Author Topic: Harry's Buggy  (Read 13391 times)

Harrison

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Harry's Buggy
« on: December 17, 2019, 12:51:49 PM »
Specs: (as I see them now)

VW 1.8T/01M auto (180hp)
2 seater (obviously)
HP front/LP rear steering D60s
5.38s, shaved, chromos/superjoints, welded (until I decide on the right choice of locker)
Minimal trussing, single ended rams
1.75 X .120 wall DOM
ORIs
39s/KMCs from Cherokee

<3500lb

I would really like to have a roller that needs some details ironed out and money spent on ORIs and axle parts by roughly this time next year. Time will tell if that's a reasonable goal or not. No parts will be taken from the XJ aside from wheels/tires so I can keep wheeling in the meantime.

Since both transaxle outputs will be offset to the passenger side, I am building offset 60s with the HP in the front and LP in the rear. Every other option I considered was either more expensive by a huge factor or were questionable from a durability perspective. 2.125 x .188 sleeve is being used to switch the diff sides, literally cutting the tube off one side after careful measuring and welding onto the other side.

I started on the HP axle and ran into issue keeping the tube straight out at the end. I made many errors on this first attempt I won't bore you with. I had the machine shop at work turn me up some pucks and bought the 1.5" tie rod DOM on Black Friday sale. This gave me a measurable way to know where I was at. It takes more ability than I have to bend a D60 that's off by 1/4".







Long story short, I cut the sleeve out of the HP after lots of frustration and moved over to the LP. From the learning from the failed HP debacle, I did a much better job keeping this one straight. It is off by <.100". I am going to try to improve that when my rosebud torch tip arrives, but have already decided this is within an acceptable tolerance for a 30mph steering axle.







While I waited for the new piece of tube to come for the sleeve on the HP, I started on the shave kit for the LP. I'd say about 3hrs total of work. Advertised 1" of clearance improvement, pretty close. Considering running some beads of hardfacing rod across the bottom.











I chiseled off the skull immediately after this picture.

Here it is, my driver drop LP shaved steering housing.

« Last Edit: December 17, 2019, 01:02:22 PM by Harrison »

Harrison

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2019, 12:57:18 PM »
Caleb, Reid, John and I got the motor out of the car this weekend. Decided to do it while we still had a weekend of reasonable outside temps.

Low mileage but lots of chassis electrical gremlins and trashed interior from leaky sunroof. Has been sitting for about 4 years. Sticker on the radiator support said the timing belt was changed 200 and miles and four years ago!






Harrison

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2019, 12:58:23 PM »
Starting on attempt 2 of the HP axle sleeve job tonight. Feeling confident but ready to have this behind me.

Tube and seat purchase after the holidays. Need to figure out something for a chassis table.

mr.mindless

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2019, 03:55:28 PM »
I approve of this thread.
Very glad you made those pucks, the side gear splines thank you.
Didn't realize the VW was that fresh on miles and belt, that's super sweet. This one has a good trans, too? I will have a core trans for you out of the Beetle if you want one to build or spare diff parts. It SLAMS into all gears after a bit of lag once warm, (feels perfect when cold) both shifting from P/N, and when driving in D. all gears function. 2005 beetle 1.8t.

I know you were thinking of computer deletes and older fully hydraulic transmissions but thought I'd throw that out there.
Quote from: etk300ex
oh lord!

M4wdFab

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2019, 04:32:46 PM »
awesome project.  looking forward to updates. 

im not a spline materials junky but i bet there is a lot more clearance and play then you think allowed especially on the long side.   

good efforts might keep things living longer.  my front axle is a disaster with about 1/4 of a wheel turn stack up from drive slug to drive slug.  yet to strip any splines out, but im sure its not helping dynamic loads on most of the components. 

Harrison

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2019, 12:31:54 PM »
I drove the car maybe half a mile, seemed to shift fine. Will get the suggested preventative maintenance items, fresh fluid and a big cooler. It'll be fine.

If it's not fine, 70s VW transaxles seem to have common clutchy shifty bits across fwd and rear engine stuff and there is a lot of support out there with those for the dune buggy type crowd. That's my backup. I lose OD and go from a 4.53:1 "low range" to a 3.78 though. Probably still fine but worth trying to make what I have work first.

Regardless... if there is a cheap or free core to be had, I'll take it.

I suspect most axles with 10ft of weld holding Artec trusses on one side of the tube are not terribly straight either. I've never seen or heard of anyone who has stripped splines or anything like that in any scenario.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2019, 12:33:25 PM by Harrison »

Harrison

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2019, 12:17:54 PM »
HP successfully sleeved and shaved. Just under .100" off out at the end, similar to the LP. Fabricate trusses after the holidays, have some 3x6x.250 tube that will get the pumpkin profile plasma'd into it and run about 18" total length so it will brace the sleeve job well. Will serve as upper link and steering ram mount.

Axles and drivetrain laid out on the floor. The proportions of my XJ seem to work well for what I wheel so I am shooting to roughly replicate them. 106" wheelbase and 20" belly.

Need to get serious about buying tube and seats now.








mr.mindless

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2019, 01:50:52 PM »
Love
Quote from: etk300ex
oh lord!

Harrison

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2019, 09:37:20 PM »
More than expected. Not sure there is any other low cost option that’s ~200hp though.


mr.mindless

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2019, 09:47:52 PM »
not bad with a trans and 25# of chain.
Quote from: etk300ex
oh lord!

Harrison

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2019, 09:22:40 AM »
Tared the scale with chain on before starting, was 21lb.

Ecotec/Powerglide/D300 combo is probably in the same weight range as this setup and presents a lot fewer engineering challenges and reliability questions.

This has me second guessing my path a little bit. I was expecting 450-500lb for the VW drivetrain and also did not realize how light a conventional 4wd drivetrain could be.

mr.mindless

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2019, 11:31:26 AM »
Aluminum vs iron block? Surprised there’s that much to lose
Quote from: etk300ex
oh lord!

Harrison

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #12 on: December 31, 2019, 11:43:06 AM »
Turbo 1.4 Ecotec is 250lb
Powerglide is ~140 with converter and fluid
Atlas is 110

Harrison

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #13 on: December 31, 2019, 11:48:25 AM »
Turbo 1.4 Ecotec is 250lb
Powerglide is ~140 with converter and fluid
Atlas is 110

M4wdFab

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Re: Harry's Buggy
« Reply #14 on: December 31, 2019, 11:51:39 AM »
sounds like a fancy winch and fancy battery will fix some lbs