Another Yerf Spiderbox (re)build

[Big Rich]

Ok, I'm jumping out of the member intro thread and I'll try and document my work here. Couple weeks ago I found the Dog on Craigslist (sorry for the same picture as before):



It started, ran, stopped for a decent price so it found its way to my garage. The front end definitely needs some work (imagine that, huh?) but I have the go ahead to spend "X" amount of dollars for safety upgrades. The PO had 3 lights mounted up high and wired directly to the battery, those got replaced first thing (especially since one fell off while trailering it home....haha). That air intake got shortened down as well - it sounded like the intake was trying to suck my ear in! But a new intake is in the works already.....

Anybody notice anything dangerous about the Yerf yet? No? It appears the PO though removing the stock seatbelts was a good idea..... so there's my first big ticket item. Some 5 points from Speedway should fit the bill nicely:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedw...own,57559.html

[Big Rich]

I only have 2 pictures at the moment, but will be taking more over the next couple days. Aside from the PO's air intake buzzing next to my head, the exhaust sounded terribly loud and I found out why yesterday:



Those are called "speed holes", right? I'll be pulling the exhaust off for sand blasting & painting anyway, so i'll be trying to weld those holes shut. What else needs work..... the right rear tire isn't holding air for more than a couple days, the duct tape on the steering assembly is starting to rip, and electrical gremlins. Oh the electrical gremlins! I recently had a complete loss of spark! I'm in the middle of diagnosing that right now - according to the guide from BD, i have dismissed the kill switch, ignition coil, and spark plug. So that leaves me with the stator or CDI. I'll update that as it comes along though.....

Other plans for the buggy that I haven't mentioned yet: windscreen from Lexan, flat plastic roof, rear view mirror, new roll bar padding, replace the cracked gas tank, new fuel filter, etc, etc..... hopefully updates coming soon! My son is hounding me every day to ride....

[ModdedMotor212]

wow, that looks really nice. i like how it still looks clean and the color combo.
Looks like someone added some "speed holes" in the exhaust .

Suspension..nice tires..looks good!

[tkeagle]

your dog in better shape then mine was in, when got mine. But not saying much.
That was my big thing when I was working on the dog. Saftey for kids. So this your first buggy? I've got about everything safety wise I wanted done to mine, for the kids. Now I just want more power.!!!
Most my stuff I've posted on My thread. TK's kids Yerfdog updates.
5 points are a nice safety item to have, and gives you good peace of mind. However, they are a pain in the ass!!!! I've got 2 kids. And my wife and I both ride it. Add a few friends of the kids, and some other adults, getting in and out of the 5 points get to be a pain. I got a set of quick release one off Amazon. They are not made for drag racing, or anything like that. But since top speed in Dog is only a little over 30mph, I think they do the job. However, the buggy is shedded 95% of the time. the seat belts got get the elements like they could. Saying this, because not sure how long they would last if they was in the elements 24/7. They serve their purpose. Been rolled 2 times since put them in, and no injuries. The quick release is very nice to have. And they adjust quickly when different ppl are getting in and out. Still takes time. Thing is with the 5 points, if you still have the stock seats, then the top 2 straps, and pinch your neck. And if a littler person is sitting in it, well, might look at some padding, or booster seat for them, so the 2 straps not pinched on the neck.
Dogs vibrate a lot. Be sure you always have some open end wrenchs, or a adjustable one. Check your nuts and bolts, and frame and every where you can see. They will come lose. So keep eye out for that. And if replacing, or you might check, but all nuts will need to be nylon, or at least a lock washer backing them up. Or wont take long for them to be missing.
Some good shocks will help to lower the chance of role over. They are Yerfdogs, so expect it to happen at some point. BD ball joints.
Check your brakes. For some reason, they did work this weekend. Think got air in line. But not sure how. Sure there more, but little at a time.
Oh ya, gas tank. might be good idea to replace the stock plastic one, with something better, and a gas shut off valve. That is a must, if don't have a shut off.

[ModdedMotor212]

^ Nice Review lol ^

[Big Rich]

Good info TK! I've read thru your thread a couple times now. It's funny you mention the vibration / loose bolts..... I just noticed last night all 6 bolts on the bulkhead are loose! Haven'thad a problem with the brakes yet, but they will be getting worked on at some point iI'm sure. My gas tank needs replaced already - the rear mount is cracked so iit's being held on with a bungee cord.

I stripped off all the old foam padding & electrical tape last night, and found a good bit of surface rust on one of the tubes. Add that to the list..... took off both tubes for prep and paint:

[Big Rich]

Here's the rough cuts on the Lexan (before I unbolted the roll bars):



It will be held on with zip ties, and was only about $20 from the local hardware store. So no big loss either way.

