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Machined accessories that are lacking?

SHARPMACHINE

Web Wheeler
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Been wondering if there are products (4x4 related or...) people want that are not available? Also tossing around the idea of buying a sxs to use as a test bed for such activities. Any ideas, or should I go pound sand? :grinpimp::usa::smokin:
 
SHARPMACHINE said:
Lacking the equipment to make gearzzzzzz. :(
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Don't make gears. It's just not worth it. Make shit to use existing gears.

Even if you wind up having to use expensive gears from some random heavy equipment application it will still be cheaper and better than making custom shit.
 
Looking at all the businesses that seem to have a stable existence serving the aftermarket 4x4 industry it seems like there's two and a half business models.

One type of business offers a wide range of fabrication type products that are cheap to make in bulk and made from boring materials. Ruffstuff, Barnes, Ballistic, etc.

The second type of business model is people who are incurring the investment to work in tool steels and complex part geometry then tend to wind up going all out into that and either becoming a CNC machining house that offers a bunch of complimentary products. This seems like a fairly common business model in the automotive aftermarket. There's lot of random car models or engine families that have zero aftermarket save one or two dudes who run a business like this and they crank out adapter plates, blower mounts, accessory drives, header flanges, motor swap brackets, billet shifters, brake brackets, etc, etc. ORD and NWF come to mind at least as far as 4x4 stuff goes.

So which type of business are you already closer to being in terms of equipment and expertise?
 
Stuff cost too much. There's hardly a budget solution these days and like it or not poor people constitute the majority of customers.
That's why I can't understand every shop wanting to crank out 5k billet cases and pretty shiny machined parts. Honestly if you sell me something I'm going to drag it over a rock first day out.
Freakin drive flanges are $400! That's a chunk of metal with a few splines and the size of your hand for four bills. Ridiculous,plus billet that gets rubbed ugly.
 
pinchegringo said:
Stuff cost too much. There's hardly a budget solution these days and like it or not poor people constitute the majority of customers.
That's why I can't understand every shop wanting to crank out 5k billet cases and pretty shiny machined parts. Honestly if you sell me something I'm going to drag it over a rock first day out.
Freakin drive flanges are $400! That's a chunk of metal with a few splines and the size of your hand for four bills. Ridiculous,plus billet that gets rubbed ugly.
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Because they can't sell this kind of stuff in volume right out of the gate so they have to go high end.

Having Mr. Ling Long over there supply you with the five thousand forged blanks you'd need if you wanted to sell the flanges for $120 a pop is more money up front and more risk than CADing up some fancy bling shit, using the test ones to take a bunch of marketing pictures before giving them to some influencer to pimp and using your CNC machine to make other people's stuff until the first orders come in at which point you buy the billet, load up the program and press the button.
 
arse_sidewards said:
Because they can't sell this kind of stuff in volume right out of the gate so they have to go high end.

Having Mr. Ling Long over there supply you with the five thousand forged blanks you'd need if you wanted to sell the flanges for $120 a pop is more money up front and more risk than CADing up some fancy bling shit, using the test ones to take a bunch of marketing pictures before giving them to some influencer to pimp and using your CNC machine to make other people's stuff until the first orders come in at which point you buy the billet, load up the program and press the button.
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I feel you're underestimating the amount of companies who out source machining overseas even for small runs. Even some of the trophy truck companies selling for $250k+ are outsourcing machining overseas.

But with that said I agree with you and you previous comment about only so many types of businesses.

I think a decent spot that's lacking and wouldn't be too difficult to get started in would be making custom style parts cheaper for your average guy.

The buggy scene has been taking off the last few years. Nice pedal sets are lacking, reasonable priced carrier bearing kits, seat mounts for buggies that are low profile and possibly adjustable/easily removable, dash area components (like tube mount Holley screen holders or such.).

Hell even reasonable prices axle shaft clearancing. And broaching! Cost way to much to buy a long chromo shaft, cut it down and get it re-splined. Yes, I'm aware of the one off equipment here but still.
 
Wuz-A-zuk said:
The buggy scene has been taking off the last few years.
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Will it keep going as the economy takes a shit?

Or perhaps entering something like that as the economy takes a shit positions one to make bank if they're still doing it when times are good again.... assuming the market hasn't shifted away in that time.
 
arse_sidewards said:
Will it keep going as the economy takes a shit?

