JR rock buggy

[Clubbs]

I started modifying my sons power wheels and they just aren't cutting it so I'm starting to think about building him his own rock buggy.  Ideally it would be a two seater so I could ride with him at times granted it would be tight for my at 6' tall.  I'm think a little shorter wheelbase than my cj5 and using stock width sami axles.  I just picked up a 4cyl isuzu diesel for the project.  Its a marine engine with a heat exchanger on it so it hasnt seen saltwater at least not on the inside and it looks super clean.  It has a tiny bell housing on it and some sort of clutch looking thing on the flywheel.  I'll try to use the sr4 and dana 300 out of my cj5 for the rest of the drivetrain but not sure how its all going to bolt up yet.  That and I think a clutch may be a little much for my 4 year old, and the trouble I will have mating the engine and trans together has got me thinking about building or using a centrifugal cluth.  So to shift gears you just get off the throttle let the clutch disengage and shift...  For suspension I'm working on a poor man's 4 link / 1/4 elliptical suspenson setup in my head, and so far as most things in my head go, its pretty confused.  I'll probably use some 2x2 or2x3 box for the frame rails and tube the rest ( I'll have to finally buy a bender)  Its going to be a long project but hope to have it ready by time he's 6 or so.  I've got lots of research to do on the engine to axles configuration but the rest of it shouldn't be any different from any other build... its all time and money neither of which any of us seem to have, but if everyone could do it, then it wouldn't be any fun.  Hopefully more to come.

Dave

[Bill Cooke]

Cool idea. What about starting with a go cart chassis to start? Beef up the suspension and such...

Air shocks are a good idea too. Not the old monroes under the old p'up but rockcrawler style air shocks.

You could also buy an old quad and gut the drivetrain from that. There are a BUNCH of cool options.

Always remember, it's not just your son that you are building this for... it's also his mom. If she doesn't like it forget about it! 

Keep us posted

Bill Cooke

[hilton8r]

Keep an eye out on Craig's List for a bender. Maybe you can barter for one. I read an article about a kid who barted a cel phone into a Porsche over the period of several barters!

You'll fit in it just fine Dave. Just don't put the cage where your head goes!

[Clubbs]

Bill you're right, mom has to approve so it has to be as safe as possible.  I've thought about using a 4 wheeler to start with but I think it needs to be a little bigger.  The engine trans combination is nice and there always the cvt trans with a t-case so there are some possibilities there.  The air shocks would be nice too but if I can't have fox shocks on my rc then I'm not forking over the cash for my 4 year olds buggy either...  So far the way the project is going its likely to be a hodge podge of different parts I have layin around.  If I do the 1/4 elliptical suspension I'll just use some stock cj springs I have, I already have a couple of jeep trans and a spare d300 to go in it, I'll use a hydraulic boat helm and ram for steering.  I found a set of sami axles a few hours south of me for $100 so that will work out, and the 50 horse diesel was free. 

Hiltman I'm all about the bartering, I'll usually offer something in trade before I offer cash, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, but with all the junk I have layin around its fun to try and make a deal with.  I saw a used bender for sale once and it went pretty high, I think most people that buy benders are like us and just plan on hangin on to in because we all know that even if its "done" for now there's always next weekend to change it again...

Dave