[Big Rich]

Intake fun! When I first got the Yerf, it had the huge snorkel in my first picture. First change was to this:



While the intake noise was no longer in my ear, the entire setup left a lot to be desired..... with a 1.75" section of silicone tubing (with a 45° angle) and a Uni filter, now Ihave this:

[Big Rich]

Lightly sandblasted the exhaust, filled the "speed holes", and painted (just took a wire wheel to the chrome):

[Big Rich]

Added a blinking red led made for bicycles, Lexan screen installed, painted roll bars, new foam padding installed, and grade 8 hardware for the roll bars & bulkhead:

[Big Rich]

And last update-I figured out what my electrical "gremlin" was. It wasn't the CDI as I had thought, it was the stator.....kinda. The nut on the end of the crank came loose just enough for the key way to distort, which allowed the magnetic housing to spin freely on the end of the crank. No magnets spinning = no signal from the stator & timing pickup. Unfortunately, now Ineed to come up with a good solution to resolve that...... and I REALLY don't want to open the engine up because of a boogered end on the crank. I see some more welding / machining in my future....

[Big Rich]

I've got some questions regarding my front end, and hopefully you guys can help me out..... I'm almost certain the rack and pinion setup isn't stock, and I recently found some issues with it. Each tie rod has been cut / welded with a sleeve over it, and the left tie rod is bent. The right tie rod rattles like crazy near the gear box (maybe there was some type of bushing in there?). Also, the gear box is mounted at an angle, so the left tie rod is higher than the right.

Maybe I'll just start gutting the R&P system and try and straighten it out best I can over the next couple days..... but any info yinz can pass along would be greatly appreciated. And of course, I can get more pictures if needed.

[OLDKID]

BMI KARTS has complete rack with tie rod ends for $66 . BMI , and Buggy Depot are the source's for Spiderbox parts . Dealt with both numerous times , always good . As I'm sure you discovered Spiderboxs have a terrible turning radius , like you need a Walmart parking lot to turn around in . This is remedied by adding ( cutting ) 6-8 more teeth to the rack . B.D. offers one already modified .

[tkeagle]

I've rebuilt my entire front end with buggy depot. And they do back up thier life time warranty. I bent a spindle after a roll over. I sent them pics. And new one was sent the next day, without even sending the dmged one back in. The heavy duty BD parts are little pricey. But I think we'll worth money, because they do back up thier parts.
And I agree. Turning radius sucks on YD. I would like to cut a few more teeth in mine. However, due to the front fenders, can't turn it any tighter without fenders slamming into frame. Guess would rather have the fenders. They do make a front end lift kit. Which I do have. No problems with it. Which includes front shocks. Shock bracket extentions. And tie rod extentions. Front shocks not the best. But much better then stock. And with the shocks extentions, gives you a little more play room, when want to get better ones.

[Big Rich]

Oldkid- I've actually never experienced the stock turning radius , but I've read a LOT about it..... I checked the steering boxes at BD & BMI: BD is currently out of stock. I will keep them in mind though.

TK- I've read about many of BD's updated parts, so I probably will be getting some stuff from them. Looking at the spindles, new wheel hubs, etc, but I am going to try the heim joints if my current ball joints (and sheet metal tabs) hold up til winter.

As it stands, I'll try and straighten out the left tie rod with a torch and BFH. Once I get the spindles, I can see myself tearing apart the front end to level the steering box mount along with reinforcing the bulkhead. I really don't want to shut down the buggy for any length of time if possible since my son loves riding it as is.

[Big Rich]

Busy, busy..... got some 1/4" plate and welded in some gussets:



The welds turned out pretty ugly since my HF welder was acting up. But it's better than nothing. I also straightened out the tie rod best I could, and remounted the steering box to help with the geometry (it was angled up on one side, and the tie rods also weren't even close to parallel with the a arms). Next up: beefing up the bulkhead mounts, and doing something about the ball joint mounts.

[jmansracerocket]

I would highly recommend the bd steering rack setup, it's worth the money.

[Big Rich]

No doubt Jman. At the moment however, I'm spending time and resources on stuff that really needs fixed (seatbelts, frame supports, my goobered flywheel, etc). My next big $ items will be BD spindles and either their ball joints or heim ends. The steering rack is definitely on my list though.

[Big Rich]

Couple of updates..... my son and I were riding the buggy thru the yard when the neighbors son (6 year old) decided to chase us on his 80cc quad. I saw his mom wave, so I stopped to double check all was well, and wam......



Got rear ended. He just didn't see us stopped, and it was a low speed collision. Chipped the aluminum from the engine casing, and bent up the chain guard, that's all. I'd like to make some kind of rear bumper, but I'm concerned with how the engine comes out of the swingarm..... does it just slide straight back for removal, or does it drop down after the axle is removed?

[Big Rich]

Here's the other pictures I have - I noticed a good bit of grass clippings getting sucked into the fan shroud, so I bought some black Uni filter foam, #8 (?) Sheet metal screws, aluminum spacers, and some fender washers and came up with this:





The foam is just rough cut for now, and will be trimmed up proper eventually. I figured if the dry foam gets clogged with mud or anything the spacers will hold it away from the shroud to still allow some air flow. More updates coming soon!

[jmansracerocket]

Taking the engine out isn't bad but I've done it at least 15 times so I'm pretty fast now. Make sure all your electric connections are apart, carb, intake, and exhaust, I do prefer taking out the cvt stuff just makes it lighter in weight to maneuver and pick up once done. I like to drop the axle so it's out of the way and lower the engine below the frame. Also disconnect the rear brake caliper.

