Buggy building on a budget

[Goatman]

:laugh3::laugh3::laugh3::laugh3:

You know better than this Richard. Aint nothin cheap in this sport...

This thread is the beginning of massive cash.

Exactly why I don't want to do it, and I really don't need another project. But, the thought of having the finished product is very inticing.

Ah, gives me something to think about, rather than plotting out linking the rear and extending the wheelbase on the XJ.

Woody, the XJ would be for camping runs, like Swamp and Rubicon, and for the sand and snow, and would be a part time driver (and back up for anything). With all the work into the body, and effort keeping it a 4 door, I'm afraid I'm going to totally tear it up. It should last indefinitely if I quit using it for the hardest core stuff, and with the stroker, the chop conversion, and the way it's set up, it's pretty fun to drive.

I was at a friends shop last Thurs evening helping him tube out the back of an XJ buggy, and I got bit hard. He was inspired by FarmerMatt's CAT at the JV run, ran across an XJ he traded someone out of, and started cutting.

 

[Lincoln]

I've thought pretty hard about the same thing. Only I was looking into going back to 33's and the D30. Just don't want to deal with two rigs and the smaller one will only get used for mountain drives and hunting.

You can still camp out of something pretty buggified if you plan right and there is a lot of stupid shit you can do almost anywhere if it is.

Just face it, you've become old and senial. If your going to build a fun buggy then build it stout and take your hits on the camping rig. I don't get running low pinion crap and slapping big axles in with stock shafts.

 

[Mr.OverKill]

In on page 1 :wave:

missed page 1 but in on 2!

try going the real budget JY wars way and go with what you got to the extreem, when donald trump gives me a couple mil i plan on going off the charts but untill then its the JY for me, see how you can do going that way, bet you could surprise a lot of people!

 

[tealcherokee]

i want to build a buggy yj also.....just dont have the moneys to get one to start

 

[Goatman]

missed page 1 but in on 2!

try going the real budget JY wars way and go with what you got to the extreem, when donald trump gives me a couple mil i plan on going off the charts but untill then its the JY for me, see how you can do going that way, bet you could surprise a lot of people!

Sorry, Troy, like Lincoln said I must be getting senile. I have no idea what you're talking about.

real budget JY wars way :dunno:

go with what you got to the extreem :dunno:

see how you can do going that way, bet you could surprise a lot of people! :dunno:

 

[Mr.OverKill]

Sorry, Troy, like Lincoln said I must be getting senile. I have no idea what you're talking about.

real budget JY wars way :dunno:

go with what you got to the extreem :dunno:

see how you can do going that way, bet you could surprise a lot of people! :dunno:

lets try this JUNK YARD WARS, cheep or free from junk yards (cheep ). mabi try building a trail monster ( extreem ).its amazing what some people build out of scrap parts and a good base rig ( your MJ ). well it works for me ( the junk yard )and i have my welding machine, only a thought though. its your project.

 

[Weasel]

sorta sounds like you know what you want to do, just gotta do it. You don't want to tear up your XJ and still run the hard or harder stuff, maybe not todaly buggy but something new to beat on.

You've already got the MJ's, throw the axles under it, link it, cage the cab, and flatbed the rear.

 

[Goatman]

Troy, thanks. Missed the junk yard wars.... :doh:

That's one of the thoughts, just chop it, cage it, link it, and throw some big axles under it, and beat the snot out of it.


Basically, this is an excersize in trying to talk myself into it.

 

[Phil]

Richard, I think you should do something similar to the television show "Junkyard Wars" by taking what you have and building a very capable buggy out of it. If Donald Trump were to give me a couple million dollars, I would buy new and high quality parts. However, right now I need to purchase used parts from junkyards. I think it would be interesting if you did a low-budget buildup, because I believe you could surprise many people with what you accomplished.

Translated.

 

[Goatman]

Has anyone heard of weakness problems with a 35 spline D44 ARB?

Wish there was a 35 slpine D44 spool, which should be stronger.

 

[Mike L]

Has anyone heard of weakness problems with a 35 spline D44 ARB?

Wish there was a 35 slpine D44 spool, which should be stronger.

IIRC there was a company back east that made 35 spline d44 axles and spools before ARB came out with the locker for it. This is going back 3-4 years at least.

