Heavy Cargo: Shocks

(ANNOUNCER)>> IF WE'RE GONNA TAKE A CARGO VAN OUT ON THE ROCKS IT'S GONNA NEED SOME SERIOUS SUSPENSION.

TODAY ON XTREME OFF ROAD PROJECT HEAVY CARGO GETS 14 INCH COIL OVERS AND BYPASS SHOCKS, ALONG WITH A THREE LINK SUSPENSION. ONCE WE THROW ON HYDRAULIC STEERING AND A TURBO INTERCOOLER THIS RIG WILL BE READY FOR THE TRAIL. PLUS OUR ULTRA FOUR INSPIRED DESERT RACER GETS ANOTHER DOSE OF CLASSIC BRONCO STYLE WITH AN OEM REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD FRAME.

(IAN)>> WE'RE ALL SET TO KICK OFF A NEW YEAR HERE IN THE XTREME OFF ROAD SHOP, AND WE'VE MOVED THE PROJECTS

AROUND AS THEY'VE PROGRESSED. YOU CAN SEE OUR '66 BRONCO IS OUT FROM UNDERNEATH OUR MEZZANINE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THIS JUST ARRIVED. THIS IS A FULL INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION BULKHEAD FROM JIMMY'S FOUR BY FOUR, AND IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOU KNOW THIS IS SOME SERIOUS STUFF. IS INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION THE FUTURE OF RECREATIONAL FOUR WHEELING? I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY THE FUTURE FOR THIS ULTRA FOUR PRERUNNER RIG THAT WE'RE BUILDING, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA JUMP ON THIS QUITE YET. PROJECT SUBURBAN SURVIVAL, THE BODY IS STILL OFF OF THE FRAME. WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO BEING READY TO DROP IT BACK ON, BUT BEFORE WE JUMP BACK ON THIS PROJECT WE'RE GONNA KICK THINGS OFF TODAY BY WORKING ON OUR NISSAN NV 2,500 VAN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CONVERSION. NOW WE DITCHED THE IFS THAT WAS ON THE FRONT OF THIS VAN

AND REPLACED IT WITH A PRETTY SERIOUS AXLE. AFTER LOSING THE GAS BURNER UNDER THE HOOD AND PUTTING A CUMMINS VEIGHT DIESEL IN ITS PLACE THE ENTIRE INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION WAS CUT OUT TO MAKE ROOM FOR A DYNATRACK PRO ROCK 60 FRONT AXLE. OUT BACK A PRO ROCK 80 WITH A SET OF 37 INCH GENERAL XTHREE GRABBERS ON TRAIL READY HEAVY DUTY BEAD LOCKS. TODAY WE'RE GONNA BUILD THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THIS RIG, AND IT STARTS BY PREPPING THE FRAME. THE EASIEST WAY TO GET SUSPENSION UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF OUR VAN WOULD BE SIMPLY TO INSTALL A SET OF LEAF SPRINGS, BUT WE'VE ALREADY MADE SO MANY UPGRADES TO THIS RIG, WHY TAKE THE EASY ROUTE OUT NOW? I'M GONNA BUILD A LINK TYPE SUSPENSION SYSTEM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THIS RIG. TO START I'M GONNA USE SOME SPHERICAL ROD ENDS FROM ROCK CRAWLER SUSPENSION. NOW THESE ARE THE SAME SUSPENSION JOINTS THAT YOU SEE IN THEIR HEAVY DUTY OFF ROAD SUSPENSION KITS. IT'S A HARDENED JOINT, INCH A QUARTER SHAFT FOR A THREE QUARTER INCH THROUGH BOLT, AND THEY ARE FULLY REBUILDABLE. TO SUSPEND THE FRONT AXLE I'M USING A SET OF PRODIGY TWO AND

