Stone500 - member 3131 needs help
Stone500 - member 3131 needs help
heya fellow buggy owners...I am loving my new toy...it's a Manx clone (still looking for a real one - Manx 1) Need experienced advice for a few challenges with steering, suspension, wiring and wheels / tires. 1. My steering is a little too loose and sloppy, want to tighten it up for stability over 55mph...do I need a new steering damper or is there an adjustment on the steering box I can try? 2. the buggy came with KYB gas adjust shocks all around....I am using for street so I want comfort and performance, without hopping over every bump in the road. Should I go with Gas Riders, Stock Oil filled or something else? 3. Want the best combo for front and rear wheels and tires, want lower profile, highly sticky, wide look combo (need size recommendations 14" front, 15" rear? Also really want to use Hoosier street rubber...anyone ever use these? 4. What is the best thing to use to secure the wiring to the fiberglass from front to back to keep things neat and in place (without stickums, tape or jurry rigging) Thanks for any help......EAST coast buggy owners Unite. Thomas
On the top of the steering gear box is an adjustment screw. There's a lock nut that you have to loosen then you can take up some slack. Make sure you don't overtighten it. The gears will be at the tightest point when its centered, so center the steering when you make adjustments. 
Used stock hydraulic shocks will give you the best ride. To further soften the ride you'll need to remove some of the front torsion leaves. Here is a thread on DBA that covered it. Installing torsion leaf adjusters won't soften it, it'll just change the height. http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/forum/topic_show.pl?tid=214 Since you're running a steet buggy, you should be able to remove all the torsion leaves from one torsion tube and replace them with a Formula Vee torsion bar. You would also remove the stock torsion bar. It would soften the ride but give good body roll resistance. http://www.campbellmotorsport.com/products.htm I don't have any experience with low profile tires on a buggy. On a Manx there is a fiberglass tube that runs under the sill along the side of the body from the front to the back, that the wires are routed through. If you don't have a tube there, maybe you can fiberglass some flexible plastic tube in place there.
Used stock hydraulic shocks will give you the best ride. To further soften the ride you'll need to remove some of the front torsion leaves. Here is a thread on DBA that covered it. Installing torsion leaf adjusters won't soften it, it'll just change the height. http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/forum/topic_show.pl?tid=214 Since you're running a steet buggy, you should be able to remove all the torsion leaves from one torsion tube and replace them with a Formula Vee torsion bar. You would also remove the stock torsion bar. It would soften the ride but give good body roll resistance. http://www.campbellmotorsport.com/products.htm I don't have any experience with low profile tires on a buggy. On a Manx there is a fiberglass tube that runs under the sill along the side of the body from the front to the back, that the wires are routed through. If you don't have a tube there, maybe you can fiberglass some flexible plastic tube in place there.Front Suspension
I Just Finished My Buggy. At First I Had No Front Suspension Travel. After Consulting The Forum I Removed The Front Sway Bar And Drained The Oil Out Of The Front Shocks. It Is Super Now. Oddly, After I Removed The Body And Fuel Tank To Paint The Body, I Once Again Lost All Front End Travel. Hope This Helps.
Many Thanks & Clarification
[QUOTE="CairoManx"]On the top of the steering gear box is an adjustment screw. There's a lock nut that you have to loosen then you can take up some slack. Make sure you don't overtighten it. The gears will be at the tightest point when its centered, so center the steering when you make adjustments. Once you lossen the bolt on top of the gear box there seems to be a flathead screw in the middle of the post...I assume that's the one that I tighten Is that correct? Used stock hydraulic shocks will give you the best ride. To further soften the ride you'll need to remove some of the front torsion leaves. Here is a thread on DBA that covered it. Installing torsion leaf adjusters won't soften it, it'll just change the height. http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/forum/topic_show.pl?tid=214 Since you're running a steet buggy, you should be able to remove all the torsion leaves from one torsion tube and replace them with a Formula Vee torsion bar. You would also remove the stock torsion bar. It would soften the ride but give good body roll resistance. http://www.campbellmotorsport.com/products.htm I don't have any experience with low profile tires on a buggy. On a Manx there is a fiberglass tube that runs under the sill along the side of the body from the front to the back, that the wires are routed through. If you don't have a tube there, maybe you can fiberglass some flexible plastic tube in place there.[/QUOTE] Yeah...the previous owner ran the wiring though the body but he used cheap stickum type wiring in the front hood area and in the back end around the engine which of course was just hanging unsecured and I'm experimenting with insullated rubber grommet wiring holders with 5/8 metal screws to holdem in the glass....any other pictures or suggestions on how to keep the wiring neat and secure right around the fenderwells and the engine area...
Used stock hydraulic shocks will give you the best ride. To further soften the ride you'll need to remove some of the front torsion leaves. Here is a thread on DBA that covered it. Installing torsion leaf adjusters won't soften it, it'll just change the height. http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/forum/topic_show.pl?tid=214 Since you're running a steet buggy, you should be able to remove all the torsion leaves from one torsion tube and replace them with a Formula Vee torsion bar. You would also remove the stock torsion bar. It would soften the ride but give good body roll resistance. http://www.campbellmotorsport.com/products.htm I don't have any experience with low profile tires on a buggy. On a Manx there is a fiberglass tube that runs under the sill along the side of the body from the front to the back, that the wires are routed through. If you don't have a tube there, maybe you can fiberglass some flexible plastic tube in place there.[/QUOTE] Yeah...the previous owner ran the wiring though the body but he used cheap stickum type wiring in the front hood area and in the back end around the engine which of course was just hanging unsecured and I'm experimenting with insullated rubber grommet wiring holders with 5/8 metal screws to holdem in the glass....any other pictures or suggestions on how to keep the wiring neat and secure right around the fenderwells and the engine area...In the back I use the bolts that hold on tail lights and license light to also hold nylon wiring hanger loops, to hold the harness up out of sight. I have 60-67 VW tail lights and I replace the mounting studs with longer bolts 
In front I run the light wires out of sight under the hood across the rear of the tank using the same type loops attached to the rear tank mount bolts. The wires run forward along each side of the tank, down through a hole in the body that I drill as close as possible to each of the front lights. I keep the wires neatly bundled with zip ties. Whenever possible I try to use bolts that are already there to hold wiring so I don't drill extra holes in the glass. My fuse block, dimmer foot switch and back seat are actually held in place with super strength velcro. I hate drilling holes in the glass!
In front I run the light wires out of sight under the hood across the rear of the tank using the same type loops attached to the rear tank mount bolts. The wires run forward along each side of the tank, down through a hole in the body that I drill as close as possible to each of the front lights. I keep the wires neatly bundled with zip ties. Whenever possible I try to use bolts that are already there to hold wiring so I don't drill extra holes in the glass. My fuse block, dimmer foot switch and back seat are actually held in place with super strength velcro. I hate drilling holes in the glass!