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caromin
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 1171
Location: NM
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 Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:40 am Post subject: Explorer Rail Build - I guess it's done |
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Thought I'd share some pictures of the Explorer Rail I'm building. I picked up a knockdown Beeline Explorer frame from Larry's Off Road. I was going to build the frame myself but with the price of metal these days (plus I'm lazy) I went with a kit. I liked the styling of the explorer frame they sell but I didn't want a 4 seater. The 2 seater was too small inside and I needed some storage space behind the seats so I went with a 4 seat frame and cut 16" from the cockpit length.
Here what it looked like before the 16" was removed.
I cut the effected sections in non-adjacent locations and sleeved the seams with 1.25" .120 Dom. The frame's made out of 095 mild steel so I've been adding some bracing out of 120 wall. The is it after removing 16".
Since I couldn't score an 091 so I went with a fresh 002 with a superdiff. I've got a nice 2110 with dual 40 Dells that I'm going to run in it. The engine is running a 110 cam and has some great torque.
Out back it's going to have 3x3 arms, T2 CVs and longer axles running on short torsions and some billstein non-coilovers on each corner. The front's getting a 6" over chromo beam and some gusseted linkpin spindles for now. I originally was going A-arm on the front but this thing is soaking me already.
I'm going to bend a new upper tube that mounts the upper part of the beam. It will be a one piece design with a slight point that extends out a little past the beam. It's getting a 16gal fuel cell over the front of the tranny and a spare tire will mount between the two rear angle tubes above the motor.
_________________
Chris
59Rag
86 Westy
Sandrail
Explorer rail build!
'Rollin Dirt Video!
Last edited by caromin on Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:37 am; edited 5 times in total |
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bajahucks
Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2008
Posts: 733
Location: north sandiego
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:59 am Post subject: |
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| looks good. is that a kit or r u building the whole thing? |
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everyjuangohome
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2008
Posts: 133
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:08 am Post subject: |
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| bajahucks wrote: |
| looks good. is that a kit or r u building the whole thing? |
In his very first sentence of the post he tell's you it's a kit!!!  |
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caromin
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 1171
Location: NM
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:06 am Post subject: Build Progress |
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Here's a few pictures of the rail progress. The picture below is the frame as it's supposed to be built, I just can't roll with that look plus it's constructed out of mild steel so I wanted it stronger.
A few trips to the metal store and a couple bends later and it's starting to look a little more capable. Its got 30x9.50s on the back and some 15x7.50 on the front. The fronts turned out to be a little big so I may swap them out for a slightly smaller tire.
The frame got shortened 16" in the cockpit area and I flipped around the roof hoops.
I wanted more of an agressive look to the front so it got changed as well.
It's going to get some cross bracing between the shock mounts.
Got the 3x3s and the rear disks installed.
The frame horns will be braced once I mockup the engine.
The 16 gal fuel cell is in, it will be getting a remote fill assy and a rollover valve.
It's going to be getting some 10" Bilstien 7100s in the front and 14" in the rear. It will be running torsions front and rear.
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Chris
59Rag
86 Westy
Sandrail
Explorer rail build!
'Rollin Dirt Video! |
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Motochris
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2007
Posts: 192
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:51 am Post subject: |
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Looks great. Makes me almost miss MY Explorer.
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earthquake
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2008
Posts: 4003
Location: SANDY VALLEY, NEVADA
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 12:29 pm Post subject: |
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caromin
You do some nice work, How much was that knock down frame, I was thinking about taking on another project. [just what I need] Are you building it for the dunes or desert play or both?
Earthquake
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74 CLASS 11 LOOK-A-LIKE
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79 INTERNATIONAL SCOUT II
05 SCION XB SERIES RELEASE 2[#437]
95 Chevy C3500 dually
98 Ford E150
Link to Kelly J. Nolte 3/20/53 - 11/6/08
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DEATH TO CHINGERS!
[From a military recruitment poster in the novel "The Stainless Steel Rat" By Harry Harrison] |
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riNR
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Joined: June 28, 2006
Posts: 1223
Location: Whitby, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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Are those rear arms leaving you with lots of negative camber?
Couldn't you run sheer hoops without the top rail. It would give you lots more upward travel without the tie rods smacking the top tube.
Nice work, that is a great looking frame.
Last edited by riNR on Tue May 06, 2008 5:19 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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77charger
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Joined: November 12, 2005
Posts: 1492
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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looks good.
I just ordered a bugpack 4 seater frame but dont have the talent to go with the knockdown kit so i went with a fully welded kit(but i can do some welding on smaller stuff) i should get it early next week and plan on building it up from there with parts from my hijumper.Also using the bilsteins in the front as well 7100s but in 8inch travel |
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caromin
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 1171
Location: NM
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| earthquake wrote: |
caromin
You do some nice work, How much was that knock down frame, I was thinking about taking on another project. [just what I need] Are you building it for the dunes or desert play or both?
Earthquake |
The frame was about $1000 trucked to the local depot. I went with a tackwelded kit because they have allready squared the floor tubes. I'm doing this build in a 2 car garage so I didn't have the room for a floor jig.
_________________
Chris
59Rag
86 Westy
Sandrail
Explorer rail build!
'Rollin Dirt Video! |
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STEVE0WE
Samba Member
Joined: June 08, 2004
Posts: 167
Location: SAN ANTONIO
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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great looking build.....man alot of guys are really stepping it up in the fab department. I like what you have done so far. Are you going to use this as a dual sport? while your at it, are you going to run a bump stop in the rear? Now would be a great time to add the tubing! You might want to add limiting straps front and rear as well. They sure help on the long term abuse of things if your pretty aggressive with the car.
