MF-01X Beetle - first build, suspension question

[overmonk 1]

Hi.

I'm building my first hobby-grade RC car, Tamiya's VW Beetle 'rally' car on the MF-01X platform.  I like to watch videos about the products I'm considering, and I did for this model, and when putting together my plan, I included upgrades for the bearings and for the shocks.  I got the appropriate Fast Eddy bearing set, and I bought 2 sets of the Tamiya oil filled shock kit (CVA supermini).

I'm enjoying the build - I have the chassis complete as well as most of the drivetrain.  I built my first pair of oil shocks and I've assembled the rear suspension, and it looks wrong.  One side is significantly lower than the other.  It looks to me like the upper control arm provides a limit on one side of the chassis but not the other.  I know I probably need to disassemble it all and just put it back together deliberately and carefully, but I was hoping someone with more familiarity with these builds might be able to spot my mistake.

I'm also curious if these shocks are adequately attached; part of the challenge with the hop-up parts is having to understand what the finished result should be when going off-book.  I could use anyone's insights.  Thanks.

[Willy iine 18806]

As long as the suspension droop is even on both sides after the dampers are installed the arms can dangle basically however far they want as the proper damper length determines the droop.  MF01X experts can chime in whether the arms were assembled correctly or not as I have not personally built this chassis.  

The mounting of the dampers look fine.. if the damper set came with ball joints you can use those too if you'd like. 

Have a fun remainder of the build!   

[Juggular 4964]

MF-01x does that. 

But you don't want the left side going down that far.  The dog bone or the upper arm could fly away.  You might want to limit it by shortening the travel of the shock.  

The reason why it happens is because of the cover for the propeller shaft.  It interferes with the upper arm.  So the right side cannot go any lower than that.  But the left side can go down further. 

 

[berman 5315]

You might like to buy some ball connectors for those dampers, a lot less play than the step screws and don't have a tendency to back out.

 

[Nikko85 3454]

On my MF01x I used the shorter dampened ends which means the arms do not drop so much. In the CVA kits you get two lengths of end piece, the shorter ones are much closer to the original dampers IIRC.

I could also recommend you use the brass ball mounts to mount the dampeners (like you have on the upper arms) and they are cheap. By using a longer ball mount to mount the upper arms you can move the upper arm past the gearbox - so it will drop symmetrically. You'll also need to use a longer arm on the bottom of the dampener to balance it out. A picture tells a thousand words: You can see how the upper arm is now clear of the gearbox and the longer ball connector at the bottom of the shocks moves it from fouling the arm: You just need to purchase the long 5 mm ball connectors, (as you'll have two spare short ones from the upper arms to mount the top of the shocks).

I've no idea why Tamiya doesn't change the manual to include this.