Rock Bouncer IBS Install

(ANNOUNCER)>> IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'VE GOT $6,000 OR $60,000 IN YOUR PROJECT, A WELL DESIGNED SUSPENSION IS CRUCIAL FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE.

TODAY ON XTREME OFF ROAD WE'LL DESIGN A FOUR LINK SETUP FOR OUR ROCK BOUNCER AND PERFORM A COMPLETE SUSPENSION OVERHAUL ON OUR RALLY CAR.

PLUS WITH SO MANY COOL TRUCKS AND NEW PRODUCTS, THE OFF ROAD EXPO'S GOT EVERYTHING A WHEELER COULD ASK FOR.

(IAN)>> TODAY WE ARE JUMPING FEET FIRST BACK INTO OUR ROCK BOUNCER PROJECT.

NOW I'VE BEEN SLOWLY ADDING ALL OF THE TUBE GUSSETS REQUIRED TO MAKE THIS CHASSIS GOOD AND STRONG. AND I'VE THROWN ABOUT ANOTHER 100 TO 120 FEET OF INCH AND THREE QUARTER DOM INTO THIS RIG SO FAR. BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO ANY FURTHER BEFORE I START ADDING SOME SHOCK MOUNTS. I DON'T WANT TO ADD SOME TUBES THAT I'LL HAVE TO TAKE

OUT LATER BECAUSE IT'S IN THE WAY OF OUR COIL OVER. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA START TODAY. WE'RE GONNA START BY BUILDING SOME SHOCK MOUNTS. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT ROCK BOUNCERS ARE HOT RIGHT NOW. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HEAD OUT TO AN SRRS RACE AND

SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE COME OUT TO WATCH GUYS THRASH ON THEIR RIGS. SO WE DECIDED TO BUILD OUR OWN XOR BOUNCERS, BUT WITH A TWIST. OURS WILL BE MODELED AFTER AN ITALIAN SPORTS CAR, THE LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR. AND AFTER BENDING AND ROLLING A PILE OF TUBING, WE HAD A CUSTOM ROCK BOUNCER CHASSIS WE'RE CALLING PROJECT RAGING BULL. THE SUSPENSION WILL START WITH AN RTECH INDUSTRIES AXLE TRUSS ASSEMBLY. AND WITH IT IN PLACE IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE OUR ENGINE BACK FIVE INCHES FOR THE BALANCER TO CLEAR. WITH THE ENGINE MOUNTS CUT OFF AND SLID FURTHER DOWN THE TUBE FRAME, THE AXLE IS RAISED TO FULL BUMP AND SQUARED UP UNDERNEATH OUR CHASSIS. BEFORE I BUILD ANY SHOCK MOUNTS I NEED TO BUILD THE ACTUAL LINKS FOR OUR FOUR LINK SUSPENSION SYSTEM. NOW AT EITHER END OF EACH LINK IS GOING TO BE A HEIM JOINT THAT IS COMMON PLACE IN THE WORLD OF ROCK BOUNCING. IT'S AN INCH AND A QUARTER SHANK WITH A ONE INCH BORE. NOW INSIDE THAT BORE WE'LL BE INSTALLING A SET OF THESE HIGH MISALIGNMENT SPACERS THAT'LL STEP THE BOLT SIZE DOWN TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH. NOW I'LL USE THE HIGH MISALIGNMENT SPACERS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THE AXLE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEX. THE SPACER ACTUALLY FITS INSIDE THE BODY OF THE JOINT WHEN IT'S AT MAX ARTICULATION. BUT WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A FOUR LINK FOR A ROCK

BOUNCER, THE KEY IS STRENGTH. THAT IS WHY WE CHOOSE THESE HEIM JOINTS FROM ROUGH STUFF SPECIALTIES. THEY TREAT THE JOINT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. FIRST, AFTER ALL THE MACHINING IS DONE, THEY HEAT

TREAT THE JOINT AND THAT IMPROVES THE STRENGTH OF ALL

THE STEEL COMPONENTS. THEN THEY ACTUALLY CRYOGENICALLY TREAT THE JOINT AND THAT IMPROVES THE STRENGTH OF THE TEFLON LINER, JUST MAKING IT STRONGER AS A WHOLE PACKAGE. NOW WE'LL BE MOCKING THESE JOINTS UP WITH SOME INCH AND THREE QUARTER 120 WALL DOM, BUT THAT WILL NOT BE THE ACTUAL LINK MATERIAL THAT WE RUN ON THIS BUGGY. WE'LL BE USING SOLID 7075 ALUMINUM. BUT WE NEED TO THE GET THE LENGTH BEFORE WE CAN ORDER THOSE ALUMINUM LINKS. AND THAT'S WHY WE MOCK IT UP WITH THE STEEL.

