Building off Road Buggies
Building off road buggies has seen a drastic change in the last 5 years. Gone are the days of taking a Volkswagen frame, removing the body, leaving the engine, adding a roll cage and off road tires then taking it to the mountains or sand dunes. New buggies have taken a whole new approach. Modern buggies can have a Cadillac North star V8, Corvette LS V8, Subaru turbo V6, or Honda Revtec on board with blueprinted frames with anywhere from 12 to 24 inches of wheel travel made to push the limits of off road driving. It still remains relatively simple to build a buggy depending on your skill level.
There are now several categories of off road buggies. The main areas are standard, long travel, mid travel, and dual sport. Only a few differences separate them, but serve their unique purposes. Now you can order one with a complete composite body with almost as many options as buying a new car from the dealer. On board communication, audio/visual components, windshields, detailed paint schemes, and 2/3/4/5 seat option is just a few of the options available. Most cost as much if not more than a car directly off of the showroom floor.
The building process normally starts off with a CAD computer to design a frame to meet the needs of the buyer. Once frame has been designed the materials are picked out. Most buggies are laid out in what is called a jig. A jig is a tool used to hold the frame material in place to ensure it is built to the specifications of the design and they are also used to build future frames. The normal steel tube used to construct the frame is 4130 chrome moly tubing to withstand the stress. Most frames consist of a floor pan and cage with many gussets to reinforce the structure. While building the frame engine and transmission placement are usually mocked (tack welded and test fit) up to ensure proper fit prior to completion. The frame is constructed by welding all pieces of tubing and steel together inside the jig. Proper welding is very critical to ensure the metal is completely fused together.
Once the frame is completed the next step is building the front and rear suspension to accomplish the 12-24 inches of travel. Front suspension is normally constructed with the common a-arm design. The rear is normally a trailing arm made of box construction to withstand the power and travel. This will include building bump stops to prevent the suspension from moving past the designed axis point. These are built and mocked up to make sure everything fits with proper alignment. Then all pieces are completely welded. It will require all brackets for shocks, seats, steering, and engine/transmission are in place and work properly then welded fully in place. Once all of the welding on the frame and suspension is completed the frame is then either sand or bead blasted to remove all corrosion and contamination. Normally the frame is sent to be powder coated the chosen color along with all brackets and mounting hardware. Powder coating offers better durability than normal paint.
When all pieces have been powder coated then the wiring is ran inside the tubing to prevent future damage. Once the wiring is ran the building begins. There is not really a set starting point. But building the suspension first gives you a rolling chassis that is easier to move. You install all of the suspension parts including steering system, front wheel hubs, brakes, rear axles and transmission. At this time you install of the shocks ensure everything travels up and down without resistance. Now it is time to install the engine. Once the installation is complete connect all wiring and test the engine to make sure all wiring is correct. Next will be the installation of the interior. There are many variations and options available so this will vary but the important part is to make sure everything moves freely and works prior to final installation.
A common practice is to use lock tight, poly lock nuts, and castle nuts with cotter pins on all bolts to prevent things from vibrating loose. Once the interior is set to your liking you will now install all of your lighting and check to make sure it is working properly. At this time you want to do a complete thorough inspection to make sure all bolts are tight, all wiring is secure and tight, and install the chosen fuel cell, radiator, and fill all fluids to recommended capacities. Side panels or composite body will be installed next. The panels or body should be painted prior to installation. The tires and wheels used to mock up the suspension will now be replaced with wheel/tire combination chosen.
Now comes the exciting part. Start it up and take it on the first test drive. During the initial test drive you want to slowly accelerate and brake to make sure everything works properly. When everything has had its final adjustments, it is time to tune the engine for max power and to make sure the cooling/fuel system works properly. Once all systems are operating properly and you have taken a few test runs, load it on the trailer and head to your favorite legal off road site. During the first off road experience the buggy should be tested multiple times to ensure all things work properly. After last checks, enjoy all of your favorite spots and always be safe and wear all proper safety equipment. Final step, enjoy.
