OC's Project "Some Day"

[ORANGECRUSHer]

I will call this project "Some Day" because that's what I've been muttering for the last five years about the progress of my woods buggy.
I'm gonna post up pics of my progress and try not to blather on too much like I have a tendancy to do unless some one has a particular question about how I did something or why.

The subject: Berrien 'Warrior' 2 seater buggy.

The goals: ----------------------Status:
1. Upgrade to IRS----------------Done
2. Upgrade IRS to 2.5X2.5"
trailing arms----------------------Current
3. Upgrade rear airbag/dual shock
Suspension-------------------------Pending
4. Upgrade to 6rib trans ---------Current
5. Upgrade to FI engine----------Current
6. Fabricate mounts for
above items and
reinforce frame-------------------Pending
7. Update entire electrical
system---------------------------Pending
8. Convert rear to disk brakes-----Pending
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

This is how I had it set up originally. Pretty standard.

_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

Added goal
3. Upgrade rear airbag/dual shock suspension
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

After a long wait I received my custom 2.5"X2.5"s this week.
The picture on Avery's Air Cooled website

What I received

Quickly mounted

_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[no1clyde]

Looks great OC, I really like those trailing arms. I went through a list something like that last year when I put the 002 and Toyota motor in my Warrior. Still have some left on that list I am trying finish this winter. I left my suspension pretty much stock and it works good. Thought about changing it but have decided to build a mid travel Baja Bug instead and just use and enjoy my buggy like it is.

Keep the thread going, I and I'm sure others are watching.

Ed

[ORANGECRUSHer]

I lost track but I waited around two months for those arms when they originally told me two to three weeks.

When I got them they weren't as we had originally spec'ed them. I did not want shock mounts but was going to get caliper mounts incase I decided to upgrade. Instead I got shock mount holes in my spring plate mount which ended up being OK because their spaced back from where my wheel would've hit them and there's no caliper mounts which isn't a biggie either because I can add them later. Nothing big which puts a bind on my plans but could have if I wasn't flexible in my plan.

Also makes me wonder if it actually got setup for the ride height we agree'd upon which was 3-1/4".

All in all I would buy from them again because they were pleasant to talk to on the phone even though they were terrible about getting back to me when things were off schedule. Most of the time their phone went to voice mail in the middle of the day and some of those times I couldn't even leave a message because it was full! But I chalk it up to maybe I caught them at a really awkward moment for some reason, like a spike in business. All the reviews I've read stated the opposite of my experience.

In the box was a brand new pair of urethane pivot bushings which I didn't pay for and I take to be a gift to make up for the slow service. I already bought a pair but I appreciate it none-the-less and couldn't be happier with my arms. If I was really impatient I could've bought cheap chinese arms you see elsewhere or even the amateur versions made locally at some offroad shops. Not to mention they're just really cool looking.
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

[no1clyde]

LOL Yes it is that list I am on to now. I have welded in front and rear recievers and am adding a 4000lb winch that can be used from either end. I got stuck one time last summer and didn't like the walk LOL.

I am going to try making my own arms and something like yours is what I'm going for. I am thinking this Baja will be coil over. Also have some ideas for the front suspension that I may try too. It is kind of a long range plan but I should start this spring.

Looking forward to your air bag set up.

Ed

[ORANGECRUSHer]

yup winch on my list too as well as a hitch since my pickup truck is outa commission till the buggy's done. (-Another motivating factor.)
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

Last night was warm and I got some work done and a lot of head scratching.
T-A pivot bushings

when using Avery's arms u need to clearance the inside of the sockets to fit the gusset on the arm.
before

after

_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

I also clearanced the pocket to achieve as much droop and rise of the arm as I felt was needed. I could theoretically get over 12" of travel, but with the setup I'll be using 8-1/2" will do. Going to have to remember to trim off the bump stop ears on the frame and also weld up some spots in those pockets where I ground it down.

For some reason I was hoping those long travel torsion eliminator plates would get pulled back more with the new arms so that they wouldn't chafe on the back side of the mount plate but that didn't happen. Don't know what I was thinking? Might have to shorten that 'spring' plate at the front a bit or grind a concave in the back surface of the mount plate so the jam nut doesn't make contact with it.
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

The Avery's arms use a different bearing combination. I took the assembly out of the old arms which I had rebuilt earlier before I decided to get new arms. I could tell when pushing the buggy to my other garage that something wasn't right. I think I figured it out. Missing spacer. The spacer in the middle was missing it's brother on the other side for some reason (unless it fell out with out me noticing while disassembling). The two spacers to the left of that are actually the inner races to the roller bearings. Too bad I'll need to buy a whole new spacer kit in order to get that one spacer.
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

The tall inner spacers will need to be machined down to 1.290" long in order to fit in the new tighter space between the bearings.
Two whole roller bearings get installed in the outside instead of one.
On the inside the ball bearing is replaced with a double row angular contact 5206-RS which will handle more load. The 'RS' indicates an added seal to the bearing. I'm not sure if I can also use an inner bearing seal on top of this but I will order some just in case and try. If not this bearing is sealed so I'll be alright.
Here's what the new 5206 looks like compared to the stock ball bearing.

_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

found a new use for that slave bracket on the 091!

_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[no1clyde]

Looks like you moving right along. It has gotten very cold here 4* at this moment so it takes heat for me to go out and work LOL. Looks good, as I have found everything takes fitment and your doing a good job. Keep these updates coming.

Ed

[HERC]

gonna be killer bro.
_________________
Herc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

That cold front will be hitting us today. Michigan's notorious for it's temp swings. Should drop 20* or so by nightfall plus wind. I'm thinking tonight I may just take a drive down to Kalamazoo to a shop I haven't been to in years and see if I can find my bits and pieces I need to put the stubs in. Need to find bearing cap bolts that are 3/8" thread instead of metric. I know I've seen them somewhere. Possibly just measure depth and grab some allen heads from Lowes?
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

[ORANGECRUSHer]

Finally felt like braving the cold last night.
Managed to install bearings in the new arms and get the wheels back on in prep for toe-in adjustment. I found a couple new problems to address.
First, the Thing stubs I bought seem to be what is referred to as long spline. Once the drum is installed there's still approx 1/2" of spline exposed. Evidently my swingaxle drums are short splined. I think this will be easily remedied with some spacers. Another good reason to upgrade to disk brakes I guess.
Second, trailing arm mount on my new arms is out of alignment with the spring plate eliminators.

I think they'd be right in line if I still had spring plates. The eliminators sit outboard a bit. I'm planning on welding some 1/4" plate to the backside of the eliminators to fill the gap... then hopefully toe-in can be set and on to the tranny.
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[58Dub]

looks great so far! I hope to be able to do a similar setup once spring shows up. I just need to get everyone elses projects done so I have time for me.
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58 Beetle (now just a pile of parts in the corner)
60 Beetle (2221 turbo under construction)
70 Beetle Baja project