Buggy Building

[Buffomarinus]

After literally wearing the bum out of me coveralls last weekend being dragged around the paddock, I've decided it's time to build a buggy. I've picked through the steel pile, fixed up the old MIG, bought a new lense for me welding helmet and put out feelers for some decent, light weight wheels. Anyone have any URLs for DIY buggy building sights?

[Dan OK?]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Peter-Lynn-Kite-Buggy_W0QQitemZ220154418792QQihZ012QQcategoryZ2569QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[The Duke]

You can make 'em cheaper than that Dan, if you're prepared to do it yourself.

If you're serious about building, I'll dig up some plans for you.

They are available on the net, they just take a bit of finding.

I've seen a good plan for PL Comp and even one for a LIBRE, I think there were links on here somewhere a while back, just go through the old posts.

[Peter]

just goes to show you dont it......

that is Mojo's buggy, silly girl, has the forks on backwards!!!!

[lickedysplit_au]

silly girl, has the forks on backwards!!!!

. . .oops - nicely pointed out Pete, dare you to ask a question

Pretty sure PTW used to have plans for all sorts of bugs on his site, not sure if they are there anymore but I am sure he could point you in the right direction.

[EDIT] - Found some plans on PTW's site - http://pic7.piczo.com/Popeyethewelder/?g=15600133

[Buffomarinus]

Many thanks for all the responses to my quest.

The "Popeyethewelder" URL is excellent and just what I'm looking for. I must admit that I was sorely tempted by a couple of offers for a used Peter Lynn buggy, but I've got this thing about DIY and "building a better mousetrap ."

I just scored a matched pair of 15X6.00-6 wheels with aluminium rims from a mate's scraped ultralight aircraft for free. The +20mm I.D., dual sealed bearings in both wheels are brand new. I also scored the stub axles which I can weld into a bit of RHS for the rear axle of the buggy. I'm still searching for the third, steering wheel.

Here's the back wheels...

[Buffomarinus]

Also did a search through past posts and found a lot of excellent information. Seems I've "recycled" a question that's been asked many times before!

[howie]

I have asked the same question before. But my problem is should I buy or manufacture a buggy. I have noticed that they dont have that much in them but it is just the seat that I have not worked out yet.

[nigel]

I'll wade in with my thoughts....

I think getting (purchasing) a buggy is the best thing to do first.

You have it all there, no messing around, simple.

Once you have mastered it, you will have a good idea of the dirrection you want to take for your next buggy.

Be it racing, free style, or cruising.

Easy solution is to sell the buggy on to a new kiter.

You can easy sell a second hand named brand, rather than selling a home brew buggy, which might not rate as high in a new kiters eyes.

You should get back a fair percentage of the price, and can pump this back into the new one's (home brew) costs.

You'll also know what is wrong and needs improving over the branded one, and if your lucky, sat in as my buggyies as you can, to find the one you like the best.

Also Buffo, most of the buggyies here in OZ just use wheel barrow wheels, and rims.

You can get other fancier rims and tyres, but the barrows are quite cheap, and take an absolute pounding.

My old barrows on my PL buggy are over 7 years old, and must have covered thousands of kms.

Replaced the tyres and bearings, but never the rim!!

They are Fallshaw rims, made here in Melbourne. A litle more expansive than the cheap ones you can get at Bunnings, but for me, worth every cent.

Purchased another set of rims to put on the Libre, and getting another set in a weeks time to put some bigfoots on (small children look out at Sandy Point!!!).

Don't worry too much about the listed speed rating on the side wall of the tyres and rims at only 15kph, you don't notice the out of ballance till you hit 60kph, this goes by 70kph.

If you go faster you might want to look at better wheels, but mine have gone to 98.5kph with no problems.

Make yourself a kite bike while your at it!!

[Peter]

for your third wheel, look at Mower Repair shops, for old Ride on mower wheels/tyres, if you are ever down this way i have a few you can have

[Peter]

dare you to ask a question

no not me!!!! that one can bite!!!!

[lickedysplit_au]

no not me!!!! that one can bite!!!!

Thats what makes it FUN!!! Wonder if Joel is up for the task

No worries buffo, if you end up building one you should post a diary including pics of your venture on here. Be great to watch your progress, and would become a VERY usefull thread indeed!

[Buffomarinus]

I have to admit that I'm sorely tempted by a PL buggy with spare axle that I was offered at an excellent price, but Popeye's website has set me on the path to DIY. Popeye may simply refer to himself as a "welder," but the bloke is an artist/master craftsman. Anybody who hasn't been on his website should visit just for the "eye candy" of buggy building. The gentleman (Popeye) has a love affair with buggies and it truly shows in the detail and perfection of his work.

Stainless is a bit out of my price range at present and the ss sections are not readily availiable locally. I'm looking at mild steel RHS and whatever tubing I can scrounge. Pete, thanks for the offer of a front wheel, but I think I can score a decent ex-wheel barrow or ride on mower wheel from our local "Mitre 11" (the tip).

Buffo

http://www.grantmandolins.com

If I manage to pull my finger out and get this thing a' buildin', I'll submit some sort of photo diary on the process.

Oh, by the way, here's a photo of the results of an experience that prompted the buggy building quest. The winds last weekend were too high to safely scud on my feet, so I decided to sit down and dig in the boots. I thought the 'ol buns were getting a bit warm after crossing the concrete cricket pitch in the center of the community oval at speed!!!

[Buffomarinus]

One more minor question... Can anyone tell me if the "budget buggies" such as the PL use a ball bearing set in the front fork headstock or a fixed bushing?