THE UPPER LINK MOUNT ON THE FRAME SIDE WILL BE BUILT

INTO A GUSSET ON OUR TUBE CHASSIS. A TEMPLATE IS MADE AND THE PLATE IS CUT FROM

THREESIXTEENTHS INCH STEEL.

ONCE TACKED IN PLACE ON THE CHASSIS, A TAB IS MADE TO HOLD IT IN DOUBLE SHEAR ALONG WITH PLATE AND TUBE GUSSETS.

THE CENTER LINE OF OUR FRONT AXLE IS MARKED AND OUR UPPER LINK MOUNTS ARE TACKED IN PLACE.

WITH THE ENGINE IN ITS FINAL POSITION, THE OIL PAN SKID PLATE CAN BE MADE, STARTING WITH SOME INCH AND THREE QUARTER DOM TUBING.

A SET OF ID TUBE CLAMPS ARE INSTALLED ON THE CHASSIS END OF THE SKIT PLATE AND ITS UPRIGHT TUBE CONNECTS IT TO

THE MOTOR MOUNT FOR STRENGTH. THE REASON WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL NOW TO BUILD THE ENGINE SKID IS WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE DOWN BARS CLEARED OUR UPPER SUSPENSION LINKS. IT'S A LOT EASIER TO MODIFY THIS ONE PIECE OF TUBING

THAN IT IS TO MODIFY THE SUSPENSION TO FIT AROUND IT. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING ONE OF THESE CUSTOM BUGGIES, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO THINK TWO OR THREE

STEPS AHEAD OF YOURSELF WHILE YOU'RE BUILDING. A PERFECT EXAMPLE IS THAT ENGINE SKID. YOU NOTICED I INSTALLED ANOTHER SET OF ID TUBE CLAMPS THAT WE GOT FROM TMR CUSTOMS AT THE BACK OF THAT SKID, AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S TIED INTO THE ENGINE SIDE OF OUR ENGINE MOUNTS. WE NEED TO MAKE THAT SKID REMOVABLE IF WE PLAN TO REMOVE THE ENGINE OR SERVICE IT. SPEAKING OF SERVICING, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO DROP THE TRANSMISSION PAN OFF OF THE TRANSMISSION WHILE IT'S IN THE BUGGY. THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN HAVING TO REMOVE A TRANSMISSION JUST TO CHANGE THE FLUID. NOW YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS FRONT LINK IS A LITTLE CLOSE TO THIS WATER PUMP OUTLET. THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE CAUSE THIS IS NOT THE WATER PUMP THAT WE'RE GONNA BE RUNNING. AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THIS UPPER SUSPENSION LINK. NOW I CAN MOVE ON TO THE LOWER.

LOWER LINK MOUNTS INDEX OFF OF THE ENGINE SKID TO STRENGTHEN UP THAT JOINT. AND THE LINKS ATTACH TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE AXLE TUBE. THE OUTER TAB IS GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE AXLE'S KNUCKLE IS IN PLACE. INNER MOUNTS LIKE THESE NEED ADDITIONAL BRACING ON THE BACK SIDE.

OURS IS MADE FROM SOME 188 WALL DOM AND LOCKS IT INTO

THE SIDE OF THE CHASSIS. OUT BACK THE FOUR LINK SUSPENSION IS VERY SIMILAR EXCEPT OUR UPPER MOUNTS HAVE MULTIPLE HOLES FOR ADJUSTABILITY.

