Desert dynamics questions

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Nic

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What are the differences between the sand car, dual sport and the prerunner? I am looking at one with 1 5/8 tubing, 2” hollow spindles is it considered a dual sport?
 

 
I don't know the technical answer but in my mind it's more about design.  

 
Dual sport is a dumb name people came up with to make their cars sound better. Putting dirt tires on a sandrail doesn't make the car dual sport. And sand and dirt are the same sport- offroading. Is a lake boat put on the river called a dual sport boat? Or ocean boat put on a lake? Nope.

Prerunner means exactly that, a car built to handle the rigors of prerunning. 

My prerunner is an 1 5/8" tube chassis but I didn't know that Desert Dynamics used that size as well. It's kind of an odd ball and no one makes mounts for that particular size. 1", 1.5", 1.75" and 2", but no 1 5/8". 

Tube sized is only one factor. Also need to consider shock size and travel, type of brakes (6 piston or 4), bulkhead on the front end, boxed or tube arms, bracing, etc. Lots of variables. 

One big thing to look for- heims. The more heims you can count on a 'prerunner' the less of a prerunner it actually is. Center pivot with bushings and uniballs on yhe uprights will more prevalent on a well built prerunner. 

 
Dave made several different “models” and named them not to compare them to anything just to differentiate between his cars. With that he built a lot of “one off” cars with a mix of different options, 2 seat, 4 seat, blah blah blah. I’m sure some of the DD experts will chime in @J Alper

but here’s some basics to identify which DD chassis it is…
 

He made the Buggyworks which is 1 1/2” mostly mild steel some were chromoly, single shear leading edge style front arms, earlier years ran a 8” stroke front shock then eventually changing the shock mounts on the lower arm going to a 10” stroke.

The “sand car” chassis 1 1/2” chromoly shorter and wider then then Buggyworks chassis, double shear leading edge front arms, dual shocks, longer and wider trailing arms then the Buggyworks. Through the years some things changed not noticeable to the untrained eye lol. 
 

The “dual sport” is 1 5/8” chassis, 2” spindles,uniball uprights, boxed lower front arms, boxed trailing arms, dual sport front bulkhead, little narrower track width in the front and rear vs the sand car chassis. 
 

The “pre runner” is huge mostly I think are 2” chassis with center pivot front arms. 
 

heres my old “dual sport” the radius roof was done after as Dave wasn’t doing them until after 2011 I think.

43848610-A98D-4A5A-959C-D14808225ECD.png

05526976-2474-4E5D-8CEE-DD6D9E8CF145.jpeg

 
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Nic said:
What are the differences between the sand car, dual sport and the prerunner? I am looking at one with 1 5/8 tubing, 2” hollow spindles is it considered a dual sport?
 
Click to expand...
Sounds like a DD “dual sport” chassis.

 
cali kid said:
Dave made several different “models” and named them not to compare them to anything just to differentiate between his cars. With that he built a lot of “one off” cars with a mix of different options, 2 seat, 4 seat, blah blah blah. I’m sure some of the DD experts will chime in @J Alper

but here’s some basics to identify which DD chassis it is…
 

He made the Buggyworks which is 1 1/2” mostly mild steel some were chromoly, single shear leading edge style front arms, earlier years ran a 8” stroke front shock then eventually changing the shock mounts on the lower arm going to a 10” stroke.

The “sand car” chassis 1 1/2” chromoly shorter and wider then then Buggyworks chassis, double shear leading edge front arms, dual shocks, longer and wider trailing arms then the Buggyworks. Through the years some things changed not noticeable to the untrained eye lol. 
 

The “dual sport” is 1 5/8” chassis, 2” spindles,uniball uprights, boxed lower front arms, boxed trailing arms, dual sport front bulkhead, little narrower track width in the front and rear vs the sand car chassis. 
 

The “pre runner” is huge mostly I think are 2” chassis with center pivot front arms. 
 

heres my old “dual sport” the radius roof was done after as Dave wasn’t doing them until after 2011 I think.

View attachment 22948

View attachment 22949
Click to expand...
Who did the radius roof? It looks great!

 
cali kid said:
Dave made several different “models” and named them not to compare them to anything just to differentiate between his cars. With that he built a lot of “one off” cars with a mix of different options, 2 seat, 4 seat, blah blah blah. I’m sure some of the DD experts will chime in @J Alper

but here’s some basics to identify which DD chassis it is…
 

He made the Buggyworks which is 1 1/2” mostly mild steel some were chromoly, single shear leading edge style front arms, earlier years ran a 8” stroke front shock then eventually changing the shock mounts on the lower arm going to a 10” stroke.

