Newbie from VA, Spiderbox

[Davcruz]

Finally got signed in here, seems like some good info to be found on the site! Wish I had found it before I made some repair and upgrade decisions about my daughters "new" Spiderbox.

We found a running but let's say redneck engineered late model Spiderbox near us for $165 about a month ago. We have wanted her to have a go kart for sometime and think she is old enough and tall enough now to handle it properly, she is 10.

I looked at the kart at night and since it started right up and moved I bought it and put it on the trailer. The next day we discovered MANY repairs and so forth that did not seem quite right to me so a tear was in order.

It is now headed to the blaster and then to the chrome shop for some parts to be dipped and I will be painting the chassis. Expected an order from Buggy Depot today with our upgraded a-arms, HD ball joints and steering knuckles and some other little stuff.

With any luck it may be back on the road in the next 2 weeks. I think we have one picture of it as purchased so I can post it later.

[Davcruz]

So here are 2 pictures of the buggy as purchased:





The front end was fairly hosed as you can see, it had 3 of 4 ball joints replaced with various tie rod ends, all 3 different and this completely wacked out the geometry. Not to mention the TRE's were all bad as in 1/2" of play or more. The rack had an internal problem and would only turn about 2/3rds of the way on the left and the front wheel bearings were shot, like missing balls.

Out back the rear wheels were 4 on 4 pattern and had been grinded to fit the 4 x 110 pattern. It had an unknown garden tractor carburetor of about 1965 vintage fitted to a cracked factory intake and would only idle but bog under throttle. The factory carb was supplied but it was completely ruined. Gas tank came from the same garden tractor...held in by a bungee cord along with a garden tractor battery also held in with a bungee cord.

All the chassis wiring had been cut up and a key switch installed in an overhead panel, the panel was cut from sheetmetal and was a hazard to hands...

So, I have not taken any photos of the tear down but it is completely stripped. Will post some photos of the rebuild.

So far I have gusseted the front box mount on the frame, added some tabs for lights and strengthened the battery tray up. Also have a new carb, rear wheels and tires and many more new parts. I order the factory shocks for up front and the rears are OK for now but I want some input on shocks. I know about the Blaster shocks for the rear, but what about front shocks?

[Masteryota]

Welcome to the madness. I also bought my spiderbox at night, but checked over the entire thing with my streamlight to get a decent picture of what was wrong with it. The fact that I paid $100 made it easier to swallow the repairs I had ahead of me(ball joints and carb clean to run), and now making huge changes to dang near everything. Check my build thread for an idea, lol.

[2SlickNick]

Welcome.
It sounds like your daughter is going to have one heck of a buggy.

[Davcruz]

Well, we took it down to be sand blasted this afternoon, hope to pick it up by the end of the week so we can start getting paint on it this weekend. She wanted the roll cage chrome and some other odds and ends but they are going to be a pain to prep for chrome so we are going paint instead.

[2SlickNick]

Chrome would be awesome!!! But I understand......

[Davcruz]

Yeah, we have a chrome connection in the family (in-laws own a plating facility) but after looking at the roll cage it was decided the back half would require a lot of labor to prep so I shut down the process, just don't want to put them out.

However, it will look great in the color she picked and maybe we can shoot it this weekend if the blaster gets done with everything.

[Davcruz]

So, what about shocks? It seems like the choices for up front are very limited, everything I see on eBay appear to be either air shocks or the same pogo stick design supplied by Yerf. I would think that air shocks would not work very well.

Are there other options?

[Masteryota]

There are some options, but you have to be picky and know what to buy. I have heard the 10-12" chinese atv shocks do ok, but you have to mod them and add fluid to get them up to par. Snowmobile shocks are a popular choice if you are ok with modifying the upper or lower shock mounts for the length. The BD front shocks have gotten some negative reviews so I would steer clear of those. If you know the weight at both wheels, that helps when looking at the spring weight rating if you should outsource from a different vehicle.

[Davcruz]

So the Chinese ATV shocks are the spring on a stick design like the stock shocks? How do you add fluid to them, are they actually sealed up?

[2SlickNick]

The shocks that come stock on the carbide 150 are not that bad. I believe they are oil filled and I don't have any complains thus far with them.

[Masteryota]

Originally Posted by Davcruz

So the Chinese ATV shocks are the spring on a stick design like the stock shocks? How do you add fluid to them, are they actually sealed up?

The chinese atv shocks with the remote reservoir are the ones I was reffering to, I probly should be more specific when I talk. I think t3beatz has them on his front end, but he changed the stock oil, and had to add more to make it actually work. So, that is not a perfect, direct bolt in solution, but it an inexpensive one, if you don't mind doing a little work to them and test and tune.

[Davcruz]

Masteryota, I don't mind fiddling with stuff, it is a fun way to burn some time. That said, I don't like to just toss money away either so hence the questions.

Any idea which of the Chinese shocks to look for, as eBay is absolutely loaded with them.

2SlickNick, can you measure the shocks on your Carbide and give me the eye to eye length, the diameter at the widest point and the width of the mounting eye?

[2SlickNick]

Give me a few minutes.
Granted my measurements will be with shock attached, okay.

[Davcruz]

No problem, thanks in advance and it is no hurry really.

[2SlickNick]

Front shock mount width is 5/8
Eye to eye 13"
Eye width approximately 1" ( hard to get)
Rear shock appears to have the same measurements but the spring looks a little more bulky.
Front and rear springs are both 8 inch length

[2SlickNick]

http://www.amsportworks.com/parts.php
14153 is part number for front shock and 14535 is rear

[Davcruz]

Thanks for the really fast response! 13" will require new mounts as will the eye width! Bummer, looked like an easy upgrade but probably not.

[2SlickNick]

good luck in your search.

[bear]

Not for sure, but I thought I read somewhere on here that the yamaha blaster shocks would work on the spiderbox! can anyone confirm that for me?

[Masteryota]

Originally Posted by bear

Not for sure, but I thought I read somewhere on here that the yamaha blaster shocks would work on the spiderbox! can anyone confirm that for me?

Um, yes and no. I bought a set intended for mine, but I think they might be a bit too hard out front on the yerfs. I have read almost everywhere, that the blasters work very well for the rear, but you will need to either cut the eyelet tube width down, or fab up some new mounts for them to fit. Be forewarned, most riders with the blasters out back claim to have to stand the shock more upright to make it softer, and that will require more mounting locations higher than the stock ones. You can make some rough shackles with some pre-drilled holes in them and just bolt them in the stock hangers with a hand full of washers to take up the space, and test the ride, before chopping and welding in new mounts.

BTW, my set is 13.5" eyelet center to center, which is a stretch for the stock front end. I might pickup another set, and fab another top mount to stand it up and allow for the extra length, as mine has roughly 12" of travel before things get bound up.

Just my $.02

[bear]

Thanx for getting me clear on that one "Masterman"!