DUKESRACIN A-Arm mods - BuggyMasters.Com - An On Line Mini Buggy Forum and Go Kart Forum

dukesracin · #1 03-17-2014, 11:43 AM

I wanted to share a modification we have used with a lot of success.

We race on an oval dirt track, and we were chewing up the RF spindle/balljoints/bearings and hubs because of the extreme pressures placed on the RF while turning LEFT lap after lap.

Basically we made solid studs on top and bottom of the spindle, then made adjustable heims for the swivel/ball joints.

We can adjust camber at the hems and i built the caster in during construction!

This mod also allowed us to move the RF wheel out and gives us some adjustment with wheel backspacing to help tune the car for corner entry!

Masteryota · #2 03-17-2014, 04:19 PM

You have my attention now. I have been pondering other options for my Dazon, which incidentally, needs new spindles due to the ball joints. I am mainly concerned with the prices going up on mine and the supply drying up at some point. Could you post some of the spindles as well?

bear · #3 03-17-2014, 07:12 PM

"Ditto"

dukesracin · #4 03-17-2014, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masteryota

You have my attention now. I have been pondering other options for my Dazon, which incidentally, needs new spindles due to the ball joints. I am mainly concerned with the prices going up on mine and the supply drying up at some point. Could you post some of the spindles as well?

I will get some detailed photos of the spindles and the whole assembly

**JERSEYDEVIL** · #5 03-17-2014, 09:13 PM

at one point I thought of doing something like that with my carter talons. doing the heim joint swap for the ball joints on one of my yerfs gave me the idea. I ended up selling all of them so I never really followed through. glad to see that it works well. Nice job!

dukesracin · #6 03-17-2014, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JERSEYDEVIL

at one point I thought of doing something like that with my carter talons. doing the heim joint swap for the ball joints on one of my yerfs gave me the idea. I ended up selling all of them so I never really followed through. glad to see that it works well. Nice job!

Thanks, I wish I could take all the credit.....Tom at SYC helped me work through the idea and solve our destructive RF suspension!

bear · #7 03-18-2014, 08:50 PM

Tom is a blessing to this forum!

dukesracin · #8 03-18-2014, 11:59 PM

So here is some detail on the RF upgrade to my flat track buggy.
The studs are 3/4 threaded bolts welded to the top and bottom of the spindles after i cut out the ball joints. I had to measure the correct angles to get the studs to sit correctly in relation to the heim joints.
It was the first run, so I plan to make another set for the Helix I just picked up and make some minor adjustments. Mainly the spacing for the overall spindle height so it is taller.

dukesracin · #9 03-19-2014, 12:00 AM

Close up shot on the spindle

**JERSEYDEVIL** · #10 03-19-2014, 12:14 AM

oh i thought you were talking about the carbide

Masteryota · #11 03-19-2014, 08:22 PM

Yes, the carbide type struts are what I'm dealing with at the moment. Nevertheless, it has spurred some ideas for a cheaper alternative to full strut replacement.

**JERSEYDEVIL** · #12 03-19-2014, 08:28 PM

i was always think if you heim the arms and take out the ball joints in the strut and replace it with solid studs, use hi-mis spacers on the heims and you'll have better articulation than stock. i've got a couple of HH/carter/carbide front end idea's that i might incorporate into a build to sell. just have to get over a couple humps to free up some time.

Masteryota · #13 03-19-2014, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JERSEYDEVIL

just have to get over a couple humps to free up some time.

I know that feeling....

Quote:

i was always think if you heim the arms and take out the ball joints in the strut and replace it with solid studs, use hi-mis spacers on the heims and you'll have better articulation than stock

That is the direction I am looking now. I may buy a new set just for simplicity, but I am definitely looking at Heim options.

x-bird · #14 03-19-2014, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JERSEYDEVIL

i was always think if you heim the arms and take out the ball joints in the strut and replace it with solid studs, use hi-mis spacers on the heims and you'll have better articulation than stock. i've got a couple of HH/carter/carbide front end idea's that i might incorporate into a build to sell. just have to get over a couple humps to free up some time.

You get the most articulation by going vertical with the heims. you just need to have enough misalignment to get full turning radius, which isn't that much with the larger heims. issue making that setup difficult are cast spindles that you can't weld the mount tabs onto. one could weld them onto the stud though. Also eliminates the single shear setup of a horizontal mount.

2SlickNick · #15 03-20-2014, 04:50 AM

I think I need to do some reading on all this. Because I am lost. Heim? Not even sure what but is? But I know I want my next buggy to have a front end like helix. Even if i have to convert atv front end on buggy. Any good sites I should reading on for these heims?

**JERSEYDEVIL** · #16 03-20-2014, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by x-bird

You get the most articulation by going vertical with the heims. you just need to have enough misalignment to get full turning radius, which isn't that much with the larger heims. issue making that setup difficult are cast spindles that you can't weld the mount tabs onto. one could weld them onto the stud though. Also eliminates the single shear setup of a horizontal mount.

actually X at least on a strut buggy welding tabs to the struts instead of a stud and going vert would actually be easier. The thought was pre-joyner but the after joyner experience would tell me to do the same. 5/8 heims 1/2 hi-mis going vert.... plenty strong and plenty of turn. Works great on the 400.

Masteryota · #17 03-20-2014, 09:04 AM

I was thinking the same thing. Some of these and add the clevis portion to the ends of the spindles. I was thinking of sleeving the ends with chromo tube and add the clevis to that to ensure a good strong base for the clevis.

Masteryota · #18 03-21-2014, 05:10 PM

Here is something I stumbled onto today, not what I had in mind, but still worth a look.

http://buggynews.com/wreck-s-gtr-str...-0-t26166.html

**JERSEYDEVIL** · #19 03-21-2014, 06:06 PM

i saw the 1st version he did and wasnt sure of the looks of it. i guess it works good not sure why it wouldnt, i would have to see it up close to give a real opinion. just doesnt look like the arm would hold up to all the stuff welded to it, not enough surface, but like i said that's at a glance. plus it's been done so of coarse i would have to do something different, out of stuborness.

Masteryota · #20 03-21-2014, 07:09 PM

I like the rebuildable nature of them, and the cost isn't bad, but I'm with you about the strength of the arm itself. The Dazon BJ is set back on the upper arm, so this exact design would need to be modified.

The biggest hang up for me is the placement of the joint itself. Thinking it might work better mounted to the ends of the spindles, but I worry about lateral forces shearing the threaded portion. I need to take a look at the arms to be sure, I guess.

x-bird · #21 03-21-2014, 11:46 PM

for a strut setup like wreck's i'd just tab the arms, add a reinforcing gusset that the tabs go into and have the heim sticking out of the top of the strut. the upper isn't taking the brunt of the load. i run dinky little 3/8ths in my uppers at the spindle end. at the frame end of the arms, they're the 1/2 bore 5/8ths shank.