THE LINK MOUNT WILL INDEX OFF THE BACK OF THE CHASSIS. THEN WE'LL ADD A TON OF GUSSETS TO MAKE IT GOOD AND STRONG.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, A TOUGH AND TUNABLE SHOCK PACKAGE. PLUS THE LATEST AND GREATEST FROM THE OFF ROAD EXPO.

(IAN)>> WHEN IT COMES TIME TO CHOOSE THE SHOCKS FOR A

ROCK BOUNCER, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS OUT THERE. SOME GUYS WILL RUN A SIMPLE AIR SHOCK SETUP. OTHERS WILL RUN AN EMOTION COIL OVER OR A SINGLE COIL OVER WITH AN EXTERNAL RESERVOIR.

AND WITH THE POPULARITY OF THIS SPORT GROWING, SOME PEOPLE HAVE EVEN STEPPED UP TO INSTALL A TRUE DESERT RACING STYLE SUSPENSION WITH COIL CARRIERS AND EXTERNAL BYPASS SHOCKS, GIVING THEM THE ULTIMATE IN TUNEABILITY. BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO PACKAGE A SET OF COIL

CARRIERS AND EXTERNAL BYPASS SHOCKS, THAT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT. SO FOR OUR LAMBO BOUNCER WE CHOSE A NEW TYPE OF SHOCK SETUP. THIS IS AN INTERNALLY BYPASS SHOCK FROM FOX. IT'S GOT A TWO AND A HALF INCH SEAMLESS ALLOY BODY THAT'S HONED TO A PRECISE FINISH.

INSIDE THERE'S A 7075 HIGH FLOW ALUMINUM PISTON WITH VELOCITY SENSITIVE VALVING MOUNTING ON A SEVENEIGHTHS CHROME PLATE STAINLESS STEEL SHAFT.

BUT WHAT MAKES THIS SHOCK TRULY UNIQUE IS THE DSC CONTROL ON TOP OF THE RESERVOIR. NOW THESE TWO KNOBS ALLOW US 12 LOW AND 10 HIGH SPEED COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO REMOVE THE SHOCK FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS MEANS THAT WE BASICALLY GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. WE ONLY HAVE TO INSTALL A SINGLE COIL OVER SHOCK BUT WE'LL HAVE THE ADJUSTMENT OF A BYPASS SHOCK IN ONE PACKAGE. FOR THE UPPER MOUNTS I'M USING WHAT ARE CALLED WHOLE WRAP SHOCK TABS.

I HAVE TO CUT THE TACK OFF THIS TOP PIECE OF TUBING, BEND IT OUT OF THE WAY, AND SLIDE ON THE SHOCK MOUNTS. WE WRAPPED THE WHOLE SHOCK WITH SPARK PAPER AND MASKING TAPE TO PREVENT ANY DAMAGE TO IT WHILE WE'RE TACKING IN OUR SHOCK BRACKET.

THEN WITH THE SHOCK IN PLACE, WE'LL TACK IT MAKING

SURE THAT WE HAVE CLEARANCE FOR THE SPRINGS AGAINST THE CHASSIS. COIL OVER SUSPENSION SYSTEMS CAN BE ADJUSTED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. WE CAN CHANGE THE RATE OF THE SPRINGS THAT WE INSTALL AROUND THESE SHOCKS AND AFFECT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THE COIL OVER HAS TO HOLD UP. WE CAN ADJUST THE LOCATION OF THE DUAL STAGE CROSS OVER RING TO CHANGE WHEN IN THE SUSPENSION TRAVEL THE MAIN SPRING TAKES OVER THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK. BY CHANGING THE NITROGEN PRESSURE IN THE SHOCK IT'LL EFFECT THE INITIAL REACTION OF THE WHEEL TRAVEL. AND WE CAN ALSO ADJUST THE PRELOAD ON THE SPRINGS WITH THE TOP ADJUSTOR TO CHANGE HOW FAST THE WHEELS DROOP OUT WHEN THE TIRES GET AIRBORNE.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, SUSPENSION UPGRADES WORTHY OF A RALLY CAR.

