PRE-RUNNER - AUGUST

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

THIS SERIES OF ARTICLES IS FOR THOSE VW BAJA OWNERS WHO ARE READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THE EVOLUTION OF THEIR VEHICLE. THIS MONTH I WILL TELL YOU WHAT A PRE-RUNNER IS AND WHAT THEY ARE USED FOR. IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS I WILL COVER MANY OF THE DETAILS OF TURNING YOUR STREET BAJA INTO AN OFF-ROAD MONSTER CAPABLE OF HITTING THE TRAILS HARD, AND I MEAN HARD! IF YOU FOLLOW THIS SERIES AND TAKE ALL OF MY ADVICE, YOUR VW WILL BE ABLE TO HIT AN 8-FOOT HIGH BUMP AT 60-80 MPH AND SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE! IT WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO PROTECT YOU FROM SERIOUS INJURY IN CASE OF A ROLL-OVER.
BUILDING A PRE-RUNNER IS NOT A JOB FOR THE AVERAGE WEEKEND MECHANIC, YOU WILL NEED A WELDER, A TUBING CUTTER, A FISH-MOUTH CUTTER, A SAWZ-ALL, PLUS A VERY GOOD SELECTION OF HAND TOOLS AND THE SKILL TO USE ALL OF THESE. THERE ARE RACE FABRICATION SHOPS SUCH AS MY SHOP "OASIS VW" IN MOST MAJOR CITIES THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF BUILDING YOUR CHASSIS FOR YOU IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE SKILLS OR EQUIPTMENT YOURSELF. THERE ARE STILL MANY PARTS THAT YOU CAN DO YOURSELF... SO FOLLOW ALONG AND GET READY TO FLY!

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR A SOLID PRE-RUNNER?

A QUICK NOTE BEFORE WE START - DO NOT TRY TO BUILD A PRE-RUNNER ON A SWING-AXLE PAN! IF YOU HAVE A SWING-AXLE PAN DO YOUR BEST TO GET AHOLD OF AN IRS PAN. THE SWING-AXLES WHEEL TUCK IS JUST PLAIN UNSAFE AT HIGH SPEED OFF-ROAD. SAVE YOUR PANS NOSE SECTION THOUGH AS THE LINK-PIN FRONT-END IS STRONGER THAN A BALL-JOINT BUT DOES NOT MOUNT ONTO AN IRS PAN. THE NOSE SECTION MUST BE CUT OFF AND EXCHANGED. IRS OWNERS CAN MAKE THIS NOSE SECTION EXCHANGE TO GAIN THE ADDED STRENGTH OF THE LINK-PIN FRONT-END BUT IT IS NOT ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

#1
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU NEED IS A WELL-BUILT TUBULAR CHASSIS. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A CLASS 11 ROLLCAGE KIT THEN YOU ARE HALF WAY THERE. THE IDEA WITH A TUBULAR CHASSIS IS TO TIE THE WHOLE CAR TOGETHER, SUSPENSION, SAFETY CAGE, AND BUMPERS, MAKING A NEARLY INDESTRUCTIBLE AND SAFE PACKAGE. THE BEST POINTER I CAN GIVE YOU HERE IS TO LOOK AT A LOT OF PICTURES OF RACERS AND PRE-RUNNERS. WELD ALL JOINTS IN YOUR TUBING 100%!!!!! MY CHASSIS IS "SCORE-LEGAL" AND TIES INTO THE SUSPENSION AT 10 POINTS (NOT INCLUDING SHOCK MOUNTS). IF YOU DOUBT YOUR WELDING SKILLS AT ALL DO NOT BUILD IT YOURSELF!!! ONE BAD WELD CAN KILL YOU!

#2
RAISED FRONT BEAM. FOR SOME OF YOU THIS WILL BE A DO-IT-YOURSELF PROJECT, THE ADJUSTERS WELD IN AND ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL OR MAIL-ORDER VW PARTS STORE. IF YOU'RE NOT A WELDER YOU CAN BUY A RAISED BEAM FROM THESE SAME SOURCES.

