Help on decision

[Repsolaaron]

I'm thinking about investing in this buggy and need your guys input on whether it's a good idea.


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/3948754132.html

I talked to the guy and he doesn't know a whole lot about it besides what the previous owner told him.

[Lake_v2]

What are your plans for it?

Wheel it like it is?

Looking at that buggy makes me think it is probably very old 10 or more years.

If you ever wanted to change any suspension would be required to nearly rebuild the whole thing.

Look for a more modern rolling chassis is what i suggest. One built with links front and rear and be able to finish it out how u want.

Or sell a kidney and a kid and buy this one. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/complete ... st19764378

[Repsolaaron]

yeah right I don't think anybody would want my kidneys. By what I saw in the pictures I don't think I would have to rebuild it. Thinking just cutting off those leaf springs and adding air shocks and dana 60 front. But I do plan on looking at it first. Just needing some input.

[Desert Dog]

* Axles are not up to the task of handling that build - front 44 / rear reverse rotation D60 is a bad combo for those tires. You will have many axle issues if you wheel that hard. A set of Junkyard 1-tons with all brackets, gears, lockers, and chromoly shafts is going to add about $4k to the build price.

* Suspension is a half link / funky welded leaf abortion. You will need to rip all of that shit out and go with a true link suspension. With coil-overs and brackets, add about $3k to the price.

* Horribly unsafe steering design. Orbital is mounted right above driver's belly. A slow agonizing death (to you) if a hydraulic fitting leaks. Add another $500-1k or so to get that mess straightened out.

[Uncle Cracker]

[quote="Desert Dog"]* Axles are not up to the task of handling that build - front 44 / rear reverse rotation D60 is a bad combo for those tires. You will have many axle issues if you wheel that hard. A set of Junkyard 1-tons with all brackets, gears, lockers, and chromoly shafts is going to add about $4k to the build price.

* Suspension is a half link / funky welded leaf abortion. You will need to rip all of that shit out and go with a true link suspension. With coil-overs and brackets, add about $3k to the price.

* Horribly unsafe steering design. Orbital is mounted right above driver's belly. A slow agonizing death (to you) if a hydraulic fitting leaks. Add another $500-1k or so to get that mess straightened out.[/quote]


a slow agonizing death

i'll bet> as is < your xj (or whatever you call it) wheels as good, possibly way better. even if the axle was fixed

[Repsolaaron]

I didn't even think about the links. I don't understand what is wrong the d60 on it. Explain more if you could. I was just going to buy it and get it ready for the hammers. Maybe the one @ 4wp is a better idea.

Sent from my SCH-M828C using Tapatalk 2

[Desert Dog]

[quote="Repsolaaron"]I didn't even think about the links. I don't understand what is wrong the d60 on it. Explain more if you could. I was just going to buy it and get it ready for the hammers. Maybe the one @ 4wp is a better idea.

Sent from my SCH-M828C using Tapatalk 2[/quote]
Reverse rotation semi-float D60 rear ends are VERY weak because:

a) They run on the coast side of the gears (rather than the drive side), so are no stronger than a standard rotation D44 rear. To save money, manufactures converted front D60s to run in the rear. Those axles were used in the rear of some 1/2 ton trucks, but couldn't even handle those. I bet those axles were pulled out of an old junk-yard 1/2 ton pick-up.

b) Semi-float rear ends put ALL of the stress on the axle shafts, so naturally you break a lot of axle-shafts with big tires. With a buggy and tires that big, anything but a full-floater is asking for trouble.

c) I have the same axle in the back of my JK, only upgraded with big chromoly shafts. I damage it so much, that I pretty much pay for it again every year. I am swapping in a 14-bolt or 10.5 Sterling as soon as I can. Putting that axle in my Jeep is my biggest regret out of any off-road part I ever bought. Smart people warned me not to do it, but like an idiot I did it anyway.

[Desert Dog]

[quote="Uncle Cracker"] a slow agonizing death [/quote]
This is what a 600psi hydraulic leak does;

[attachment=0]hyd fluid cut.jpg[/attachment]

Now, look at where the orbital is mounted on that buggy and imagine a pin-hole leak developing there

[Uncle Cracker]

[quote="Desert Dog"][quote="Uncle Cracker"] a slow agonizing death [/quote]
This is what a 600psi hydraulic leak does;

[attachment=0]hyd fluid cut.jpg[/attachment]

Now, look at where the orbital is mounted on that buggy and imagine a pin-hole leak developing there




[/quote]
this is where i expect abendx to add a gruesome pic of a severed dick, or something

[REDxj5150]

Restrain yourself from this and stop tire kicking over the first thing you scrolled across on Craigslist. That groovy ratrod suspension is pretty trick, if it were a ratrod. Stick with your XJ chop, or you'll just end up with a jeepster commando stuck in your backyard.

[Repsolaaron]

I have 14 bolt rear already just need a d60. Maybe i'll just stick to the xj.

[garbageman]

hey but look it has real tree camo on the inside! Now that is priceless.