SXOR single seater build

[Hokie_YJ]

Bringing this thread back from the dead. It's been almost a year since I touched this thing last. Honestly I just got burnt out and lost my motivation to work on it. I recently picked up another rig to get me back on the trail since it's been almost 4 years since I last wheeled. Getting the new rig ready to go has got me motivated again to finish this thing.

A few months back I ordered all new 7075 links from WOD. I had the rears made 7.25" longer to move the axle back to help with the driveshaft angle. It's going to require building a longer rear driveshaft, but the one I already had built will also fit the front so I'll have a spare now. And I'll just go ahead build two for the rear and have a spare for both.











This picture shows a before and after of the driveshaft angle.



Moving the axle back also meant I had to build new upper shock mounts, but I had been planning to redo/reinforce them anyway because I've always heard that mounts for ORIs need to be beefier than mounts for air shocks/coilovers due to them also acting as the bumpstops. Over the last couple days before work I got one rear mount done. Still have the other side to do, and I'm also going redo the front upper mounts as well.

 

[GONOVRIT]

What's the wb now?

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I haven't gotten a good measurement accurate measurement but it was 104" before, the new links are 7.25" longer. So it should be in the neighborhood of 111"

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I had a couple hours this afternoon between sleep and getting ready for work so I got started on the other rear shock mount.







I know the left side ORI is leaned in more than the right side. These chassis are not symmetrical, that's just the way they're built. I know it looks a little funny, but it was the same way before I moved the shocks.

 

[Andy J.]

Looks dead sexy to me

 

[Hokie_YJ]

Thanks man!

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I got the other rear shock mount mount finished up this afternoon.











After that I started taking stuff off the front of the chassis. I've got to cut the old shock mounts off with the plasma so I figured I'd just take everything off so I don't make a mess. After I get the mounts done it's about time to tear the whole thing apart anyway.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I finally got to work on this thing a little bit again yesterday. Just a couple days after the last update in this thread lightning either struck my house, or somewhere near it. It fried a few electronics in the house, and also fried the board in my welder. I normally don't leave it plugged up, but I had left in a hurry after the last time I used it and just forgot to unplug it. The local Miller service guy recommended sending the board to Innovat in Marion, Va. They repaired it for $200 vs. buying a new board for ~$500.

I rolled the front axle out and beefed up the lower shock mounts a bit.







Then I got started on the new upper shock mounts, and swapped to the new 7075 links and rolled the axle back in. I ran out of time so I didn't get the upper mounts finished up, they're just tacked right now and will be gusseted similar to the rears.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I got the front shock mounts finished up this afternoon.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

No real progress or pictures, but I had a couple free hours the other day so I spent it stripping everything off the chassis. The only thing left is drivetrain, suspension, and axles. Hope to get it down to bare chassis this week so I can start the final welding and add gussets, etc. where needed. Also I have a couple parts for the new longer rear driveshaft at the machine shop right now. I should have them back in the next couple of days so I can get it built. I guess it's getting closer, but it feels like I still have a ton of work to do.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

Finally got a chance to work on it a little more today. It's down to a bare chassis now.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I just realized I forgot to upload these pics. These are from a week or so ago. I added a little protection for the light bar. It's just 1" thin wall tube so it won't hold up to a big roll but 1.5" tube just looked way too big.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I know you all have probably given up on me ever getting this thing done, but it's still alive. I finally got to put some time in on it today. I wrestled the chassis up on the table and knocked out quite a bit of the welding. Hopefully I can finish most of it up tomorrow.

Anyway, here's a few pics for proof. Haha.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

Got a little more time in on this thing over the last few days. All of the welding, minus the skid plates is done.

I got the chassis off the table and back in the floor. Almost killing myself in the process. But the main section of the skid is cut and partially welded on, still have to cut the pieces for the boatsides and the engine/trans skid. All of the skid plate material is 3/16" AR400 plate.









I'm hoping I can get the skids finished up tomorrow and then it will be ready for paint.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

Over the last few days I've been working here and there on finishing up the skids. I got them done today. And I'm about to head back out to the shop to spend my Friday night slapping some paint on this thing.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

Got 2/3rds or so of the painting done tonight. My back was getting stiff from all the bending over so I stopped for the night. Hopefully I can knock it out tomorrow.

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

Is that hammered?

 

[Hokie_YJ]

Yeah it is.

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

Looks good. Not sure how you're applying, but i prefer brysh/rolling it. Comes out a different color though

 

[Hokie_YJ]

Yeah, I brushed it on. Took a lot longer, but I hate trying to spray bomb tubing.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I got the chassis paint finished up today. Probably could use another coat, but I am not doing that again. Lol. I'll just touch up spots that need it as I find them.

Gonna give it a day or so to cure then hopefully start hanging the suspension and axles. Actually I still need to paint the axles too, but that shouldn't take too long.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

Not a huge amount of progress but I got both axles stripped down. I got the rear axle painted and hung under the chassis for hopefully the last time.











Still have to get the front axle painted and under the chassis and get it back to a roller.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

I know I haven't posted an update in a while. I started putting the rear axle together and ran into a big problem. Apparently during the process of trussing the housing I warped the hell out of it. Either that or the spindles weren't aligned correctly when the housing was originally built. (I bought this as a roller, I only added the trusses to the existing axles.) I'm pretty sure it was all the welding I did that caused it though. I tried taking my time and stitch welding but it wasn't enough I guess.

I sent these pics to a buddy and he said he could try to straighten it, but it would be pretty difficult to get it to move that much. I may end up having to buy a new housing and build a whole new axle and re-use my parts. I'm frustrated with it and upset with myself to say the least.

Right side:







Left side:

 

[Hokie_YJ]

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.

 

[Hokie_YJ]

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.