The Build – Part 3
Tackling the front (and rear) suspensions are a little more involved that most of the other steps with this build. HPI has made it quite easy though and you should not have any problems.
Build Notes:
Pay close attention to the hinge pins and the camber pins. The hinge pins are the thicker pins and you will use them in Step 35. The camber pins are thinner and you will use them in Step 42.
You will be building a left and right side of the suspension, however I will only be showing one side of the build.
We start off the build with the CVDs. Put a bit of black grease on the cross joint and push it through the axle as shown. A set screw threads into the cross joint, but only from one direction (or the open end). Make sure you insert the cross joint with the ‘closed end’ first. This will avoid getting any grease on the threads. Apply a liberal amount of black grease on the axle ‘ball’ and insert it into the axle. Take your cross pin and insert it as shown. Make sure to line up the flat spot with the ‘open end’ of the cross joint. Apply a dab of threadlock onto the set screw and insert it as shown. Make sure the set screw contacts the flat spot of the cross pin. Build two of these. Grab one of the steering blocks and insert a ball end and locknut as shown. We will be building two of these so do the same thing for the opposite side (you will need to build it as an opposite side, also). Press the bearings into place, one on each side of the steering block. Take one of your assembled CVDs and slide it through the bearings. Insert the axle through the caster block and press the block into place. Note the orientation of the block. There are two types of pins provided: the hinge pins and camber pins. Separate and set the camber pins aside. Insert a hinge pin in both the top and bottom holes on the steering block as shown. These should feed into the caster block, locking both parts together. Use a 2.5x4mm to secure the hinge pins in place. Insert one on both the top and bottom. Take one of the suspension arms and attach the assembled steering block into place. Note the direction of the suspension arm. Attach an arm brace to both the rear of the assembled gearbox… …and the front. They are both the same so don’t worry about getting them mixed up. Now slide the suspension arm assembly between the arm mounts and feed the long hinge pin through. Yes, it might be a bit tight, but as long as the completed assembly swings freely you’re ok. Assemble the camber links per the instructions. Add a bit of black grease to the ball of the CVD… …and feed it into the diff outdrive. Take one of the camber links and slide it into position on the shock tower. Use one of your thinner camber pins to lock the camber link into place… …followed by a 2.5x4mm screw. This screw keeps the camber pin in place. Swing the camber link into place and secure in the caster block. Press a pair of locknuts into the top of the gearbox case. Make sure they are seated all the way down. Take the front bumper brace and feed it into the two holes in the shock tower. Secure with the pair of plastic c-clips. Attach the plastic mount to the metal skid-plate brace. Attach the metal skid-place brace to the bottom of the gearbox. The plastic mount (you attached in Step 47) should be towards the rear of the gearbox. Locate the ‘box’ on the plastic skid plate. Insert the tab on the rear of the metal skid-plate into the box as shown… …and press the gearbox down and into place. The hinge pins should drop into the grooves in the plastic skid plate. You may need to slide the pins slightly forward or back to make them fit. Secure the plastic skid plate to the gearbox with the 4 screws. Swing the bumper brace into place and secure with the 3x18mm screws. Press the headlight caps into place and apply the stickers as shown. If you don’t get them perfectly straight, it’s ok. Use a flat head screwdriver and rotate them from behind to straighten them out. Attach the lights to the front bumper as shown. Build a pair of steering links. Pop the steering links into place as shown. Set this assembly aside for now.Stay tuned for
Part 4 – Assembling the rear differential.
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