Uberoo Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Someone should take that man's sawz-all away!!! First this happened: And then this happened: Weight reduction of 40 lbs plus alot better rear departure angle.Now to take the grinder and clean up the edges so they are square.Then the outer sheetmetal will be cut 2" back so the sheetmetal angles in slightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Shame that some of the weight loss will be negated with sheetmetal and toob work.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott in Bellingham Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 OK lets see this at the show end of August ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 (edited) WCSS 17 augest 28-30 Port townsend,wa? thats getting kinda close. Edited June 15, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott in Bellingham Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 WCSS 17 augest 28-30 Port townsend,wa? thats getting kinda close. ill race you , Ill do a ground up buggy, way more work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) I don't think i'll be much of a contender. Money greases the wheels of progress,and I'm all tapped out. I don't need alot of money but I need a steering rack,a rear 4.11 diff,and a fair bit of steel tube.If I can sell a car I have enough for all that plus some new interco shoes in + size. Anyone want to buy a 98 jetta with 139K? Edited June 16, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) How do you calculate spring rate so the body of the car more or less stays at a fixed point from the ground but the tires move up and down accordingly. Say for instance your bumper is 28" from the ground,and you encounter a 5" tall rock.How do you get the suspension soft enough to absorb that rock without giving any upward motion to the body?Or same scenario but instead of a rock its a dip. Edited June 16, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontoontodd Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 I like your idea of bodywork. Are the tailgate and rear lights going back on, or is the back going to stay like that? How do you calculate spring rate so the body of the car more or less stays at a fixed point from the ground but the tires move up and down accordingly. Say for instance your bumper is 28" from the ground,and you encounter a 5" tall rock.How do you get the suspension soft enough to absorb that rock without giving any upward motion to the body?Or same scenario but instead of a rock its a dip. The + $$$$$$$$ answer is active suspension. For you to have zero body movement you'd need infinitely soft springs with infinite preload. Since that's not practical, you'd want very soft springs with a lot of preload. The downside is that you'll get more body roll and the ride height will be very load dependent, but for what you're doing that's probably not a major issue. Rising or dual rate springs would help. If you have more details of the suspension layout and spring placement I could make a suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 The back is more or less staying like that.The tailgate and the original lights are long gone.At the start of the project I decided I was just going to run some LED trailer lights because it is a wheeler,and I would feel horrible if I had one of the last taillights in existence and broke it.The tailgate is also gone to allow for the rear mounted radiator. So I started clearancing the back for the bigger tires and ho lee chit.There is an exponential jump in what has to be clearanced going from a 235 to 31" tire. Amount of clearance for 235's: amount of clearance needed for 31" tires: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontoontodd Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Why not just cut off that whole overhanging piece of fender at this point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) Then where would the corner marker lights go? I'm keeping that panel because it will make it easier to make some fender flares.At least having something solid to attach to.That side had to be cut the most because the gas tank filler area had to be cut out. That and I still need some weight rearward of the cab to balance out the engine and myself.. Edited June 16, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 (edited) Here is the other side stuffed full with a ++ size shoe. I need to clearance a little bit more of the bodywork to give it enough room but that is where the tire will be bump stopped to. At full bump the tire swings up and rearward to a point that it sticks out a couple inches further than the body work. Edited June 17, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 (edited) So I ran out both gases for the torch and with no revenue coming thats gonna put a damper on things.I suppose I can chip away at some patch panels with the grinder at least until I run out of cut off wheels or welding consumables.Other than metal work the only thing I can do is strip the eJ harness or do some other various wiring work.crap. Edited June 17, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthCoast Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 ...and clean your garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 (edited) yes mother. No, I've been meaning to clean it for a while now,just haven't gotten around to it.I just hauled off about 180lbs of steel for $6.25.At that rate I would have better off leaving it in a pile behind the fence and reusing it for something.. Edited June 18, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthCoast Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I understand that one. You only have one subie exploded in your garage. I've got 3.5. The back of my truck is full of busted Subaru parts and worn out rally tires. I need to take it in soon just so I can fill it up with another load. Too much junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 3.5 exploded subis? how did you manage that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthCoast Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Buy three, build two, build motors, blow up motor, destroy suspension jumping over table top, go to junkyard get more parts, destroy bearings, etc. With all the racing and wheeling I tend to be break stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 So I'm wondering where I should put the fuel tank.I was gonna use a FWD hatch tank in the stock location above the rear diff.But the hatch tank doesn't really fit in between the frame rails.After countless hours trying to find a tank that would work back there I'm not finding much.In the factory location above the rear