Here We Go: DD Build

[DeMinimis]

Been busy. Almost lost the camper on Monday. Some dumbass over-backed the truck when trying to re-position the camper when in Baja. Bent the rear jacks. Same SOB bent the rear jacks last Summer and had to buy the latest greatest, 900# additional capacity each jacks then (put them on the front and moved the only mildly tweaked old fronts to the rear). Well, the rears are d-u-n done. Took the camper off (needed to hook up the race trailer to go snag a farm/hay wagon running gear that I'll build out to use as rolling camper storage so I can store the camper in the shop) and the much too taxed old rear jacks nearly folded (nice "C" shape now). Jacks arrived last night, but too windy to try and raise the camper high enough to get back on the truck. Managed this AM before the winds kick back up. Jacks tonight. Nice thing about the new jacks is a combined 3600# greater capacity, zinc coated arms and great extension, so I'll have a little piece of mind. About to wrap up the CJ7 in the next couple of weeks (for now). Ready for a piece of the Oregon Back Country Discovery Route this Summer (early Summer)??

[DeMinimis]

Well, not a whole lot to report here. Spent all my secret buggy money and time, over this past year, on that CJ7. My daily driver is going to The Boy this Fall. That leaves me in need of a daily driver. So, I've been thinking new or new-ish F150 Lariat (ecoboost) as my daily as sometimes I need to haul stuff, but not so much that it warrants firing up that Ram 5500 monster of mine. So, going to let the CJ7 head down the road (was a tough call as I actually have a lot of fun with that Jeep, but I really don't need it, I spend too much time on it, and I need to start thinking about my daily driver replacement, etc). Anyway, it got me thinking. Humm, I really like the 2017 Lariat, but I really, REALLY like the '17 Raptor. Seems kind of pricey and with a dune buggy in the shop, well, it seems like I really don't need one. Right? Well, perhaps I'm going about this all wrong. Then I started thinking, well, if I sold the Desert Dynamics roller (and, eventually my '78 Bug), then I suppose I could justify having just one little project in the form of a Raptor. With a raptor, I'd get a daily driver, a boat hauler (short trips as I'd use my 5500 for the big travels/stuff), and an off-road toy all in one. Seems pretty logical to me. Anyway, I may just put the Desert Dynamics roller up for sale. Still thinking....

[petew]

Don't do it. The moment you sell the DD, you'll find yourself buying another one AND you'll lose all that cash on an unfinished project.

[DeMinimis]

No DD sale love after two weeks, so starting to work on it again. Fab-d up a couple tube gussets for the upper arms. I forgot that I didn't do that last year. Some cycling to make sure I was good on clearance. Main upper tubes are 1.5". Because I like to do things the hard way, I used 1.25 for the gussets and notched them off-center. The reason for this is by setting the gussets flush with the tops of the main tubes, I gain a little more clearance at full droop. Added brake line and limit strap tabs on one lower arm today (out of time to tab the other). Pic of those crazy notches. Oh, the Honda engine left today, so that frees up some needed room in the shop.

[petew]

That's some beautiful notching there.

[DeMinimis]

Thank you. The notcher from JD2 was one good investment.

[DeMinimis]

Added limit strap and brake line tabs to the lower arms. That's that. Nice that I had them in my box-o-tabs in my shop. I do need to order up limit strap clevis mounts for the chassis. Think I'm going to beef up the bulkhead next. Don't think I'll box it, but I may laminate another layer of 3/16 4130 to it for more rigidity. Desert plans, you know.

[CentralWAbaja]

glad to see the no sale love as of yet. keep at it! The working on it part, not the selling part

[DeMinimis]

We shall see. We shall see.

However, it does make sense to hold on....
2,300 Tatum Midboards
2,200 Rear 3.0 BPs
1,880 Beards
1,500 Front A-Arms (narrow $2,000++ actual cost)
1,390 Rear 2.5 C/Os
1,329 CNC Fr Brakes
1,250 Fr 2.0 BPs
870 Springs (This does include an extra pair of springs for dialing in the rear)
800 2" Spindles
800 Method Wheels (New $1,048 raw, not black)
800 Tires
720 (Heims 18 x $40 (some heims actually more than $40))
650 Front 2.0 C/Os
525 Howe (new $1,150)
400 CNC Pedals/Brake (New $700)

17,414 (Total and I was mighty generous on the used parts values I think). This amount doesn't even include the all the extras (spare/loading wheels, spare 2" spindles, belts, extras CNC reservoirs, extra heims, etc., etc., nor the actual DD chassis nor the orig DD front and rear arms!! I was only selling for $16999. Basically, a free chassis. Seemed like a stupid-good deal for someone, but nada after two weeks. So that's that I suppose. I must admit, I am enjoying working on it again.

[DeMinimis]

Instead of getting tipped over on this St Pat's day, I decided to drill out lower front arm tabs/mounts and welded up some 3/4 weld washers so they can accept my larger lower arm heims. Not pretty, but will do the job.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Adding the washers as doublers is usually never wrong! Even adding them on the inside before welding the tabs on can be a benefit with what will be fitted inside. Keeps a space between the mount and what is mounted. Good job!

Lee

[petew]

Keep going. Looks great.

[DeMinimis]

Thanks kids. Unhappy with my ticka ticka ticka weld, but I was bent over the mid tube and welding upside down. It'll work, and won't see it with a body on, but, well, meh.

Waiting on some 4130. I going to fab up two additional bulkhead plates and laminate them to the existing bulkhead. I've read enough stories of these bulkhead tweaking over time. So, since it's a fresh chassis, it seems better to address now, as opposed to tackling it as a repair job later.

[DeMinimis]

...however, I had the needed 1.25 4130 tube to beef up the current bulkhead setup. Cranked out the upside down V bracing from the bulkhead tube back to the cross bracing. I'll tackle the bulkhead plates once the goods arrive.

[DeMinimis]

Cardboard Aided Design.