Team Rock Out Racing/Funky Fabworks KOH upgrades and rebuild thread

Droopy · Feb 15, 2009

We've been working on this buggy ever since we got back from the last arena race to prep it to go to California. Just wanted to get this thread out there to thank Todd, Stevie, and Adam for all the help while the buggy is taking up residence at the Funky Fabworks garage. We have all put in a lot of time completely going over this buggy front to back. Last week we ran into a roadblock when tearing down the rear axle for inspection.

We were simply going to pull the shafts, look at the third member, throw new shafts in and call it good. Well...we pulled the driver's side cover off and couldn't even pull the drive slug out...much less the shaft. So...next step was just take the 4 unit bearing bolts out and pull out everything. That didn't work out so well. As soon as we loosened the last bolt in the unit bearing the whole unit bearing and shaft popped forward and sounded like a gunshot going off. Hmmm....something's not right. ??? After pulling the passenger side with ease, Todd had to run a steel rod through the passenger side through the third member and beat on it with a sledge to pop out the driver's side shaft. When it finally was beat out, we checked it out. The shaft was fine...splines were just twisted very minor. We knew then the housing was very bent. After pulling the third member and looking through the ends of the housing you could see it. It was BAD. It was then Todd put together a game plan.

Todd decided to make a jig and use logging chains, a torch, and a bottle jack. Not long after that we had a perfect housing. :dblthumb:

(Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics.)

Adam and Todd popping a bead the easy way. booyang

random pic...

With the spare tire carrier...putting fuel in was going to be a bear...so we decided to order the junk for a fill neck. Todd whipped up the mount real quick.

We didn't like just relying on the plastic mount on the GPS, so Todd copied it and made it out of aluminum and made a cool little mount for it as well.

Todd is finishing up the rear tire carrier Monday...it's a cool piece. We got to replace a few bolts that were bent, install the new rear lowers that are supposed to be here Monday from Branik, and get the hood from Kim's dad after he put some funky stripes on it...we'll be good to go I hope.

Droopy · Feb 15, 2009

Oh...almost forgot the hood. I had the graphics done by an old college friend in Kentucky, and Kim's dad just laid down the stripes on it.

Better shot of the headlight and grill graphics...

A shot of the grab handle Todd made.

Speeding · Feb 15, 2009

Lookin' good. Best of luck to you guys!

BamaTJ · Feb 15, 2009

Nice! I am jealous your gps works. Mine will not work at all. Jsmie and I re-wired it today and nothing. Comes but it never picks up a signal. I don't have the one that everyone uses, just a borrowed unit that is about the same except for an internal antenna

Marty · Feb 15, 2009

Where do yall get the decals for the grille and lights. Just curious, those look bangin!

1TONZR2 · Feb 15, 2009

where is the filler neck stuff from? I think I will need it for my rig for the same reason

John Galbreath Jr. · Feb 15, 2009

1TONZR2 said:
where is the filler neck stuff from? I think I will need it for my rig for the same reason

Summit has it.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM%2D290202&N=700+115&autoview=sku

You can also just buy the filler, it is designed for a fender. I hae this on both of mine.

Droopy · Feb 15, 2009

Marty said:
Where do yall get the decals for the grille and lights. Just curious, those look bangin!

An old college friend in Kentucky that works at a sticker shop hooked me up with them. He took a picture of the front clip of a Yukon and resized them on his computer to fit on our hood.

Thanks!

1TONZR2 · Feb 15, 2009

yea, I have seen them in summit, just thought there might be a different hook up....

thanks though.....guess I will have to order it up

Droopy · Feb 15, 2009

Yeah...it was painful to pay $100 for a plastic tube then cut it down to like 18 inches.

uke: But, the ease of putting gas in makes it worth it I guess. Best part is not having to mess with that damn fuel cell lid again. I hated that thing. I grinded the edges down on it when we first got it and it made it a little easier, but that thing was painful.

blacksheep10 · Feb 16, 2009

Droopy said:
Yeah...it was painful to pay $100 for a plastic tube then cut it down to like 18 inches. uke: But, the ease of putting gas in makes it worth it I guess. Best part is not having to mess with that damn fuel cell lid again. I hated that thing. I grinded the edges down on it when we first got it and it made it a little easier, but that thing was painful.

yup, we did the same. worth not ****ing with that stupid cap, and looks like we are going faster sitting still

86rocktoy · Feb 16, 2009

Looking good Droop which I could go out there with you all but I guess I will be in SC for work instead Good luck and be safe on the way out there.

