Build #SteerAndStuff Buggy

This site earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Well, panels will never look the same but this is the only picture I took early in the day.

Everything worked good until half thru day got into small bind and steered into it and instantly started howling and never shut up rest of day. Need to check into that.

20211107_113133.jpg
 
Are you running a check valve? I'm told it's recommended, but haven't done it yet myself...

www.pscmotorsports.com

Check Valve Kit

When installing front and rear full hydraulic steering on a vehicle, use a PSC Check Valve Kit to protect the pump from catastrophic damage from dangerous, over-pressurized fluid back flow. Don't see what you need or need help making a decision on which product is right for your project?Contact Us
www.pscmotorsports.com www.pscmotorsports.com
 
I'm not, wouldn't hurt, but in thise case it was all output when it happened. I was with a friend that smoked a rock at speed and back fed the pump and blew the front seal out once that the check would have been beneficial. PSC is swapping the pump so hopefully it's a fluke deal.
 
Have only had chance to wheel it once so far, waiting for a few locals to get their rigs back together. We didn't take hardly any pictures either so nothing good to show. It worked really good out of the box, especially with dry, new tires. Not going to water tires till spring since I'll be putting the winter tires on here shortly.
PSC swapped out my CBR pump because half way through the day after steering into a notch hard it started howling super loud and never quieted back down. My feeling is the internal relief opened and stuck and never reseated fully. I ask the gentleman at PSC if that's a viable thought but he was just a salesman and had no tech input but shipped me out a replacement that day.
Also finished up the homemade assembled vehicle title works and got it licensed as a Multi Purpose Vehicle, same license as a side by side here. All that's required is two headlights, two taillights, brake lights, horn, and a mirror and the MPV plate is restricted from operating on interstate highways.
Also drove down to the local truck scale here and weighed the buggy. It came in at 3400 total and 1540 on the rear (equals 1860 front and a 55/45% bias). The truck scales weigh in increments of 20 pounds so a good chance of +/-20ish lbs. Ironically the weight is the same number issued on my license plate.
Found a cooler that fits in my truck area nicely and is a good size for all day wheeling. Its the 20qt Pelican. Also found a 3 gallon Risk Racing fuel can I fit next to the cooler when needed for long snow wheeling days that tend to use more fuel considering the 8 gallon fuel tank on the buggy.
Last thing is the simple side convenx mirror mounts I just finished. Did the same on my old buggy and worked good. Basically just a trick tab with a groove ground out and a piece of tubing with the ID to fit the chassis tube split in half and a wing nut hose clamp and heat shrink. Nice thing is they can be reinstalled with the mirror inside more if needed and easy to loosen and swing in when driving against a wall.

20211204_072921.jpg

20211202_184433.jpg

20211202_184353.jpg
 
Bummer you've only got one wheeling day in! Love that mirror setup, but considering I've literally repainted my A pillars after every trip, I'm not sure it's a good idea here :)

So, when do you head this way?? 10a today for another run ;)
 
Thought would share how I attached my skid plate here in case it can help others. My old buggy has button head bolts and clip nuts on chassis tabs mounting the skids and overall they worked fine. I bought a bulk amount of bolts since typically replaced a handful anytime I dropped the skid. Often the Allen hole was jacked up but could typically pound a torks bit into it or worse case weld a nut to head to remove. This rig I used recessed socket head bungs so nothing hanging down. Used my Primeweld Cut60 plasma cutter and straight edges to cut the 3/16 AR400. Hand cut the holes for the bungs, welded the bungs, then a carbide burr to finish the hand cut hole to the ID of the bung. Not shown in picture but I did add mounts to the belly skid behind the front control arm mounts after the pictures. My thought is the skid is now reinforcing the the control arm mounts at those locations. The rest of the mounts aren't symmetrical because of the offset drivetrain and clearance to components. I also used a thin chipboard shim between skid bung and mounting tab before welding tabs on with used that will make sure the bolts pull the skid tight to belly tubes.

20210726_165745~2.jpg


20210726_171142~2.jpg


20210726_173625~2.jpg


20210726_174338~2.jpg


20210726_180647~3.jpg
 
Just got back from Sand Hollow, met up with a few guys I've wheeled with before and met some great new guys as well. Thanks to Woody for showing us around a little and giving some good tips and spots. Still getting a feel for the new rig and everything seemed to work really well. Might add a return spring on the throttle since the added motion ratio of the cable peddle gives leverage on the internal spring on the OEM pedal and can get touchy. Also need to address fuel vent as it would burp at some angles. I picked up a GoPro 10 before the trip and let the Qiuk app do an automatic edit on some clips from Dekleined.

 
Picked up a Midnight Metalworks Rock Box replacement case for the dana 300. Decided not to rush to install before Sand Hollow in case I ran into any issues. Swapping it now and about ready to go test drive. The case is slightly larger than the stock Dana 300 so had to clock front output up about 3/8" higher than before to keep about 1/4" air gap to the skid plate. Had to rework my transfer case shifter linkages and my center console because my mounting bolts ended up in a different set of holes. I messed with the detent springs and got them shifting pretty smooth but it still sluggish because of the new bushings in the case, the more I mess with it the better it is feeling. Will have to modify passenger seat from more than I had before because of the shifter location on the MMW case is right where the seat frame lives. On the stock 300 I just had to put a box in the seat frame previously. Hopefully next weekend do some driving tests.

