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SXOR single seater build

Thanks for the tips guys. Hopefully I can get something figured out this weekend. I'm on my day shifts this week, working 6:30a-6:30p doesn't leave much time to work on the buggy. But after Thursday I go on my 7 day long weekend so I should have some time to get this **** figured out.
 
Small update with good news and bad news.

Good news:
The rear axle is not bent as bad as I thought, if it all. The splines were just really tight on the new shafts and I got them started a little crooked and they bound up.

Bad news:
The shiny new CTM 300M shafts I ordered for this axle way back in the build are the wrong lengths. I ordered them based on the measurements of the cut down stock shafts that came with the axle. The cut down shafts were wrong to begin with, and my dumb ass didn't confirm the measurements before I ordered new shafts. The long side was almost 1" too long and the splines go most of the way the way into what should be the gap between the shafts in the spool. The short side is almost 1" too short and only has about 5/8"-3/4" spline engagement in the spool. So now I have a set of really expensive spare shafts that are just barely useable as spares.

The last I heard CTM was at minimum 6 month lead time on shafts. I'm not about to wait that long. So I gave Stan @ Branik Motorsports a call and ordered a set of their 35 spline 300M shafts in the correct lengths. I've heard nothing but good things about their shafts, and he quoted only a 2-3 week lead time. I'll still be able to use the CTM drive flanges that came with the other shafts with the new shafts.

Just add this one to the long list of expensive lessons I've learned on this build. SMDH

I haven't much time, but I got a just little bit of assembly done yesterday.

On the front axle I got the ram mounted and the hard lines back on for the brakes.



On the rear axle I put on the rotors and calipers and the brake lines.



I also mounted the winch and fairleads. The winch mounts inside the chassis directly in front of the seat and the rope will pass through a fairlead at the mount, under the foot well, and through another fairlead up front. You can barely see it hiding behind the track bar in the first pic.



That's all for now. Not much progress, but I wanted to give a little update. I guess the next step will be getting the drivetrain sat in the chassis. Maybe I can get that done in the next couple days.
 
Re: Re: SXOR single seater build

hokie_yj said:
Small update with good news and bad news.

Good news:
The rear axle is not bent as bad as I thought, if it all. The splines were just really tight on the new shafts and I got them started a little crooked and they bound up.

Bad news:
The shiny new CTM 300M shafts I ordered for this axle way back in the build are the wrong lengths. I ordered them based on the measurements of the cut down stock shafts that came with the axle. The cut down shafts were wrong to begin with, and my dumb ass didn't confirm the measurements before I ordered new shafts. The long side was almost 1" too long and the splines go most of the way the way into what should be the gap between the shafts in the spool. The short side is almost 1" too short and only has about 5/8"-3/4" spline engagement in the spool. So now I have a set of really expensive spare shafts that are just barely useable as spares.

The last I heard CTM was at minimum 6 month lead time on shafts. I'm not about to wait that long. So I gave Stan @ Branik Motorsports a call and ordered a set of their 35 spline 300M shafts in the correct lengths. I've heard nothing but good things about their shafts, and he quoted only a 2-3 week lead time. I'll still be able to use the CTM drive flanges that came with the other shafts with the new shafts.

Just add this one to the long list of expensive lessons I've learned on this build. SMDH

I haven't much time, but I got a just little bit of assembly done yesterday.

On the front axle I got the ram mounted and the hard lines back on for the brakes.



On the rear axle I put on the rotors and calipers and the brake lines.



I also mounted the winch and fairleads. The winch mounts inside the chassis directly in front of the seat and the rope will pass through a fairlead at the mount, under the foot well, and through another fairlead up front. You can barely see it hiding behind the track bar in the first pic.



That's all for now. Not much progress, but I wanted to give a little update. I guess the next step will be getting the drivetrain sat in the chassis. Maybe I can get that done in the next couple days.
Almost sounds like those shafts were cut based on a std pinion/3rd arrangement. Not sure why they would be though. I liked at going rear engine with my axles and was going to need all new shafts to flip the pinions, so i decided against it, or to just build new axles if i did.
 