[jmansracerocket]

Forgot to mention I never rain with the chain guard on my yerf for years without a problem.

[Big Rich]

Good info Jman, thanks! I didn't want to do a bunch of welding to find out it will need cut out later.....

While I'm not terribly opposed to running without a chain guard, I am kinda anal about lubing drive chains (habit from riding motorcycles). So the few rides on the Yerf without one left the entire engine area soaked with chain lube. Haha.....

[jmansracerocket]

Originally Posted by Big Rich

Good info Jman, thanks! I didn't want to do a bunch of welding to find out it will need cut out later.....

While I'm not terribly opposed to running without a chain guard, I am kinda anal about lubing drive chains (habit from riding motorcycles). So the few rides on the Yerf without one left the entire engine area soaked with chain lube. Haha.....

I know what ur talking about they make a chain lube that doesn't splatter all over or you can use that wd40 dry lubricant that won't splatter.

[SYCARMS]

I just pull the whole rear carrier, roll it out from under buggy then remove from carrier. Once done a few times 15 minutes max.

[Big Rich]

Cheers Tom! And thanks for all your info elsewhere - I've learned a lot from you.

Here's to hoping I don't get TOO much experience pulling the motor out.....

[Big Rich]

Time for a few updates..... first, I found some Blaster front shocks on ebay. Of course, mounting them in the original mounts would jack up the rear end quite a bit so I made some upper and lower brackets:

[Big Rich]

Couple days ago, my brake linkage broke right at the spot where it enters the brake pedal. After looking at the break, it was bent and the threads were rubbed down to clean steel..... I'd imagine the brake rod was getting smashed repeatedly from my feet. To give the entire system some "flex" I cut apart the rod, welded a chain to it, and mounted the chain to the brake pedal with a bolt thru the chain (so the pedal is pushing on the bolt & pulling the chain / rod):

[Big Rich]

And this just happened today:



I crested the hill right next to my house and the wheel slammed into the corner of the porch. I felt the steering kic hard when it happened, and when I looked down I was expecting a busted ball joint or something..... not the tie rod. Looks like I'll be getting a new R&P sooner than I had hoped......

[Big Rich]

Quick question for the masses: I've read that the tongue coming off the front of the frame should be tilted upwards around 9° or 10°. Does that mean that the bulkhead is tilted at the same angle? I noticed a couple weeks ago that the 4 lower mounting bolt holes were pretty egg shaped..... and hopefully this weekend I'll be reinforcing the entire bulkhead. If the bulkhead is supposed to be at the same angle, I can make some side plates with the proper holes in them.

One other thing - can anybody confirm the sizes on the brake banjo bolts for me? I see BD has them at 10mm x 1.5 threads, but I just want to be certain (without pulling mine obviously.....).

Thanks in advance!

[Big Rich]

First things first: New steering assembly came in from BMI:



I welded a 1/4" plate to the original mounts to lower the R&P about 2.25" lower. Not the prettiest, but it works for now.

[Big Rich]

Also got some $60 RFY shocks on ebay. Didn't do anything except fill them with about 100 psi of air:

[Big Rich]

Welded in some 1/4" plates to help beef up the bulkhead:



I ran into a problem with one of the a arm sleeves (hence the all thread), but I have a new sleeve in the mail.

[Big Rich]

And since I had the a arms off for the bulkhead work, I installed grease fittings on all 4:



That is pretty much everything for now......next payday I plan on getting some front hubs from BD so I can mount something other than lawn mower tires.

[OLDKID]

You have the sickness Bad Brother , That's Beautiful ! And just think .... You didn't have to spend $ 10,000 for somebody's 2000 mile beat up side by side that would take $$$$ to make it right ! I love GY6 Buggy's .

[jmansracerocket]

should have opted for the bd steering rack.

[Big Rich]

Jman, I checked over on BD.... they don't have the OEM rack in stock, nor do they have any of the "updated" ones. BMI has the standard racks for the same price, and I can cut more teeth myself.

Cheers Oldkid! Yeah, we looked at the cost of side x sides and just could not justify the cost at all. I mean, really it's basically a big toy. For less than $600 I was able to putt around the yard, and I don't mind upgrading bits and pieces as time and cash allow.

[jmansracerocket]

ok glad you at least checked, if you can cut the teeth I would do an extra 3-4 teeth on each side.

[OLDKID]

Let me know details of those shocks after they get some time on them . Looks like you definitely gained some ground clearance , but is the suspension usable , in the picture looks like the shock has very little travel , probably designed to be mounted at a severe angle +++++ B.D. SELLS TIE ROD END STANDOFFS!!! Basically stud extensions to get your steering linkage in a more Happier Angle , $8-$12 I think . Would relieve some stress off of your new inner and outer rod ends .

[Big Rich]

Yeah, they only have about 2.5" of travel. And they are so long (320mm) that my ball joints are binding a little when the front end is suspended on a jack. I plan on making some lower shock mounts to make the shocks a little stiffer and so it doesn't raise the front end as much. I can tell you this though: I had the stock front shocks up front, then the stock rear shocks up front.... these RFY shocks are 1000% better than them.