Attached are a few more comparison pictures of the two cases to show size and orientations.

20220501_190618.jpg

20220429_135624.jpg

20220429_135629.jpg

20220429_135553.jpg
 
I'm somewhat surprised by the size differences. The additional beef is awesome but the tight fitment of some of these chassis with stock dana 300s is gonna make it a bit rough I think.
 
MNorby said:
Here is where I am with the throttle pedal. Plan on mounting oem pedal under seat and a cable to operate it.

View attachment 15417
Click to expand...
That’s what I did also. Works great and keeps it out of the elements. My buddies on the Eastcoast have thought it’s pretty slick idea. Of corse not my brainchild idea, I just try and pay attention to yall’s builds.
 
MNorby said:
Few updates. As of now it's all done minus getting engine calibration sorted out. Had a bunch of time consuming setbacks in the last month or 2. Axle shafts were wrong length and had to be modified, had to fix chassis welds because of coolant leaks, and the ecu tune problems. Here are a few update pictures.

All lights wired in.
View attachment 15755

Belly configuration trying to keep and heat from sedative stuff.
View attachment 15756

First time outside and near complete.
View attachment 15757

Radiator heat shield to block fan noise and protect from cap or upper hose failure.
View attachment 15758

Finished interior. Seen a few guys do the fabric and made sense to me to keep rattles and harmonic noise down and has to help with radiant heat pluse looks finished.
View attachment 15759
Click to expand...
I like that rad cover. Did you fab this? Great idea. I put my radiator behind the driver seat and I share the same worry
 
badgeroo7 said:
I like that rad cover. Did you fab this? Great idea. I put my radiator behind the driver seat and I share the same worry
Click to expand...
I did make that cover with some .060 or so aluminum. A little insurance in case of a cap or hose failure behind my head. Also think it acts as a heat and noise shield.

Have added a spring on my throttle pedal, with the added ratio of the drive by cable over wire the throttle was super touchy and would sometimes get sticky since the electric pedal spring had so much leverage against it. Adding this spring gives me a ton more pedal control. In sand hollow it didn't take much buggy movement and would make me blimp the throttle, sometimes when you least wanted it.

Also rebuilt the master cylinder and cutting brakes. On my initial test drive I was testing the cutters and had both pulled hard when all of a sudden they both got loose together and never worked right again. I could hear fluid back feeding the master when I tried to engage them so initially thought something in the master maybe. It's seals looked good so went ahead and pulled the cutter and sure enough both seals had damage. Replaced them and reeled the brakes and ready to try them out again.

Also made see thru panels out of 3/16" thick polycarbonate. Was able to nest 4 panels out of a 4x8 sheet from home depot. Definitely a nice feature to see thru the panels. Did some vinyl wrap to give a little color and style.

20220527_173758.jpg


20220710_122945.jpg
IMG_20220703_095459_595.jpg
 
chaplinfj60 said:
see thu, how does that hold up to washing off the mud and such, we have mud all the time in iowa,
Click to expand...
It can scratch fairly easy if you try to wipe mud off. I have used polycarbonate for windshields for snow wheeling my last buggy and would always try to wash the mud off with water only. I also apply rainx for plastic on it to help keep stuff from sticking. I consider panels as consumable anyways and seems like a set only last a couple years and gives you a reason to make new set and change up the color scheme.
 
i think i will stay away from clear, this is a typical weekend where we wheel in the midwest, even on dry weekends its still muddy in the shade. damit i would love the clear though.
1659099409998.png
 
Yeah they will get scratches in short order for sure. As side panels they will still function though, as windshield scratches suck. This day here destroyed that lexan windshield but would have still be done for panels.


20200229_163801.jpg
 
Little things, picked up a Terapump XL to fit in my 5 gallon fuel jug. So much easier that balancing on rear axle filling the gas tank with the Fuelworx can. Be sure to get the XL version that has the jug cap adapter and longer suction and fill hose.

20221022_090155.jpg
 
SteerAndStuff said:
Little things, picked up a Terapump XL to fit in my 5 gallon fuel jug. So much easier that balancing on rear axle filling the gas tank with the Fuelworx can. Be sure to get the XL version that has the jug cap adapter and longer suction and fill hose.

View attachment 16706
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up on these.

Picked one up for this past weekend and worked great. Saves me unloading a storage rack of gear
 
What WMS and wheel (width/BS) did you end up with? I'm 70" WMS and 20x10 with 5bs and am considering a 20x9 with 5 or 5.5....
 
woody said:
What WMS and wheel (width/BS) did you end up with? I'm 70" WMS and 20x10 with 5bs and am considering a 20x9 with 5 or 5.5....
Click to expand...
I'm 70" WMS as well. The RBP Cobra wheels are advertised as 20x9 but I believe that is in the non-beadlock setup. Never measured them myself but guessing more like 20x10 in beadlock setup. I have them in the 5.5" backspace and am 84.5" wide top bulge to bulge.

I also have a set of 41.5 radial Pitbull Rockers on 3.5" backspace recentered H1 wheels for winter/deep snow. I have to use 1/2" wheel spacers for the wheels to clear the calipers with those and its at 87" wide tire
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top Bottom