That's very possible. The original rear shafts were in the axle all the way back in '09 when SXOR originally sold it as a roller. One would think they would have had the right measurements since they built the axle. But mistakes happen, I prove that every day. Lol.

I used the Ruffstuff 9" axle gauge to measure for my new shafts. Just wish I would have bought and used it to verify before I ordered the first time. Sure as hell would have been a lot cheaper. Lesson learned.

As far as I can tell the front inner shafts are correct. Just visually checking the have probably 1.5" or so of spline engagement. They were ordered by the guy I bought this thing off of though.
 
All is not lost...
What are the measurements of the shafts? someone building from scratch can build the housings to match... that would get you some money back.
 
I probably will try to post them for sale and see if I can get something back for them. They're double spline shafts. One is 40.5" end to end, the other is 23.75" end to end. Overall WMS on this axle is right at 57", so it would have to be someone building another pretty narrow buggy.
 
I've still been slowly plugging away at this thing when I have the time.

Got the headers finished up. They're going to get ceramic coated in flat black.









I also had a buddy powdercoat all my aluminum panels in flat black. Assembly is slowly underway. I'm putting some closed cell weatherstripping under the aluminum to hopefully keep down the vibration.







Got the transmission and transfer case mounted also. The motor is going to Patrick this week to go on the dyno for tuning.





I also got one of the mid-ship shafts finished up, still have to finish the other.





I decided to put down some anti-slip tape in the footwell to make it a little better climbing in and out with muddy boots. And I also got the hard brake lines put back in.









That's all for now. Hopefully I'll have more progress to post by the end of the week.
 
Got a little more done over the last few days. Not as much as I had hoped, but that's life.

Got the fuel cell and Corvette filter/regulator mounted.





Bolted up the rear midship shaft.





Painted the filler panels for the kick panels and the upper panel behind the seat. They have aluminum trim pieces that rivets to them that I had powder coated flat black. These were a translucent red lexan. I painted them with 3-4 coats of plasti-dip on each side. It turned out really good. I think I will probably use the plasti-dip on the hood as well.



The new rear shafts came in from Branik. I slid them in the housing and bolted on the drive flanges.





Got the front midship shaft welded up, painted, and bolted in.











I had some pieces cut a few weeks back to make the steering double shear and add a little reinforcement to the knuckles.





I took the knuckles off so I can weld them up. Going to preheat to about 250* in the oven then post-heat and slow cool.



Started pressing out the ball joints and my HF press finally bit the dust. Stripped the threads right out of it. After I threw it across the garage and had my cussing fit I sit down on my stool, got on EBay and bought a used Snap-On ball joint press. It will be here in a couple days.



I did add some weld washers to the bolt holes for the steering arms.



In between other stuff I riveted on all the springs for the Dzus tabs for the skins. This thing right here is the best $50 tool I've ever bought. Beats the hell out of riveting by hand. Pull the trigger and it's done.

 
Thanks man! The hard line is 1/4" x .049 wall 316 tubing. The fittings and flex hoses are all Swagelok stuff. It just so happens that I work in an industry that I'm familiar with installing the tubing and fittings. Lol.

Both of the carrier bearings did come from WOD. I think they have changed the design slightly since I got these, but basically still the same.
 
Nothing. The housing wasn't bent anywhere near as bad as I originally thought. The new shafts slid right in. It is a little warped for sure but I'm just going to run it and see what happens.
 
Got the knuckles finished up today. I baked them in the oven @ 250* before welding, then after welding I buried them in oil dry to let them cool slowly.





















In the morning I'll start putting the front end together.
 
I got the knuckles back on and the front axle buttoned up today.

















Also got the battery box and batteries mounted.



And I plasti-dipped the hood.

Before:



After:



Then I couldn't resist putting on one of the kick panels, the hood, and some tires to see how it looked. I think it's going to look decent.











Unfortunately today was most likely my last day off until mid May or so. I'll be on straight nights for 3 weeks minimum. So progress will be slow if not non-existent for a while.
 
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