Holy Smokes Mike, how do you keep track of all those voices in your head? Your wife must have gotten used that deer in the headlight look during dinner LOL I'm so jealous of all that space. I'd have it filled with stuff in no time.
i love your videos! thank you for taking the time to document everything! i plan on building a A-Arm front end now that you've instilled confidence in me :-) the first bug you built in your old garage really got this idea in my head. i'm curious about the shock/coil overs you used. i want to budget things before i get going... i tried removing my torsions on my baja w/beam and they did not hold my front end up. i can't imagine hitting a bump or having it in the dunes... my question is for a budget minded person who might also want to catch 10" of air from time to time.... what shock/coil would you suggest? I do have my gas tank up front still but i plan on moving it to the rear at some point... thanks again for what you're doing!
The front end on that Baja (Mauler) is a great setup. It's certainly capable of catching some air from time to time. The shocks on that are 10" travel, 2" body Emulsion FOX Shocks. And they have a 10" 200lb spring on bottom and 10" 100lb spring on the top. I believe the front end cost me about $2,500 when done. Not bad for what it offers. Very soft on the trail. Keep in mind these spring rates will not carry over to the trailing arm setup you have now. Your ratio is different. Thanks for the comment and good luck with you build.
I really enjoy the videos and all the technical stuff you offer! I don’t think this comment goes here in this video but.. on your Baja how are the door hinges mounted to the body? I’m catching a glimpse of the hinge section in various vids, but I can’t catch the whole thing. I would enjoy seeing some on the hinges and post section. Love the channel. Keep up the great work
You're the first person to ask about that. My hinges or door pillar are actually pretty complicated. When you cut the body all apart the door pillars lose all their strength. So I made pillars that tie into the roll cage to support the doors. In the near future here I planned to do a video showing how the body ties into the chassis. I'll highlight the doors on that. But first I need to install my overhead hoist.
Do you have a Facebook page? I see you are on Instagram and follow you there as well. I am getting ready to start tearing into my 66 Baja Bug and I have felt super apprehensive as this is my very first project car and I don't really have a great idea of what to do or where to start. Your videos have really calmed me and have given me a great sense of direction.
You're saying about the inclination of tie rod being parallel to the wishbone. Infact, the tie rod should be included such that if an imaginary line is drawn through it, that line should meet the ICR (point of contact of imaginary lines drawn through the wishbones) in the front suspension geometry. This all to eliminate bump steer. We've followed this exact procedure for SAE BAJA INDIA.
Hey Mike, wow trailer and loft are looing great, and suspension oh yeah,still have to watch the rest of your videos, just got back from a long fishing trip in the Bering Sea, Mike I would like to get your input on my next project since you have been my mentor on tig, I am about to put a lower outer door skin on my new 55 chevy truck, I plan on butt welding with my tig, have been doing a lot of practicing on thin ss , been keeping heat down and getting in and out quick, been keeping gaps tight aluminum backing, skipping the tacks apart and cooling then hammer and dolly seems to be working good, do you have any thoughts on this? thanks Mike
Mike, for tacking body panels I would suggest you use a Mig. Much easier and usually less heat distortion. But if you are determined to use Tig then the aluminum backing is essential! And leave a little gap between panels. Unless you can lap the panels with an offset on one panel. That method is much easier. Good luck!
Thank you Mike, I know your a busy guy and your getting a ton of subscribers so I much appreciate your reply, I am excited about all your projects, you have a few things going on at the same time, the loft is going to be sweet
Oh thank you buddy, I am going to Tig, I have spent a lot of hours on 20 gauge and sense my panels are 18 I thought that will be plus as far as burning through go's, I have went in with setting at 60 amps mashing the petal and getting out fast with tight gap and that works most of the time for a fuse weld problem with that is sometimes blowing it out, I find for the best results I set up at 35 amps with 1/16 tungsten, still tight gap and start just inside of one of the edges and get a little 045 wire started and work my way through the gap to the other panel, same thing key is getting in and out as fast as possible both ways have aluminum backing, then cool the weld with air or damp rag, with the Tig the weld is so flat that with a little hammer and dolly little to no grinding, so for the short answer Mike yes going with Tig
It's mounted upside down from a traditional install on a beam suspension. It will catch debris like this. It's never been an issue on the mountain trails I drive on. But if I ever take it in the sand I'll make a cover to keep sand from directly hitting it. But you are correct.
