2-Car Garage Crawler Part 3 / Southeast Tough Truck Challenge

(ANNOUNCER)>> OUR BUGGY IN A BOX BUILD CONTINUES WITH HEAVY DUTY SUSPENSION AND LASER CUT BODY PANELS. PLUS WITH SIX PUNISHING COURSES OVER TWO DAYS, THE SOUTHEAST TOUGH TRUCK CHALLENGE IS PROBABLY MORE THAN ANY RIG SHOULD HANDLE. AND WE'LL BRING YOU A FRONT ROW SEAT TO ALL THE ACTION!

(IAN)>> WE KNOW HOW YOU GUYS LIKE TO SPEND YOUR WEEKENDS. GET UP IN THE MORNING, CUP OF COFFEE AND SOME BREAKFAST, HEAD OUT IN YOUR SHOP TO WORK ON YOUR PROJECTS. AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT YOUR SHOP IS PROBABLY NOTHING LIKE THE ONES YOU SEE ON TV. IT'S NOT FILLED WITH FANCY EQUIPMENT AND A TON OF TOOLS. IT'S PROBABLY MORE LIKE THIS SPACE WE'VE PUT TOGETHER UNDERNEATH OUR MEZZANINE, A TYPICAL SMALL TWO CAR GARAGE. BUT YOU GUYS KNOW IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF YOUR SHOP, IT'S HOW

YOU USE IT, AND WE'RE SHOWING YOU HOW TO BUILD A FULL ON

THROW DOWN HARDCORE TUBE BUGGY IN A SMALL TWO CAR SPACE USING ONLY A WELDER AND A GRINDER. NOW WE STARTED WITH A BUGGY IN BOX AND PUT TOGETHER A COMPLETE FOUR SEAT CUSTOM CHASSIS. THEN WE BUILT A COUPLE OF AXLES AND TODAY WE ARE BACK ON THIS RIG. WE'RE GONNA MOUNT AN ENGINE IN THE FRONT AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION, GET THIS RIG UP ON SOME JACK STANDS, START WORKING ON SOME SUSPENSION.

BUILDING CUSTOM ENGINE MOUNTS IN A SMALL TWO CAR GARAGE WITH JUST A WELDER AND A GRINDER CAN DEFINITELY BE TIME CONSUMING AND SOMETIMES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. NOW THERE'S WHERE THE BENEFITS OF THIS GOAT BUILT CHASSIS REALLY COME INTO PLAY. THIS IS AN ENGINE CRADLE ASSEMBLY THAT IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE LS SERIES OF ENGINES. IT'S 100 PERCENT LASER CUT AND KEYS INTO POSITION FOR STRENGTH. WE HAVE MEASUREMENTS ON THE CHASSIS, SO WE'LL KNOW WHERE TO PUT THE MOTOR PERFECTLY FRONT TO BACK SO WE HAVE

GOOD DRIVE LINE ANGLES. AND THE BEST PART IS IS IT GOES TOGETHER LIKE A PUZZLE.

SNAP IT IN PLACE AND WELD IT, THEN WE CAN DROP IN OUR ENGINE. THE ENGINE CRADLE ASSEMBLY STARTS BY INSTALLING A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM CROSS MEMBER AND TACKING IT ONTO THE CHASSIS. THEN THE ENGINE SKID PLATE IS BOLTED INTO PLACE AND THE ENGINE CRADLE IS ATTACHED. SOME CROSS MEASUREMENTS TO INSURE THAT IT'S SQUARE, AND THEN WE USE THE SLEEVES FOR THE POLY BUSHINGS AS SPACERS FOR THE ENGINE BLOCK MOUNTS. THEN WE'LL INSTALL THE MOTOR MOUNTS ONTO OUR JUNKYARD ENGINE AND BOLT UP OUR JUNKYARD TRANSMISSION. WE HAVE THE ENTIRE ENGINE CRADLE AND SKID PLATE ASSEMBLY JUST TACKED INTO PLACE. WE DON'T WANT TO FINISH WELD IT UNTIL WE'RE SURE THAT THE ENGINE IS SITTING SQUARE IN THE CHASSIS. TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO INSTALL IT.

NOW A LOT OF THE TIMES HERE AT XTREME YOU SEE US INSTALL ENGINES FROM THE BOTTOM ON A TUBE BUGGY.

