Project Buggy: Design Thoughts

Frame
 I know I want to mimic the dimensions of the Honda frame, yet stretch it a little to fit a taller person.  Lurking around the pilot forums, I figure the length would have to be stretched at least six to eight inches, maybe even twelve.

At the same time - we may have to stretch the back end to get proper room for the engine and drivetrain.  because the Hondas used single-cyilinder engines, I may need to widen the frame slightly to accommodate a two-stroke twin. I would have to check to see if the roof height is fine.  Most of the ROPS I have seen on bulldozers and other heavy equipment gives you around 2 feet of headroom when sitting in the seat.

(Idea - Put the engine and transmission on a single mount - if the frame is wide enough, the whole power unit can be removed with a engine hoist!)

The steel tubing on the Honda is around 1 1/4" and about 15 gauge.  I would probably want to go up to 13 gauge, as that would make the frame more bend resistant.  I'll have to talk to my dad about what kind of steel I should use.     


Engine
After a little research, I have determined the 440 Rotax is from a late seventies Ski-Doo Everest. The engine is supposed to output around 80 horsepower, and is reputed to be one of the more reliable snowmobile motors made by Rotax. The air cooled motors are not mentioned as much as the later liquid-cooled models, but parts are supposed to be easily acquired and inexpensive to boot.  The motor does not have a carburetor, but my dad does have a large-bore Mikuni sitting around from his dirt-biking days that might work.

For air filtration, the simplest would be to grab a airbox off a Geo metro or Suzuki Sprint. While not normally intended for heavy dust conditions, they are usually designed with the best filtration intentions;  the paper filters are inexpensive to replace; and the external air inlets on the airbox usually allow a hose or snorkel to be attached, allowing for a precleaner to be installed. 


Fuel System
If the frame is stretched sideways, I might be able to squeeze a fuel tank alongside the engine like the original Honda had.  This would mean the use of a fuel pump, but it should be pretty trivial to implement. Honda does not appear to have a very big fuel capacity, which would be an issue - I may need to consider how I would add an extra fuel tank.   


Electrical
The new information I found about the engine indicates I have a 12 volt system, so that calms that concern.  I don't have a rating for the generator, but considering the snowmobile had a 75 watt headlight,  I'm going to guess around 100 watts.  That gives me about 8 amps to work with for lighting.

I will probably need to use LED lights to get the lighting configuration I want.  They are a little more expensive than regular sealed beam lights, but also consume half the power of an equivalent sealed-beam.

Instrumentation might be neat to build.  I would probably go electronic (I am taking courses in electronic engineering!), but would stick with simplicity - engine heat, tach and a speedo, for instance.

It might be possible to retrofit the motor with an electric start - It looks like Rotax just throws a ring gear behind the clutch and mounts the starter beside the motor.  That method makes it almost look like an afterthought than intentional - Yamaha's snowmobile motors by comparison have it on the flywheel.


Drivetrain
 I think I'll find a FL350 odyssey transmission.  While parts for it may be getting harder to find, it is probably the most inexpensive gearbox option for what I want.  The average selling price for an FL350 gearbox on eBay is around $700usd; a knockoff of the RPM gearbox is available for $900usd.  compare that to the +$2000 the RPM goes for.

Another option would be to use a reversing snowmobile chaincase (Around $300usd), but two other things come in: Complexity and Ratios. The Odyssey transmission is around 10:1; the RPM is 9:1, and the snowmobile chaincase is around 4:1.  To get this gearing down,  I would need to add a chain drive to a "Spool" - a shaft that connects the two rear wheels together.  While this may be okay,  it introduces a whole range of issues in both construction and maintenance that I hope to avoid with the enclosed gearbox.


Operator compartment
 If this buggy is going to be a rocket that can be thrown around by a nutcase, I'm going to need some pretty serious safety gear. a four or five point seatbelt is mandatory, and some consider a suspension seat important for high speed off-road travel.

Since my main intended use is high-speed, long distance travel of logging roads,  I'm going to have to put a bit more money into driver comfort.  I might go for a more expensive seat, and consider a windscreen.

Wrist restraints will be needed to keep the hand from flailing about during a crash, and I should probably consider some form of padding for the leg area.  I might also consider a "Doughnut" to put around my neck to help prevent whiplash.

Of course, a helmet is mandatory. Why bother with all the safety gear if you plan to get a fatal head injury?


Body
I do happen to have a set of rear fenders off a ATC200 that would be perfect for the rear end. The front fenders would have to come off a racing quad to get the proper kind of profile.

For the front "foot tub", however,  I would be better off molding fiberglass into the shape I want. Some simple carpentry would get me a mold that would match the shape I want to lay out the fiberglass cloth.


Suspension
The main hurtle I have is the rear suspension - Partly because of the drive axle limiting it's travel, but because of the different setups the Honda uses.

For the FL350 Odyssey, they use a "Trailing Arm" suspension on all four corners. The FL400 Pilot uses A-Arm suspension up front and "Multi-Link" suspension on the back.