FIVEEIGHTHS INCH 14 INCH TRAVEL COIL OVER SHOCKS. NOW THESE HAVE ALL THE ITEMS YOU'D EXPECT TO SEE ON A HIGH END SHOCK ABSORBER. SPHERICAL ROD ENDS AT EITHER END, DUAL RATE ADJUSTORS, AS WELL AS HEIGHT ADJUSTORS, BUT THERE'S ONE VERY BIG DIFFERENCE. THE BODY OF THE SHOCK IS MADE OUT OF EXTRUDED ALUMINUM. NOW THE ALUMINUM BODY WILL HELP KEEP THE SHOCK COOL BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THESE EXTRUSIONS IN THAT BODY INCREASE THE SURFACE AREA OF THE SHOCK. THIS TWO AND FIVEEIGHTHS INCH BODIED SHOCK HAS THE SAME SURFACE AREA AS A THREE INCH SHOCK. NOW THAT WILL HELP DISSIPATE THE HEAT THAT GETS BUILT UP IN THE SHOCK AS THE SUSPENSION CYCLES. YOU GET ALL THE BENEFITS OF THAT LARGER SHOCK BODY BUT WITH A SHOCK THAT'S MUCH EASIER TO PACKAGE IN YOUR RIG. [ drill spinning ]

(IAN)>> THE NEW SUSPENSION SYSTEM WILL BE A THREE LINK DESIGN WITH A PAN HARD BAR. THE LOWER LINK MOUNTS ARE MADE FROM QUARTER INCH PLATE AND WILL SANDWICH THE FRAME RAILS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE VAN. HOLES CUT INTO THESE BRACKETS ARE USED TO INCREASE THE WELD SURFACE OF THE BRACKET AND WILL ADD STRENGTH TO THE ENTIRE FRAME RAIL, BUT WHY STOP WITH JUST A COIL OVER WHEN YOU CAN ALSO RUN A BYPASS SHOCK? THE PRODIGY THREE TUBE BYPASS SHOCK WILL ALLOW ME TO FINE TUNE THE SUSPENSION BEHAVIOR AS THE SUSPENSION CYCLES THROUGH ITS TRAVEL. ALL I NEED TO DO IS ADJUST THE VALVES INSIDE THE BYPASS TUBES THAT WILL ALLOW THE SHOCK OIL TO TRAVEL AROUND THE INTERNAL VALVING INSTEAD OF THROUGH IT. THE ULTIMATE IN TUNABLE SUSPENSION. NOW IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WELDING IN THE SHOCK HOOP FOR

BOTH THE COIL OVER AND BYPASS SHOCKS, ALONG WITH THE PAN HARD BAR MOUNT ONTO THE FRAME. [ welder crackling ]

(IAN)>> AFTER THAT THE LOWER LINK BRACKETS ARE

FINISH WELDED AS WELL.

THE AXLE IS THEN CUT FREE FROM THE TEMPORARY LOCATING TUBES AND THE REST OF THE SUSPENSION BRACKETS ARE MADE USING OUR ESAB CROSSBOW CNC PLASMA CUTTER. THEY ARE BENT INTO SHAPE USING THE EDWARDS MANUFACTURING HORIZONTAL PRESS. THIS PRESS ALLOWS YOU TO REPEAT THE SAME BEND OVER AND

OVER IN THICK FLAT PLATE USING THE INCLUDED DYES, MAKING REPEATABLE PARTS VERY EASY TO MAKE. THEN THE SUSPENSION BRACKETS ARE WELDED ONTO THE AXLE TUBE. GUSSETS ARE CUT AND WELDED INTO THE BRACKETS FOR

ADDITIONAL STRENGTH, AND NOW WE'VE GOT A BOMBPROOF

FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, OUR VAN GETS A POWERFUL HYDRAULIC

STEERING SETUP AND A COOLING SYSTEM FOR THE TURBO. PLUS WE SADDLE UP BUCKIN' BRONCO WITH A FUEL SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR AN EXTREMELY WILD RIDE.

