wallysheata
Registered User
- Location
- Aspen/Grand Junction, CO
Gregs getting back in the game :greg: Can't wait to wheel with ya this summer buddy, Getirdone!!!
The Budget Beater buggy
- Thread starter Greg
- Start date
-
- Tags
- build thread
Same here! If he doesn't finish this one, I'm going to have to de-friend him on facebook.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
That is getting harder than it should be. I've got enough stuff you could weld together a case if you get desperate?
I'll likely buy the next one I run across for a decent price.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Thanks Wally, it would be good to hit the trail with you again... and see if I can come close to keeping up with the Rockstar!
Same here! If he doesn't finish this one, I'm going to have to de-friend him on facebook.
I know, and to make things worse I'm cheap. I'm thinking $200 for a Dana 300 is about right. We'll see how that goes.... the Dana 300 is the last part of my engine/trans/t-cases that I'm missing.
Nothing really, I have torched out the floor, cut out the unwanted tube work and have been gathering parts. It's not really worth mentioning.
wallysheata
Registered User
- Location
- Aspen/Grand Junction, CO
Greg we need an ETA, so Herzog and I can give you $hit as we get closer to that end date....it's just part of the requirements of a build thread :greg: Seriously....FINISH IT SOON, I'm dying to hit the trails with you, Herzog and that guy Cody who used to wheel hard
toyota crawlin
Active Member
- Location
- salt lake, utah
That will be cool to get out and wheel with you when it's done! You can show me a thing or 2
zukijames
Well-Known Member
- Location
- not moab anymore
he better finish it.. hes been taking all the good parts from the classified section!
iamsparticus
Take your Rig to the Edge
- Location
- Ogden,Ut
We need some more pics greg so we to can stay motivated, after all im in the process of changing my rolled 4runner into a F-toy like rig
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Well, it's been quite awhile... I've been busy playing on the motorcycle and in the FZJ, letting the Beater Buggy collect dust while I gathered the needed parts. A couple months ago I scored a Dana 300 from JPest on here, which was one of the last drive train pieces I needed... thanks Justin! I also picked up a set of 40" MTR's and mounted them on the steel FJ Cruiser wheels I got from Panos awhile ago.
I also started ordering parts from my favorite vendors.... TeraFlex supplied several control arms, RuffStuff specialties supplied the almost all the rest of the link parts, rod ends, killer brackets, rear axle bridge, etc, etc. Our local fab shop (Battlement Fabrication in GJ) helped supply some DOM tube for the front upper link and the drag link, as well as a custom made link bracket I forgot to get from RuffStuff. Getting all these parts made it real easy for me to sit down this weekend and really bang out some otherwise time-consuming work... so THANKS to TeraFlex, RuffStuff and Battlement Fab!!
I started bolting up the rear frame end links, placed and welded the rear truss and lower axle brackets, then welded them into place.
The front was a bit more complicated, I was working around the funky FJ/FZJ Land Cruiser steering and had to do some things I really didn't care for. The lower axle brackets hang down pretty far and I don't like where they are, but with the behind the axle tie rod, I didn't have much choice. The good thing about the low hanging front lower links is that the control arms should provide a little protection to the tie rod. I will probably eventually add the hydro assist cylinder behind the axle and include a beefy skid plate to keep the ram and tie rod protected. At this point, it seems like it will do the job. I can't afford the very cool $800 FJ/FZJ highsteer option that was mentioned earlier in the thread... killer idea, but out of the budget for this build.
Everything on the front is just tacked into place in case I have to make any changes, but so far it all fits how it should. I still need to fit the FJ60 steering box.
Here's how I ended after 2 days of grinding, torching and welding... it's sitting at full bump in the rear, about 2" above full bump in the front. The wheelbase at this point is 113", a bit long, but that's a Toyota for ya!
Next thing I need to do is drop the 22R into the engine mounts and see if it will clear the upper link. Everything else should be fine... from there, I'll start working on the front crossmember, steering box and eventually the front tube work.
I'm in no rush with this project, I do like having my 'Winter' project and this fits the bill... but I am by no means trying to slam it out or finish it up by a certain time. It will be done, when it's done... :greg:
I also started ordering parts from my favorite vendors.... TeraFlex supplied several control arms, RuffStuff specialties supplied the almost all the rest of the link parts, rod ends, killer brackets, rear axle bridge, etc, etc. Our local fab shop (Battlement Fabrication in GJ) helped supply some DOM tube for the front upper link and the drag link, as well as a custom made link bracket I forgot to get from RuffStuff. Getting all these parts made it real easy for me to sit down this weekend and really bang out some otherwise time-consuming work... so THANKS to TeraFlex, RuffStuff and Battlement Fab!!
I started bolting up the rear frame end links, placed and welded the rear truss and lower axle brackets, then welded them into place.
The front was a bit more complicated, I was working around the funky FJ/FZJ Land Cruiser steering and had to do some things I really didn't care for. The lower axle brackets hang down pretty far and I don't like where they are, but with the behind the axle tie rod, I didn't have much choice.
The good thing about the low hanging front lower links is that the control arms should provide a little protection to the tie rod. I will probably eventually add the hydro assist cylinder behind the axle and include a beefy skid plate to keep the ram and tie rod protected. At this point, it seems like it will do the job. I can't afford the very cool $800 FJ/FZJ highsteer option that was mentioned earlier in the thread... killer idea, but out of the budget for this build. Everything on the front is just tacked into place in case I have to make any changes, but so far it all fits how it should. I still need to fit the FJ60 steering box.
