Grashopper steering problems

[Scarecrow71]

I have recently aquired and restored a Grasshopper II and I am having a few problems with the steering.

Problems are:

1) Car wobbles violently under hard accelleration.

2) car veers off to one side and the tinyest adjustment to the trim makes it veer off the other way

3) Front wheels seem very loose and wobbly

I have never built or restored on of these before and I have no manual. I suspect that all the problems are due to the front wheels seeming loose. I have tightened the wheel nuts as far as the thread goes and it is still loose. Were there originally some washers etc on the front wheels?

Any help is most appreciated.

[miramar]

The Grasshopper has a very simple suspension, so even a new and perfectly built model won't handle very well. However, there may be several reason why your used Grasshopper handles even worse! []

1. If the original bushings are used in the front wheels, they are probably badly worn. Early Tamiya plastic bushings were really no good, and when they got dirty with sand, they would wear very quickly, and at the same time grind the steel wheelaxle. Take off the front wheels and check if the front axles have "steps" where material was grounded away. If so, even ballbearings won't help, as they will be "too large" for the worn axles. you have to change the uprights (the white plastic with the steel wheelaxle), and of course mount ballbearings simultaneously. The uprights are still readily available as it's used on so many newer Tamiya cars.

2. Washers to put on the axles behind the wheelnuts were not included with the Grasshopper, but there's no reason why you shouldn't use it!

3. The front suspension arms may be very sloppy from wear. The front suspension arms are hinged directly in the chassis tub, and after a long time of use, considerable amounts of material will have worn away from the chassis and the suspension arms.

4. Check your rearaxle bearings as well, especially the outer bearings. They are not so prone to wear as the frontaxle bearings, but all the same the plastic bushings will wear away with time. Replace them with ballbearings.

5. Check your steering servo for damaged gears. Check the servo saver and steering rods and rod ends for wear. Also check if the servo mounts are loose.

Also, a little toe-in will calm things down a little!