(IAN)>> WITH THE SUSPENSION TAKEN CARE OF ON THE FRONT OF OUR VAN, THE NEXT ITEM TO DEAL WITH WILL BE THE STEERING. NOW THERE'S PLENTY OF OPTIONS FOR THE STEERING ON THIS PARTICULAR NV 2,500 PROJECT. I MEAN IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITH AN ACTUAL STEERING BOX, BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO UPGRADE TO A MORE POWERFUL STEERING SYSTEM CONSIDERING THAT WE SWAPPED OVER TO A SOLID AXLE. I CALLED THE GUYS AT PERFORMANCE STEERING COMPONENTS, PSC, AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROJECT, AND THEY SUGGESTED GOING WITH A FULL HYDRAULIC STEERING SETUP. THIS ALLOWS US TO COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE STEERING BOX AND JUST RUN AN ORBITAL VALVE HOOK UP TO THE STEERING COLUMN AND A RAM ON THE AXLE TO ACTUALLY STEER IT. NOW THIS DOES REMOVE ANY MECHANICAL LINKAGE BETWEEN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE FRONT AXLE, AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE NERVOUS ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT THE REALITY IS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT THERE'S PLENTY OF CARS OUT THERE DOING SOME PRETTY AMAZING STUFF WITH FULL HYDRAULIC STEERING.

ULTRA FOUR CARS ARE SERIOUS OFF ROAD CARS RUNNING FULLY HYDRAULIC STEERING WHILE BOMBING THROUGH THE DESERT AND CRAWLING OVER ROCKS. IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT THERE ARE TWO VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENTS THAT NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. THAT IS THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE HYDRAULIC RAM.

NOW IF WE WERE DOING A COMMON APPLICATION, LIKE A JEEP OR MAYBE A CHEVROLET LS ENGINE, WE COULD JUST ORDER A PUMP STRAIGHT FROM PSC, BUT WITH A FIVE LITER CUMMINS DIESEL THINGS GOT A LITTLE BIT TRICKY. I HAD TO REMOVE THE FACTORY PUMP AND SEND IT TO PSC FOR THEM TO EVALUATE. THEY CHECKED THE VOLUME AND THE FLOW RATE OF THIS PUMP AND THEN SENT BACK ONE OF THEIR HIGH PERFORMANCE STYLE PUMPS FOR OUR APPLICATION, AND WE'LL JUST SIMPLY BOLT IN THE STOCK LOCATION AND GIVE US ALL THE FLOW AND PRESSURE THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO TURN THIS MONSTER SINGLE ENDED HYDRAULIC CYLINDER THAT WILL MOUNT ON THE AXLE, AND THIS WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL THE STEERING IN OUR VAN. THE EIGHT INCH STROKE RAM MOUNTS TO A HIGH STEER ARM INSTALLED ONTO THE KNUCKLE BY DYNATRACK, AND TO A CUSTOM MADE BRACKET TO LOCATE IT IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHILE THE STEERING CYCLES. [ saw cutting metal ]

(IAN)>> THE BRACKET HAS GUSSETS ADDED TO IT FOR STRENGTH. [ welder crackling ]

(IAN)>> AND THE PSC PUMP IS INSTALLED ONTO THE ENGINE.

BEFORE WE CAN FIRE UP OUR CUMMINS VEIGHT DIESEL ENGINE WE NEED AN INTERCOOLER FOR THE TURBO SYSTEM. THE INTERCOOLER OUT OF THE NISSAN TITAN WOULD NOT FIT IN FRONT OF OUR VAN'S RADIATOR. SO I NEEDED A UNIVERSAL OPTION.