Just throwing out some ideas while your in this stage. Keep up the clean garage and great work! |
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caromin
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 1171
Location: NM
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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| riNR wrote: |
Are those rear arms leaving you with lots of negative camber?
Couldn't you run sheer hoops without the top rail. It would give you lots more upward travel without the tie rods smacking the top tube.
Nice work, that is a great looking frame. |
There's allot I could have done different, basically the whole front is different. Personally I like the look of the winged shock mounts and the top rails, doesn't look like a run of the mill rail built from a chassis kit (even though it is). As for the front end, the tierods dont hit anything from full droop to bump so I'm going to run it like that for now, later I plan on putting some longer front arms. I run the desert out in NM, it really pays out here to have a strong, reliable ride.
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Chris
59Rag
86 Westy
Sandrail
Explorer rail build!
'Rollin Dirt Video! |
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caromin
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 1171
Location: NM
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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| STEVE0WE wrote: |
great looking build.....man alot of guys are really stepping it up in the fab department. I like what you have done so far. Are you going to use this as a dual sport? while your at it, are you going to run a bump stop in the rear? Now would be a great time to add the tubing! You might want to add limiting straps front and rear as well. They sure help on the long term abuse of things if your pretty aggressive with the car.
Just throwing out some ideas while your in this stage. Keep up the clean garage and great work! |
I did build bump stops for the back (you can see them in the pic below) , couldn't afford real ones so I went with the polyurethane. I'll have the limit straps at both ends, you'd beat the chassis to death out here with being strapped.
It's definately a dual sport, we ride out in the NM desert and a street legal dual sport with some range is the way to go here.
I started on the light bar/rack assy today.
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Chris
59Rag
86 Westy
Sandrail
Explorer rail build!
'Rollin Dirt Video! |
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seabeebuggy
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2005
Posts: 2395
Location: NM, CA, UT and now NV
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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Well I hope it will be ready soon. I will be bringing my buggy to NM soon. I sure hope there are some good places to ride. 
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Seabee turbo buggy build
(Quote Runslikeapenguin said)
so to everyone else whos not a retarded butt pirate marine with an tacky ugly ass car covered in auto zone bolt and stick on s**t. (end quote)
A better place to talk offroad |
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caromin
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 1171
Location: NM
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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| seabeebuggy wrote: |
| Well I hope it will be ready soon. I will be bringing my buggy to NM soon. I sure hope there are some good places to ride. :D |
Watch 3:10 to Uma with Russel Crowe. The scene where they took out the stage coach was filmed nearby, all our riding looks like that scenery. Just be careful, there's not as many offroaders out here so you can get stuck out past BFE with no one around.
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Chris
59Rag
86 Westy
Sandrail
Explorer rail build!
'Rollin Dirt Video! |
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elvergon
Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2006
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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Wouw pretty fast and awesome build!
Keep up the good progress! |
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riNR
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2006
Posts: 1223
Location: Whitby, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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| I like that roof rack, nice touch. I like the way you put that top bar to raise the front. Are you planning on having hanging mount pedals or floor mounts? |
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seabeebuggy
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2005
Posts: 2395
Location: NM, CA, UT and now NV
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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Good reason to bring SPOT with you . Never with out help.
_________________
Seabee turbo buggy build
(Quote Runslikeapenguin said)
so to everyone else whos not a retarded butt pirate marine with an tacky ugly ass car covered in auto zone bolt and stick on s**t. (end quote)
A better place to talk offroad |
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caromin
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 1171
Location: NM
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| Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:02 am Post subject: |
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| riNR wrote: |
| I like that roof rack, nice touch. I like the way you put that top bar to raise the front. Are you planning on having hanging mount pedals or floor mounts? |
I was going with hanging pedals, I prefer that style but the steering rod comes right through where the master cylinders would be and I don't feel like fabbing up a new setup that would route the shaft around it. I plan on getting a dual mstr cyl pedal assy and seperate clutch pedal from the stock car guys. They sell some nice stuff at decent prices.
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Chris
59Rag
86 Westy
Sandrail
Explorer rail build!
'Rollin Dirt Video! |
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seabeebuggy
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2005
Posts: 2395
Location: NM, CA, UT and now NV
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| Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:11 am Post subject: |
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Off topic bit my buddy put on air brakes on his rail.. Sounds crazy.
_________________
Seabee turbo buggy build
(Quote Runslikeapenguin said)
so to everyone else whos not a retarded butt pirate marine with an tacky ugly ass car covered in auto zone bolt and stick on s**t. (end quote)
A better place to talk offroad |
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caromin
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003
Posts: 1171
Location: NM
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| Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 7:20 am Post subject: Made a little progress |
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I fabbed up the rest of the roof rack and cut the alum for the roof. Since it will probably have coolers, camp stuff ect loaded on, I opted to use some wood slats to keep stuff from chewin up the alum plate.
I got around to the cab cross bracing and the engine cradle also.
And got the rear lines run from the turning brake.
Got allot of cleanup to do on the torsion housing. I'll probably work on the tank fill, and oil cooler mounts next. I'm thinking 28mm torsions should be right for this chassis and the 3x3s (willing to give up a little stiffness for a bit softer ride)
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Chris
59Rag
86 Westy
Sandrail
Explorer rail build!
'Rollin Dirt Video! |
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