diff I can fit a roughly 27 gallon tank. The downside with that is due the extensive bob of the back, the fuel tank would butt up against the rear most cross member visible in this pic: I would have a tube bumper in the back that also ties into the rear diff mount, so the tank would be reasonably protected,but with the tank so close to the rear in a 30 MPH rear impact it would probably still turn into a pinto.I don't plan on driving it much on the street but accidents can and do happen. On the other hand EA71 brats have a "empty" space just behind the interior seats, and under the jump seats.I could fit a 20-22 gallon tank in there.That location makes the tank vulnerable to trail damage because the bottom of the tank would be level with the floor pan,So It would have to be made out of 1/8+ steel vs 16 gauge for a tank in the factory location. Factory location: *More capacity + *Less weight + * Almost impervious to trail damage+ *possible rear impact fireball - - Centered Location: *Less Capacity - *more weight - *Trail rash - *lower center of gravity + *protected from collisions ++ *Directly under and behind seats - Being rear-ended and turning into a fireball is probably a really low chance due to small amount it would be driven on the street,but trail rash is almost a given. What do you guys think? factory location: Centered location: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 Oh yea the centered location would also have hot coolant pipes for the rear mounted radiator passing within inches of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 (edited) So apparently jeeps don't asplode if they have a trailer hitch installed to absorb some of the force in a rear impact instead of the plastic bumper.A rear bumper that ties into the frame rails and the rear diff mount will be far more solid than any trailer hitch I've seen.But then again it still attaches to tin foil. Edited June 27, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) So I was able to find a couple hundred dollars by selling stuff, so progress is back on.Then mother nature throws a pipe wrench in the works and turns up the heat. Lewiston was 111*F today.Even at 9:30 I'm sweating like a pig.I wish I lived in the country,then I could work on it until I fell asleep without being hassled by the cops.I was however able to weld in the driver side rear marker light.Now to make a triangle piece so the bodywork goes down as far as the other side.I'm really looking forward to this whole global cooling thing they say is happening. Edited June 29, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Yea Fun!!!! In front of both of the rear tires the body has rusted and become soft and porous..So before I can even think about building the panels for the wheel wells, I first have to cut out all the cancer, and make new panels to go back in place..At least right there its only three layers of sheet metal. I cut out the passenger side and it looks the worst-it rusted clear through the main side to side box section that my suspension is mounted to but only in an area about the size of a dollar coin.I'm hoping the other side is only the skin and one layer of the inner re enforcement..Why can't it just be cosmetic rust?I wouldn't really car if a door was rusted through but one of the main load bearing structures of the body... GRRR!! However, both rear marker light cutouts are welded into the body, so thats a start. Here is the driver side rear marker, Here is the passenger side marker, I'll grind down the welds on both sides once I put some steel back in there.Its just too flimsy to properly grind.The passenger side kept wanting to warp out of the way so I tacked a piece in just to tie the outer skin to the inner structure. Here, is how far I had to cut to remove most of the cancer on the passenger side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 (edited) So I'm putting off buying torch gases for as long as I can.I know I will have to get them eventually,but I would like it to work out so that almost everything I have to torch out I can do at more or less the same time.So I directed my attention to the front.The center steer rack I got from a 2002 chrysler concord will not even come close to fitting in the engine crossmember, So I decided the easiest possible solution would be just to build a tubular crossmember that mounts the engine,front diff,control arm pivots,and steering rack where I want them.Building a crossmember gets rid of the 1/4" thick blocks and it ands another couple points in the "tubular coolness" factor.But when I tried to fit the engine and transmission I didn't cut the transmission tunnel enough to get the transmission to come up to where it needs to be.The engine is dangling at a 14* angle verses a "standard" 3* angle.So to get the 3* angle the tunnel will need some more clearancing, in fact the transmission will need to come up so high that the blower motor assembly will not be able to vent to the floor.I can work around that though.The biggest thing I did today was vacuum up the 1000 lbs of dirt and debris that had accumulated under the brat.. Edited July 9, 2015 by Uberoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 So today after the heat died down I cut the transmission tunnel to where every thing fits.It still needs some additional cutting for clearance around the 4wd shift rod and the transmission mounts, but I have enough room that the engine and transmission is sitting where I want it to be.So after an hour or so of balancing parts on jacks and using bungee cords and ratchet straps I got everything more or less sitting where I want it,nothing is square but at least its in the same zip code as when it will be done. engine: Steering rack and front diff: Steering rack is a center steer off a 2002 chrysler concord. steering shaft: Transmission and front diff stuffed way up into the transmission tunnel: It looks like I can run a tube down from the forward most crossmember bolt in the body and tuck it right under the steering rack.Then another tube can run from the rear most crossmember bolt and dip down a bit lower for the front mount of the diff.Then a couple pieces of tube can connect those pieces so its strong enough to withstand the forces from the engine,steering rack,front diff,and lower control arm pivots.Now to take some measurements and plug them into a cad program so I can start planning, and hopefully make something that isn't a total nightmare to work on. If nothing changes the front diff will end up ~11" from the ground with STOCK tires,or roughly 14.5" with 31" tires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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