The Build – Part 7
Other than the shape of the shock towers and the positioning of the shock mount and camber links, the front and rear towers go together exactly the same way. Team Associated has done away with the directional bearing caps and made all four of them the same, removing any chance of assembling something the wrong way.
Build Notes:
While the bearing caps mount the same front and rear, the direction of the shock towers is crucial. One side is flat while the other has recesses for the screws. Make sure you note this direction.
Take the front shock tower (the smaller of the two towers) and insert the camber link ball end into the #3 hole (see diagram in the manual). Capture it with a blue locknut. Note the direction of the tower!!!!! The side with the recessed screw holes should be on the same side as the ball end.
Next, install the upper shock bushing into the #3 hole (see diagram in the manual). A dab of loctite here will help keep the screw in place.
Take any 2 of the 4 bearing caps and, using a pair of 3x6mm screws, attach them to the shock tower. DO NOT TIGHTEN COMPLETELY (we will do this in a later step)! You can, however, add a dab of loctite here to help keep the screws in place. Also note the direction of the tower in relation to the bearing caps.
Now follow the same procedure on the rear shock tower. Camber ballstuds in hole #3 and attaching on the same side as the recessed screw holes.
Attach the body mounts to the rear tower using the 3x6mm screws. Note the side of the tower the actual plastic mount is mounting to.
Attach the shock bushing into hole #3 like you did with the front tower. Don’t forget the dab of loctite.
Finally, attach the bearing caps but do not tighten completely. We will do this in a later step. Again, loctite and note the direction of the caps in relation to the recessed holes in the tower.
Tony Phalen -
As an avid RC enthusiast, Tony has been building, bashing and racing RC Cars for over 30 years. He has participated in every kind of surface racing events - 1/18 scale trucks, 1/10 scale TC, Rock Racers, Rally - if it had wheels, he's raced it! He's also worked on both sides of the industry fence; collaborating with many major manufacturers (as well as being a sponsored driver) to working for a high-profile industry magazine. During this time he has learned many tricks, tips and techniques and is sharing that knowledge on CompetitionX - the most informative RC website on the internet!