Build MNR 4600 class 2021 U4 Bronco

posford said:
So when do you torch out the IFS and put this in 4500?
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Why on earth would he do that?

JR4X said:
That’s a good question and tough to answer. The things I wish I could’ve done differently weren’t even possible 3 years ago. The trans controller to run the 10 speed just came out a couple months ago so that wasn’t on the table. I’m more glad every time I turn around that we picked the one we did because despite the struggles we’ve faced. My problems have paled in comparison to the electrical stuff the other guys fight with constantly.

We can stretch the wheel base 3” and I didn’t change ours at all. If I had a do over right now. I’d slide the tub backwards on the frame by 3” and move the drive train backwards to match it. Move the rear axle back to fit the wheel well properly. That would move the front end forward away from the tub and moving the engine back 3 inches would have allowed me to fix the steering geometry that we are stuck with. All of that would have been easy on the front end of the build but no way would I tear it down to do it now.

I’m super glad we stripped it down to a bare tub and built it back minimalist and standalone. I would do that again this time for sure. I still wouldn’t put portals on the rear.
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So basically you can get away with that by saying you moved the front forward 3"?
 
YotaAtieToo said:
So basically you can get away with that by saying you moved the front forward 3"?
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You say “get away with” like that would be problematic. Care to explain?

I don’t see why not. There’s nothing in the rule book that specifies how you can achieve your wheel base stretch. If I had done that, it would clear 40’s at full bump right now. As is I’ll have to trim some stuff to steer it with 37’s on it.
 
JR4X said:
You say “get away with” like that would be problematic. Care to explain?

I don’t see why not. There’s nothing in the rule book that specifies how you can achieve your wheel base stretch. If I had done that, it would clear 40’s at full bump right now. As is I’ll have to trim some stuff to steer it with 37’s on it.
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I was under the impression engine mounts and body mounts couldn't be moved. You would obviously know better than me? I was just curious

In hind sight, could you have just moved everything in the front forward when you welded the brackets on? Or is that much easier said than done?
 
YotaAtieToo said:
I was under the impression engine mounts and body mounts couldn't be moved. You would obviously know better than me? I was just curious

In hind sight, could you have just moved everything in the front forward when you welded the brackets on? Or is that much easier said than done?
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Wonder if you could just use little offset plates leaving all the mounts where they are but shift everything
 
rules say nothing about drivetrain location in chassis and body mounts can be eliminated

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2big bronco said:
Wonder if you could just use little offset plates leaving all the mounts where they are but shift everything
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Thinking about it more I can see how shifting a body and drive train back might be easier than entire ifs. Especially if they use big crossmembers that incorporates the suspension and diff mounts.

posford said:
I guess I needed to add a :flipoff2:

We're all dinosaurs on a rock crawling forum, right?
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Gotcha

I was more thinking the fact of his dad being in 4500 would make them competitors
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Thinking about it more I can see how shifting a body and drive train back might be easier than entire ifs. Especially if they use big crossmembers that incorporates the suspension and diff mounts.



Gotcha

I was more thinking the fact of his dad being in 4500 would make them competitors
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It would be easier to move everything back than to move the cross members forward. That stuff is welded to the frame as if the frame was built around it. These new hydro-formed frames are crazy complicated.

I don’t want to go back to the 4500 class. If I was smarter I’d race something not in the EMC class at all. Logistics wise it was nice when I was racing 4900 and I’d race completely different days than dad. That way I’d always be available to pit for him and he for me. Or on the crazy occasion only the two of us could go. He’d co drive for me and I’d co drive for him. It’s tough trying to support to cars on the course at the same time.
 
JR4X said:
It would be easier to move everything back than to move the cross members forward. That stuff is welded to the frame as if the frame was built around it. These new hydro-formed frames are crazy complicated.
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Makes total sense.

I was thinking the Triton brackets maybe could have been welded forward and the a arms made accordingly, but then I realized you probably wanted the diff and everything forward, not just the knuckle.