And thanks for the info Oldkid! I wasn't certain I'd need them, so I didn't order them at the same time as the R&P. BUT I'll definitely keep them in mind.

[OLDKID]

I WILL KEEP MY SPIDERBOX STOCK , I WILL KEEP MY SPIDERBOX STOCK ....
You people make this very difficult ! The one I have now is in " Like New Condition " My excuse for I WILL KEEP MY SPIDERBOX STOCK , .... , ....

[Big Rich]

No such thing as a stock spiderbox. Just a spiderbox that hasn't been modified yet.

[ckau]

Originally Posted by Big Rich

No such thing as a stock spiderbox. Just a spiderbox that hasn't been modified yet.

Now that's funny!

[ckau]

The stock R&P takes a lot of beating. In time the through bolts in the R&P will loosen and the unit will want to twist around you'll get sloppy steering and the inability to hold alignment/ Weld a bracket under the unit hold it square to the mounting plate

[Big Rich]

Good stuff ckau! Once I get the location settled (height wise) I'll add a plate like that. Thanks!

And I never thought of putting heims on the insides of the tie rod bars - makes sense. I've only seen them as replacements for the a arm ball joints & tie rod ends. Those heims are looking more and more useful.....

[ckau]

[QUOTE=Big Rich;50644]Good stuff ckau! Once I get the location settled (height wise) I'll add a plate like that. Thanks!

QUOTE]
Be cautious about moving the R&P from the original location. Yerf dog chumped out on a lot of stuff but they did a real good job of working out the basic steering geometry. They did a few things wrong for the sake of simplicity. Getting the tie rods running parallel with the a-arms to avoid bump steer is one example. The stock configuration works simi- acceptable in the original intended range but increasing travel, as with a longer shock will aggravate the bump steer dramatically. you'll get less bind and a better matching arc travel of the a-arms and tie-rods by raising the rods at the spindle connection rather than lowering the R&P.
The trick is to build a stand off strong enough to take the forces. This one works well, a length of 1"1/8 round stock drilled down the middle for a through bolt and machined down to give pivot clearance using some High misalignment bushings and a heim.

[Big Rich]

No worries Ckau, moving the R&P is a short term deal. I'll be moving it again..... I had 1/4" plate and a welder handy, so it was no big deal at the moment.

Couple short updates - bought a couple of movers dollies from Harbor Freight. Worth their weight in gold when maneuvering the Dog around the garage :

[Big Rich]

Second is a Pelican ish style box (called a Seahorse) that I bolted to the front frame. They are waterproof until they are drilled for the U bolts to mount them to the tubes. This one holds some generic tools for now - multimeter, zip ties, electric tape, etc, etc....

[Big Rich]

The last is this picture:



Looks like a simple grease fitting, but it's more than that. My swinger bushings were bad - instead of going with stock bushings from BMI, I looked into bronze instead. The stock bushings are 30mm diameter by 1.5" long, so I went with a 1"od, .5"id, 1.5" long bronze bushing. I filled the original metal sleeve in the Bushing with JB weld, and used a 1" hole saw to bore out the original rubber bushing (so there was about 4.6mm of rubber bushing left in the swinger sleeve).

I had to drill the frame mount holes for a 1/2" bolt, cross drilled the bronze for a grease port, drilled the swinger for a zerk fitting, blah blah blah..... but after its all said and done I have bronze bushings in the swinger pivot with a grease fitting.

[OLDKID]

Nice , I like's grease fittings . Utilitarian , I also like's racks and storage compartments . Vertical frame brace , in front , rear reinforcement on engine cage ( a lot of folks say the cage spreads after time and puts strain on the bearings ) There were a few versions of the rear engine mount , weak , better , and B.D. Heavy Duty . Prone to breakage , and when they do break Kiss your intake , carb , and a few other parts Goodbye . On one of my previous Spiderbox's I made a limiter strap with some coated steel cable , and cable clamps , to catch the engine if the mount broke ... Just In Case ... Looks like your tires are real close to the frame , I'm sure you know wheel spacers ain't a good idea on the stock axle as they're notoriously weak , and known to break . I've never had one break ...YET ... Hope this thread/build continues at the pace it's going at . Gonna be real interesting to see the final result ( if there is such a thing as final ) you gotta really be want'n some bigger front wheels/tires about now LOL .

[Big Rich]

Thanks OK! The tires aren't any closer than stock (not anything noticeable anyway). They do look really close in that picture though.

Next payday I plan on getting front wheel hubs from BD, "possibly" their spindles, maybe some heim joints to replace the ball joints, searching Craigslist for wheels, etc, etc, etc...... just gotta wait and see.

[Big Rich]

Made my lower shock brackets yesterday:



Ended up lowering the front end by 1.5" which puts the suspension back into its "mid range". Didn't get to ride it for very long after it was buttoned up, but it definitely feels better.

[jmansracerocket]

Keep up the good work.

[Big Rich]

Thanks Jman!