Or perhaps entering something like that as the economy takes a shit positions one to make bank if they're still doing it when times are good again.... assuming the market hasn't shifted away in that time.
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Many of those with buggy money aren't as affected by the receding economy as the budget wheelers.

Granted theres a whole group of people who are going to go through some hard times, those are the nouveau poor. Then theres us, the old poor :flipoff2:
 
posford said:
Many of those with buggy money aren't as affected by the receding economy as the budget wheelers.
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Enough of them are effected enough that things still ebb and flow with the broader economy.

Ask your local saltwater marina if you don't believe me. :flipoff2:
 
Wuz-A-zuk said:
I feel you're underestimating the amount of companies who out source machining overseas even for small runs. Even some of the trophy truck companies selling for $250k+ are outsourcing machining overseas.
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He is.

Someone on this board just had some aluminum SD knuckles machined, one set pretty friggin cheap @ 1600 for 1 set. Domestic cost from someone he does a lot of business with was >4K

Its done all the time
 
arse_sidewards said:
Will it keep going as the economy takes a shit?

Or perhaps entering something like that as the economy takes a shit positions one to make bank if they're still doing it when times are good again.... assuming the market hasn't shifted away in that time.
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I'm poor and bought a chassis :lmao:.

It was less work and less money than buying a beater truck, stripping it, rebuilding it accordingly. The economy knocked out the days of $1,000 Toyota, zuks, k5's, etc. and they're now running about the cost of a lot of the DIY chassis kits.

While it's not for everyone I think it'll be the new normal for most. As CNC and lazor notching get cheaper more will jump on this. Hell there's already about 6-10 chassis's that Lego together and one can have a chassis sitting there ready to build by the end of the weekend.

EDIT: OP, are you looking to get into the builder business half or credit card swiper half or a little of both.
 
Wuz-A-zuk said:
I'm poor and bought a chassis :lmao:.

It was less work and less money than buying a beater truck, stripping it, rebuilding it accordingly. The economy knocked out the days of $1,000 Toyota, zuks, k5's, etc. and they're now running about the cost of a lot of the DIY chassis kits.

While it's not for everyone I think it'll be the new normal for most. As CNC and lazor notching get cheaper more will jump on this. Hell there's already about 6-10 chassis's that Lego together and one can have a chassis sitting there ready to build by the end of the weekend.
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Its not the chassis that gets you, its the nickle and dime shit that is already there on a beater truck. Same reason you can often make more parting a truck out than selling whole.
 
Wuz-A-zuk said:
I'm poor and bought a chassis :lmao:.

It was less work and less money than buying a beater truck, stripping it, rebuilding it accordingly. The economy knocked out the days of $1,000 Toyota, zuks, k5's, etc. and they're now running about the cost of a lot of the DIY chassis kits.

While it's not for everyone I think it'll be the new normal for most.
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I agree if you're trying to go hard core the tube chassis is the way to go. I think a lot of people still want something they can drive to the store even if it's not technically street legal and I think those builds are gonna proliferate.

I forget who has it but there's a bobbed ex-cab superduty floating around and a couple Dakota builds that seem representative of the type at least to me.


Wuz-A-zuk said:
As CNC and lazor notching get cheaper more will jump on this.
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The "custom" shit that make building a "real vehicle" to a given build quality standard hard vs a tube chassis is made much easier.

Parts that used be complex and difficult are now a case of measure, having parts laser cut, bend on the dotted line and weld with your $100 Chinese welder. CAD files either get shared freely or the creator winds up making a business out of it and drop shipping them for a small premium. I think this will greatly reduce the difficulty of SASing and LSing the random AWD SUVs that are all over for cheap. With now nice in terms of NVH those vehicles are and how shitty Toyotas and XJs are I think you're gonna see more builds like that happening among the people who want to drive on the street and don't want a Wrangler.

Of course all this makes building a cookie cutter tube chassis vehicle easier too...
 
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Some great discussion, thanks! We machine primarily aerospace stuff and from mostly hi cobalt materials. We are looking to diversify into more markets. So I thought what the heck, why not see what you all thought? I like the idea of a case that used gears from oem cases, but have no experience designing something like that. We do a lot of ITAR work, so no offshore machining currently.
 