BASICALLY LOWERING THE CHASSIS DOWN OVER TOP OF IT, BUT THE GOAT BUILT BUGGY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IT'S DESIGNED TO HAVE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION SLID IN FROM THE TOP JUST LIKE A REGULAR PASSENGER CAR OR TRUCK. THERE IS ONE BAR THAT IS IN THE WAY, AND THAT IS WHY YOU SAW US INSTALL THESE ID TUBE CLAMPS A LITTLE WHILE AGO. NOW THESE ID TUBE CLAMPS LETS YOU HAVE THIS BAR STILL IN PLACE ON THE CHASSIS BECAUSE IT ADDS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY FOR THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNT. BUT BY SIMPLY REMOVING THE ALLEN KEYS WE CAN PULL THE BAR OUT IN ORDER TO PUT THE ENGINE IN.

MAN THAT'S A SQUEAKER, BUT SHE FITS. THAT'S TIGHT, THAT'S CRAZY!

NOW IT WAS A TIGHT FIT BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE ENGINE FITS VERY NICELY INTO THE CHASSIS. IT'S BACK FAR ENOUGH TO EASILY RUN A FRONT MOUNTED RADIATOR. IT'S DOWN LOW ENOUGH THAT THE TOP OF THE INTAKE IS UNDERNEATH ALL THE TUBING IN THE CHASSIS AND THE SKID PLATE HAS PLENTY OF ROOM EVEN FOR THAT SEEP SUMP TRUCK OIL PAN. THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT FOR YOUR FEET AS WELL, WHICH IS NICE FOR THIS SIZE OF CAR. NOW WHAT I'LL DO IS ACTUALLY USE THE ENGINE AS A FIXTURE, HOLDING EVERYTHING TOGETHER AS I FINISH WELD THAT CROSS MEMBER.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, START TO FINISH COVERAGE OF THE SOUTHEAST TOUGH TRUCK CHALLENGE.

(IAN)>> THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT BUILDING A RIG IN A SMALL TWO CAR GARAGE CAN TAKE A LONG TIME. SOMETIMES YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET FRUSTRATED. THE BEST THING TO DO WHEN YOU HIT THAT WALL IS GO OUT, SEE SOME OF THESE BUGGIES IN ACTION. TODAY WE'RE HEADING TO THE SOUTHEAST TO WATCH SOME GUYS CONQUER HILLS IN A WICKED TWO DAY EVENT. MOST HILL CLIMB EVENTS CONSIST OF ONE HILL IN AN AFTERNOON. BUT SINCE THE SOUTHEAST TOUGH TRUCK CHALLENGE FEATURES SIX COURSES OVER TWO DAYS, IT PAYS TO HAVE A GOOD PLAN OF ATTACK.

(JOE)>> IF YOU JUST BLAST ONE COURSE YOU'RE GONNA BE BROKEN

AND YOU'RE GONNA BE DONE. YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP IT TOGETHER, HOLD A STRATEGY, AND RUN AS HARD AS YOU CAN.

(IAN)>> THIS IS THE FOURTH YEAR FOR THE EVENT FOUNDED BY THE CLAY COUNTRY 4X4 CLUB OUT OF FLORIDA. BUT WHY IS A CLUB FROM CLAY COUNTY FLORIDA HOLDING THEIR EVENT IN CLAY COUNTRY ALABAMA?

WELL THE METRO JACKSONVILLE REGION HAS WONDERFUL VIEWS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, BUT STEEP BUGGY BREAKING HILLS, NOT SO MUCH. THE RULES ARE SIMPLE. THERE'S A 10 MINUTE TIME LIMIT PER COURSE, POINT VALUES GET

HIGHER AS THE COURSES GET HARDER, AND EVERY COURSE IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE LAST. WINCHING IS ALLOWED, HOWEVER.

(JOE)>> THE TIME IT TAKES TO WINCH IS THE PENALTY FOR WINCHING.

(IAN)>> UNLIKE A PURE HILL CLIMB EVENT, THE COURSES ARE LAID OUT WITH LONG STRETCHES OF DOWNHILL SECTIONS AS WELL. A WIDE VARIETY OF TERRAIN MAKES SURE THAT NOT ONE TYPE OF RIG WILL DOMINATE.