There is nothing wrong with trailing arm suspension - the original VW Dune buggies used it and is still common on dune buggies. The linkages are very compact and so heavily built that they are very sturdy. The only drawback is that it provides limited articulation on rough ground, which can affect handling.

A-Arm suspension allows for camber adjustment of the wheel as it moves within it's travel, which allows for improved handling at high speed. This is offset by the fact that the arms are somewhat fragile, and will get damaged during crashes.

Multi-Link suspension takes A-Arm suspension a little further.  By adding more stabilizing links to the wheel bearing, suspension become easier to tune, while making the vehicle easier to handle.  But here is the rub - It is also more difficult to design.

It is extremely hard to know just how the suspension will work without Computer modelling, and would need to be tuned precisely to the design - meaning changes to the frame that affect how the suspension mounts would also affect how the suspension moves as well.  I don't think this would be an issue - it just means I will need to learn how to work with 3D Cad design and modeling.  Solidworks, Here I come!

For the Shocks, the Rear shock on the Honda are 20 inches long, the fronts are regular 13.5" shock. I do have a set of shocks that I could use for the front, but the rear looks to be a bit harder to find - initial research indicates the rear shocks off a Polaris RZR UTV might work, but I'm looking at around 500 bucks or more for a pair.


Controls
The steering wheel is going to be the biggest PITA, as the hondas are the only buggies that used a hands-only control scheme. The biggest issue is the brakes, but I think I have an Idea of what I can do, though.

The FL350 and FL400 have hydraulic brakes - the 350 used two cables going down the steering column to work a central master cylinder.  Since this setup was difficult to bleed, The FL400 moved the master cylinders to the steering wheel itself, using what I believe are modified motorcycle rear brake master cylinders. The FL400 brake cylinders are very expensive and a complete steering wheel commands a premium - We are talking about >$500 here. 

The main issue is what I can use as a substitute for my own steering wheel.  I cannot use regular front brake cyilinders as I doubt they would work sideways. Then I read of how One person on MBN came upon a solution while trying to improve the brake system on his adapted buggy - Street bike brake cylinders.

Probably because of the large slant of streetbike handlebars, the reservoirs on them are now often detached and mounted alongside the levers at an angle.  This is perfect, as I can mount the reservoirs along the top of the steering wheel and not have to worry about the cylinder sucking air or even how to load it with brake fluid.  Best of all - generic cylinders are available rather inexpensively on ebay.

Project Outline - Off-Road buggy

I have always wanted to build a go-kart.  being raised surrounded with all sorts of neat machinery and a father who is both a mechanical engineer and a hobby machinist created a desire to make something that could come to life.

While reading Dad's old "Dirt Bike" magazines, I caught a glimpse of an ATV that was unlike the typical bikes and the odd trike that was common in those magazines. The driver sat very low in the vehicle and, since the few pictures I saw were the "Crash and Burns", looked very sturdy.  I memorized the model: The Honda Odyssey.

It turns out the Honda Odyssey was a model of a line of buggies Honda made between 1976 to 1990 (Apparently recycled from an abandoned snowmobile project).

While popular on the sand dunes, the high price kept customers away and eventually killed the line.

The two rather unique things about these machines are the transmission and its controls - the machine uses a CVT (continuously variable transmission) for power delivery, a feature that is not very common for wheeled vehicles at the time, and all the controls are on the steering wheels - no pedals.

The Hondas enjoy a cult following, but I feel it would cost prohibitive for me to actually own one. Parts for it are getting harder to find and more expensive.

So, I propose a project:

PROJECT BUGGY

Outline: To build a go-kart that is as similar to the Honda Odyssey/Pilot as possible

Component areas:

• FRAME: Metal tube construction - Dimensions will copy the Odyssey frame, with some deviation for both length and height in the driver's compartment (I'm 6' 4")

•  SUSPENSION : A-arm suspension using nitrogen-charged snowmobile shocks.

• WHEELS: Quad tires, with wide rear tires and narrow fronts.

• BRAKES: Front will use spindles from a 2WD quad (Preferably with disc brakes), the rear will have a large disc on the gearbox output.

• ENGINE: From my dumpster diving last summer, I have both an Rotax 340 and Rotax 440 engine.  I will need to tear them down to determine if they are salvageable.  May need to find an exhaust pipe.

• TRANSMISSION: It seems the RPM Gearbox is a very bulletproof "FNR" box, capable of handling up to 300 horsepower while providing flanges for constant-velocity shafts.  It's also really expensive, with the average sale price around $2,000usd.  The other best option I heard of is the Spicer H12 FNR gearbox commonly used on UTVs and golf carts. They are around $1,600 brand new (Even less on the used/surplus market), but can only handle around 30 horsepower.

• STEERING: Unassisted tie rod assembly.  the steering wheel might be another expensive purchase if I go for a Honda steering wheel, unless I experiment with casting aluminum and make my own.

• ELECTRICAL: The alternators on the two snowmobile engines I have are likely 6 volt.  if I cannot make another coil work, I may either consider an external alternator or look for another engine.

• LIGHTING: Four floodlights up front, reverse triggered flood and taillight out back.  Have a DRL system to turn two lights on for visibility on the logging roads. 

