Has anyone out there built one of the buggies from Rhino Buggies?

Sweet82 has one. but I don't think anyone else here has. His looks like a VERY cool setup, and I'm sure he'll chime in here soon...

wooohoooo Sweet82... where are you??

 

ok.. I guess he's not around. Do a search for summer in the offroad section.

 

Or just PM him.

 

BW

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=61248

One of the latest threads by sweet82

 

 

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?ppuser=584&cat=500

His photo gallary

I did.

I was just messin around on that last post.

 

Don't you guys ever sleep?

 

I'm never on board at night.

I'm out in the "Monster Garage" creating FrankenSubarus!

 

Yes I did make a RhinoBuggy.

I modified the plans to make it fit my needs.

I feel there is a certain "Artistic License" you get when you receive the instructions.

In the words of Captain Jack Sparrow, I thought of the plans more as "guidelines":brow:

I thought the plans were worth every penny.

Saved me a ton of time measuring, designing, testing and developing.

Thanks for the replies. I am going to order my plans next week. Did you find the plans to be very useful? I'm new to the Subaru way of life and I just want to ensure that I know what I'm getting into before I start. How does Summer climb with the ATV tires and what transmission do you run?

Plans were most helpful. Well worth the money.

 

I would have spent way more time trying to develop a frame and platform.

The time and frustration you'll save by having plans is incalculable.

However, there are changes that need to be made to the basic building plans.

 

Your climbing ability is a function of your tire size!

Simply put, the larger the tire the less climbing ability you'll have.

No magic here. You will loose weight off your donor platform.

This will help but it still won't allow you to run huge tires.

I run a 26" tire and I would class the buggy as a trail rig.

It's not a Moab Rock Crawler. If thats what you need don't start with a Subie.

 

It's great in snow. I installed a lexan firewall. It allows me to keep the cab warm in the winter time and I can watch the wheels do their thing.

If I was in Alaska, I'd make the heater a manditory option!

 

I run the 1982 manual dual range tranny, no modifications.

The rear end is locked (lincoln style). It will get a little squirrly down hill on solid ice, but other than that the setup works well.

In the words of Captain Jack Sparrow, I thought of the plans more as "guidelines":brow:

Wasn't it Captain Barbossa that said that? Then Elizabeth Swann quoted him later on...

 

Lol, sorry. I just liked those movies...

The heater will not be an option, it will be standard equipment! I don't plan on rock crawling. The area where I trail ride has a few stream crossings. At times the water can be 24-36 inches deep. I figured if I could go a little larger on the tires I might not get my butt wet. I plan to completely enclose the body from the dash area down. What size winch do you have on the rear of Summer? Could you also give me a little info on the wheels that you used for your ATV tires. Do you think you get the best performance from the ATv tires or do you think that 27 Super Swampers would work just as well.

 

Mike

Super Swampers are good but, I wouldn't go that big on a tire.

I have a 205/75 14 on it now and that's about as big as I'd go.

The only reason I got ones that big is to get the aggressive tread.

Anything smaller has snow or all season tread.

 

Your going to miss your gearing if you go too big on tires.:-\

 

The rims I have are custom made by a company out of Denver.

If I remember right they are 9" wide.

I think they ran $80/rim.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4836&cat=500&perpage=12&sort=3&ppuser=584

 

The 6ply ATV tries were $50/. They are Dirt Devil XT's 26X12X12.

They measure out to about a 25.5" tire.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4968&cat=500&perpage=12&sort=3&ppuser=584

 

The winch I have is a 2000# one. I use a pulley to double me pulling effort.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=11586&cat=500&perpage=12&sort=3&ppuser=584

The space where it's located was originally designed for an 8000# winch

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=40764&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

 

I ended up using this one because it was $39 on sale.

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=92860&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

I have pulled myself up my front lawn but that's all I have used it for to this point.

 

I maintain that the basic frame can be made in a couple weeks.

It's the detail work that takes the time...

Build away!

Glenn,

82 SubaruHummer

84 GL Mad Max

01 Forester.

really dumb and stupid question but... Is that your buggy in your Avitar???

The short answer is yes.

That would also be the long answer.

so...the answer to your question is

Yes.

 

Pics in my gallery.

Sweeet... hahaha pun intended............................ Ok so it was lame:-\