Things You'll Need:
- Sand rail design
- Engine and other components
- Tube bender, mechanic's tools
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Step 1
First you must come up with your basic design for a sand rail. You can come up with the basic design yourself using CAD software or you can purchase ready-made design plans that come in a number of configurations.
If you design it yourself, be sure to include all of the following components: steel tubing, engine, transmission and drivetrain, wheels, steering / suspension, fuel system, seats and other trim (lights, pedals, and seatbelts) -
Step 2
If you purchased plans, skip to step three.
If you came up with the design yourself, it is recommended you run a finite element analysis (FEA) using free software such as CADRE to test the structural integrity of your design. -
Step 3
Next it’s time to purchase the parts you will need to make your sand rail
If you have purchased off the shelf plans, a complete parts list will be included
If you have designed it yourself you will need the following parts, all of which can be bought at a scrap yard or from an auto parts dealer.
- Standard internal combustion engine (from a passenger car / truck). You will also want to keep the ignition and fuel system intact if possible. These parts can be purchased from a junkyard.
- Transmission and drive train
- Steel tubing,
- Your tubing will generally be 1.5” x 0.95 wall.
- Note: other size tubing, such as 1.25 x .120 or 1.25” x .095 chromoly can be used assuming your design plans have adequate bracing and overall structural integrity. For example, you may choose to use 1.5 for the lower main rails and the cage and use the 1.25 for the b-pillars and all the cross bracing
- Braking system
- Four Off road wheels
- Steering / suspension / hydraulics
- Seats and other trim (headlights, pedals, and seatbelt harness) -
Step 4
Next you will need to buy a tube bender, making sure to buy the size bender that matches the size of tubing you will be using to make the sand rail
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Step 5
If you have purchased off the shelf plans, assmeble your parts as per the plans instructions.
If you have designed your own plans, assemble the parts according to your design plans keeping in mind the following steps -
Step 6
Weld all your suspension, seat, radiator, etc. tabs on last so that even if the frame does shift over time, all weld points being in the correct place
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Step 7
The engine should attach to one side of the frame, but make some aluminum spacers to attach the other side. This allows for keeping the holes centered with subsequent adjustments taken off the length of the spacer so it slides back in when you assemble it. OR, you can put spacers on both sides, so you can adjust side to side if needed by machining different spacers.
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Step 8
The radiator and gas tanks should be mounted using rubber components.
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Step 9
When setting up your roof, make sure you have at least 6" above your head, and that goes for any side tubes like b-pillars or x-bracing.
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Step 10
Make sure the seat belt that attaches in the back is just below your shoulder, any longer and the belts can stretch too much, too high and they aren't pulling you down into your seat.
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Step 11
Ground your battery directly to the frame by the battery, then ground it to the motor, and ground it to the frame by the motor somewhere that is a focal point for all the grounds of the motor, also ground the frame to the motor
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Step 12
After assembling all the parts the sand rail should be tested to confirm all components are working properly