(JOE)>> ON SOME OF THESE COURSES YOU'LL FIND THAT A STRAIGHT AXLE REAR IS PERFECT, AND SOME COURSES YOU'LL FIND THAT FOUR WHEEL STEERING RIG WORKS BETTER. ON SOME COURSES A BIGGER, HEAVIER VEHICLE, SOME COURSES A LIGHTER VEHICLE.

(IAN)>> GAUNTLET IS THE FIRST OF FOUR COURSES ON DAY ONE. WITH A GENTLE SLOPE AND PLENTY OF OPEN LINES TO CHOOSE FROM, IT'S CONSIDERED THE WARM UP RACE. OF COURSE ROCKS THIS TALL CAN TAKE OUT A DRIVE LINE IN A SNAP. ( )>> WHAT HAPPENED?

(TIM)>> IT BROKE, FIRST THING. ( )>> FIXING IT?

(TIM)>> NO!

(IAN)>> TIM BACON IS FORCED TO TRADE HIS RACING HELMET FOR A MECHANIC'S CAP, AT LEAST FOR NOW. THE INTENSITY INCREASES ON THE SECOND COURSE, VDP. NEAR THE HEAD OF THE TRAIL, JOE COCHCRAN'S STREET LEGAL JEEP BINDS UP AGAINST THE ROCKS TWISTING AND SNAPPING THE REAR DRIVE LINE. (JOE C.)>> THE FIRST YEAR OUT THIS COURSE ATE MY LUNCH TOO. WE FLIPPED DOWN THERE JUST BEFORE THE PUNISHER AND YOU KNOW, GONNA GO BACK TO THE TRAILER, GONNA FIX THE DRIVE SHAFT, AND WE'RE GONNA BE OUT HERE AGAIN.

(IAN)>> THE PUNISHER JOE IS TALKING ABOUT IS A DEEP WATERY TRENCH JUST A FEW FEET FROM THE FINISH LINE. SO STEEP THAT YOU DON'T DRIVE ON IT AS MUCH

AS YOU LAUNCH UP IT.

FOR MOST OF THE DRIVERS, THE PUNISHER LIVED UP TO ITS NAME. THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF FULL THROTTLE ROCK BOUNCING ACTION

AT THE TOUGH TRUCK CHALLENGE.

THE RIGS ARE FLIPPED, SMASHED TO JUNK. STILL A TEAM MUST WEIGHT THE CONSEQUENCES OF TAKING THEIR TRUCK TO THE LIMIT.

A BREAKDOWN EARLY IN THE DAY MAY CAUSE YOU TO MISS THE NEXT RACE, PUTTING A BIG UGLY ZERO ON YOUR POINT SHEET. AT THE END OF THE FIRST DAY WITH FOUR OUT OF SIX COURSES DOWN, TRAVIS LOVETT HOLDS THE LEAD WITH TWO FIRST PLACE FINISHES. HOT ON HIS HEELS ARE RANDALL KEY IN SECOND AND SHANE LEDLOW IN THIRD, BUT THIS CONTEST IS FAR FROM OVER. TOMORROW BRINGS THE TWO TOUGHEST COURSES, WHERE ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. ( )>> OW!

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, DAY TWO TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH

A PHOTO FINISH YOU HAVE TO SEE TO BELIEVE!

(IAN)>> IT'S DAY TWO OF THE SOUTHEAST TOUGH TRUCK CHALLENGE, AND TODAY THEY'VE SAVED THE TOUGHEST TWO TRAILS FOR LAST. NOW THE SUN'S GONE AWAY AND THE CLOUDS HAVE COME OUT. IF IT STARTS TO RAIN, WELL THE WHOLE GAME CHANGES.

(JACK)>> THE SINGLE MOST DIFFICULT OBSTACLE IS COPPERHEAD. IT IS A TECHNICAL BEAST.

NASTY LEDGE AT THE STARTING LINE AND A NASTY WALL AT THE FINISH.

(IAN)>> 11 TRUCKS LEFT THE STARTING LINE AT COPPERHEAD BUT ONLY SIX MADE IT TO THE FINISH. A FEW OF THE RIGS POWERED RIGHT UP THE STEEP FINISH LINE WALL.