[howie]

Hey Buffo what do you have in mind for a seat? are you going to manufacture one from strap or buy one. This is my main problem could use a old school seat but I think that would look average.

Mitre 11 (tip) for the wheels what a good idea.

[Buffomarinus]

howie,

I still have to give the seat some thought. My sewing machine can't handle the heavy nylon webbing and fabric that is needed to make a good "bag seat." Being an 'ol bastard, I'll definitely need some back support. I think that using a conventional plastic chair or automotive seat would be either too heavy or too insecure when the kite really starts to pull. I really like the style of seat that Popeye had made by that mob over in England.

[lickedysplit_au]

One more minor question... Can anyone tell me if the "budget buggies" such as the PL use a ball bearing set in the front fork headstock or a fixed bushing?

Carefull where you use the word "budget" there Buffo - Yes Peter Lynn Buggies have bearing's in their head stem, unlike some inferior buggies that use plastic bushes

[The Duke]

Bearing in the head stem are a good idea, but if you're on a tight budget bushes are fine.

Remember the forks don't actually move much anyway unless pushed by a foot which means force isn't usually an issue.

My Question is.... if you have access to a lath to make bushes, why not just make up a bearing holder instead, and weld it to the downtube ?

remember you have the complete control over bearing choice when you DIY. Here in OZ Metric bearings are the cheapest, and if you pick on a common part number, they can be surprisingly inexpensive.

Plastic seats are a great place to start with. I just put some holes around the edge and tie them to the frame with webbing. They also make a good solid bum protector. I have used them on quite a few buggies now with good comfortable results.

There is also the easy way out........ buy a Libre seat, they're not that expensive. The last one I made up was a copy of a Libre, and believe me, there was a lot of mucking around on the sewing machine. I would think twice about doing this again, thats for sure.

.

[Buffomarinus]

Duke,

Excellent advice. Many thanks.

Yesterday I had a bit of spare time so I dropped by "Mitre 11" (the local tip/dump recycling shop). I was basically looking for a front wheel, but the choice was slim. One thing that did catch my eye was one of those rugged little BMX bikes that was badly damaged except for the head stem, front forks (solid tube) and the wheel. Hummmm... Cut the handle bars off, cut the head stem bearing boss off, weld foot pegs to the forks and put a light disc cover over the spoked center of the wheel. Weld the works to the goose neck on the buggy and Bob's your uncle. Any comments on this idea before I lash out?

While searching about the tip for more ideas I came across a small pile of brand new plastic seats with the metal legs removed. I picked one up, Duke, and the same thought crossed my mind. Why not suppend one of these between the side rails using nylon strapping. I noticed while cruising Popeye's website that a lot of buggiers found it preferable to put a bit of impenetrable "armour" between their buns and the ground because of the dangers from rocks and stakes. Hell, I even had a squizz at some tossed out baby capsules and liners (the shape is right), but I don't think I could get my fat arse' in one.

Buffo.

[Buffomarinus]

Here's a photo of an example with a steering setup based around a set of push bike forks. This is from the website http://www.kite-buggy.de/buggys/crazy/index.html. Looks like the the forks would have to be "kicked out" to accomodate the larger diameter wheel. How would this affect the bug's steering response?

[The Duke]

Be very cautious about the steel strength in the BMX frame.

Usually they are made of high tensile steel, which when re-welded to things can cause weak spots due to the wall thickness being very thin, and heat while welding changing the temper.

Also the bearings in a BMX headstem aren't really designed for the impact that a buggy would get and I would be cautious of using them anyway. Although I have seen Libre forks suffer from impact as well and they didn't fair well either.

Front forks are just one thing on a buggy that I am very particular about, cos if they bust, you get an instant OBE.

Personally I would spend some time on this buggy part and make sure it is done good and strong.

My first set of forks is still going strong today, and I have bent or broken most other parts on my buggy at one time or another, and upgraded them accordingly.

Now it allows me to do just about anything with it.

[Buffomarinus]

I thought about the BMX forks today and decided the lack of seals on both the wheel and head stem bearings would be a definite drawback when used around sand and salt water. I have access to a lathe and I'm a reasonable operator, if a bit slow. I'll turn out something comparable to the plan that Popeye shows for the Libre and probably use across-the-counter, common sealed bearings and a good, plastic barrow wheel.

Thanks for the advice Duke.

Buffo.

P.S.: I did score the plastic chair seat. If nothing else, it will work temporarily until I can buy or make something better.

[popeyethewelder]

Thanks for the comments earlier Buffo, building your own buggy is not the cheap option as you will no doubt find out, as there are some remarkably cheap secondhand bugs around. BUT, making your own buggy gives you far more pleasure, unfortunatley though, you will never just make one....even before you have finished your buggy, you will be finding out ways to improve on your design and carry them out on your SECOND buggy, and so the ball starts rolling. Before you know it you will have made 3 and 4 buggies to suit your owns requirements and the terrain you will be using....after a while you start to forget about the expence as improving on components and materials becomes more of a priority.

The beauty of building your own though, means you can make it made to measure, purpose built for you, not some wide old thing that was mass produced for the masses of all shapes and sizes, you can make the side rail tight to fit your frame and high enough to stop yourself being dragged out sideways etc, and long enough for you legs to stop you getting cramp from sitting in a buggy thats too small.

Good luck, with your build Buffo, I look forward to seeing the finished result and add it to my page of first time home brews

http://pic7.piczo.com/Popeyethewelder/?g=41859403&cr=7

Carl

[lickedysplit_au]

Carl, that would have to be the best collection of different buggies on the net! Some crazy stuff you have pictured there along with some top notch peices! Not to mention some surprisingly familiar buggies