(IAN)>> THERE'S A COUPLE OF MUST DO'S IN EVERY OFF ROADER'S LIFE. YOU'VE GOT TO SEE A WEST COAST DESERT RACE. YOU'VE GOT TO GO TO EASTER JEEP SAFARI, AND YOU'VE GOT TO SEE A SOUTHERN HILL CLIMBING ACTION. BUT BEFORE YOU DO ANY OF THAT, YOUR FIRST STOP SHOULD BE IN POMONA, FOR THE OFF ROAD EXPO.

HELD EVERY YEAR AT THE LA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, THE OFF ROAD EXPO HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERY FAN OF THE DIRT. THE EXPO IS WHERE THE WHO'S WHO OF THE OFF ROAD WORLD COME TO SHOW OFF THEIR STUFF, NEW PRODUCTS, BUILT RIGS, RACE CARS, AND MORE. EVERY INCH OF THE FAIRGROUNDS IS STUFFED TO CAPACITY WITH OFF ROAD AWESOMENESS. COME ALL THIS WAY TO WATCH TV.

(MEL)>> WE COME OUT TO OFF ROAD EXPO, IT'S THE GREATEST

SHOW FOR OFF ROAD OUT HERE. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S ALWAYS GREAT WEATHER, GREAT PEOPLE OUT HERE. THERE'S SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM SO MUCH TO LOOK AT. IT ACTUALLY HAS FROM RHINOS, TO JEEPS, TO BAJA TRUCKS. THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE.

(IAN)>> AND UNLIKE OTHER SHOWS, AT THE EXPO YOU GET TO SEE THOSE RIGS IN ACTION AS ALL TYPES OF OFF ROAD CARS STRUT THEIR STUFF ON THE DEMO COURSE.

(CRAIG)>> OFF ROAD EXPO'S A GREAT PLACE BECAUSE YOU GET

A CROSS SECTION OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER NORTH AMERICA AND A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,

BUT A REAL DIVERSE CROWD. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WITH UTV'S, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WITH FOUR BY FOURS, PEOPLE WITH RALLY VEHICLES, PEOPLE WITH JUST CONVENTIONAL TRUCKS.

SO IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO SHOWCASE YOUR PRODUCT.

(LARRY)>> HI, I'M LARRY WITH POISON SPYDER, WE'RE AT OFF ROAD EXPO 2013. THIS IS A MUST ATTEND EVENT EVERY YEAR. THERE'S PROBABLY 50,000 PEOPLE GONNA WALK THROUGH THE GATES IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEY'RE ALL OFF ROAD ENTHUSIASTS.

(DAVE)>> DAVE COLE WITH ULTRA FOUR RACING AND KING OF THE HAMMERS HERE AT OFF ROAD EXPO. THE BIG THING FOR US THIS YEAR IS ROLLING OUT OUR SPEC CLASS CAR. SO NEXT YEAR YOU'LL BE ABLE TO COME TO THE HAMMERS AND ENJOY IT RECREATIONALLY, OR RENT A CAR FOR THE RACE AND COME OUT AND PEEL OUT AGAINST YOUR FAVORITE DRIVERS.

(IAN)>> WHY DO YOU COME TO OFF ROAD EXPO? ( )>> AWESOME VEHICLES.

(IAN)>> WHERE'D YOU COME FROM? ( )>> CHICAGO.

(IAN)>> ALL THE WAY FROM CHICAGO TO POMONA? ( )>> YES!

(IAN)>> JUST FOR THE OFF ROAD EXPO? ( )>> JUST FOR THE OFF ROAD EXPO.

(IAN)>> TOLD YA!

(DEAN)>> RCV PERFORMANCE PRODUCT COMES TO THE EXPO TO MEET FACE TO FACE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.

WE LIKE TO SHOW OUR NEWEST AND LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU AND TALK DIRECTLY WITH THE END USER. WE LOVE BEING HERE EVERY YEAR AND IT'S ONE OF THE BEST EVENTS, WE'LL BE BACK.

(IAN)>> SO IF YOU'VE GOT DIRT IN YOUR VEINS, PACK YOUR BAGS AND BE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR NEXT YEAR'S OFF ROAD EXPO BECAUSE NOW YOU KNOW WHY IT'S THE PLACE TO BE.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, LOOSE SLOPPY SUSPENSION, A BANGED UP TRANNY PAN, AND LOTS OF OIL LEAKS. OUR RALLY CAR'S GONNA NEED SOME WORK.

