"The Punisher"

[b dubs]

Arctic Cat 500cc 50 HP NOS Shot upgrade Approx 100 HP
Sami T-case
Sami Axles
14" Air shox
3 links
Massive 33" MTR's (Super Sticky Compound)
Willwood brakes
PRP Seat
3 Gallon Fuel Cell
Lockers
GVW 1300 LBS
Winch
ETC.

 

[Coreshot]

I have seriously been thinking about building an "ultra-mini" buggy, and you have pretty much the same ideas I was going with-single seat, side mounted engine, 33-35 inch tires.

What is the overall length, with the tires on it? Is the t-case actually mounted to the motor, or is it something you need to work out? I was considering some type of ATV motor/tranny that already had 4WD. Is the snowmobile motor going to have sufficient low end for crawling?

I'm very interested in this build.

 

[JoeT]

The motor is from a '03 Artic Cat Quad with it's own High/Low t-case. I saw this last night and was quite impressed with the frame.

 

[Herzog]

Now that looks like fun. Keep us updated!

 

[Tacoma]

It's like a big, awesome Odyssey!!!!

I dig it. Oh yes.

 

[Kiel]

It looks good, coming along well I see. Ben looks so cozy in it

 

[ROCKRUNNER]

We saw a truck hauling a Sami in the bed on our way down to moab during EJS. We thought it would be cool to build a buggy around it cut the weight in half and see what she can do. We started brain storming and decided to make it a little bigger and a longer wheelbase to make a mini moonbuggy. So we bumped the wheel base from 75" to 94" and we mated the T-case to the transmission and engine. There still is alot of questions about power, Torque, and gearing but we feel we should be OK. We have weighed all components and right now we are under 900 LBS. The 4 wheeler the engine came off weighed 644 LBS. So with the T-case atached we hope we can make up the weight difference. This project is just for shits and giggles to see if it can keep up on the trails. If it works out we will build a 2 seater.

 

[ROCKRUNNER]

Here is the suspension!

 

[Jay5.9L]

sweet!

 

[I Lean]

Radius arm rear, huh? That sure is gonna suck.

 

[yellowbronco]

Radius arm rear, huh? That sure is gonna suck.

Well put...

 

[SAMI]

Radius arm rear, huh? That sure is gonna suck.

 

[ROCKRUNNER]

The Rear suspension is a single Radius arm not a double and will perform just fine. There isn't alot of room for a full length 3rd link, but there really isnt a need for it anyway. We are running 14" Airshox in the rear and the suspension can handle 16" Airshox just fine. The whole idea for the project was to make an ultra light mini and try something NEW!

 

[Milner]

A one link is also simple/light/compact, and would not have the jacking issues a single link/single r-arm will have. Or even leave lowers as is and add an single centered upper?

Is the frt a single r-arm to? same side or opposite side?

 

[ROCKRUNNER]

The One Link was the Original plan but the way we mounted the T-case would'nt allow for it. The R-arm will not have near the jacking characteristics as the 3 link does. It will actually be very neutral with the weights that we are dealing with and the lack of torque it should be fine.

 

[Hickey]

I agree, it's gonna suck.

 

[ROCKRUNNER]

:bow:

 

[JoeT]

Come on hurry up and finish this!

 

[Kiel]

Being that it is only a radius arm on one side, I think that it should flex fine without jacking. Why would it jack, both links are mounted -it looks like on the same location of the chassis, thus not creating any heavier force on one side or the other. It looks and works like a 3 link with panard wouldn't it? We all know how those don't work

 

[I Lean]

Nope, it will jack sideways under power. All the torque reaction is through the one-side link, wanting to lift the chassis on that side. The instant center is on the side of the chassis.

If the instant center is in the middle but too far rearward (like a single wishbone design, or even a "typical" 4-link with too much vertical convergence) then it'll jack the rear end up under power. This way will try to do the same thing, but off to one side--so it may lift the rear, it may just tip sideways, or a combination of both.

In 4wd, since it looks like both radius arms are on the same side they'll tend to cancel each other out to some degree--but in 2WD it won't behave well, or if any loss of traction occurs. (which will likely be more often than the 2WD)

Slow crawling will be fine, anything else it won't behave as well as a different design would.