Front suspensions from mid-1966 to 1977 had a dragging arm with a ball joint. In the case of ball and ball absorber absorbers, the upper mounting pin passes vertically through the damping tower. This means that all necessary lights and turn signals should be installed to make the vehicle road legal. If your base vehicle was in good condition, it can be equipped with wiring and electrical fixtures that can be reused for work. Depending on the type and ride you will perform, you may want to replace the suspension with something tailored to the sandy environment. A suspension kit that keeps the vehicle`s center of gravity low on the ground is preferable. This helps to avoid rollovers when driving steep dunes. Many off-road enthusiasts aspire to build their own off-road vehicles and no one more than those who want a dune buggy! The humble dune buggy is the epitome of fun on the sand, achievable for the average person interested in off-road driving just for recreation! Some authorities do not allow their installation in road vehicles at all, while others may allow them, but they must wear blankets when driving on public roads. Side By Side: Our “side by side” models are available almost anywhere in the world at the best shipping costs. They consist of the two side assemblies of the chassis (bus bars and floor rails with all posts and diagonals) that are connected to each other, as well as the center section of the front floor (front and rear cross-members with two center bars) and a box with all other hoses for the upper safety cage and rear cage sections. These can be a bit more difficult to assemble and probably require an assistant to assemble, but the ship is flatter for a better cost. The size of the wheels or rims is largely determined by the tires you mount on the buggy.

The thought you should keep in mind when choosing your tires for sand driving is bold and big. This is the ideal combination of tire characteristics for driving on sand! The height of the tire helps keep the vehicle above the sand to some extent, even if the wheel sinks. The width of the tire, or the grease content of the tire, helps the tire float on the sand by distributing the weight of the buggy over a larger area. Many people like to customize their buggy with headlights at the front of the vehicle or on the roll bar that passes over the body if the vehicle is equipped with one. While it may sound cool and practical even on the dunes, you`ll need to check with your local authority if these headlights are road traffic-friendly. Your buggy needs excellent shock absorbers and a suspension system that allows for a smooth ride even when flying over sand dunes. Which shock absorbers to use depends on your preferences, but if you don`t know what to do, we recommend leaving this part of the project to the professionals. Once you know your suspension suit and purpose, you can start choosing landing gear. The wheelbase describes the length of the vehicle from the center of the front wheel to the middle of the rear wheel. The wheelbase of your chassis is very important.

As a general rule: “The longer the wheelbase, the more stability. The shorter the wheelbase, the better the corners. For sharp turns and forest tracks, a short wheelbase is more desirable to allow quick movement around obstacles without having to back up. But in large spaces and on sand, a short wheelbase can be an obstacle to stable operation. A longer wheelbase, where corners are not as critical, can give driving a sense of safety. Berrien Buggy from Acme offers sand rails in wheelbases of 90″, 95″, 100″, 105″, 112″ and 115”. Torsion leaf spring suspensions before 1965 were trailing arm style. The easiest way to identify a Link-and-Kingpin front suspension is to look at the top mounting location of the shock absorber. The shock absorber screw is parallel to the ground. As mentioned earlier, a longer wheelbase results in a more stable buggy, while a shorter wheelbase allows for better cornering. Since you are driving on sand, it is better to drive with a longer wheelbase.

To determine the wheelbase, measure the length of the vehicle from the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear wheel. By now, you should have a good idea of how to use it and what you want out of the buggy. Now you need to look at comfort. The best way to do this is to have a solid idea of the seats you want to use. It`s best to buy your seats BEFORE you buy your chassis, or at least go to a dealership near you and sit in one of them. You need to have an assistant with you as you will need to measure not only the seat, but also you and any intended drivers who may be taller than you sitting in the seat. You need to sit on the seat on the floor (or, if you want to use seat rails, on them) and measure from the ground to the top of your head.