THE WALL BROKE OTHERS OR FORCED THEM TO LOSE

VALUABLE TIME WINCHING. ( )>> EVERYBODY'S HAVING TROUBLE WITH

THAT BOTTOM LEDGE.

(IAN)>> BUT ONE GUY WITH A MODESTLY POWERED SIX CYLINDER RIG CRAWLED RIGHT UP IT LIKE A SPIDER ON AN AFTERNOON STROLL.

(JACK)>> I'VE REALLY GOT TO PICK AND CHOOSE THE LINE THAT WORKS BEST FOR ME. I HAVE TO RUN IT LIKE A ROCK CRAWLING MENTALITY OF REALLY TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT LINE THAT JUST WORKS

GOOD FOR THIS RIG.

(IAN)>> HE CREDITS HIS SEVEN YEARS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE SAME BUGGY AND A LITTLE LUCK.

(JACK)>> MAN WE JUST GOT LUCKY AND HOOKED UP WITH THE RIGHT

LINE AND JUST KEPT GOING WITH IT, AND IT WORKED OUT FOR US.

(IAN)> RANDALL KEY HAS A GOOD DAY ON COPPERHEAD TOO, SETTING THE NEW COURSE RECORD OF JUST OVER 41 SECONDS.

THAT RECORD STANDS FOR MERE MINUTES AS TRAVIS LOVETT CROSSES THE FINISH LINE IN 35.72 SECONDS.

HEADED INTO THE FINAL COURSE TRAVIS HOLDS A 29 POINT LEAD. HE PICKS A FAST LINE THROUGH THE TRENCH AND INTO THE FINISH LINE LAUNCH, ALL IN JUST 33 SECONDS AND CHANGE.

(TRAVIS)>> I THINK I DID PRETTY GOOD. I WAS JUST TRYING TO PUT ON A GOOD SHOW FOR THE CROWD AND I HAD TO BE CONSISTENT. THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD GUYS HERE.

YOU HERE THEM NOW COMING UP, THEY'RE HUNTING ME DOWN.

(IAN)>> AND WHILE THEY'RE HUNTING WE ASKED TRAVIS, WHAT'S THE SECRET TO A WELL PERFORMING BUGGY?

(TRAVIS)>> I'VE HAD A LOT OF BUGGIES AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW LIGHTER IS BETTER. LIGHTER'S BETTER AND SOME TIMES TOO MUCH HORSEPOWER, WHOA!

(IAN)>> WHOA IS RIGHT!

WHAT TRAVIS IS LOOKING AT IS SHANE LEDLOW FLIPPING HIS RIG. AT FIRST GLANCE SHANE SCORES A ZERO FOR NOT FINISHING THE COURSE, BUT AFTER REVIEWING SOME CELL PHONE VIDEO IT WAS DETERMINED THAT HIS REAR WHEELS DID IN FACT CROSS THE FINISH LINE, GIVING HIM A TIME OF 37 SECONDS AND 60 POINTS. THAT REVISED SCORE WAS ENOUGH TO MOVE HIM INTO THIRD PLACE, A PODIUM FINISH OF THE ENTIRE EVENT, EDGING OUT FOURTH BY ONLY NINE POINTS. COMING SECOND WITH 235, RANDALL KEY. TRAVIS MANAGED TO HOLD OFF THE COMPETITION AND LANDED IN FIRST WITH 300 POINTS.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, CUSTOM CUT SKID PLACE

TO PROTECT OUR RIG. PLUS HOW TO MOCK UP THE LINK SUSPENSION IN YOUR BUGGY.

(IAN)>> TODAY WE'RE IN OUR SMALL TWO CAR GARAGE WORKING ON OUR TWO CAR GARAGE BUGGY. WORKING THROUGH A PALLET FULL OF FRESH LASER CUT PARTS THAT WE GOT FROM GOAT BUILT TO GET THIS RIG ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE TRAIL. WITH THE ENGINE IN PLACE WE'RE GONNA MOVE DOWN THE CHASSIS, INSTALL THE SKID PLATES AND SOME CONTROL ARM MOUNTS.