JR4X said:
I don’t want to go back to the 4500 class. If I was smarter I’d race something not in the EMC class at all. Logistics wise it was nice when I was racing 4900 and I’d race completely different days than dad. That way I’d always be available to pit for him and he for me. Or on the crazy occasion only the two of us could go. He’d co drive for me and I’d co drive for him. It’s tough trying to support to cars on the course at the same time.
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4400 class sxs's are all the rage these days :flipoff2:
 
JR4X said:
It would be easier to move everything back than to move the cross members forward. That stuff is welded to the frame as if the frame was built around it. These new hydro-formed frames are crazy complicated.

I don’t want to go back to the 4500 class. If I was smarter I’d race something not in the EMC class at all. Logistics wise it was nice when I was racing 4900 and I’d race completely different days than dad. That way I’d always be available to pit for him and he for me. Or on the crazy occasion only the two of us could go. He’d co drive for me and I’d co drive for him. It’s tough trying to support to cars on the course at the same time.
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I mean the obviously solution is for your dad to go 4400 and then you can go 4500. You’d have to dig up the “Brocky” exemption for the ifs though. 😂😂 with being able to race whatever series you want now, does that mean you’ll run 37s? I imagine that would help sometimes in the deep rutty stuff. See y’all in a few weeks.
 
I Think 4500 can use IFS if it uses stock frame/mounting locations. problem is most people just use 2x4 steel tubing so it is another tube buggy class
 
So, I probably missed it, but paddle shift or some sort of floor shifter?
 
bdkw1 said:
So, I probably missed it, but paddle shift or some sort of floor shifter?
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I did a bronco floor shifter. But I could do paddle shift if I wanted to. The trans controller will accommodate it. Not doing that just yet though. The floor shifter has +/- for manual mode
 
mobil1syn said:
uh wheres the video of you bangin gears with the new trans?
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He’s too busy getting his ass kicked getting liners in those new tires for such foolishness.


JR4X said:
I did a bronco floor shifter. But I could do paddle shift if I wanted to. The trans controller will accommodate it. Not doing that just yet though. The floor shifter has +/- for manual mode
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Paddle would be ***s on glass, both hands on the wheel and bang gears.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Do you really need it? Or will it just do it's thing?

Shifting 10 gears seems like it would be distracting.
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Talking to everyone who has the 10 speed, they all say it’s faster if you just leave it in drive and let it manage itself. I just removed a manual transmission. I’m planning on letting the trans operate itself without my input. Gotta get some seat time with it first and decide what else I need.
 
JR4X said:
Talking to everyone who has the 10 speed, they all say it’s faster if you just leave it in drive and let it manage itself. I just removed a manual transmission. I’m planning on letting the trans operate itself without my input. Gotta get some seat time with it first and decide what else I need.
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That's what I figured

I'm assuming it works like all the fords and you can lock out higher gears by just hitting the minus? I could see that being useful
 
YotaAtieToo said:
That's what I figured

I'm assuming it works like all the fords and you can lock out higher gears by just hitting the minus? I could see that being useful
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Yes. I can delete whatever upper gears I don’t want. And with the fancy controller I can make it take off in 2nd gear in low range if I want. First gear is 4.7:1. So first in low with 3.8:1 in the t-case is still psychotic low. Second gear is 3:1 so still lower than the first gear most everybody but 700R4 and 4L60E people are used to. So I’m hoping everything is still split good.

96:1 in first
61:1 in second

My old crawl ratio with the manual was 135:1
 
No pics, no vid yet. Bronco is back together and ready to go race. Did most my trans testing on jackstands. Got it buttoned up after dark and took it for a test drive near dad’s house. Which means neighborhood, 35 mph speed limits, sheriff neighbor, chase bar on the back that doesn’t turn off with a blue and amber light because BITD limited class rules.

It runs, it shifts gears up and down just like I’d expect. Turned out pretty clean. I got it up to 7th gear probably doing 65 in a 35 mph zone. It feels weird having an auto in it after being acclimated to the manual for 3 years. But I wheel automatic so shouldn’t take long to adjust. Time to load it in the trailer and send it to JV in 5 days. It’s my weekend to work and we have that storm on top of us. So tools are down and it’s going to KOH as is.
 
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