Sloppy hinge pins

Radio Control Car Action, Jan 2003 by Fulcrum, Martin

troubleshooting

YOU'VE GOT PROBLEMS? WE'VE GOT FIXES.

Q

I own a Tamiya TG10R that has a lot of suspension slop. I replaced the front suspension arms and that took care of the problem for a shile, but after three days of racing, the slop returned. Would installing aluminum suspension arms help prevent the slop from developing after a few races?

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Martin Fulcrum

A

You must be hitting a lot of boards when you race, Martin; the suspension components on the Tamiya TG10R have very little slop, and it should be a long time before you notice any play. There's an easier-and more affordable-way to remove slop from suspension components. Remove the suspension-arm pins(one at a time), apply a few drops of CA to the hinge pins, and then slide them back into the suspension arm. Let the glue dry for a few hours, and then remove the hinge pins. The glue will not stick to the hinge pins' stainless-steel surfaces, but it will bond to the suspension arms' molded surfaces. The glue will fill all of the gaps and allow the suspension arms to pivot with less slop. After you've eliminated the slop from the suspension arms, move on to the hinge pins that secure the C-carriers and steering knuckles to the suspension arms. You should notice a dramatic improvement.