The Mini-Raptor, K-fab Style

[Rat4020]

i need popcorn

[K-fab]

Chassis - main stuff done.

Time to head inward. Put the seat in, hold a steering wheel out in front of me and make vroom, vroom noises.

I couple months ago I got on Fleabay and purchased the steering wheel controls (wiper, lights, blinkers) from a Toyota - the Mini-Raptor's gonna be street legal so why not make the steering column as "normal" as possible? It drives me nuts that the RZR's turn signal is a pain to use - bad location, no self cancel. I got one that has a fog light switch so I can operate my light bar from my steering column. One less switch on the dash, or room for one more feature depending on which way you want to look at it.

Anyhow, I've started the steering column. It'll have tilt and is a quick release. I'm using the tilt setup off an XP - it's simple and effective.

The shaft is a short, stubby thing - the pivot for the column has to be in the middle of the u-joint. I have a fairly steep angle down to the steering box too, so shorter is better at the moment.

When I ordered the Sparco wheel I ordered their quick release setup too, thinking I'd be getting a shaft and a quick release hub. Nope, it's weird - the shaft isn't a shaft, it's a plate. So I counterbored the back side and welded in my shaft.

I needed a way to drive the signal canceling "barrel" thingy (I don't know what it's called...) and the flange ended up being perfect - almost like it was made for this. I had to machine the plate that's behind it (locates the barrel thingy) so the flange would fit flush - that's it. Offsets were right, depths good. I like it when things like this happen.



There are three holes (you can see the top two in the bore of the flange) that the barrel thingy pins into - that's what drives the self cancel.


Side shot with the u-joint in place.







I machined a snouted plate that has self lubing bronze bushings that will be the steering column and tilt plate.

I still need to machine pockets for the four tabs that hold the column controls - the white sleeve will sit flush against the plate when I'm done.

I'll also make a pair of pivot ears that will mount to the back side of the plate. I'll leave the area between the ears and the center fairly thick and thin out the rest of it - pocket it out. I want the edge to be fairly wide so I'll have something to mount the cover I'll make for it to.

[bdkw1]

So the steering shaft is just supported by the bushing in the aluminum plate?

[Bullnerd]

Slick!

Nice job dude!

Kosher aluminum!

[K-fab]

So the steering shaft is just supported by the bushing in the aluminum plate?

No, there’s a 2” long snout that comes off the plate. There are bushings on both ends of the snout. I’ll get more pix tomorrow.

[Rat4020]

More popcorn lol very nice steering setup!!!

[K-fab]

Here's the snout side of the plate. Oil impregnated bushings installed. There's a plastic piece the back of the control unit that slips down over the snout with a slight interference fit - should help keep the dirt out of the system. 2.3" of support on the steering shaft.



Here's where the snout ends up in the system once the control unit's put in place:



Steering shaft in place in the main plate:



Circlip keeps it all from falling apart - and the u-joint will too. It fits right up against the clip:



Pivot ears in place. Pivot point is right through the middle of the u-joint so there won't be any binding. I bolted the ears in place but I think I'm going to go ahead and just weld them on. There's a slight clearance issue with one bolt head and the back side of the control. If I weld, that's two less things to worry about coming loose too.





Side view of the steering column:



Front/Top view. I was able to use the OEM Toyota wire harness holder so the wires run just like they do in the vehicle. Keeps things nice and tidy:







Bottom view. The lockable gas strut is for tilt. Polaris has this down and it works well. Notice the wire harness routing thingy. I did screw up and put the bolt in from the wrong side. Did the bolt before I realized that the wires come out of that side - on the bench they were laying on the other side of the two ears that the strut attaches too but once I put the wire harness routing thingy on the control box I realized the bolt should have gone in from the other side. Oh well - it all fits anyhow.



Side view of the column:



Once I start playing with composites (fiberglass and carbon fiber) I'll make a cover for the controls that will bolt onto the aluminum plate. All that stuff will be nicely hidden.

Today I'll get the seat put in it's place in space (not necessarily mounted yet), hold the column out in front of me, make vroom, vroom noises and start figuring out where the column sits in space. I'll do a temp mount of some sort to hold the column where it's supposed to go and then start working on the dash board area's support bars and such. Pedals will also be part of this process, which like the column, need to be made. I have an OEM Polaris XP master cylinder that I'm going to use (why not - it works and I'm using XP calipers) so I'll have to make my own pedal setup.

[bdkw1]

OK, that makes a lot more sense.

How about countersunk bolts instead of welding it?

Maybe a small hole in the shaft with a zerk hiding in the end under the quick disconnect? Oilite bronze still works better with a little grease.

[K-fab]

OK, that makes a lot more sense.

How about countersunk bolts instead of welding it?

Maybe a small hole in the shaft with a zerk hiding in the end under the quick disconnect? Oilite bronze still works better with a little grease.

Yeah, I was thinking countersunk bolts - don’t have any in stock, though.

Good call on the zerk.

[Bullnerd]

Whats up with the cut off wheel in the air grinder?

Is that for going around corners?