What axles is on this buggy? Did he chop and resold for added length?

Extended stock axle

Any modifications to the trailing arms?

From what I can see...
- Cut & Extended stock axle
- Extended upper link
- Spacer between link tower & trailing arm
- Spacer at trailing arm front mount

What is the articulation angle of a stock u-joint axle anyways, before it binds? For before & after travel, you can do the easy math. Would be informative to compare the cost versus the gain.


Uni-directional travel = SIN (Z) x (stock axle shaft length + Y in inches)

Z = stock axle articulation angle
Y = added axle length

Total travel (assuming full bump and full droop) = 2 x Uni-directional travel


If they added those little blocks under the link tower....is that what the "gained travel" was in one direction? If so...its not much.

Honda-advertised rear travel is 5.9" total. If you assumed 12" stock axle length +3" length and say 15-deg articulation...

Sin 15 x 12" = 3.11" (6.22" total, theoretical)
Sin 15 x 15" = 3.88" (7.76 total, but take-away 5-6% for actual travel and you're at 7.2")

So you're talking +1.5" travel. So how much time & $'s does it cost to gain 3/4" travel in each direction compared to selling your FL350 and buying a FL400R with trans clutch and 7.1" rear travel? And what happens when you snap an axle or smear a spline?

Very good point. It was rebuilt in part by chucklenuts at aftershot motorspurts motorsports from my understanding, for the front and rear long travel suspension. That's was a lot of work for 1.5" more travel. And money. I was pursuing options when I seen the pictures of this fl350. I just wondered if it was worth all the trouble. Thank you DMoney. That was well explained.

But I'm also one of the guys who wants to take the FL350 and make it a little better, rather than going out and buying a Pilot. So don't let me discourage your efforts. I just want to get away from the stock axles...period...while getting a little more travel along with a Fox Air shock. I really, really like the Briggs Built setup with the 5-link and CV axles. If you're going to augment the FL350 rear suspension, I figure you might as well benchmark off of a proven setup.

The only way to swap axles that I can see is an a 24 spline cup, run 930s, etc. I'm looking at a set of 2x2 vw trailing arms that I think would work great on the fl350. I like pilots too, but there's just something that I really like about the fl350 platform. Like you, I just want a cheap and easy alternative for replacement parts, and to make it better.

And forgive me for downplaying a "gain" in rear travel even if its only 1.5". That's a 25% improvement! It could make a difference or could be enough to beat the next guy. Just funny to hear someone call +1.5in "long travel", lol. I always associate with an EXTREME change.

Okay, this is from memory, but...

Remember that the oddy has linkage limit in its bump travel as well

I'm pretty sure I could get another 1.5" by just reworking the shocks and linkage for more up travel

That's on the stock driveline

Go to cv's and a little wider, redo the linkage and you would be well past just 1.5"

That's what I'm after. I'd like to see a 4"-6" gain at the wheels. Running 930s, a different trailing arm, appropriate linkages, and it should be easily achievable.

I look froward to seeing how it turns out

I was thinking to do the same thing, but with ranger axles and carriers since they are narrower CV cups and a dime a dozen on ebay (well, not a dime, but you get my point)

P.S. I just noticed that in those photos, the carrier upright/upper linkage mount is spaced off the carrier with tubing

Hmmm...easy way to allow more dawn travel?

Thought the old briggsbuilt cars that ran the trailing arm like the FL350 was getting 12" travel with the type II CV's? I have pictures of one here some place but I am not spending a day trying to get the scanner running to scan them these were the pre 5 link suspension briggsbuilts.

If you can get a honest 22 degrees out of the type II and the axle at horizontal is 0 degrees is your suspension is going to get 44 degrees articulation full droop to full bump?

Pretty sure the 930 cvs are way overkill for the power your looking at, size and weight wise.

On STOCK suspension? Not a chance!

22-deg articulation = 44-deg total angular travel, in theory. But subtract 5-10% out for buffer -- not like you can run it .02-minutes angle before it binds.

After that, its all per the capability of the linkage/heims/balljoints, shock selection, shock tuning, and geometry/clearance, etc plus the width & weight your willing/able to sacrifice. Am I right?

16" axle length (CV-to-CV) traveling 44deg total = 12" theoretical vertical travel

Agreed. Type I or II is prob the upper echelon limit for a single-seater FL350 buggy on a stock gearbox. That geartrain has to rotate that mass. The heavier it gets and further out you extend it, the more stress you put on that train. And more power on the input shaft + heavier drive-line at the output puts a lot of stress on that gearbox. Where the u-joints were the weak-link on the stock setup, now the week link is the gearbox.

The UTV axles aren't that big and they're pushing 1000cc's, 4-stroke torque, 2 passengers, plus cargo! lol

Wouldn't a jeffco gearbox be a lil overkill for an Oddy? A buddy of mine keeps trying to get me to go that route, and I'd like to get advice from you guys. Thanks.

Why would you spend 4000 bux on a transmission for a FL350?

http://www.jeffcoperformance.com/Revers ... rmance.php

Type 1 on the trailing arm briggsbuilt is 12" travel.
They are heavy though, and an ATV axle shaft would be worthwhile option.

My ignorance getting the best of me here...but what's a Briggs built?

Ace-I talked with Dan and he quoted $2400, which is his standard unit. I'll have to ask him about a smaller unit. That would be more like what an fl350 would need anyways. Thanks for the advice.

Hoser- those are well thought out suspensions on your Briggs. I can bet its a pleasure driving one. Good info too. Thank you. I'm taking notes...

just tried to call him to see the prices and got no response

hopefully he'll call me tomorrow

Where do the RPM, JeffCo, and MotoX guys buy their gears anyways? Like Boston Gear, or what? Or are they custom cut/hardened gears and that's why these things cost so much??

Story I got was that RPM makes all his own gears I have no idea if its true or not, I would think anybody could take the gears to any company that makes gears and have them made, like anything else its all about the setup cost.