•  BODY: Fenders fashioned from old quad fenders, roof molded out of fiberglass.

Building phases:

• Design Phase: Acquire dimensions of a Honda frame and other major components, design frame in CADD program

• Acquisition Phase:  Gather up the necessary parts and tools as funds allow. Prepare parts that are already in possession.

• Fabrication Phase: Build the parts that the design calls for. test fit the components

• Assembly and Test Phase: Assemble the machine and test to eliminate bugs.

• Cleanup Phase: Strip the machine back down, paint

 Right now, this is a long-term project, along the lines of "Nice to do, but there are more important things in life".  The design phase would be simple enough to do, I would just need at least some of the frame measurements.

Defining one's self is important - it sets a goal for you to strive for and improve

Ode to Self-Esteem

I am a farm boy
I am religious
I am a jack of all trades
but master of none

I value hard work
I value kindness
I value honesty, truth and teamwork

I like mechanical detail
I like seeing stuff work
I like to be part of the solution,
no matter how small

I want to create stuff
I want to share happiness
I do not want to stop learning,
as this world is a beautiful place

These things define me
 and the personality I have
I will not change for anyone or anything
because THIS IS WHO I AM

-Chris Pritchard (June 2012)

The Passing of an era

On November 1, 2012, the Planer mill in Cranbrook caught fire, destroying the main part of the planer mill.  Ironically, no one would really care, since the planer mill was just about to be scrapped - contractors were busy pulling components out of the badly weathered and neglected building, and the carcass would have been picked clean by the scrappers by the end of November anyway.

Overall, though, it's the end of a major industry in a town that is the major hub of the East Kootanays.



It was not always like this.  You see, a small lumber company started consolidating mills in the 1950's to form Crestbrook Forest Industries.  By the 1960's, they had three mills - one in Creston, one in Canal Flats, and one in Cranbrook.

By 1969, with the help of the Japanese, CFI Built a pulp mill in Skookumchuck. In the late seventies, they bought the Crowsnest Industries Sawmill in Elko.  It was a rather neatly run operation, with the Main office located at the old school building in Cranbrook.

In the late 90's things were not looking so good for Crestbrook.  The Creston mill was shut down and demolished in 1994/5. and the decision to shut down the Cranbrook mill was made in 1998. From an operational standpoint, both mills were well over 40 years old, and cost a lot to run. The Softwood-lumber dispute by then had boiled over, and left the company hurting.

Ventures into an OSB plant cost Crestbrook a lot of money, and weakened them to a point were Tembec bought them out.  The Cranbrook sawmill was converted into a "Value added Centre", where short pieces of wood were finger-jointed together and converted back into stud-grade lumber. The planer mill was left, as were the kilns (The kilns at Elko and Canal flats were undersized, so green lumber was trucked to the Cranbrook kilns for drying and planing.)

Eventually, Tembec ran into money problems. The US housing collapse was hurting them, to the point where the Skookumchuck pulp mill was the only plant making money in the East Kootenays. By this point, the only thing running at the Cranbrook site was the Kilns - both the Value Added Center and planer mill's last major shift was in 2004.

Things gradually improved since that time, until Tembec decided to cut their losses and focus on their mills back in Quebec.  Canfor bought up the Canal Flats and Elko mills in March 2012, as well as their woodlands operations, and reorganized them so they were independent.

As a result, the main office was sold off to the Ktunaxa First Nations. After Canfor's initial agreement to use them expired, the dry kilns in Cranbrook were shut down in May 2012.

Since then, Tembec has been trying to find an owner for both the Skookumchuck Pulp Mill and the VAC.

I wonder if Cranbrook would even notice that a major company is rapidly disappearing from their town. I would love to say they would, as industry is an important economic factor in any community, but the initial economic impact was felt when the Cranbrook Plant was shut down in 1998 and 2004 - most of the workers either transferred to the other mills, found work elsewhere or moved out.

It's sad to see this happen, and happen so fast.  When I was growing up, it was an extremely fun adventure to travel with Dad to the sawmills to look over the upgrades or repairs they were working on that weekend, then go grab a load of firewood and head home.  The fact that it was a local business gave me pride knowing that my dad worked for them.

Now, as I go to Engineering school myself, and prepare for life on my own, I wonder what my future would hold, if I will ever be a homebody, or be a transient forever hunting for that long-term career like what my dad held.

Truly the passing of an era.

Introduction

You have reached my world, one that very few have ventured.  With extremely large websites and more and more people using the Internet, small websites like mine receive very little traffic.

These are the outskirts - an obscure corner of the Internet....

These were the words I wrote for a website roughly five years ago. This referred to another attempt to make a website after geocities was shut down, but that site quickly turned stale as the challenge of maintaining it got in the way of more important stuff.

Maybe it was not in me.

I have tossed around the idea of a blog; something for me to speak my mind and get it off my mind. Something that allowed me to jump around and talk about whatever interested me without having a central subject.

So here goes.  Here's a project with no discernible subject; just the ramblings of an adult with no social skills revealing what type of guy I am.

Enjoy.