get the ground clearance since the gears are running backwards I need a larger R&P to get the strength back.

I was debating going with a D44 and D60 outers still heavy.

Worse comes to worse the HP44 with 5 on 4.5 is worth money because it will fit into just about anything.

The rear axles TJ 35 spline are drilled both 5 on 5.5 and 5 on 4.5 so it is an easy swap. If the D44 keeps breaking I can upgrade to s 60 with 5 on 5.5 outers.


Ask questions give suggestions. This is the time to change things.

Like I'm finding the front engine makes it really tight to fit a steering axle. If it was rear engine the axle would fit easy between the links then the front link can then be moved inward to avoid the tires.

But rear engines automatically puts me in WE-Rock unlimited class.

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

Oh man first buggy build

[Zullock Holmes]

Assuming you are still gonna run a 44 center in a trussed 30 housing with those super sweet CV shafts.......

With the shafts i know there will be no issue in strength up front except for the dana 30 unit bearings.

Have you considered machining something like a cross between a unit bearing and a ford style hub?? something that will easily mate to the knuckle but just use regular wheel bearings and throw some drive flanges (cause of the ARB, no need for lockouts) on the outside?

I know that you have a lathe and are pretty talented when it comes to mahcining and stuff, so making something like that deff is not out of the question.

something like this: http://www.spidertrax.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2191/.f

and for knuckles, i know these is lots of money, but you could probably make something extremely comperable: http://www.spidertrax.com/3-Housing-Ends

Also that style knuckle would give you plenty of clearance for the "CV shafts" (i forget their real name) and probably allow you to have tighter steering than any kind of stock set-up.

This is gonna be a great build though, i'm gonna have to pop up at the shop and check the progress from time to time

Also, on a side note.... i know the ecotec will be fine for WE-Rock and RCrocs, but don't you think you may end up alittle underpowered in a race setting like KOH, RC race series, etc.

[Lawn Guyland]

[Buffalo Phil]

Also, on a side note.... i know the ecotec will be fine for WE-Rock and RCrocs, but don't you think you may end up alittle underpowered in a race setting like KOH, RC race series, etc.

Depends on how much weight he is pushing with the buggy itself.

Regardless, I want more pics of win.

[HeavyMetal]

its going to be a Huge bear of a time (and money) getting a rig to be truly 'race ready' and staying under 2500lbs no matter what you do i think (and staying competitive at least).

i would consider under 2500 lbs in a race rig a pretty huge accomplishment, and if you can pull that off maybe the ecotec is a good choice afterall. otherwise you may be searching for some more push as zullo said when it comes to racing at least. i just say 2500 because that seems to be a low number milestone people shoot for (or try to)... i know there are low HP low dollar FToys and the like out there racing in KOH and such, but theyre definitely not truly competitive when it comes down to it.

dean benner's moon buggy i know is on a turbo ecotec, he did well at one of the RCrocs races, granted it was A LOT shorter than ultra4 events this year, and he never really pushed it that race at all...it was more of a survival thing (the september race)..IIRC he got hosed at the 09 RCQ though. i imagine his rig to be pretty light, plus its rear engine, 1 seater, and all that jazz

Tracy jordan's "rock bug" had an incredible amount of time and effort put into making it as light as possible (chromoly chassis to name one part of that), might wanna look that thing up. ran KOH (though did DNF, i forget why), werock, so on...plus hes got a 300hp V4 in it
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...php?p=10403825

the Rock Bug with all fluids and fuel weighed in at 2,510 pounds. This puts the Rock Bug’s approximate weight with a solid rear axle right around 2,350 pounds. Keeping in mind the Rock Bug is a full bodied two seat

(NOTE! just with fluids and fuel doesnt necessarily mean "race ready" either) add 400 pounds of 2 people into it, spare tire, tools, survival water and food that youre required, so on and so forth.

http://files.spidertrax.com/pdf/RockBug_Issue21.pdf

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoaMV0CYdfY[/ame]

i recall hearing shannon campbell at dayton or one of those events that his 300hp was just not enough, and that was a crawling event (non east coast werock crawling has some more 'point and shoot' gun it obstacles, thats for sure.) dunno if that would apply to you either

just going off a lot of the shit i have listened to, being around all the events, not trying to webwheel

...just get a fawkin LS7 justin, you know you want to

[tomatoboy]

that is going to be sick

[Magilla]

i recall hearing shannon campbell at dayton or one of those events that his 300hp was just not enough, and that was a crawling event (non east coast werock crawling has some more 'point and shoot' gun it obstacles, thats for sure.) dunno if that would apply to you either

just going off a lot of the shit i have listened to, being around all the events, not trying to webwheel

...just get a fawkin LS7 justin, you know you want to

Actually camo and some other dude at the hotel last weekend were talking about it also saying they just pulled their 4.3 vortecs out just because it didnt have the power they wanted. They both said they wanted a lot more than that

[HeavyMetal]

yeah i was there, thats why camo has an LS motor now..Lol