Tyler Roebuck’s Rocketship “Brawler”

Tyler Roebuck’s Rocketship “Brawler”

Built to Bring the Rowdy Back

Some builds are designed to be clean and polished. Tyler Roebuck wanted something mean.

Inspired by the raw, aggressive buggies from 15 years ago, Tyler came to Wide Open Design wanting a Rocketship that captured the attitude of old-school rock bouncers while performing like a modern race car. The result became “Brawler.”

Built around the newest generation Rocketship chassis platform, this buggy combines:

  • supercharged LS power
  • race-ready suspension
  • ultra-low chassis geometry
  • massive driveline strength
  • modern visibility improvements
  • aggressive styling

while still maintaining the chaotic personality that made old-school bouncers so iconic. And from the second you see it, you know this buggy was built differently.

Watch the Brawler PRI Rocketship Build

Supercharged LS Power

At the center of Brawler sits a Mast Motorsports LY6 paired with a Harrop supercharger. That combination delivers violent instant torque while still maintaining the drivability and reliability needed for serious off-road use.

The drivetrain package includes:

  • 4L80 transmission
  • 3:1 Atlas transfer case
  • 1480 driveshafts
  • WOD 1480 carrier bearing kit

Once the Harrop blower starts making boost, drivetrain strength stops being optional. That’s why this buggy was engineered around oversized components everywhere.

Crane Axle Strength Front & Rear

The axle package underneath Brawler is serious. Both ends use Crane Axle 14-bolt housings loaded with:

  • Yukon 5.13 gears
  • 40 spline ARB lockers
  • RCV Big Bell axle shafts
  • Crane Magnum Knuckles
  • Crane Magnum Inner C’s
  • Crane drive pucks
  • Crane flange covers
  • WOD unit bearings

The RCV Big Bell setup combined with Magnum Knuckles dramatically improves:

  • wheel end strength
  • steering durability
  • serviceability
  • steering angle capability

while the ARB lockers provide selectable traction for both trail use and competition terrain. This is the type of axle package designed specifically for extreme off-road abuse.

Built Around 1480 Driveline Strength

Most hardcore rigs stop at 1410 driveline hardware. Brawler steps up to full 1480 driveline components. Large tires, supercharged torque, and aggressive terrain transitions create massive driveline shock loads. This is competition-level driveline hardware built specifically for modern high-horsepower off-road vehicles.

The WOD 1480 driveshaft system combined with the carrier bearing setup was engineered to survive:

  • hard launches
  • tire bounce
  • suspension unloading
  • violent climbs
  • repeated impacts

Suspension Engineered to Stay Planted

The suspension package on Brawler was designed to control power and absorb terrain at the same time. The Rocketship chassis geometry combined with the Radflo suspension package creates an ultra-low planted feel behind the wheel.

The lower seating position and center of gravity make the buggy feel incredibly stable even in aggressive terrain and off-camber situations. At the same time, the bypass shock setup allows the suspension to absorb violent terrain transitions without instantly blowing through travel.

The buggy uses:

  • WOD 7075 aluminum suspension links
  • billet trailing arms
  • Currie Anti-Rock sway bar
  • Radflo 2.0 coilovers
  • Radflo 3.0 five-tube bypass shocks
  • Radflo bump stops
  • Eibach springs

Built to Represent the WIDEOPENLIFE

Brawler wasn’t built simply to attend PRI. It was built to represent what Wide Open Design believes a modern turnkey rock bouncer should become. Every major component underneath the buggy was selected because it represented proven real-world performance under extreme conditions.

Category Component Technical Specifications
Chassis WOD Rocketship Chassis Production Rocketship platform with 3” stretched mid-section
Roof Height Ultra-Low Chassis Design Approximately 72” overall height
Engine Mast Motorsports LY6 6.0L LS engine with Harrop LSA Supercharger
Engine Management Holley Terminator X Integrated EFI engine management system
Transmission GM 4L80 With 4L80 Winters Shifter
Transfer Case Atlas 3:1 Heavy-duty gear-driven transfer case
Driveshafts WOD 1480 Driveshafts Heavy-duty driveline package with carrier bearing system
Front Axle Crane Axle 14-Bolt 4” x .500 wall housing with Magnum Knuckles
Rear Axle Crane Axle 14-Bolt 40 spline rear axle setup
Gearing Yukon Gear & Axle 5.13 ring & pinion gears
Lockers ARB Air Lockers 40 spline selectable lockers front and rear
Front Axle Shafts RCV Big Bell Shafts 40 spline inners with Big Bell stub shafts
Rear Axle Shafts Crane Axle 4340 Chromoly 40 spline rear axle shafts
Steering PSC Full Hydraulic Steering Double shear high steer setup with 10” ram
Suspension Links WOD 7075 Aluminum Links Heavy-duty 7075 aluminum suspension system
Trailing Arms WOD Billet Trailing Arms Builder-friendly billet trailing arm system
Shocks Radflo Suspension 3” 5-tube bypass shocks with 2” coil carriers
Springs Eibach Springs Tuned spring package
Bump Stops Radflo 2” Bump Stops Front and rear hydraulic bump stops
Brakes WOD Hydroboost & Wilwood Lightweight high-performance brake package
Cooling Griffin 38” Radiator Dual 16” SPAL fan setup
Interior Custom WOD Dash CAD-designed aluminum dash system
Seats PRP Alpha Seats Low-mounted race seating package
Safety PRP Harnesses & Window Nets Race-ready restraint system
Communications Rugged Radios In-car communication system
Winch Warn RC 9.0 Front-mounted recovery winch
Wheels Raceline Wheels Dual-tone wheel setup
Skid Protection 3/8” Aluminum + 3/4” UHMW Dual-layer belly skid protection

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