I've seen all kinds of buggies in my life, mid engine, rear engine, all sorts of engines and driveline configurations including modified truck parts. I promise you the swept forward axle isn't that weird!
Keeping it torsion spring if you redo the trailing arm? Could whip up some tubular trailing arms with heims or johnny joints or something and run a coil kit over that shock. I think keeping the axle stock length would be smart since they will likely be wear/break parts and you dont want to have to sleeve an axle everytime you need to replace one. So losing an inch or two track width may be worth that tradeoff. Adding spacers back is easy, and even if it burns up bearings quicker they are off the shelf and cheap too.
I like this. That shock is actually a nitrogen shock I got rid of the torsion bars a while back. Off the shelf stuff is just too easy so it makes sense to retain them so I am not building custom crap every time I wear something out. I have some 3/4 heims already but a sealed joint would be best long term. Thanks!
This literally helped me so much I'm doing something similar but with a honda engine and this makes the whole cv thing easier I would cut it down and attach it to the stub axles so you can keep all that
Thats an option but I prefer to get rid of the VW stub axle and stuff because I want to go disc brake anyway. The throwaway type unit bearings are really durable and small
At worst case scenario you're still below maximum angle of operation. I would just go for and experiment. Probably will need to made a mod down the road. F-em
You would need to add at least 2 more bars to stabilize the knuckle if you want to use heim joints, like the rear of a rzr. The bushings would be simpler but have their problems like you said
Great video! I think the best option is to make it narrower with new arms as you can always use wheels spacers later if you need them. Can you please share link to these cv axels?
My vote is modify the trailing arm, run it for now with the intention to make custom in the future. Learn from how the axle interacts with the current modified set up. Though, you've already thrown away half of the existing suspension system so why not all of it! hahaha
make your own rta!!! or check if a stock trailing arm from a certain car would be easy to modify for that(e36 ;)) thats a stupid idea but looking foward to hear your solution!... (ps i never seen anyone convert a trans to SAS that would be fuckin crazy lol)
It was actually more angle than you measured because you didn't add in the x axis no? Either way yea your argument stands. Makes sense about the weight distribution I didn't think about that. I would like to see this thing wheelie.
Yeah I couldnt think of a good way to measure that at the time. I would love this thing to wheelie too but its only a 1.4 liter at the end of the day... well see :O
Having a vw powered buggy myself with stock width beefed up trailing arms and custom built ujoint axles, I would probably just build a new set of longer arms man. I agree that it doesn’t matter if you have a double angle to the front or rear, but if you can give the axle a straight shot to the hub, it will reduce the amount of overall angle on the joints.
Yeah thats the safest option but I am afraid it wont have enough rear weight if I stretch the wheelbase like that. I am going to build it with all the easily movable stuff in the back (Battery, fuel tank, etc.) If it needs more front weight I can move that stuff to the front.
That makes sense. Especially since once you have all that travel in the rear, you’re going to want more travel in the front and a wider beam or longer arms and coil overs would add more weight. I’m picking up what you’re laying down now haha
Im building an electric rail and found some potentially awesome cv’s from and Australian company; 930 fitment but high angle. Still looking to see what would work best
It will probably work, if it was 930s I'd say it wouldn't work. You could build some super long trailing arms and have like 20 inch's of travel, but then you may run out of plunge
I've seen all kinds of buggies in my life, mid engine, rear engine, all sorts of engines and driveline configurations including modified truck parts. I promise you the swept forward axle isn't that weird!
Keeping it torsion spring if you redo the trailing arm? Could whip up some tubular trailing arms with heims or johnny joints or something and run a coil kit over that shock. I think keeping the axle stock length would be smart since they will likely be wear/break parts and you dont want to have to sleeve an axle everytime you need to replace one. So losing an inch or two track width may be worth that tradeoff. Adding spacers back is easy, and even if it burns up bearings quicker they are off the shelf and cheap too.
Johnny joints are a good idea sealed and greasable vs helms
I like this. That shock is actually a nitrogen shock I got rid of the torsion bars a while back. Off the shelf stuff is just too easy so it makes sense to retain them so I am not building custom crap every time I wear something out. I have some 3/4 heims already but a sealed joint would be best long term. Thanks!
I like how you show the movement here 👀 2:21 😂 keep up with the buggy content!!
You can tell he has some experience with that technique 😂
This literally helped me so much I'm doing something similar but with a honda engine and this makes the whole cv thing easier I would cut it down and attach it to the stub axles so you can keep all that
Thats an option but I prefer to get rid of the VW stub axle and stuff because I want to go disc brake anyway. The throwaway type unit bearings are really durable and small
@SpankRanch Garage yeah I get that just that would just be the fastest and easiest way to get it going
At worst case scenario you're still below maximum angle of operation. I would just go for and experiment. Probably will need to made a mod down the road. F-em
F - EM
You would need to add at least 2 more bars to stabilize the knuckle if you want to use heim joints, like the rear of a rzr. The bushings would be simpler but have their problems like you said
Why not do a quick chop and weld using the old arms. Much faster get it back on the dirt more quickly. If you really hate it, build the new arms.
Great video! I think the best option is to make it narrower with new arms as you can always use wheels spacers later if you need them.
Can you please share link to these cv axels?
I agree. Heres the axle 96 dollars of glory www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=13224025&cc=1358210&pt=2288&jsn=839
My vote is modify the trailing arm, run it for now with the intention to make custom in the future. Learn from how the axle interacts with the current modified set up. Though, you've already thrown away half of the existing suspension system so why not all of it! hahaha
Build it and run it
Stop 2nd guessing it 👍✅
Rim offset spacing can fix track with ✅✅
Your right... Back to the garage I go
make your own rta!!! or check if a stock trailing arm from a certain car would be easy to modify for that(e36 ;)) thats a stupid idea but looking foward to hear your solution!... (ps i never seen anyone convert a trans to SAS that would be fuckin crazy lol)
It was actually more angle than you measured because you didn't add in the x axis no? Either way yea your argument stands. Makes sense about the weight distribution I didn't think about that. I would like to see this thing wheelie.
Yeah I couldnt think of a good way to measure that at the time. I would love this thing to wheelie too but its only a 1.4 liter at the end of the day... well see :O
Having a vw powered buggy myself with stock width beefed up trailing arms and custom built ujoint axles, I would probably just build a new set of longer arms man. I agree that it doesn’t matter if you have a double angle to the front or rear, but if you can give the axle a straight shot to the hub, it will reduce the amount of overall angle on the joints.
Yeah thats the safest option but I am afraid it wont have enough rear weight if I stretch the wheelbase like that. I am going to build it with all the easily movable stuff in the back (Battery, fuel tank, etc.) If it needs more front weight I can move that stuff to the front.
That makes sense. Especially since once you have all that travel in the rear, you’re going to want more travel in the front and a wider beam or longer arms and coil overs would add more weight. I’m picking up what you’re laying down now haha
Im building an electric rail and found some potentially awesome cv’s from and Australian company; 930 fitment but high angle. Still looking to see what would work best
Do you have a link? I am going to be redesigning my axles and would love to take a look at these
You do you baby I'm going to empty some beer cans and see what happens
It will probably work, if it was 930s I'd say it wouldn't work. You could build some super long trailing arms and have like 20 inch's of travel, but then you may run out of plunge
Yeah then it puts too much weight forward of the rear axle I think. Not the end of the world but I want to try it at this wheelbase first
You modified almost every single part on this thing. What's one more part? Build it new!
The jeep grand cherokee tele scopic axels are stronger