I GOT THIS INTERCOOLER FROM VIBRANT PERFORMANCE. NOW THEY OFFER THESE AS BARE CORES WHERE YOU CAN CUSTOM BUILD YOUR IN TANKS OR LIKE THIS SETUP HERE. NOW THIS IS A UNIVERSAL INTERCOOLER SETUP. IT COMES WITH THE TANKS ALREADY WELDED ON AND YOU

CAN SPECIFY DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF THE END. I GOT THE LARGEST INTERCOOLER THAT THEY HAD BECAUSE I HAVE TONS OF SPACE IN THE FRONT OF THE VAN. ALSO FROM THEM I GOT A BUNCH OF TWO AND A HALF INCH ALUMINUM INTERCOOLER PIPING AND BOOTS, AS WELL AS HD CLAMPS TO HOOK IT UP. NOW JUST A LITTLE WORD OF ADVICE. IF YOU ARE GONNA BUILD YOUR OWN INTERCOOLER TUBING, GO AHEAD AND SPRING FOR SOME HIGH QUALITY NAME BRAND ALUMINUM TUBING. DON'T JUST GET THE CHEAPEST STUFF THAT YOU CAN FIND BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO WELDING THIS STUFF QUALITY

MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

THE INTERCOOLER COMES WITH SOME MOUNTING CLAMPS THAT ARE

BOLTED ONTO THE RADIATOR CROSS BRACE ON THE VAN.

THE VIBRANT HD CLAMP SYSTEM IS A FOUR PIECE SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES TWO ALUMINUM WELD FITTINGS WITH INTEGRATED ORINGS, ALUMINUM UNION SLEEVE, AND AN

HD CLAMP ASSEMBLY. THE HD CLAMPS ARE A SOLID BILLET CONSTRUCTION WITH A BURST PRESSURE RATING OF 800 PSI. THE ANODIZED CLAMP SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR 12 DEGREES OF AXIAL, OR SIDE TO SIDE, MOVEMENT IN THE TUBE. FOR THE SILICONE BOOT CONNECTIONS I ADD A BEAD TO THE TUBE USING THE VIBRANT MANUAL BEAD ROLLER TO ENSURE THAT THE BOOT HOLDS SECURE.

(IAN)>> SOME TIMES HERE IN THE XOR SHOP WHEN DEADLINES NEED TO BE MET, PROJECTS, WELL THEY JUST GET PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY, AND THAT HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR OUR PROJECT BUCKIN' BRONCO. AS A MATTER OF FACT THERE IS A GOOD LAYER OF DUST BUILT UP ON OUR BODY PANELS. NOW TODAY MY PLAN IS TO BASICALLY WORK ON THE BACK HALF OF THE CHASSIS, WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION, START MOCKING UP SOME SHOCKS, BUT BEFORE I JUMP ONTO THIS PART OF THE CHASSIS THERE'S JUST A FEW ODDS AND ENDS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OFF THE LIST. THE IDEA FOR THIS PROJECT WAS TO BUILD AN EXTREME VERSION OF A CLASSIC '66 BRONCO, BUT INSTEAD OF STARTING WITH A GOOD DONOR RIG WE STARTED WITH A FRAME TABLE, A PILE OF TUBING, AND SOME SHEET METAL FROM LMC TRUCK. ONCE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS BENT AND TACKED TOGETHER, THE SHEET METAL WAS HUNG ON THE TUBING AFTER MAKING A FEW MODIFICATIONS TO MAKE IT MORE XTREME STYLE, LIKE NARROWING THE GRILL AND TRIMMING OUR REAR FENDERS. THE REAR SUSPENSION REQUIRED A SET OF TRAILING ARMS, AND AFTER A PILE OF WELDING WE WERE ABLE TO MOCK UP THE REAR SUSPENSION AND PLAN FOR THE LOCATION OF THE FRONT DIFF BY PLACING OUR 40 INCH MAXXIS TIRES IN PLACE. THE "ALUMINATOR" COYOTE ENGINE WAS DROPPED INTO THE CHASSIS, ALONG WITH THE REID RACING TURBO 400 TRANSMISSION CASE.

THE MAJORITY OF THE SHEET METAL HAS ALREADY BEEN MOCKED UP ONTO OUR TUBE CHASSIS. ONE ITEM THAT I HAVEN'T INSTALLED YET HAS BEEN THE WINDSHIELD FRAME, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE HEIGHT OF THIS BAR IS DETERMINED BY THE LOCATION OF OUR UPPER FRONT ROOF BAR. SO THAT IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA START.

USING A PIECE OF INCH AND THREE QUARTER DOM TUBING, THE WINDSHIELD BAR IS CUT, NOTCHED, AND CLEARANCED TO FIT AROUND THE APILLAR TUBES. [ notcher spinning ] [ metal grinding ]

(IAN)>> OOPS! IT'S LIKE A JUNGLE GYM IN HERE.

[ grinding metal ]

(IAN)>> ONCE THE FITMENT IS GOOD THE TUBE IS TACKED INTO PLACE.

YOU CAN SEE NOW WITH OUR LMC TRUCK WINDSHIELD FRAME IN PLACE THAT UPPER BAR BASICALLY DISAPPEARS. IF I WASN'T GONNA ADD ANY SHEET METAL TO THE TOP SIDE OF THIS BRONCO I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ADDED A LITTLE STYLE TO THAT UPPER BAR. MAYBE BENT IT IN THE MIDDLE TO GIVE IT A MORE AGGRESSIVE LOOK, BUT I KNEW ALL ALONG THAT THE WINDSHIELD FRAME WOULD HIDE IT. THAT'S WHY I'VE LEFT IT PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. THE ONLY TIME YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT IS WHEN YOU ACTUALLY FOLD DOWN THE WINDSHIELD, AND I PLAN TO MAKE THIS HINGE THAT'S

ON THE BOTTOM OF OUR FRAME ACTUALLY FUNCTIONAL. SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO DROP THE WINDSHIELD WHEN WE'RE OUT ON THE TRAIL. NEXT STEP NOW IS TO FINISH OUT SOME ROOF BARS, AND WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING AN ULTRA FOUR STYLE CAR LIKE THIS, IT'S ABOUT WHERE THOSE BARS GO, NOT THE NUMBER OF BARS THAT ARE IN PLACE. THESE BARS CREATE NODES IN THE CHASSIS THAT ADD STRENGTH BY INTERSECTING WITH OTHER TUBES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THESE DISTRIBUTE ANY SHOCK LOAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE, MAKING THE ENTIRE BUGGY A LOT STRONGER.

[ welder crackling ]

(IAN)>> WHEN YOU'RE ADDING ROOF BARS INTO A CHASSIS, WITH

THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION. DO YOU PUT A BEND IN THE BAR SO IT'S RUNNING ON THE EXACT SAME PLANE AS THIS OUTER BAR, OR DO YOU RUN IT STRAIGHT? NOW I CHOSE TO RUN IT STRAIGHT FOR THE SAME REASON THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. THIS WHOLE RIG WILL BE SKINNED WITH AN ENTIRE ROOF PANEL. SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA NOTICE THAT THAT BEND ISN'T THERE. PLUS THAT STRAIGHT BAR IS A LOT STRONGER THAN A BAR WITH A SLIGHT BEND IN IT. I ALSO DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HEAD ROOM BECAUSE THE

BAR'S TRAVELLING FROM THE APILLAR BACK TO THE

CENTER OF THE CHASSIS. IF IT WAS FLIPPED AND COMING FROM THE BPILLAR GOING TO THE

CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD FRAME I'D WANT THAT BEND THERE TO GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE HEAD ROOM. NOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS MATCH THE BAR ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE, BUILD THE CENTER BAR. THEN I HAVE TO REMOVE THE BARS, WELD THE JOINT

UNDERNEATH, AND THEN WELD THEM IN FOR GOOD. [ welder crackling ]

(IAN)>> WITH THE ROOF BARS IN PLACE WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO THE BACK OF THE CHASSIS.

NOW IF YOU REMEMBER, I ALREADY HAVE THE BELT LINE BAR IN PLACE THAT LINES UP WITH OUR SEATBELT BAR AND OUR REAR KICKERS COMING OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE TACKED INTO PLACE. NOW I RAN THEM LONG BECAUSE I WASN'T 100 PERCENT SURE HOW THE BACK OF THIS CHASSIS IS GONNA FINISH OUT. I KNOW I'M GONNA HAVE A SPARE TIRE MOUNTED UP HERE BUT I'M NOT SURE IF I'M GONNA DO A BUMPER OR IF I'M GONNA HAVE TO ADD A BEND TO THE END OF THIS TUBE AND ADD A SLUG AT THIS POINT.

THE SHOCK MOUNTS ARE NEXT AND THEY'RE GONNA LAND SOMEWHERE IN THIS AREA RIGHT HERE BUT BEFORE I CAN START PLANNING ANY TYPE OF SHOCK MOUNT I NEED TO TAKE CARE OF A COUPLE MORE TUBES.

ONCE AGAIN INCH AND THREE QUARTER DOM IS CUT, NOTCHED, AND TACKED INTO THE CHASSIS TO CREATE A REAR SPREADER BAR.

[ metal grinding ] [ saw cutting metal ] [ welder crackling ]

(IAN)>> A COUPLE OF KICKERS THAT TRAVEL UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CHASSIS FINISH IT OUT. [ welder crackling ]

(IAN)>> THE BACK HALF OF A CHASSIS THAT HAS TRAILING ARMS REALLY DOESN'T HAVE THAT MUCH WORK TO

DO BECAUSE REMEMBER THE SHOCKS ARE GONNA BE MOUNTED MORE TOWARDS THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THESE REAR KICKERS THAT COME UP, THE REALLY ONLY JOB THEY HAVE IS TO HOLD THE REAR AIR BUMP THAT THE AXLE WILL COMPRESS AGAINST AT FULL COMPRESSION, AND PROVISIONS TO HOLD A FUEL CELL. NOW FOR THIS PARTICULAR RIG I'M NOT GONNA PUT THE FUEL CELL ALL THE WAY AT THE BACK LIKE YOU MAY DO IF THIS WAS A FULL ON RACE CAR, TRYING TO GET A LOT OF WEIGHT TRANSFER TO THE BACK. I'M ACTUALLY GONNA USE THE TUBE THAT'S GONNA TRAVEL FROM THIS PART OF THE CHASSIS BACK AND INTEGRATE INTO THIS BAR THAT WE'VE JUST ADDED TO CREATE BASICALLY A LITTLE FUEL CELL SHELF. THAT MEANS THE FUEL CELL WILL SIT RIGHT ABOUT HERE AND WE'LL ADD A FILLER NECK OUT THE SIDE. I REALLY DON'T THING WE NEED TO PUSH THE FUEL CELL ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK, AND I JUST THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT SAFER WHEN IT'S DEEP IN THE CHASSIS AND PROTECTED, AND FOR THIS FUEL CELL WE'VE GOT SOMETHING PRETTY SPECIAL. THE FUEL CELL IS A STANDARD UNIT THAT YOU'VE SEEN US USE BEFORE. IT'S A HIGH CAPACITY ALL ALUMINUM FUEL CELL FROM SUMMIT RACING. IT HAS A LOCKING FILL LID AND A FUEL LEVEL SENDER THAT WORKS WITH MOST AFTERMARKET GAUGES, BUT WHAT'S GONNA MAKE IT REALLY SPECIAL IS WHAT I PLAN TO PUT INSIDE. THIS IS HOLLEY HYDRAMAT. NOW THIS WILL ALLOW A CLEAN FLOW OF FUEL TO ALWAYS HEAD TO THE FUEL PUMP AS LONG AS ANY PART OF THE HYDRAMAT IS TOUCHING FUEL IN THE CELL. ROAD RACE GUYS LOVE IT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THEM TO RUN THE FUEL CELL ALMOST COMPLETELY DRY BETWEEN PIT STOPS. NOW US OFF ROAD GUYS ARE GONNA LOVE IT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW STEEP OF AN ANGLE WE GET THIS FUEL CELL AT. IT CAN BE AT 45 DEGREES AND WE'LL STILL ALWAYS HAVE GOOD CLEAN FUEL FEEDING OUR FUEL PUMP TO PREVENT CAVITATION AND POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.