Bashproof Baja. Best way?

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L14MNP

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I want my buggy to be able to handle sympathetic jumps (or rather the landings) without bending in half and dropping to bits.

What's the best way to go about this? I have ordered an RPM plug/roof guard and a couple Hitec HS 645's so hopefully it will steer, and more importantly brake a lot better too!

What's best then, nylon? I imagine alloy will crack and bend, whereas nylon should have a bit of flex, as well as being strong still.

A mix of both is what I will be going for, unless anyone can suggest otherwise? I am not interested in fancy pull start covers, alloy spoilers, rockets etc. All I want it the baja to be pretty tough.

I'm going to remake the front top alloy plate from 2 mm steel, or buy the uprated alloy one.

What's the recommendations?
 
L14MNP said:
I want my buggy to be able to handle sympathetic jumps (or rather the landings) without bending in half and dropping to bits.

What's the best way to go about this? I have ordered an RPM plug/roof guard and a couple Hitec HS 645's so hopefully it will steer, and more importantly brake a lot better too!

What's best then, nylon? I imagine alloy will crack and bend, whereas nylon should have a bit of flex, as well as being strong still.

A mix of both is what I will be going for, unless anyone can suggest otherwise? I am not interested in fancy pull start covers, alloy spoilers, rockets etc. All I want it the baja to be pretty tough.

I'm going to remake the front top alloy plate from 2 mm steel, or buy the uprated alloy one.

What's the recommendations?
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Not much really. No matter what brand as has been said on here before. Big jumps equal bug money no matter what.... :p
 
Kinda sucks tbh. They do disappoint. Seem to promise so much, yet don't deliver imo.

The machined billet alloy parts, should I expect those to bend and fracture without a relatively hard impact too?
 
i left the front and rear on mine stock plastic for impact absorption, plastic will give a tad, alloy wont. alloy the upper end, shock towers/braces, top plates front and rear, etc.. get the full undercover, i don't have one, but i hear they help some. mostly keeping crap out of internal chassis areas. i would leave a arms plastic, rpms good for that. alloy the hubs all way round for a lil more strength at wheels. you HAVE to leave certain spots as break points, if you have it all alloy you WILL bend parts, look at real cars, they have whats called crumple zones, made to take impacts and save the majority of car from damage. think of these bajas in same way, leave your "crumple/break" zones on there to take the abuse
 
If you really want to jump and survive, as you say, the plastic/nylon will flex a little and the alloy will be still, but bend more permanently.

If you're going to be jumping it's easier when it's lighter as well, so less of the alloy.
One area I would guess you need to be STIFF is around the engine, as I read so many stories of people stuffing their gears.

At a guess, and keeping it relatively cheap, for repairs, I would think the only part you make alloy is the engine mounts, and leave the rest to cheaper plastic - lighter, flexible, and as stated, cheaper!!

Al.
 
Lan-Ed-Tul said:
i left the front and rear on mine stock plastic for impact absorption, plastic will give a tad, alloy wont. alloy the upper end, shock towers/braces, top plates front and rear, etc.. get the full undercover, i don't have one, but i hear they help some. mostly keeping crap out of internal chassis areas. i would leave a arms plastic, rpms good for that. alloy the hubs all way round for a lil more strength at wheels. you HAVE to leave certain spots as break points, if you have it all alloy you WILL bend parts, look at real cars, they have whats called crumple zones, made to take impacts and save the majority of car from damage. think of these bajas in same way, leave your "crumple/break" zones on there to take the abuse
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think the same of the all alloy Baja's I see on here. They may look pretty, but twat something and the whole lot will bend. Just like a real car with a triangulated cage. They both do away with crumple zones, for the sake of stiffness. At a cost though!


I am looking at RPM arms atm. I was thinking alloy braces, rear shock tower supports etc. What about the bulkheads? I guess they can be alloy too? Seems well regarded from what I read on here.

I definitlety want some plastic bits left over though!

Thanks for the suggestions people. Will look into the stuff I'm not aware of. :D
 
the bulkheads were something i wanted to alloy on mine as well, i think that would definately beef up the main chassis. if ya can afford front and back bulkheads i would go head with it, while ya got the rear apart, install a split diff tranny case too, later servicing of the diff will be so much easier youll be happy you did
 
Yeah, I read about the split diff casing being a.good idea! Affording these things is one thing, justifying them is another matter altogether lol.

Thanks dude.
 
i hear ya. i haven't had to reservice the diff since i installed the split diff tranny case, but i did have to fill the diff on up, had oil not enough tho, so while i had it all tore apart for that i installed the split case. it will save tons of time on a quick swapout or servicing. a few things vs damn near tearin the whole backend off just to pull the entire case and diff , well theres no comparison, the case stays put, just the rear hatch unbolts to get the diff itself out. i think you just have to take off the bumper and a couple braces, or something like that to get the job done.
 
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