you should be very proud of this front end. the fact that you made this in your garage by yourself is amazing. it reminds me of the privateers who would take on the large f1 teams of yesterday.
Doug Bug No problem, hey if you thread a bolt that fits in the nut with anti seize in it, it helps the heat from messing the threads up! just make sure no anti seize gets on your weld joint. keep up the good work!
how did you connect the silver shaft part of the spindale to the kart tech spindale frame ? you oder it with the disc brake kit for bugs and weld it on?
How important is reducing unsprung mass in a project like this? I would think boxed control arms would be better suited for lowers rather than uppers. By making the lower control arms boxed you can make the uppers using tubing and make them super light. awesome work regardless!!!
I made these uppers boxed because I had to make these real intricate to clear the shock absorbers and the steering shaft. Otherwise I would have made them out of tubing.
@@DougBugBuilder yessir, I build my own screw jacks, and when I'm wearing my nuts inside the neck it works really good to keep the nut itself from moving around and it seems to allow the screw itself to work much more freely. Really like the videos, I'm not a baja guy but I can appreciate the engineering and thought process.
Hello, Do you have a suspension design with measures and degrees of cuts? I'm from Brazil and it's hard to find projects around here. And I want to ride one! If you can make me a project, I thank you!
I use the same welding helmet that I use for mig welding when I plasma cut.......i can't see crap. I noticed at some points in the cut you were going free hand. Do you use a lighter shade lens....say maybe for oxy/ acetylene torch cut?
Nurburg Flip, In this video I'm just using tinted safety glasses. Sometimes I use my welding helmet but it's an electronic auto darkening helmet and if I don't turn it on it has the same amount of shade as just wearing sunglasses. That's what I use to plasma cut. The plasma torch will burn your eyes for sure....But if you start the cut right on the edge of metal, or start in the middle of the metal you can hide the arc under the metal. When I cut I'm lightly dragging the tip on the metal. This keeps the arc to a minimum. Then you can cut and see where you are going with just a mild tinted pair of safety glasses. . At the instant you start the cut and end the cut close your eyes. I've been doing that for years with good results. And I still have my vision. lol
Hey Tom, my plasma cutter is made by Turbo Torch. It's not bad but they stopped making it years ago. The compressor is Craftsman 5hp 22 gal. The compressor is 120/240v. I'm using it on 240v which makes it work much better. Starts faster and stays cooler.
One thing you should've done was add stiffeners on the inside, weld them to the top plate and slot weld them from the bottom plate. Would add to longer lifespan of hard abuse, otherwise nice job!
Angling it up makes it so when the suspension compresses up it also moves back a little softening the impact to the suspension. Along with giving you a better forward approach angle. And if it's flat or 0 deg and the baja is pitched down from braking or something then when the suspension compresses it actually has to move the tires forward a little which is very hard on the components. I actually considered angling it back like 15 degrees, but with that much it gets a little more challenging with steering and shock absorber geometry.
Ball joints would allow more turning radius this is true. But the heims (with misalingment spacers) still allow enough I can almost turn around in the street in one movement. So it's enough. However the heims allow more suspension travel and are adjustable. That's why they're more popular in off road suspension.
I have this one. chircoestore.com/off-road-rack-and-pinion-for-dune-buggy-39-s-and-sandrails.html Mounted it upside down to use with the forward steering links. It's an OK unit, not fantastic quality, but not horrible.
C & M Iron and Metal. www.candmironandmetal.com/metal-sales/ They have a yard in the back you can wander around in and grab what you like. Plus ERW, DOM, and Chromoly tube.
Yes, I just checked and I still have them. This weekend I'll buy some construction paper so I can trace them out. Email me at Dougbugbuilder@gmail.com so we can go over details.
Sansui Mcpeters, There's not many scrap yards here in Denver so he likely can charge what he wants, to a point. There is a lot to pick from though so I'm good with it. Thanks for the comment.
Very nice end product, good things take time and it looks like you have a solid quality build going on.
Thanks 👍
you should be very proud of this front end. the fact that you made this in your garage by yourself is amazing. it reminds me of the privateers who would take on the large f1 teams of yesterday.
Thanks Michele, that's a great compliment and it's appreciated.
Nice man, I remember the days of tracing templates and cutting by hand. I don't miss that shit at all hahaha
I hear that! lol
Looks bad ass! It took a while before I realized you were boxing both sides. For some reason I assumed you only needed a top with 90degree bends
Nice job y nice car.
Thanks!
love the channel keep it up!
Thanks 5th Street Fab Shop.
Doug Bug No problem, hey if you thread a bolt that fits in the nut with anti seize in it, it helps the heat from messing the threads up! just make sure no anti seize gets on your weld joint. keep up the good work!
Hmmm. I need to weld the bungs on for the steering links. I'll grab some anti seize and give that a try.
Appreciate the tip.
Doug Bug no problem! let it cool before taking them out.
how did you connect the silver shaft part of the spindale to the kart tech spindale frame ? you oder it with the disc brake kit for bugs and weld it on?
How important is reducing unsprung mass in a project like this? I would think boxed control arms would be better suited for lowers rather than uppers. By making the lower control arms boxed you can make the uppers using tubing and make them super light. awesome work regardless!!!
