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Big Block Talk! Everything about swapping a big block engine into your cart! |
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05-16-2011, 11:55 PM | #1 |
Getting Wild
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 80
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Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be cool
This being the big block forum, I thought I'd share my new big block project.
My main goal is to build a 4x4 golf cart, using a gas engine (no electrics), that can fit in the back of my truck. I'm tired of trailers and want something that's easy to take to the desert. The goal is to use stock 4x4 axles front and rear and shoehorn in a 1L Geo Metro engine with automatic transmission. So here we go. I started with a Yamaha G16 (I think) electric cart. |
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05-17-2011, 12:16 AM | #2 |
Getting Wild
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 80
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
The next step was to completely remove the front suspension. Strip it down to it's frame. I picked up a front and rear axle from a Suzuki Samurai. I went with these axles b/c they're pretty solid, will easily hold up to what I plan to take this cart through, and they have the pumkin offset the exact amount!
The Zuk axles were too wide for my cart, so I had to cut them down. The good news was I could cut a section out of the long side, weld it back up, and now I have a shortened axle. I picked up another short axle stub and inserted it in the shortened side. Viola! Axle. I did the same for the rear. Because I'm back mounting the engine, the axles, if sitting stock, would turn backwards. So I had to flip them to get the right rotation. This worked great for the rear, but not the front. The front had camber and caster built into the axle. Another cut, rotate 180* and weld. Caster and camber are back where they should be. To keep everything aligned, I fabed up a bearing that bolted to the center that I could slide a 1" rod through. Once I cut it, I lined everything up and welded away. |
05-17-2011, 12:24 AM | #3 |
Getting Wild
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 80
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
Now that I've got the front and rear axles shortened, it's time to start on the suspension. There's not a ton of room to put a monster axle like this under the cart. I was going back and forth trying to figure the best way to mount it. I ended up just going with a 4 link design. I was able to mount the links off sections on the frame. (BTW, I'm impressed at how solid this frame is! I could weld anything to it!)
Once I had the axle aligned and the 4 link spot welded, I checked that it cycled, then finish welded everything. Last step was to add a couple shocks. Now this cart will be hauling around a bit more weight (i.e. the engine), so I needed something a little more than just a stock cart shock. So I picked up a set of Fox rear shocks from a Yamaha snowmobile. I like the fact that these are adjustable, so I can dial it in. It may not look like it in the pict, but i have about 5-6" of travel before the pumpkin would hit the frame. I'll probably cut the frame down and reinforce it elsewhere, just to give it a bit more clearance. But that's another all day project for another all day. New axles under this are useless unless I can steer it. So I cut down the steering pitman arm, added a small drag arm that connected to one of the spindles, and viola (again), I have control. |
05-17-2011, 12:37 AM | #4 |
Getting Wild
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 80
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
Now so far, things were going pretty good. Not easy, and not simple, but definitely not a pain in the arse either. I now needed to consider my tire and wheel selection.
I wanted a bigger tire one with some thick and mean treads that told everyone I meant business. I liked the golf cart tires, but they were all designed for cart wheels. The bolt pattern on the axles was a 5 on 5.5"...for the suzuki samurai wheels. I didn't want to use the samurai wheels because they look incredibly stupid and are 17" to start with. If I went with a sami wheel, i'd have to go with at least a 30" tire. This was way too big and would look way out of proportion. I wanted to use the rear brake drums and these were 12.5" diameter. The other main problem was, the manual locking hub on the front axle. The zuk wheel would fit around it. Golf cart wheels would not. So the way I solved this was to fab up a custom adapter that would adapt the axle from a 5 on 5.5 to a 4 on 110. I found a set of 27" Rhino tired with a 14" wheel. This fit over the rear brake drum, had a nice offset so it'd be set back inside the wheelbase, and had the tread I was looking for. |
05-17-2011, 12:40 AM | #5 |
Getting Wild
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 80
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
Jack stands removed and how she sits so far. Time to move to the rear.
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05-17-2011, 05:10 AM | #6 |
Gone Wild
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Long Island
Posts: 181
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
Great job!! I think Ultimate is a good description so far!! Magnus how will you get that over the wheel wells of the truck bed?? I guess four wheel drive will help.
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05-17-2011, 06:11 AM | #7 |
Gone Wild
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Central New York
Posts: 812
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
WOW!!!!! Man some of you guys amaze me!!! Maybe you guys who are this bright should put down the welder and run for president! Cant do much worse!!!
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05-17-2011, 09:48 AM | #8 | |
Getting Wild
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 80
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
Quote:
It's a great theory....and I've got a lot of great theories, I just need to make it happen. But I need a cart first. |
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05-17-2011, 09:58 AM | #9 |
Gone Wild
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Long Island
Posts: 181
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
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05-17-2011, 11:43 AM | #10 |
maintaining a low profile
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SW Virginia USA
Posts: 6,313
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Re: Ultimate Big Block 4x4 Golf Cart....ok, maybe not ultimate, but it's going to be
here's a Samurai Club Car
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Tags |
4x4, geo, metro, yamaha |
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