
Quad/ATV
Learning Resources
Tips On Choosing ATV/Quad Books
Quads and ATVs, like other mass-produced recreation vehicles, are generally customized to perform for racing. Some daring people may scratch-build them as well, as the components are readily available. To our knowledge there is no specific book covering the design and construction of a home-built machine. There are internet articles on race preparation of a production machine.
We therefore suggest starting with a good ATV book that provides a comprehensive view of ATVs, riding, maintenance and if possible, racing. If you are interested in the scratch home-built idea, we'd also suggest looking into spaceframe design, suspension design and metal fabrication. If you're ideas are really radical, you may wish to consider motorcycle engine race cars for inspiration as well.

Book Category | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Chassis | Chassis Engineering: Chassis Design, Building & Tuning for High Performance Handling Chassis Engineering is a great introduction to race car design. In a practical and down-to-earth way, it covers the fundamentals of how race cars handle and the requirements for designing and constructing a car. The book includes chapters on chassis design, suspension design, frame construction, aerodynamics and tuning. Overall it provides the reader with the foundation of how the key components of a race car work and interact together. | |||
Chassis | Racing Chassis and Suspension Design: PT-90 A compilation of 27 SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) papers selected by racing engineer legend Carroll Smith which focus on chassis and suspension design for pure race cars. These papers provide deep insights and practical and usable information for chassis and race car designers. | |||
Chassis | The Race Car Chassis : Design, Structures and Materials for Road, Drag and Circle Track Open- and Closed-Wheel Chassis Aspiring designers will find Forbes Aird's book on chassis design to be a good introduction to the fundamental purposes, structures and materials of race car (or road car) chassis. What the book might lack in formulas and design calculations, it makes up for in sheer breadth of chassis design and construction ideas. It provides sufficient information to the reader to leave them with a solid understanding of the various chassis types, materials and construction so they can make informed choices about designing their own chassis. | |||
Fasteners/Joining | High Performance Hardware: Fastener Technology for Racers and Enthusiasts High performance hardware provides both theory and extensive practical information on hardware and fasteners. It covers material properties that relate to fasteners as well as pretty much every type of fastener used on a race vehicle. | |||
Materials/Fabrication | Advanced Automotive Welding Advanced Automotive welding teaches basic and advanced welding skills specifically geared toward race car construction. Joint types, metal types, and welding processes such as TIG, MIG, oxy-acetylene and stick welding are covered. Includes projects such as roll cage, seat supports, floor pan and others. | |||
Materials/Fabrication | ||||
Materials/Fabrication | How To Weld A complete guide for beginner welders on the history, safety, equipment and techniques for welding. The book covers metal fabrication tools, types and properties of metals, welding joint designs, gas welding, brazing, arc welding (MIG, TIG, stick) and cutting. It also includes sample exercises to help the reader practice what they have learned. | |||
Materials/Fabrication | ||||
Materials/Fabrication | ||||
Powertrain | David Vizard's How to Build Horsepower A guide to designing the engine as a system and constructing it to produce maximum horsepower. The design aspects use the airflow through each part of the engine as a basis for instruction. Provides detailed information on how to select, modify and tune each component to work at peak efficiency with others in the engine. | |||
Powertrain | Motorcycle Turbocharging, Supercharging, & Nitrous Oxide: A Complete Guide to Forced Induction and its use on Modern Motorcycle Engines For builders of small motorcycle engine-powered race cars who want that extra kick. Teaches how to turbocharge, supercharge and use Nitrous oxide on motorcycle engines. This book goes into ram air, turbos, superchargers and nitrous systems plus the fuel systems that work along side them. The book also looks at which engines are best for forced-air induction. | |||
Suspension | Competition Car Suspension: A Practical Handbook Explains race car suspensions theory and design. The author explains the history of suspension design and types, handling theory, suspension design techniques, and the math/calculations used in design. The book also includes a unique string-based model approach to hands-on visualization of suspension movement. | |||
Whole Car (Customize/Upgrade) | ATVs: Everything You Need to Know Provides a comprehensive guide to ATVs. Chapters on choosing the right ATV, ATV riding techniques, kids and ATVs, safety, performance modifications, maintenance and troubleshooting. Includes detailed chapters on upgrades and modifications to the ATV for better offroad capabilities, use as a workhorse, increasing engine power and conversion into a mud machine. | |||
Whole Car (Design and Build) | ||||
Magazine | ATV Illustrated ATV Illustrated Magazine | |||
Magazine | ATV Rider ATV Rider Magazine | |||
Magazine | Dirt Wheels Dirt Wheels Magazine |
Sanctioning Bodies/Organizers
Region |
1