-Mike

EDIT: I did some Google searching and came upon THIS. It is on Parts Mike's website. You may want to give him a call or the boys over at Superior. :wierd:

-Mike

 

[davidt]

What size tires do you want to run? What WB do you want? You could probably get down to 110" without chopping off the bed (brettm will chime in here). I am at 112" on my shortened long bed. Fully tubed out rears look very good, but I am too lazy for that, and I think my rear end looks good. Also, which rig is yours currently (is it the yellow cheromanche, please excuse my ignorance here)

 

[Lincoln]

Richard, I might have a line on one also. Spool with be the most cost effective way to go. One thing I've wondered about and never researched was if the spool creates any more shock loading on the ring gear. Not really when crawling that much but kicking it to the trail head and back. Probably not much of an issue.

The ARB is the same as their new 9" design. I haven't heard of any problems with them. Could be though, I haven't ever looked into it. Don't really want to know how weak my junk really is. When I start cutting I need to pull my third link bracket off and I'm going to check the rear end the best I can. If I does seem like there is going to be a problem with the ring gear I'll probably ship a set off to Bobby Long or someone and have it freeze treated. Can't remember what the gains were but I think they were around 10-15 percent.

Another thing I'm watching is the ring gear didn't pattern worth a crap when I set it up. Either shallow drive and good coast or good drive and deep coast. I didn't want to mess with sending them back so I just set them up for a good drive side. Only put about 2K on the road and hit some trails 20 times or so this year so basically just a break in.

 

[XJ_ranger]

it would be interesting to see what the ring gear mounting side locations would be when considering a d60 spool VS a d44 spool...

the 35 spline shafts would be the same size, and id bet that custom bearing shops could make a bearing that the ID of the bearing is the OD of the spool and the OD of the bearing matches the d44 bearing cap...

i realise that thte bolts wont line up on the ring gear, but why couldnt you drill the spool?

hmmm

i shouldnt speak my thoughts...

 

[Weasel]

I would think some of the desert shops could get you a spool for the D44, Sandy Cone, ect. As for shock loading, I would think it would be about the same as an ARB lcoked maybe a bit less as there "could" be some slop in the ARB that would case a bit more loading as the slop is taken up but we're talking pretty small. The best for preventing shock loading to both wheels would be an open diff, or just let off the gas when landing.

Sounds like you've already talked yourself into it just need to get on it!

Also when setting up your gears run them a bit deeper so when you are out desert running the flex in the ring gear won't run it out to the outer edge and should reduce teeth chipping or breaking.

 

[Goatman]

What size tires do you want to run? What WB do you want? You could probably get down to 110" without chopping off the bed (brettm will chime in here). I am at 112" on my shortened long bed. Fully tubed out rears look very good, but I am too lazy for that, and I think my rear end looks good. Also, which rig is yours currently (is it the yellow cheromanche, please excuse my ignorance here)

I think I want to run about 105". The bed is going bye bye, and likely so would all or nearly all of the frame behind the cab. To keep it cheap, I'd probably run the 37's that I have now, and put the 35's back on the XJ. If I do that, I have to see about using my 15" aluminum beadlocks on a D60 front end.....don't know if that much can be ground off the calipers. Anybody know?

Yes, my current rig is the yellow Cheromanche.

 

[Goatman]

An interesting thought is how well a spooled 35 spline D44 would hold up in a buggy with 37's. It would be a fairly cheap axle to build, and would already be the right width, with good ground clearance.

I have trouble getting out of my mind that I broke a D44 ring and pinion on 33's, but there could have been extenuating circumstances. Who else has broken D44 gears?

 

[Matt S.]

Why run a 44 though. In all seriousness. look at the 8.8s if your thinking 1/2 ton.

you can get alloys cheap and you know there is enough info comparing them to 44s to make them worth it. They might hold 37s better than a 44. And for the front, if you arnt doing a stroker and its going to be a light rig, do the 44. Most your money will be in the front end and you already know that. 300 bucks for alloy rears is nothin. The tube work doesnt have to be extravagent. Do as little tube as you can, and run as little sheetmetal as possible. Keep it light, and do the front end right. You can probly get away with 6 to 8 grand for the total build.


hell, for free food. I would come down and do some work for you if you do it! and you can hold me to that!

 

[Weasel]

8.8 vs. a 44? First time I've heard that arguement.

35 spline 44 should hold up fine, as for the gears read what I said above. Set them deeper then when they flex they will run true.

 

[Matt S.]

Learn to search then Weasel. Its on this board as well as most other 4x4 boards. Test PROVE that the 8.8 is a stronger axle. The downfall is the C-clip.

8.8 vs. 44

Back on topic, I really think an 8.8 would be a good way to go Goatman. That link has numbers on stock axle strength tests. Should be a good read for you.