I made these uppers boxed because I had to make these real intricate to clear the shock absorbers and the steering shaft. Otherwise I would have made them out of tubing.
50 cents a pound sounds like a great deal for steel sheet goods like that.
Is there a way to weld the
bungs with the heims inserted with anti-seize on the threads.
Yes you can do that. It actually works really well as long as they are not in there tight with Jam nuts. Just loosely in place to distribute heat.
@@DougBugBuilder yessir, I build my own screw jacks, and when I'm wearing my nuts inside the neck it works really good to keep the nut itself from moving around and it seems to allow the screw itself to work much more freely. Really like the videos, I'm not a baja guy but I can appreciate the engineering and thought process.
Hello, Do you have a suspension design with measures and degrees of cuts? I'm from Brazil and it's hard to find projects around here. And I want to ride one! If you can make me a project, I thank you!
Hello great job there, can you please tell me the thickness of the sheet metal for the control arms.
The top and bottom plates a about .095" and the sides are .125. With this it is very strong.
Muito legal. Qual a espessura da chapa que vc ta uzando?
A parte superior e inferior têm 0,095 "de espessura e os lados têm 0,125" de espessura. Tem sido bastante forte.
Nice, is that .120 wall, or .183 wall.
.120
I use the same welding helmet that I use for mig welding when I plasma cut.......i can't see crap. I noticed at some points in the cut you were going free hand. Do you use a lighter shade lens....say maybe for oxy/ acetylene torch cut?
Nurburg Flip, In this video I'm just using tinted safety glasses. Sometimes I use my welding helmet but it's an electronic auto darkening helmet and if I don't turn it on it has the same amount of shade as just wearing sunglasses. That's what I use to plasma cut.
The plasma torch will burn your eyes for sure....But if you start the cut right on the edge of metal, or start in the middle of the metal you can hide the arc under the metal. When I cut I'm lightly dragging the tip on the metal. This keeps the arc to a minimum. Then you can cut and see where you are going with just a mild tinted pair of safety glasses. . At the instant you start the cut and end the cut close your eyes. I've been doing that for years with good results. And I still have my vision. lol
Doug Bug Thanks for the tips...digging this channel.
Hey Doug. What kind of plasma cutter do you use? And what size air compressor do you have? -Tom
Hey Tom, my plasma cutter is made by Turbo Torch. It's not bad but they stopped making it years ago. The compressor is Craftsman 5hp 22 gal. The compressor is 120/240v. I'm using it on 240v which makes it work much better. Starts faster and stays cooler.
One thing you should've done was add stiffeners on the inside, weld them to the top plate and slot weld them from the bottom plate. Would add to longer lifespan of hard abuse, otherwise nice job!
What is the reason the center beam/tubes are angled 7 degrees up?
Angling it up makes it so when the suspension compresses up it also moves back a little softening the impact to the suspension. Along with giving you a better forward approach angle. And if it's flat or 0 deg and the baja is pitched down from braking or something then when the suspension compresses it actually has to move the tires forward a little which is very hard on the components. I actually considered angling it back like 15 degrees, but with that much it gets a little more challenging with steering and shock absorber geometry.
Thanks. I’m building an A arm truck myself and made the center beam flat but going to definitely consider tilting it now. great page too!!
Can you give me website where i can buy this steel plate? And i need too indentification number plate
www.candmironandmetal.com/metal-sales/
I gave you a little more detail in the other post.
Why arent you useing ball joints. Dosnt ball joints have more of a turning radius i mean great job cant say enough of that but just my 2 cents
Ball joints would allow more turning radius this is true. But the heims (with misalingment spacers) still allow enough I can almost turn around in the street in one movement. So it's enough. However the heims allow more suspension travel and are adjustable. That's why they're more popular in off road suspension.
3/8"? thickness of the sheet?
1/8" thickness for all the plate. 3/16" for the shock absorber tabs.
@@DougBugBuilderthx bro
what steering box did you use?
I have this one. chircoestore.com/off-road-rack-and-pinion-for-dune-buggy-39-s-and-sandrails.html
Mounted it upside down to use with the forward steering links. It's an OK unit, not fantastic quality, but not horrible.
What scrap yard do you go to?
C & M Iron and Metal.
www.candmironandmetal.com/metal-sales/
They have a yard in the back you can wander around in and grab what you like.
Plus ERW, DOM, and Chromoly tube.
where are you located? i have a powder coating setup and can help you out.
I'm South of Denver. If you're anywhere near there send me an email at dougbugbuilder@gmail.com
I am in San Jose, CA. I built my own oven and it's large enough for your front end.
Got it...That would be nice being able to powder coat parts like that.
hey doug is there anyway you could send me the template for the rear a arms and rear spindle on your bug ill pay for em.
Yes, I just checked and I still have them. This weekend I'll buy some construction paper so I can trace them out.
Email me at Dougbugbuilder@gmail.com so we can go over details.
This guy must love weight, buggy gonna be as fast as a Sherman tank. Tubular control arms would weigh considerably less.
how much do you think that weighs. can't be too much more than DOM tubing.
32 cents a pound here your scrap metal store owner is greedy or his rent is to high..by the way cool motorcycle
Sansui Mcpeters, There's not many scrap yards here in Denver so he likely can charge what he wants, to a point. There is a lot to pick from though so I'm good with it.
Thanks for the comment.