(IAN)>> WE ARE FINALLY READY TO START TURNING THIS 2002 FORD FOCUS INTO OUR VERY FIRST RALLY RACE CAR. NOW SINCE SO MUCH OF THE CAR IS GOING TO STAY FACTORY, WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT A GOOD ONCE OVER, MAYBE SEE WHAT PARTS WE NEED TO REPLACE ON THE FRONT END

BEFORE WE START ADDING ANY PERFORMANCE GOODIES. THE FIRST ITEM TO CHECK, THE FRONT SUSPENSION, AND THERE IS A LOT OF PLAY IN BOTH FRONT TIE RODS AND THE LOWER BALL JOINTS.

OIL LEAK, TRANNY PAN, IT'S DENTED TOO. THAT'S NOT GOOD, FIX THAT. ENGINE OIL LEAK, COULD BE THE PAN,

MAYBE THE FRONT SEAL. SWAY BAR END LINK PULLED APART, NO BIGGIE, FIX THAT. CAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE A RACE CAR, I DECIDED THE BEST DECISION IS TO TEAR IT ALL DOWN AND REPLACE ALL THE

POSSIBLE WEAR ITEMS IN THE FRONT END.

WE'RE GONNA COMPLETELY REBUILD THE FRONT END OF OUR FORD FOCUS BECAUSE A COUPLE OF THESE SUSPENSION

COMPONENTS WE'RE WORN OUT A LITTLE BIT PAST SPEC, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA THROW ANY OF THESE THINGS AWAY. WE'RE GONNA KEEP THEM IN OUR PIT BOX TO USE AS SPARE PARTS. IF WE'VE JUST FINISHED THE FIFTH STAGE OF A SIX STAGE RALLY WEEKEND AND WE FOUND THAT WE BENT OUR LOWER CONTROL ARM IN THE RACE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE THANKFUL TO HAVE THIS FACTORY UNIT TO THROW BACK ON THE CAR EVEN THOUGH THE BALL JOINT HAS A LITTLE BIT EXTRA SLOP IN IT. IT'LL HELP US FINISH THE RACE AND FINISH OUT THE WEEKEND. NOW WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA REPLACE THESE WITH SIMILAR FACTORY PIECES. WE'RE GOING TO UPGRADE OUR SUSPENSION AT THE SAME TIME. JUST LIKE ANY OFF ROAD VEHICLE, SUSPENSION PLAYS A HUGE ROLL IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR. SO I PICKED UP A COMPLETE SUSPENSION PACKAGE FROM SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT. NEW HEAVY DUTY STRUTS, SHOCKS, SWAY BARS, AND PROGRESSIVE RATE COIL SPRINGS WILL LOWER OUR CENTER OF GRAVITY BY ONE INCH AND STIFFEN UP THE CAR. THE BEST WAY TO ASSEMBLE A FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY IS WITH

AN ACTUAL STRUT/SPRING COMPRESSOR. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ONE LIKE THIS, YOU CAN EITHER TAKE THEM TO A GARAGE AND HAVE THEM DO IT, OR YOU MAY BE ABLE TO RENT ONE FROM YOUR LOCAL PART STORE.

THEN ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS COMPLETELY REASSEMBLE OUR FRONT SUSPENSION, HOOK EVERYTHING BACK UP, AND BOLT DOWN OUR BRAND NEW FRONT SWAY BAR.

RAYBESTOS MAKES AN UPGRADED FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FOR THE FOCUS. WE GOT OURS FROM ROCK AUTO DOT COM ALONG WITH NEW INNER

AND OUTER TIE RODS.

OUT BACK THE PLAN IS THE SAME, REPLACE ALL THE WORN ITEMS WITH NEW PIECES.

FROM THE FACTORY THIS UPPER CONTROL ARM IS NOT ADJUSTABLE, BUT THIS NEW RAYBESTOS PIECE IS, AND WILL HELP US TUNE OUR SUSPENSION.

TO FINISH EVERYTHING OFF THE REAR SWAY BAR IS INSTALLED AND PROJECT HOCUS FOCUS IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEING AN ACTUAL RACE CAR.