So I finally got my hub conversions mounted up, along with the stock rears on them:



While I don't "plan" on installing front brakes, I ordered the compatible hubs from BD. Hate to pay twice if I change my mind later on...... sometime this week I am going to try and go to a ATV junkyard to look for some better wheels. And come payday, I want to order the 1/2" heims since the new wheels are on there.

[EVILWS6]

Looking good.

[OLDKID]

Nice , BadAss , good thing you installed that D-hook , Fat front tires on a 2 wheel drive don't " float " like you'd think in mud , --- they plow !! BIG TIME ! Maybe chains on the rear should be in order . Just funn'n , I'm sure you got a plan for the back-end . This is a great build thread .... Keep on Keeping On .
YERF DOGS RULE !!! 10/4. ( mine still stock )

[Big Rich]

It's official: 1/2" heims are ordered. The sloppy ball joints will be getting replaced soon..... speaking of sloppy: in post 33 I mentioned one of the a arm sleeves was goobered up. I can only imagine that the Dog was wrecked, and the OEM sleeve was replaced with a section of plain pipe. That pipe was too small for a shouldered 1/2" bolt so they used all-thread to hold it all together. Anyways, I ordered the proper sleeve from BMI at the time and just ordered replacement bronze bushings for all the other A arms. So in the next couple weeks my front end should be much tighter.....

That's it for now fellas! Have a good weekend.

[Big Rich]

Well, the front heims are in:



HUGE improvement in the front end! I didn't set the camber right though - I'm at -5° right now. But I didn't get misalignment spacers, so I'll be adjusting the camber then. I also noticed some "rattle" at the A arm mounts, so I ordered & installed 8 new bronze bushings. Like I said: the front end feels much better.....

[Big Rich]

With the good, comes the bad.....



My son & I were out having fun with the new front end when the rear axle snapped. I was slowing down to loop around a tree and the back corner dropped. My first thought was "WTF? There's not a hole here.....". And then the rear wheel went rolling past us....haha.

So I know what my next purchase is going to be.....

[OLDKID]

Well , the front part of the story - Cool . Rear part of story - Bites . I've had three Spiderbox's ( Sold last one last week , Shame on me ! ) Never experienced the notorious broken axle syndrome . B.D had bent H.D. axles , I imagine BMS has stock guaranteed to break axles . There's threads on here where hub flanges were reengineered to extend past the weak portion of axle . And I believe CKAW did a in depth thread on a inexpensive complete , wider custom axle alternative , wider and stronger . With readily available parts from kart part suppliers' . Good Luck !

[jmansracerocket]

Looks really good big rich. I was going to mention can u do heim joints on the steering arm tie rods I bet that will help alot also. As for the axle snapping where it did, it's very common for the spiderbox. Like old kid said look at ckau first glimps under Franken buggy he did a nice axle support as long as other guys.

[OLDKID]

Hey Jman , wishing you a full , fast , and complete recovery ! Just read the Ckau post you mentioned , unless I missed something I don't think that was the one I was referring too . When I first got into the S.B's I found a thread with full pic.'s , itemized parts , part # , price , and source for axle conversion . Could swear it was on this site but maybe not ? Was very extensive . Anywho , Get Well Soon Brother .

[ckau]

I'll repost the axle conversion stuff. I'll need a day or so to get it done. I've been forced to go to windows 10 due to database failure and it's been a frustrating and lengthy effort to recover. Don't get me started on this windows 10 crap! It's taking a ridicules amount of time to convert all my PDF's and DOC's over.

[SYCARMS]

What system were you running before? I've upgrades all my computers with no problems. I have programs and files I ran on XP and even they still work.

[ckau]

Originally Posted by SYCARMS

What system were you running before? I've upgrades all my computers with no problems. I have programs and files I ran on XP and even they still work.

My database was originally created on a version of works that now is considered prehistoric and the new apps and versions of works are not compatible. Most of my yerf data and pictures are several, many many years old. Like maybe 10 years or more. I had to collect everything on a external hard drive then send it off to have all the files converted. I have a huge database of buggy stuff. related notes, pictures and drawings. I sit down, when time affords, a few hours a week to down load stuff to the new hard drive.

[SYCARMS]

I have a copy of 1999 office which includes word and excell. At that time I was running windows ME. When I upgraded to XP the files I had were compatible. When my next computer come with 7 my 1999 office was not compatible. The rep from Dell told me I would have to by the newest version of office 2010 and install than it would automatically upgrade my old files to work.Everything now works. All I had to do is install at that time the latest version of office, the computer done the rest. When I upgraded to 10 last year from 7 I done my oldest computer first just in case the office was uncompatable. It worked so I upgraded my newest PC and note pad.

[Big Rich]

Thanks fellas. I'm still debating what to do for the axle (doesn't matter too much anyway since I have to wait for payday.....). I'm leaning towards another stock unit from BD but welding some 1" id bushings to the hubs.

Jman- I have seen the heim joints used for the tie rod ends. When I ordered the R&P from BMI, it had new tie rods installed already, and they had tie rods ends on sale for $1 each....so I have a couple backups. When I wear all these out, I'll be swapping to heims for sure. And like Oldkid said earlier - best of luck to you getting back on your feet soon. Stuff like that can drive ya off the deep end.