8" in the front 7" in the back. But if I did it again they wouldn't be tilted as far back. And these are thin poly seats. So if you're using thicker suspension seats you might need to lower them some.
How did you go about getting the bug licensed in Colorado including getting a VIN number through CSP? I live in Colorado in Jefferson County and having some trouble getting my tube chassis street legal with a new VIN number.
I haven't yet. The bug I'm driving now is licensed as a bug, just with a tube chassis inside it. I wasn't going to attempt titling this chassis until it was more complete. So I guess I can't help you with that yet. Sorry.
Hey doug i was wondering if you could send me the parts you used in the baja bug in an excel sheet like the one you said you had in the build cost of the baja
Watching your videos are very educational. I appreciate your help also and you opinions on my build. So thanks again
Thanks for sharing your update, your new garage/shop is great. You have a great week and we’re anxious for the next Baja Video. 👍. BigW:-)
Thanks Big W!
Innovation is part of the job !! 👏👏👍👍
Sure is! One of my favorite parts. lol
congrats on the new work space. have fun making it your own.
Thanks bud!
Thank you very much sir
I'm a SAE M-BAJA (Mini BAJA) student
It will help a lot
Awesome! Glad it helps.
Holy Smokes Mike, how do you keep track of all those voices in your head? Your wife must have gotten used that deer in the headlight look during dinner LOL I'm so jealous of all that space. I'd have it filled with stuff in no time.
I'm trying my darndest not to fill it up. It's really tempting. ;-)
Looking good Mr Doug.
Thanks Vic!
i love your videos! thank you for taking the time to document everything! i plan on building a A-Arm front end now that you've instilled confidence in me :-) the first bug you built in your old garage really got this idea in my head. i'm curious about the shock/coil overs you used. i want to budget things before i get going... i tried removing my torsions on my baja w/beam and they did not hold my front end up. i can't imagine hitting a bump or having it in the dunes... my question is for a budget minded person who might also want to catch 10" of air from time to time.... what shock/coil would you suggest? I do have my gas tank up front still but i plan on moving it to the rear at some point... thanks again for what you're doing!
The front end on that Baja (Mauler) is a great setup. It's certainly capable of catching some air from time to time. The shocks on that are 10" travel, 2" body Emulsion FOX Shocks. And they have a 10" 200lb spring on bottom and 10" 100lb spring on the top. I believe the front end cost me about $2,500 when done. Not bad for what it offers. Very soft on the trail. Keep in mind these spring rates will not carry over to the trailing arm setup you have now. Your ratio is different.
Thanks for the comment and good luck with you build.
@@DougBugBuilder thank you! Where do you order your heim joints and other parts?
@@vdubluv222 I get all those chassis parts from Kartek Offroad.
www.kartek.com/
I really enjoy the videos and all the technical stuff you offer! I don’t think this comment goes here in this video but.. on your Baja how are the door hinges mounted to the body? I’m catching a glimpse of the hinge section in various vids, but I can’t catch the whole thing. I would enjoy seeing some on the hinges and post section. Love the channel. Keep up the great work
You're the first person to ask about that. My hinges or door pillar are actually pretty complicated. When you cut the body all apart the door pillars lose all their strength. So I made pillars that tie into the roll cage to support the doors. In the near future here I planned to do a video showing how the body ties into the chassis. I'll highlight the doors on that.
But first I need to install my overhead hoist.
Do you have a Facebook page? I see you are on Instagram and follow you there as well. I am getting ready to start tearing into my 66 Baja Bug and I have felt super apprehensive as this is my very first project car and I don't really have a great idea of what to do or where to start. Your videos have really calmed me and have given me a great sense of direction.