The “sand car” chassis 1 1/2” chromoly shorter and wider then then Buggyworks chassis, double shear leading edge front arms, dual shocks, longer and wider trailing arms then the Buggyworks. Through the years some things changed not noticeable to the untrained eye lol. 
 

The “dual sport” is 1 5/8” chassis, 2” spindles,uniball uprights, boxed lower front arms, boxed trailing arms, dual sport front bulkhead, little narrower track width in the front and rear vs the sand car chassis. 
 

The “pre runner” is huge mostly I think are 2” chassis with center pivot front arms. 
 

heres my old “dual sport” the radius roof was done after as Dave wasn’t doing them until after 2011 I think.

View attachment 22948

View attachment 22949
Click to expand...
Info and pics great post 

 
Sounds like a beefy car.

Or you can be a knucklehead like me and take your sand car chassis to both.....I've beefed up just about every heim on my car. Lowers are 3/4" and there's been a bit of added bracing. Going to "box" by lower arms and add some more roll cage bracing this off season as well

IMG_0630 2.JPG

IMG_0903.JPG

IMG_6358.JPG

 
Sand Car - 1.5 chassis tube front arms Heim front spindles Tube Rear Arms, 

  • Sand car rear cage is what makes it a Sand Car 
  • front bulkhead was single shear up top 1.250 upper arms
  • Some customers made it a 1-5/8 tubing but still had the same rear cage and front bulkhead with Heimed 2'' hollows but still a sandcar, 
  • Tube front arms with 1/4 plate arm gusset 

Dual Sport, -  1-5/8 chassis non removable rear cage with side bars on cage like a race car,

  • 2006 Below,  Looks like a sand Car but non removable cage in rear 
  • 2006 Below, 2'' Hollows but, upper and lower heims
  • 2006 Below had lower front tube arms - but had tubing for Support on the lower arms not 1/4'' gusset like a sand car, 
  • 2007 and up,  Full boxed Arms 
  • 2007 - 2009 Uni-Ball Upright spindles 
  • 2010 - 2015 Wider front spread on upper arms and boxed bulkhead 
  • 2015 and up, Went to 12'' front shocks, taller front shock tower, 
  • 2015 and up, taller sides and lowered the roof, sides went to the same height as the Pre-Runner

Pre-Runner  -  If it is a leading edge DD car, then your Shiitt not a Pre-Runner

  • Center Pivot front end 
  • 1-3/4  or   2''  Tubing 
  • Early years had Tubing Bulkhead 
  • Early Years can fit the Fiberglass body 
  • Later years had the boxed bulkheads 
  • Around 2014 you can get the Prerunner with a Radius Roof 
  • Full Boxed Arms with Uniball Upright Spindles 
  • 2'' and Larger front spindles 

Buggy Works 

  • Was designed for Pacific Coast Customs, or one of the buggy shops, Sorry has been a long time when i had the conversation with Dave about this 
  • This was not Dave full design, Retailer spec chassis 
  • Single shock front and rear,
  • Early models had 8'' front shocks 
  • Late models cam with 10'' front shocks 
  • 1-1/2 chassis 

Sand Works Chassis

  • Have only seen 2 ever, Dave's take on a buggy works, due to him not allowed to sell the buggy-works straight to a customer
  • Same as buggy works, but came with dual rear shocks, 




 
I think why DD owners get offended by name is the price difference, 

unlike a Tatum, Tatum had names for the chassis, so really no confusion, 

Dave Names on the DD chassis was not as clear,  a Sand car Chassis was $6500 and a Dual Sport was $8500 

Later the Sand Car Chassis was still $6500 and the boxed arm uniball Dual Sport went to $10,500 and the prerunner was quoted at $23,000 for the chassis

So when someone has a Sand Car Chassis calling it a Pre-Runner, People got offended, 

It should read on some adds, -- Desert Dynamics Sand Car Chassis Setup as a Pre-Runner,  but that is getting pretty PC,  

 
Thanks. It appears it is a 2006 dual sport. Is there any common failure areas I should be looking at?

 
Nic said:
Thanks. It appears it is a 2006 dual sport. Is there any common failure areas I should be looking at?
Click to expand...
any pics, @Kevin pics see the rear cage, that is a Dual Sport Chassis 

Comon Failure

  • Front Shock mounts need more gussets under shocks, they crack on the side,
  • Front Bulk Head, send some pics, needs more upper support to keep the bulkhead from twisting 
 
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