Here's how I ended after 2 days of grinding, torching and welding... it's sitting at full bump in the rear, about 2" above full bump in the front. The wheelbase at this point is 113", a bit long, but that's a Toyota for ya!
Next thing I need to do is drop the 22R into the engine mounts and see if it will clear the upper link. Everything else should be fine... from there, I'll start working on the front crossmember, steering box and eventually the front tube work.
I'm in no rush with this project, I do like having my 'Winter' project and this fits the bill... but I am by no means trying to slam it out or finish it up by a certain time. It will be done, when it's done... :greg:
zukijames
Well-Known Member
- Location
- not moab anymore
good call on not rushing it .. time = bad ass.. rush= regrets and spending even more time
looking good though man i'm nervous about my steering on my axles if i ever get them.. think there is any way you could run a double ended ram behind the axle with factory tie rod.
it was a good deal so i ordered it .. figure i can sell it and get atleast my money back and hook someone up lol
looking good though man i'm nervous about my steering on my axles if i ever get them.. think there is any way you could run a double ended ram behind the axle with factory tie rod.
it was a good deal so i ordered it .. figure i can sell it and get atleast my money back and hook someone up lol
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I think it would be pretty hard to fit a DE ram in place of the stock tie rod, things get pretty tight under the 3rd member with the stock tie rod, as small is it is.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
That would be the best way to do it, and similar to how I'm going to mount my hydro assist ram. Even then, it all will be sitting pretty low, a good skid plate for the ram would be crucial.
zukijames
Well-Known Member
- Location
- not moab anymore
thats how i was hoping to do it i guess we will see if i ever get my axles..
if something happens and you change your mind im first in line for your axles .. and motor and everything else
if something happens and you change your mind im first in line for your axles .. and motor and everything else
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
thats how i was hoping to do it i guess we will see if i ever get my axles..
if something happens and you change your mind im first in line for your axles .. and motor and everything else
Have you talked to Kurt @ Cruiser Outfitters, like I mentioned awhile ago? He has a stack of FJ/FZJ axles available. I got my front axle from Kurt.
Nothing is for sale now...
zukijames
Well-Known Member
- Location
- not moab anymore
he thought he had a front.. but no rear.. i was supposed to email him but my email is lame so i facebooked him waiting for a reply..
the guy i was supposed to buy my axles from wasnt ignoring me.. he was in the hospital just got out today so hopefully that works
anyways hijack over!
build 2 turbo set ups..
the guy i was supposed to buy my axles from wasnt ignoring me.. he was in the hospital just got out today so hopefully that works
anyways hijack over!
build 2 turbo set ups..
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Looks great! Glad to see some progress.
Thanks Shane! It's good to make some progress and really give this build some direction. I really like getting projects to the 'rolling' stage, it's fun to start playing with how it will eventually sit.
he thought he had a front.. but no rear.. i was supposed to email him but my email is lame so i facebooked him waiting for a reply..
the guy i was supposed to buy my axles from wasnt ignoring me.. he was in the hospital just got out today so hopefully that works
anyways hijack over!
build 2 turbo set ups..
Gotcha.
I'll build my turbo setup and you can copy it...
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I spent today cleaning out & reorganizing the garage... once that was done. I decided to fiddle with the buggy some more. I dropped the 22R in just to check if all the links would clear the engine at full bump, see how clearance for the front drive shaft looked and check to make sure there was room for an exhaust pipe on the drivers side. Here's how it looks with the engine in...
On Facebook Tacoma commented on the front-upper frame link mount being sideways... I stole the idea from Shane, who used a similar setup on his old buggy, which maxed out 16" air shocks and was used for years. It looks odd, but allows for plenty of travel and the rod end doesn't come anywhere near binding up. Again, this is fully compressed... I probably could have gotten away with less angle on the link tabs, but it's a non-issue. -
Since I was checking things out, I decided to raise the chassis up to my desired ride height and see how it looked. I want this thing to be normal height, not really a LCG build. I loved how low my old RME TJ was, it was silly stable in Moab. The problem was the really rocky, boulder-filled trails. My local 21 Road kicked my butt every time, I'd slide off my line and get hung up too often. So I want something a bit taller, but not big... a perfect in between. Plus, with 113" of wheelbase I'm going to need all the help I can get.
Here's how it turned out with 7" up-travel to full bump. -
At this height, the belly is 24" tall to the frame... the top of the chassis is just shy of 6' tall, just over 5' 11". I'm pretty happy with that overall size, it looks & feels right. The pics of it at full bump look badass, but unrealistic.
On Facebook Tacoma commented on the front-upper frame link mount being sideways... I stole the idea from Shane, who used a similar setup on his old buggy, which maxed out 16" air shocks and was used for years. It looks odd, but allows for plenty of travel and the rod end doesn't come anywhere near binding up. Again, this is fully compressed... I probably could have gotten away with less angle on the link tabs, but it's a non-issue. -
Since I was checking things out, I decided to raise the chassis up to my desired ride height and see how it looked. I want this thing to be normal height, not really a LCG build. I loved how low my old RME TJ was, it was silly stable in Moab. The problem was the really rocky, boulder-filled trails. My local 21 Road kicked my butt every time, I'd slide off my line and get hung up too often. So I want something a bit taller, but not big... a perfect in between. Plus, with 113" of wheelbase I'm going to need all the help I can get.
Here's how it turned out with 7" up-travel to full bump. -
At this height, the belly is 24" tall to the frame... the top of the chassis is just shy of 6' tall, just over 5' 11". I'm pretty happy with that overall size, it looks & feels right. The pics of it at full bump look badass, but unrealistic.