[Big Rich]

For whom it may concern, I found Ckau's axle conversion info:

http://buggymasters.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2626

I searched for it the past couple nights and couldn't find it. Ended up doing a Google search for "flexpruf axle buggymasters" and it was one of the first results!

[Big Rich]

No pictures yet, but I did get the axle installed. I did not change the bearing hangers like Ckau, but so far everything is running pretty smoothly. Still needs some tweaks, but we are happy with it for now.....

In other news, I ordered the upgraded rear caliper from BD (with the parking brake). Anybody else install one of these? Just held it up to the axle before leaving for work, and it looks like there may be interference with the parking brake assembly and the swingarm...... and I was disappointed that it uses diffeet brake pads than the stock caliper. Need to give them a call and see if they offer replacement pads.....

[Big Rich]

So..... been doing a little to the Dog from time to time, but been distracted with everything else recently. My brother came out a couple months ago and got to drive it around the yard with my son. I tried to tell him to give it some gas, but he putted around like it was a riding mower.....:

[Big Rich]

That rear caliper I ordered from BD is kind of a disappointment. I've been waiting to see how I like it before ordering the cable / lever for the parking brake, and I don't see myself going that route. It'll work for now though. Has anybody upgraded the rear caliper? I was thinking maybe a rear caliper from a motorcycle could be made to fit...... hoping somebody else has some good leads before I start tinkering.

I have however installed some new tires: 22" ITP Mud lites in the rear and some 20" Duro Thrashers up front (sorry about the mess, it's winter time):




I got the chance to try out the Mud Lites in about 2" of snow - amazing traction! Just installed the Thrashers yesterday.

[OLDKID]

Nice , very nice . Looks BAD A$$ . I've had three Spiderbox's and intended to do about the same , but talked myself out of it and sold them . Put a reverse unit on it and some upgraded seats and you'll have me kicking myself in the butt for a while . Nice Job !

[Big Rich]

Thanks OK! The reverse kit is in the plan, but finances keep pushing it back..... I really need to work on some fenders since my son isn't a fan of getting sprayed with mud. I found some padded seat covers on Craigslist a little while ago but they were gone before I could snatched them up. Ah well....

[tkeagle]

As far as fenders. Can say I do like the aluminum one's I got from BD. The back ones hook right up pretty good. The fronts are different story. Had to mod the fronts, and welded some rod off the spindles, and drilled another hole for them, for another support point. Think I have pic's on my thread somewhere how I did the fronts.
But if anything, just getting the backs is worth the money. Pretty reasonable price.
Been rolled a few times with the fenders on. I just pounded them back in to shape.
Just an Idea.

[jmansracerocket]

looks really good big rich, keep up the good work.

[jmansracerocket]

u should slap a big valve, big port head on, with a a-11 camshaft, and ur choice of rollers or sliders, i liked the 10 gram rollers with that combo when i had the yerf.

[Big Rich]

Cheers TK! I've got a plan for the front fenders - they are getting mounted to the frame (not my spindles). Now that I have good tires front & rear, I can actually get some work done.....

And thanks Jman! I have some 12 gram (or maybe 10?) in there now. I can't say I'm disappointed in the engine yet....mostly because my son is loving it as it sits. I'm sure in time I'll be opening her up though.....

[tkeagle]

I actually tried every way possible to figure out a good way to mount the front the frame. But fenders are not wide enough to cover the turn radius. I hated the idea mounting to spindle. Just in case a spindle broke or bend. (which has happened). I would half to start all over again. It was a lot of work getting every thing matching and looking even on both sides. So major con.
However a big pro. The fenders turn with the tire. So no matter what direction you turn, it's got it covered. dirt or mud wont even hit the backend where it's the widest.
Or hit the other person on opposite side on the inside turn. But guess another con. Is limited turn radius. Had to add inch spacer between the spindle and wheel, so could push out the fender enough and still cover tire, so it wouldn’t hit the frame on tight turn. Barely enough room. If you slam the wheel, you can hear the fender hit the frame. So at this point don’t have the option to upgrade the turn radius on it. Unless I cut and narrow the frame on the lower end. Too much work. It does have reverse, so kids can take a 2 or 3 point turn if they need to.
FYI.. Not sure where you are going to mount your fronts. But would suggest get them where you want them looking good to you. Then after that, fab up some mud flaps for them. I had issue with needing to lower the fenders so the rocks, and stuff wouldn't hit the bottom side of frame. Which no major issue. But got tired needing to repaint those area's, because it was chipping the paint pretty good. A few hrs fabing up some mud flaps took care of it.

[TigerBuggy]

Nice Spiderbox Big Rich! Awesome mods! The more spiderbox's the better. I Picked one up from a neighbor this past October and just finished it this December.

She's my Spiderbox 420

[Big Rich]

Thanks fellas! I'm at the point tonight where I can work on the front fenders some more. Good idea about the mud flaps TK! I have some rubber mats laying around the garage that should work wonders.

Good job Tiger! It looks like a stock Spiderbox.....I have a couple motorcycle engines around my garage (450-650cc twins), and I was tempted to go that way. The wife put a stop to that immediately since our son rides in the buggy.