#3
LONG-TRAVEL SHOCKS. THE STOCK VW SUSPENSION (WITH A RAISED FRONT BEAM AND READJUSTED TORSION BARS IN THE REAR) HAS APPROXIMATELY 10" OF TRAVEL UP FRONT AND 11" OUT BACK. IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS YOU NEED LONG-TRAVEL SHOCKS WITH AT LEAST THIS MUCH TRAVEL. THERE ARE MANY BRANDS AVAILABLE RANGING FROM $30 TO $200 EACH. LOOK FOR A THICK SHAFT FOR STRENGTH. I HAVE TWO 11" KYB's IN FRONT AND FOUR 12" KYB's OUT BACK. YOU SHOULD TIE YOUR CUSTOM MOUNTS INTO THE CHASSIS. AND DON'T FORGET SOME SUSPENSION STOPS TO KEEP THINGS FROM GOING TOO FAR, THERE ARE SEVERAL KITS AVAILABLE OR YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN.

#4
"BEEFED" DIAGONAL ARMS. THESE ARE AVAILABLE AS A KIT TO WELD ONTO YOUR DIAGONAL ARMS OR YOU CAN BUY COMPLETE UNITS. THE COMPLETE ONES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE IN "LONGER" AND "WIDER" VERSIONS, LONGER ADDS LENGTH TO YOUR WHEELBASE AND WIDER ADDS WIDTH TO YOUR REAR WHEELBASE, JUST BE PREPARED FOR THE ADDED EXPENSE OF NEW AXLES ALSO.

#5
TRIPLE-SHOCK MOUNTS. WHEN BUILDING OR ORDERING YOUR "BEEFED DIAGONAL ARMS MAKE SURE TO ADD THIS ITEM. THEY ALLOW YOU TO MOUNT UP TO THREE SHOCKS PER SIDE IN THE REAR ALLOWING YOU TO FLY HIGHER WITHOUT BOTTOMING OUT

#6
URETHANE GROMMETS AND BUSHINGS. ALL RUBBER SUSPENSION COMPONENETS SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH URETHANE. THE STOCK RUBBER JUST CAN'T HOLD UP TO OFF-ROAD ABUSE. WHEN INSTALLING URETHANE COMPONENTS GIVE THEM A LIBERAL DOSE OF WHITE LITHIUM GREASE ON ALL SURFACES TO PREVENT "SQUEEKING".

#7
5-POINT SAFETY HARNESSES. I CAN'T STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE ENOUGH! GET THE 3" WIDE VARIETY AND DON'T BUY USED ONES.

REMEMBER... WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE "STREET-LEGAL" RACECARS HERE. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO VISIT THE SCORE-INTERNATIONAL CLASS 5-1600RULES SITE. SCORE-INTERNATIONAL IS THE OLDEST OF THE OFF-ROAD RACING ORGINIZATIONS AND MOST OTHER RACING GROUPS USE A RULE SET THAT IS VERY SIMILAR. IF YOU BUILD YOUR PRE-RUNNER TO THESE STANDARDS (OTHER THAN THE ENGINE) YOU WILL HAVE A SAFE AND FAR MORE VALUABLE PRE-RUNNER (IF YOU DECIDE TO SELL IT AT SOME POINT YOU CAN ADVERTISE IT AS A RACER OR PRE-RUNNER). ALSO, IF YOU DECIDE TO GO RACING IT WILL BE VERY EASY TO CONVERT AND GET READY! YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THE RULES FOR THE CLASS 5-UNLIMITED IF YOU ARE REALLY RICH BUT YOU WILL FIND IT MUCH HARDER TO MAKE ONE OF THESE STREET LEGAL DUE TO THE WIDER SUSPENSIONS USED AND THE NEED IN MOST STATES TO COVER YOUR TIRES WITH A FENDER. I THINK MOST OF YOU WILL FIND THAT FOLLOWING THE CLASS 5-1600 RULES WILL GIVE YOU A VEHICLE THAT CAN OUTDO MOST 4X4's AND STILL REMAIN STREET-LEGAL AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE.

NEXT MONTH I WILL CONCENTRATE ON SAFETY EQUIIPTMENT AND WE WILL EXPLORE "WHAT IS A FUEL CELL AND WHY DO I NEED ONE"
IN THE MEANTIME PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO JUMP OR DRIVE THE TRAILS FAST WITH YOUR AVERAGE BAJA, IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS WITHOUT THE PROPER SET-UP, NOT TO MENTION THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY BREAK PARTS ON YOUR BAJA! BE PATIENT...
UNTIL NEXT MONTH... KEEP ON BUGGIN'

FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR TO SUBMIT YOUR PICTURES E-MAIL ME AT:
dirtbugz@oasisvw.com
OR CONTACT ME BY ICQ # 18583378