Tear apart an ibooster and assemble back together in a billet case about half the size. I'll buy one tomorrow. :lmao:

Edit: But seriously, I have 2 on the table and have been considering cutting one open to see what's going on inside (no clue if there's even room or if this is possible.) and try to rebuild it into a new aluminum smaller housing.
 
The transmission-tcase adapter lineups could use a revamp if your overhead is baked into the aerospace stuff and just trying to utilize capacity. Just depends on your core competency.

Popular adapters have some options but $$$. I'd love to see something modular to do some less common stuff like LT230 tcases, toyota chain drive etc.. a decent/cheap add on parking brake option would be sweet. Also custom abs solutions for axle swaps on newer stuff with magnetic tone rings. Inevitably the money making would be easier with the popular platforms like Bronco, JL, JT or anything fauxverlander based.

I'm an Engineer for a large medical company in their fab shop and we had the same discussions last year trying to keep our trained operators busy during order downturn.
 
Can you fit 17" wheels in your machine?

I always thought that there might be a market for converting oem wheels to beadlocks. Especially with the newer Toyota crowd where stock offset usually works best.

My thought was weld on a ~5/8" thick ring, then come in and machine a lip to center the tire and thread holes. To save cost, I'd think you could do both inner and outter ring in sections since you're machining after welding.

But I don't know, the labor may add up to more than a set of aftermarket wheels.
 
Slander said:
Can you please start knocking off marlin crawler Toyota doubler adapters and parts since they seem to give zero fucks about actually selling anything?
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"INTRODUCING THE WORLD'S FIRST MEDIUM THROW SHIFTER FOR A TRANSMISSION NO ONE USES ANYMORE, THIS PART BASICALLY DOES ALMOST NOTHING, BUT WE SPENT TIME AND MONEY DEVELOPING IT INSTEAD OF JUST MAKING THE PARTS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT"

SIGNED, DOUCHE BAG KID

:flipoff2:

When is the last person you know who actually needed a new dual case adapter these days anyway? That shits getting obsolete :flipoff2:
 
YotaAtieToo said:
"INTRODUCING THE WORLD'S FIRST MEDIUM THROW SHIFTER FOR A TRANSMISSION NO ONE USES ANYMORE, THIS PART BASICALLY DOES ALMOST NOTHING, BUT WE SPENT TIME AND MONEY DEVELOPING IT INSTEAD OF JUST MAKING THE PARTS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT"

SIGNED, DOUCHE BAG KID

:flipoff2:

When is the last person you know who actually needed a new dual case adapter these days anyway? That shits getting obsolete :flipoff2:
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Me for when I break mine lol:flipoff2:
 
YotaAtieToo said:
"INTRODUCING THE WORLD'S FIRST MEDIUM THROW SHIFTER FOR A TRANSMISSION NO ONE USES ANYMORE, THIS PART BASICALLY DOES ALMOST NOTHING, BUT WE SPENT TIME AND MONEY DEVELOPING IT INSTEAD OF JUST MAKING THE PARTS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT"

SIGNED, DOUCHE BAG KID

:flipoff2:

When is the last person you know who actually needed a new dual case adapter these days anyway? That shits getting obsolete :flipoff2:
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Me, I need 2, but I also prefer to pay the $600 they used to be, not the $1100 they are now.
 
Slander said:
Me for when I break mine lol:flipoff2:
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Atlas :flipoff2:

Squamch said:
Me, I need 2, but I also prefer to pay the $600 they used to be, not the $1100 they are now.
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$1100?:lmao: I think I paid $450 for the last one I bought in about 07 and trail gear was less. :laughing:

It literally makes zero sense to build Toyota shit anymore. What's more overpriced? The aftermarket parts, or the used stock parts?
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Atlas :flipoff2:



$1100?:lmao: I think I paid $450 for the last one I bought in about 07 and trail gear was less. :laughing:

It literally makes zero sense to build Toyota shit anymore. What's more overpriced? The aftermarket parts, or the used stock parts?
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I have the stash of stock toyota shit still is the problem. At this point though, unlikely that I'll ever build another dedicated wheeler. The money doesn't make sense. I'll stick with dirtbikes, and stock type rigs. I'm not interested in a buggy.
 
This was a great thread. Nothing so far that sticks out to us. I suppose we are looking for the needle in the haystack. Considered trying to make some sxs stuff since it seems to be the largest growing offroad segment. And, that stuff is always braking.... :usa:
 
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