[TigerBuggy]

Originally Posted by Big Rich

Good job Tiger! It looks like a stock Spiderbox.....I have a couple motorcycle engines around my garage (450-650cc twins), and I was tempted to go that way. The wife put a stop to that immediately since our son rides in the buggy.

Thanks! I really like the stock look of the buggy (like a big go-kart), so that's the route I went. Regarding the 420cc, I just geared it low to keep the speed down.

[Big Rich]

Ok, I made some front fender mounts and installed some homemade fenders (I'll get pics later tonight). I also bought a Burris 2.5qt gas tank to replace the stock unit. I know it's smaller, but I keep a 1 gallon can in front of the passenger foot rests. With any luck, I'll get the tank installed this weekend......

Now I'm looking into some rear fenders.....I'm tempted to take some plastic sheeting and mount it to the body behind the seats & below the storage rack. The way I see it, mounting fenders to the swingarm will offer better coverage but will take a beating (and more likely be harder to fix). With plastic mounted to the body, it would be MUCH easier to fix but the engine would get sprayed (let's face it though: it already is).

What say the masses?

[Big Rich]

Ok, here's a pic of the front fenders:



Some some 1/2" tubing welded to the frame and some plates with holes drilled. The rubber mud flaps are attached to the same holes as the fenders.

And that's a pretty good pic of the 8" rims from BD, along with the 20" Duro Thrashers. The fenders are small enough that I'm not terribly concerned about them getting ripped off, but large enough that they stop a good bit of spray into our faces.

[Big Rich]

And here's a pic of the Burris gas tank:



Pretty easy to fit, and I installed 1/4" hose, new fuel filter, and an on/off valve. The tank is nice because it's opaque so I can check how much fuel I have just by looking at it.

[tkeagle]

Fronts don't look to bad. And that what I figured would be the only way to mount fenders to the frame. Pretty much how you mounted them.
Your asking about the rears. I'm not sure if I got clear pics for my rear fenders, but how they are mounted, I would say the best way to mount them. Get everything tight, and they stay pretty well. Basically a "U" bolt for the bottom. Running down the veridical bar behind the seat. Then a clamp is around the top. clamp has thread end, so put a 1/2 thread rod, adjusted the length. This was is pretty nice because can adjust the height from fender to tire pretty easy.

[tkeagle]

There is one pic, on TK's kids yerfdog. About 1/2 down on first page. I'm showing where the rear top cross member cracked on the cage.
Show the left rear fender, and how it's mounted. On the lower end of fender, you can see where the "U" bolt comes out, and with a bracket bolted on to both end of the bolt.
Can see the top Clamp, and it's mounted to the top horizontal bar, back behind the seats.

[Big Rich]

Thanks TK! I like those fenders..... looks like you get some pretty good coverage with them.

I ended up using U bolts to the frame body behind the seats and under the luggage rack. Right now they are just huge rectangular pieces of plastic, so once I trim the corners and make them "pretty" I'll post some pics.

[Big Rich]

Wow, no updates since January.... shame on me. Haha.

Last weekend I took the Dog to Renegade Ridge in Ohio. It rained there for days prior to riding, so the trails were an absolute MESS! My little Yerf was the only mini buggy I saw (but to be fair, I did have to leave Saturday around noon). Here's a pic from Friday night with my BIL's 4 seater and his neighbors Artic Cat:



And after about 2 miles of trails:



I didn't get any more pics since I ended up getting covered in mud too. Happy to say the Dog did really well thru the trails, but I ended up breaking down. The engine stalled on a steep incline, and I believe the mud shorted out the starter motor - and then from us fiddling with everything I lost spark too. But the good news is that the carb is clean, oil is clean, and I'm getting 155 psi compression! New parts on the way, and I'm sure I'll be tweaking some stuff on the buggy as well......

[Big Rich]

Question for the masses: where can I actually wire in a brake light switch? My Yerf didn't have the safety switch installed when I got it, and the wiring has been tampered with over the years (naturally).

Isn't there a 12v positive wire that comes / goes to the kill switch?

[SYCARMS]

All the yerfs i've come across all used the cycle/scooter type master cylinder which does not have but one delivery port which goes to the rear caliper. Most buggies use the auto style master cylinder which has an extra port for a pressure switch used for safety/brake switch. All the kill switch does is ground out the ignition by completing a ground when switch is made. You would pick up a hot wire off ignition switch. To get brake lights you would have to either somehow mount a bracket to house a brake lite switch like those used in cars or install a hydraulic T in the master so that a pressure switch can be installed than in either case you would rum a hot off the ign. switch to the pressure switch in the master than from the switch to the brake light which will be grounded to chassis. Or you can run a positive to the brake light than use the switch to complete the ground.

[Big Rich]

Thanks Tom! You sir, are a wealth of information.

[ckau]

[QUOTE=Big Rich;52766]Question for the masses: where can I actually wire in a brake light switch? My Yerf didn't have the safety switch installed when I got it, and the wiring has been tampered with over the years (naturally). QUOTE]

do a search on e-bay for a motorcycle brake light switch. These switches are a small stand alone momentary on that is activated with a pull motion. They can be installed anywhere in the mechanical linkage.