NOW NORMALLY WHEN IT COMES TIME TO BUILD SOME SUSPENSION

MOUNT BRACKETS, THE FIRST STEP IS TO SLING THE AXLES UNDERNEATH THE BUGGY, SET THE CHASSIS AT FULL COMPRESSION, BUILD SOME LINK BARS, AND START CUTTING THEM OUT. BUT JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE ON THIS RIG, ALL THE BRACKETS ARE DONE FOR US. THEY'RE LASER CUT AND KEYED OFF SPECIFIC

POINTS IN THE CHASSIS. BUT THAT'S NOT THE COOL PART ABOUT THIS SETUP. THE COOL PART IS THIS SMALL, LITTLE SPACER. THIS TAKES THE PLACE OF THE HEIM JOINT IN THE BRACKET. THAT MEANS YOU CAN SIMPLY ASSEMBLY THE WHOLE THING AND FINISH WELD IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING SPATTER ON THE SPACER BECAUSE IT'S JUST A PIECE OF TUBE. SAVES YOU FROM WRECKING A $50 DOLLAR HEIM.

WITH ALL THE CONTROL ARM BRACKETS ON THE CHASSIS, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND INSTALL SOME ROD ENDS, SET OUR AXLES, AND MEASURE FOR SUSPENSION LINKS. NOW JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE ON THIS BUGGY, IT CALLS FOR A VERY SPECIFIC SETUP. THE LOWERS ARE INCH AND A QUARTER SHANK WITH A ONE

INCH BORE, AND THE UPPERS ARE SEVENEIGHTHS BY SEVENEIGHTHS. NOW OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED JAM NUTS AND MISALIGNMENT SPACERS TO FINISH OUT THE PACKAGE AND WE GOT EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE GONNA NEED FROM ROD END SUPPLY. NOW ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT ROD END SUPPLY IS NOT ONLY CAN YOU SPECIFY THE OVERALL DISTANCE OF YOUR

MISALIGNMENT SPACER PACKAGE, BUT YOU CAN ALSO CHOOSE THE SIZE OF THE BORE, OR BOLT THAT WILL GO THROUGH THE HEIM. NOW THAT'S GOOD FOR US CONSIDERING THAT GOAT BUILT HAS SPENT ALL THAT TIME LASER CUTTING AND KEYING ALL THOSE BRACKETS. BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO FINE TUNE THESE MISALIGNMENT SPACERS, THESE ROD ENDS WILL DROP RIGHT IN. WITH EACH ROD END INSTALLED INTO THE BRACKETS, THE FRONT

AXLE IS SLIDE UNDERNEATH THE BUGGY, AND THE LOWER AXLE MOUNT IS INSTALLED WITH THE SHOCK MOUNT KEYED INTO IT.

FINALLY MEASURE FOR LINKS. NOW JUST LIKE OUR LOWER SHOCK MOUNT, THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNT WILL INDEX DIRECTLY OFF OF THE CHASSIS.

BUT BEFORE WE WELD IT IN, IT IS IDEAL TO HAVE A SHOCK INSTALLED ON THE BUGGY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALIGNED PERFECTLY. NOW IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR SHOCK YET, YOU CAN DO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, AND THIS IS USE A SMALL MOCK UP SHOCK.

JUST TAKE A PIECE OF SCRAP TUBE IN ONE INCH ROUND OR ONE INCH SQUARE. DRILL HALF INCH HOLES ON EITHER END, THE DISTANCE THAT YOUR SHOCK WILL BE SET AT WHEN THE VEHICLE'S AT RIDE HEIGHT. NOW ONE THIS ONE I'M JUST USING OLD SCRAP HEIM FOR FINE TUNE ADJUSTMENTS. NOW ONCE THIS IS LOCKED INTO THE LOWER MOUNT, WE CAN KEY IT UP TO THE UPPER MOUNT, TACK IT IN PLACE, AND WE'LL BE SURE THAT THE TABS ARE ALIGNED.

NOW JUST LIKE WHEN WE BUILT THE CHASSIS, WE HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE THE WHOLE RIG AND FINISH WELD EVERYTHING THAT WE PUT ON TODAY. THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE THIS BUGGY BACK IN OUR TWO CAR GARAGE, WE'LL FINISH OUT THE DRIVETRAIN, GET IT SITTING ON SOME TIRES AND WHEELS, AND ADD SOME SKINS AND A FUEL SYSTEM TO GET THIS MOTOR RUNNING. REMEMBER, FOR INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE PRODUCTS SEEN TODAY HEAD ON OVER TO POWERBLOCK TV DOT COM.