You're saying about the inclination of tie rod being parallel to the wishbone. Infact, the tie rod should be included such that if an imaginary line is drawn through it, that line should meet the ICR (point of contact of imaginary lines drawn through the wishbones) in the front suspension geometry. This all to eliminate bump steer.
We've followed this exact procedure for SAE BAJA INDIA.
You got it buddy! Great explanation, Thanks.
This is so awesome 👏. Ty
Thanks Buddy!
Oh yeah happy Thanksgiving to you and your wife and Doug, lol
Happy Holidays Mike!
Hey Mike, wow trailer and loft are looing great, and suspension oh yeah,still have to watch the rest of your videos, just got back from a long fishing trip in the Bering Sea, Mike I would like to get your input on my next project since you have been my mentor on tig, I am about to put a lower outer door skin on my new 55 chevy truck, I plan on butt welding with my tig, have been doing a lot of practicing on thin ss , been keeping heat down and getting in and out quick, been keeping gaps tight aluminum backing, skipping the tacks apart and cooling then hammer and dolly seems to be working good, do you have any thoughts on this? thanks Mike
Mike, for tacking body panels I would suggest you use a Mig. Much easier and usually less heat distortion. But if you are determined to use Tig then the aluminum backing is essential! And leave a little gap between panels. Unless you can lap the panels with an offset on one panel. That method is much easier.
Good luck!
Thank you Mike, I know your a busy guy and your getting a ton of subscribers so I much appreciate your reply, I am excited about all your projects, you have a few things going on at the same time, the loft is going to be sweet
@@DesertRatFabrication Always got time for Mike.
So are you going to Tig it or Mig it?
Oh thank you buddy, I am going to Tig, I have spent a lot of hours on 20 gauge and sense my panels are 18 I thought that will be plus as far as burning through go's, I have went in with setting at 60 amps mashing the petal and getting out fast with tight gap and that works most of the time for a fuse weld problem with that is sometimes blowing it out, I find for the best results I set up at 35 amps with 1/16 tungsten, still tight gap and start just inside of one of the edges and get a little 045 wire started and work my way through the gap to the other panel, same thing key is getting in and out as fast as possible both ways have aluminum backing, then cool the weld with air or damp rag, with the Tig the weld is so flat that with a little hammer and dolly little to no grinding, so for the short answer Mike yes going with Tig
After all that i ended up Mig welding the truck door skins, and that is what you suggested i do
nice!
Thanks!
I didn't know you could mount the rack like that - it look upside down. it seems like dirt would get into it the way you have it ?
It's mounted upside down from a traditional install on a beam suspension. It will catch debris like this. It's never been an issue on the mountain trails I drive on. But if I ever take it in the sand I'll make a cover to keep sand from directly hitting it.
But you are correct.
@@DougBugBuilder Great work - i'm looking at building an A-arm next year so thank you for all of the helpful info !
Hey Doug, how far off the floor are your seats in the first car??
8" in the front 7" in the back. But if I did it again they wouldn't be tilted as far back. And these are thin poly seats. So if you're using thicker suspension seats you might need to lower them some.
How did you go about getting the bug licensed in Colorado including getting a VIN number through CSP? I live in Colorado in Jefferson County and having some trouble getting my tube chassis street legal with a new VIN number.
I haven't yet. The bug I'm driving now is licensed as a bug, just with a tube chassis inside it. I wasn't going to attempt titling this chassis until it was more complete. So I guess I can't help you with that yet. Sorry.
where can i get spindles that pivot
What wide inches a-arm suspension without tires
Coming along
Taking longer than expected, but progress is progress. ;-)
What material your using for base
Do you mean what are the components made out of? Or what is the chassis made out of? Sorry don't fully understand the question.
Ah yes very good
Like that youre not using rod ends in bending anymore
Hey doug i was wondering if you could send me the parts you used in the baja bug in an excel sheet like the one you said you had in the build cost of the baja
Here you go...
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lryaC5lcM3sBJkxIujj82SkGArNbV4B_
Thanks doug