[Big Rich]

Thanks Ckau! I might actually have a motorcycle switch laying around the garage somewhere..... I've been wondering how to wire it in.

I've been working a bunch of OT this week, but at the moment I'm still chasing my "no spark" issue. I was hoping it was a bad kill switch, but my testing last night is pointing towards a bad stator...... dammit. Haha.

[Big Rich]

Well, back to work on the old buggy......

The more I ride this thing on my local trails, the more I'm realizing I need a reverse setup. Since BD can't keep them in stock, I've been looking on eBay. I'm thinking about buying this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHINESE-GY6-...xZZN6z&vxp=mtr

I'll still need the cable & lever, a longer output shaft, and obviously a longer 530 chain. Anybody think I'll have a problem with the eBay reverse assembly?

[tkeagle]

LOL.. ya, didn't take long for me to realize I wanted reverse. I happened to have one, from some spare parts. I cleaned it up, and worked great. Looks like the same one I have. But the extra parts, is nice.
Give you a suggestion. The longer output shaft is kind of tricky to find, and being sure it's the right one. I'd suggest getting the output shaft from BD, to make sure it's the correct one. If they got it stock. I just bought a full 10' or what ever standard is for 530 chain. Extra chain is nice to have. And buy extra master clips. Come in handy also.
Cable is pretty easy to get. Most are to long, but can make them work. Lever.... if get lever from BD, or where ever, make sure you also get the back tension spring for it. When I got mine, didn't come with it. So check into it, you'll need it.
Also suggest getting some extra spacers for the output shaft. That's the trickiest part is getting the box, lined up straight with your axle sprocket. If you don't have the larger axle sprocket, you might look into that as well. The reverse box, will change your gear ratio. The bigger sprocket will help to counter act that, if you like your current gearing.
After making my first purchase for the reverse, took about a month to get it going, after realizing things down the road. So this might help, from my experience piecing everything together. The kit, would be very nice thou.

[Big Rich]

Thanks TK!

Looking on BD's site, they are "expecting to ship" the kits on September 1st, so I'll wait until then to see if they actually have them. If not, I'll go the eBay route. I did plan on getting the other parts from BD (output shaft, lever, cable) since they are a known fit. I do need a longer chain, so I'll add that to the list.

Luckily, I have a 39T sprocket on an Azusa (?) axle. So that will make everything easier to line up at least.

[Big Rich]

Update!

Not much surprise, BD isn't showing the reverse kits in stock. Kind of a good thing, since my financial plans have changed....... last Sunday a bunch of us went to Mines & Meadows in PA so I loaded up the buggy. Right off the bat my electric system was acting up - had to jump start the buggy every time from my brother in laws Can Am. Then my carb started overflowing (and flooding the motor). After I had a total ignition failure 4 miles from the trailer I threw in the towel......which actually turned out to be a good thing! When I got home and started hosing the mud off, I found out that my stock rear engine mount had cracked - half of the "U" bracket had completely separated.

So instead of a reverse kit, I ordered a heavy duty engine mount, upgraded stator, a new battery, and "possibly" a new carb (still need to look into that one.....).

[tkeagle]

If your having issues with the battery not charging. Check your main wire connection from stator and all connection that have those wire clips. Even thou they look connected. They don't like staying in GOOD CONTACT. Have had it happen to me few times. Just lately. After getting new engine, I thought I zip tied the connections. Did double check, and was always jumping it. My amp gage was showing very low. Just thought battery was not taking charge. Then decided to double check connection. Sure enough, I never did zip tie those connections, After taking small zip ties, slip them through each bundle of wires, so zip tie don't slip off. And tighten it up good. Can even use heat shrink around zip tie, if worried about it rubbing on wires, behind the clips.
Once I did that, amp gage was showing back up where it should be, and haven't had to jump the battery since.

Have you added extra support where the motor mount connects to the engine frame? or spider box..?
If not, that will be next to crack on you.

[Big Rich]

Thanks Tk! Found the problem......me! Haha.....

Couple months ago we took it to Renegade Ridge in Ohio and my stator (upgraded / 8 pole) got chewed up by a rock / mud. When I got home, I just threw the OEM 6 pole stator back on...... low and behold, the 8 pole & 6 pole are actually 2 different diameters. The 8 pole stator includes a larger (internal size) bell housing , so the 6 pole stator probably wasn't charging at all. I ordered a new 8 pole from BD but they sent me a bell housing for a 6 pole stator..... I was banging my head against the wall trying to figure out why the 8 pole stator wouldn't fit in the "new" housing - that's when I discovered the difference in internal diameters.

I was thinking about buying a Mikuni carb, but decided to get a new intake boot for the original carb. Good thing since my original boot was missing the oring by the head.

Haven't had a chance to properly test the buggy yet, but just starting it up and revving it a little bit it seems to run 10x better than before. We will find out for sure this week.....

[SYCARMS]

The 4 and 6 pole use the smaller flywheel the 8 and 10 pole use the larger flywheel.