P · Feb 16, 2009

Droopy said:
Yeah...it was painful to pay $100 for a plastic tube then cut it down to like 18 inches. uke: But, the ease of putting gas in makes it worth it I guess. Best part is not having to mess with that damn fuel cell lid again. I hated that thing. I grinded the edges down on it when we first got it and it made it a little easier, but that thing was painful.

I need to do it for the same reason... I hate the damn cap on my cell always a PITA to deal with and bitch to get to.

Droopy · Feb 16, 2009

We had one rear lower link that looked like a banana. Didn't have the cash for new links all the way around, but went ahead and got 2 rear lowers from Branik and threw them on tonight.

booyang

Cole · Feb 16, 2009

Hey what thickness is yalls rear axle? Also what size links you guys running?

Droopy · Feb 17, 2009

The new aluminum lowers are 2". They are bigger than what we had on there. The rear lowers saw the most abuse. One looked like a banana and the other wasn't horrible...but it was time for a new one. The thread size is 7/8's using QA1 heims. I'm not sure of the uppers or our front steel lowers. Brain fart right now. I'll check.

Our axle is the 1/4" wall thickness. When we ordered the axles they didn't have 3/8's wall in stock. I don't think it would have helped tremendously from bending. Might have. I'll just tell myself it wouldn't have. Our big truss that runs all the way across both sides and meet in the middle helps out tremendously I think.

Both housings stayed straight all year until this. We put new rear shafts in before the last rock race of the season, which was the Badlands. I've narrowed it down to the bending of the housing (which was front to back...not up and down) probably happened there. That is where Kim cased the jumped BAD and nabbed the driver's rear tire and it kicked the whole ass end up in the air. We all thought she was going to endo forward she hit so hard. The bend was on the driver's rear. It's the only time it could have happened in my mind. I know jumping it 15 feet in the air isn't good for it, but...to me, that won't bend front to back...it would bend up and down. Just my 2 cents and guess on how and when it happened. I have not had the rear end apart or even looked at shafts since then. So...I guess we've been riding like that for awhile. I guess that sounds bad or lazy...but I guess I got in the mindset of if nothing is broke and you don't hear a noise, then why check it. Guess I'll check that more often. Lesson learned.

We brake enough front shafts that the front gets checked frequently.

uke:

blacksheep10 · Feb 17, 2009

front to back is pretty common, in stock axles at least. I've seen at least 3 14 bolts that way. i have a cut up one in the shop. the wheel hit an obstacle and the link says put, tire moves. bent housing.

Droopy · Feb 19, 2009

Yeah...I know. It's common on the thinner walled Spidertrax axles too unless they are trussed all along the top and all along the back.

We just keep on doing little stuff to improve the rig. Last night we decided to cut some firewall out and replace the body panels that start to wrap around the front of the buggy where your feet rest.

Here is the view from the passenger seat. You can see the knuckle and a few feet in front of it. A real improvement.

Droopy · Feb 19, 2009

Here is the tire carrier mount. Simple design executed well. Todd, Stevie, and I brainstormed and came up with this. Todd machined a block of aluminum into a cone. The cone has diagonal holes drilled in it for coolness.

It has a nut welded onto a V shaped handle that you twist. This goes onto big all thread on the stationary mount. Kind of desert style. That way we don't have to fool with worrying about lining up the holes with studs with such a big tire. Just throw it up over the all thread and it lines itself up as the cone seats down when you spin the handle down. :****: