Dave, the craftsmanship is highly impressive! Everywhere. The effort put in is evident. Ok, there's your "attaboy", 'cause the car is really looking badass!
Really curious with all the effort put forth, why the stock engine and rear diff cradles were still used. I'm sure time played a part in that decision. Likewise, given the commitment set forth towards the front a-arms, it surprises me to see the use of the OEM spindles, and maintaining the rear steer configuration. It's been my experience when building around a rear steer layout, that there was always a sacrifice to be had either in the ackermann effect, or bump steer. In said configuration, desirable ackermann usually places the outer steering knuckle location too far inboard to accommodate good bump steer geometry. Then, move out the knuckle position to minimize bump steer, and lose ackermann. The positive thing that comes from rear steering bump steer, is that the tires bump inward, again adding directional stability and less wandering in the fast, deep rollers.
With that being said, I never had the luxury of using an interactive application (like Solid Works or similar) to calculate the possibilities, then run motion studies and be able to modify a design before it hits the shop floor. I also never used a center steer rack. If you say all is good, then all is good. I do however, have serious doubts that the integrity of the OEM front spindles and articulating joints will suffice consistent class 10 type performances without letting you down more often than you would like. Curious to see how that plays out.
Saw the new pics. I am in favor of exterior-spun alternators such as you are running, but have rarely seen one running off of the driveline that didn't either break or throw belts while under hard breaking . Being that you are an open book with your hard spent efforts (and thank you again for your grace), I will be happy to share the solution we found to keeping the drive belt on, and in one piece. I expect I may be preaching to the choir here, so excuse me if I come across as insulting your fabricators' intelligence.
I know many of the top truck and buggy teams were implementing this technology , at least when I was involved in the sport.
So, for the lay-mans out there; UTV's usually need to add aftermarket charging devices like an alternator to supplement the output wattage of the factory magnetos, which were only putting out 400-600 watts in my day. Simple math says watts/volts=amps. Therefore a 600 watt magneto divided by 12 volts, only supplies you with 50 amps of available power to run your entire car. Maybe that's ok in short daytime races. But once you add in cooling fans, Parker Pumpers, robust fuel pumps etc., you quickly use up all available power and die (and you still haven't addressed your lighting needs). Since UTV's normally do not have exterior belt drive systems on their motors, one must look elsewhere to attach an aftermarket charging device, such as an alternator. Usually, it is somewhere on the driveline. (unless your Badass Johnny Angal, and build your own setup to run off of the crankshaft!) Truck teams run these devices off of their drivelines as not to rob any hard earned horesewpower from their motors. It is more efficient to take advantage of leverage provided via gear ratios, so usually, it's on the driveshaft. The problem lies in when the driver locks up the brakes, the driveshaft immediately stops turning, along with the wheels/ tires. Well, no one told the alternator that was coming up. The alternator pulley wants to continue rotating while the belt attached to the locking driveshaft does not. SNAP, or FLING it goes!
The solution is not to run a v groove belt that will slip, but run a cog belt/pulley system that will not slip, and have a free wheeling pulley installed on the alternator. Similar to the rear hub on your bicycle, that when you stop pedaling, the crankset doesn't keep rotating with the rpm of the rear wheels.
Ok, back to you Dave. I also had to add a sturdy tensioner in the way of an idler pulley to preload the drive belt enough so that when it plays the mediator between stopping or continue on rolling, there is enough slack to absorb the immediate energy loss in the belt without ripping teeth off of the cogs, or flinging it off of the pulley. I can forward to you the equation I came up with to calculate pulley diameters considering alternator output at a given rpm, gear ratios of the tranny and diffs, and engine rpm. Just need to be wary okf the belt tension, and the driving shaft seal and bearing ability to withstand it. I think I used a tensioner off of a 4.0l Ford Ranger.
Oh, one correction: We ran a 4 or 5 groove serpentine belt, not a cog type.
Sorry, I don't mean to hijack your thread. Just saw an opportunity to educate any one wanting to follow the depth of your thread. I like it that you're not secretive about what you are building, and you are modest enough to listen to input. After all, no one is breaking down any doors here. Like an old boy told me when I would patronize him in my early days, "It ain't nothin' that hadn't been done before".