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Confused? Email your questions about trucks, 4x4s, and off-roading tech using "Nuts, I'm confused" as the subject and include a picture (if it's applicable). Digital photos must measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file. Also, I'll be checking the forums on our website (www.4wheeloffroad.com), and if I see a question that I think more of you might want to have answered, I'll print that as well. Otherwise drop it old-school style with the envelope addressed to the address below. Letters published in this magazine reflect the opinions of the writers, and we reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, or other purposes.
Write to:
Nuts & Bolts
4-Wheel & Off-Road
6420 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515
fax 323.782.2704.
Email to:
nuts@4wheeloffroad.com
Fun Buggy Builder
Question: I just picked up the Jan. '09 issue and saw the Fun Buggy article. I want to build a street-legal 4x4 rail and could not decide on a design for the frame until I read this article. This is awesome, and I would like some input from whoever is building this rig. I have a 350 Chevy motor out of a '94 truck. I want to run TBI and would like your input on electronics and also on what transmission and axles I should use.
Roger G.
Answer: The Fun Buggy is my project. I've been building it for four years with the crew at Poly Performance (www.polyperformance.com), as well as some other shops here and there. You want some advice on buggy building? Well, I have plenty. To do it again I would make it much simpler. The best thing to do is devise a plan before you get started. This can either be a simple list of wants and needs or a full-blown computer-aided design like my good friend Jason did of his future buggy project.
First thing is to decide on your tires-I went for 42s. The tire size, number of seats, and terrain you run will help you determine many things about your chassis, such as wheelbase, height, and width. For axles I went with front- and rear-steer Dynatrac Pro-Rocks, but you could use a Dana 60 and 14-bolt if you want to run 42s. Smaller tires require smaller axles.
I would stick with the TBI 350 engine you have; just look at a Howell EFI system (www.howellefi.com) or upgrade to an LS series engine like the 5.3 or 6.0 out of a late-model GM truck, as they are extremely common and easy to find parts for.
Behind that I would run the TH350 or TH400, as the 700R4 four-speed automatic I'm running is fine, but the three speeds are usually stronger and simpler. I like my Atlas transfer case-it's tough, reliable, and, though not cheap, a good mix of size and strength. I consider it stronger than a Dana 300 Jeep case, while lighter and better off-road than an NP205.
I did a very cool, but very complex, steering-box system on my buggy. To do it again I would just go full hydraulic. I don't think it is as safe on the road, but most buggies never see asphalt.
As for extra stuff, leave it on the trailer. I love having an onboard welder, an air compressor, a roof rack, extra lights, GPS, and all the other widgets on my buggy, but it adds complexity and weight. Fun Buggy II won't have anything, even though I may end up walking home if I break really bad.
A buggy is for wheeling. They don't make great expedition rigs, camping rigs, or even long-distance race vehicles because all that stuff adds weight and buggies shine when they are left very simple.
Speaking of simple, as much as I believe coilover shocks are the best-performing for a buggy, air shocks are much simpler to install and tune, so I would recommend air shocks over coilovers for the first-time buggy builder. If I was building a first buggy I would either buy a complete chassis from someone and install all my parts, or look for someone who sells plans to build a chassis. For example, AZRockcrawler.com sells plans for about $75. Or I would take the time (maybe even four years) to build something myself, and by then I might be tired of waiting.
Wiggly Sister
Question: My sister has an '87 Jeep Cherokee Limited, and when she goes about 45 mph the entire front end starts shaking until you slow down to about 30 mph. What could this be?
RJ C.
Answer: Your sister's Jeep has death wobble. This is most likely because of a worn track bar, though it could be caused by incorrect cast due to a suspension lift, worn tires, worn steering components such as tie rod and drag link ends, or maybe even worn suspension links. Cherokee track bars are notorious for wearing out. At 20 years old, hers is probably shot. Time for a new one.
American Outback-Mobile
Question: I have an '05 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon, and I do a lot of backcountry camping in places, but not extreme stuff like I see in your magazine. I am on a stock suspension, have custom (heavier) bumpers front (with a 9000 Superwinch) and rear, and routinely carry a lot of gear in the back in a hitch-haul receiver-mounted basket and sometimes stuff in a roof basket as well. My trips may be as long as two weeks, hence the amount of gear. I have run into ground-clearance problems several times and want to get a slight lift to help alleviate this issue. I obviously have some weight issues with my current stock suspension and stock tires. I don't want to lose my highway driveability because my Jeep is my transportation to and from everywhere I go.
What I want to know is how do I give my Jeep the lift (ground clearance) it needs, keep the highway driveability of a daily driver, and not spend $3,000 or more on a lift and tires? I've looked at Old Man Emu's lifts, which run about $600, and they are something I may be able to afford in the future (because I'd have to buy tires too!) I am asking if that lift (the heavy-spring version) would be sufficient for my needs, or do I need to suck it up and find $3,000 like so many others have told me to do? I am only planning on running 33-inch tires.
David L.
Answer: I don't usually give a recommendation for one suspension over another, as I haven't tested them all, but for your application I think the Old Man Emu suspension will be perfect. ARB and Old Man Emu spend a great deal of time engineering suspensions for heavy loads when vehicles are traveling long distances across the Australian Outback. I think if you explain to them what types of loads you are carrying, they will be able to help pick the perfect springs for your vehicle. If that isn't enough, you might look into some Firestone Coil Rite air springs (www.coilrite.com) to go inside your new coils.
Get Wired
Question: I'm 16 years old, and I am restoring my dad's '79 AMC CJ-7. It has an AMC 304ci engine and a three-speed manual tranny. I am at the point where I need to rewire it. I have a Chilton's manual, but the wiring drawings confuse me. Is there an easy way to do this while staying on a high-school budget? Thank you.
Name Withheld
Answer: You have two choices: Work hard or spend some money. I was your age once and did the exact same thing to a '73 CJ-5. It was a pain in the neck rewiring it without a clue what I was doing. I eventually took it to someone and had him show me, and it still cost me some money. If I knew then what I know now, I would have saved up and bought the Painless Performance wiring harness. There's one for your Jeep. I found it on the Summit Racing website for $535.95. I know that is a lot of money for a high-school guy-I only paid $650 for my first Jeep-but it would be money well spent. I used a Painless kit on my Fun Buggy Project, and it went amazingly well. Dare I say it was "painless"?
The other option is to slowly replace each wire one by one until you have the new wiring harness installed. This means everything from the engine to the dash to the lights. And to do it right you should have multiple spools of different colored wire, and a new fuse box, all of which cost money. Don't get me wrong; I have seen Jeeps completely wired with one giant spool of red wire, and they did actually run, but if there is a problem it's not going to be easy to find the right wire.