How to mount a Nissan Titan shell on a DT02 Sand Viper

[Jason1145]

Ok this is more a little memo for myself after doing a little research on how to fit a Nissan Titan Bodyshell onto my newly acquired DT-02 Sand Viper buggy, sorry if it's old hat for the more experienced users.

Here's the Titan shell I'm referring to

So the Sand Viper has only two body mounts, one front and one rear, this is how to sort the front out....

This is the front of the DT02 with the body posts ready for the Nissan Titan shell, there are two tall body posts. ( just had time to notice that big rear body mount part too, must be blind!)

They secure in either side of the front bracket above the servo

These two posts are held on using a 3x18mm threaded shaft (which I cannot find anywhere in the UK) P/N 2500024. I think these have a hex head that allow them to be screwed down into the mounting hole?

Then the body posts (Part A2) secure onto these

And it ends up looking like this... two raised body posts ready to accept the Titan shell.

 

And the rear mount looks easy enough, a big plastic triangle peice looks like it secures to the rear shock tower.

I think buying some 3mm threaded rod and cut to 18mm will suffice, but I would have no hex head hole atop the rod allow me to screw it into the chassis, maybe using pliers and try not to grip too hard and damage the threads.

 

[Darat76]

old trick for threaded rod, 2 nuts tightened against each other, need 2 small spanners, or 1 and a socket, to get them locked, get the rod in place, take the nuts back off, and bingo, threaded rod, fitted with no damage to the threads.

same thing could be used to turn threaded rod into adjustable turnbuckles

[Nobbi1977]

Put two nuts on the thread and tighten them together to wind the stud in.

 

 

[MAD RACER]

Put big plastic washes under and on top of the rear body mount as it will tear apart after a few good crashes. I made some up from the scrap Lexan left over from trimming the body.

 

that's what mine did.

[Jason1145]

Will surely give all those tips a try, 50cm of 3mm threaded rod ordered for a pittance of £2. I Just need to cough up the next £26 then I'm committed to this Titan shell idea

[TurnipJF]

It looks from the manual illustration that there is a fair bit of depth to the chassis screw holes. It doesn't look like you'd have any difficulty using 20mm threaded rods rather than 18mm ones. There are plenty of those on eBay. Just search "M3 grub screw".

[Jason1145]

20 minutes ago, TurnipJF said:

It looks from the manual illustration that there is a fair bit of depth to the chassis screw holes. It doesn't look like you'd have any difficulty using 20mm threaded rods rather than 18mm ones. There are plenty of those on eBay. Just search "M3 grub screw".

Give Turnip a cigar.... yes I just found them on Ebay too... only £1.45 fro a pack of 5, awesome

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M1-6-M2-M2-5-M3-A2-STAINLESS-GRUB-SCREWS-CUP-POINT-HEX-SOCKET-SET-SCREW-DIN-916-/321247066609?var=&hash=item4acbd139f1:m:mEhycOtwz-k8anFRirwVdmw

[Jason1145]

And for the rear body mount on a DT-02 chassis for the Nissan Titan shell you just need part number M1

[TurnipJF]

AFAIK most DT-02 shells mount with part M6 at the rear, so perhaps someone has a spare M1 they'd be willing to part with and send your way?

[ChrisRx718]

With regards to threaded shafts,  just search for what it is in ebay (rather than what Tamiya call it!). 

3x18mm set screw 

 

[Jason1145]

Yes turns out 3x20mm is common on the Bay

Anyone willing to part with a rear body mount M1 part in the Uk?

[Jason1145]

Ordered the Nissan Titan shell, it comes with decals and window masks which makes for an easy life.

Ive fitted the front body posts using the 20mm grub screw which worked great  and just ordered the M parts to get the rear body mount.

The front posts seem to sit quite far back ( as in mid way through the windscreen) I'll be curious how the Titan shell will fit as look as it looks a bit off for now!

[Jason1145]

Hi guys, does anyone have a Nissan Titan shell mounted on a DT02? If so, can you please measure the front body posts (A2) for me… I have fitted in some spare front posts I had (from another vehicle) and they are a bit short… with the shell mounted it sits too low and catched the front wheels. From the photo's I've seen of the Titan shell there does seem to be a larger gap on the front than on mine.

[Jason1145]

Here's the effort so far.... my 3rd party front body posts are a little short... time to order the DT02 Nissan Titan ones to see if they are longer and give me more room over the front wheels.

I even tried adding some spacers but no bueno.

 

[TurnipJF]

Looking at the box art, it doesn't appear as if the factory body position is all that much higher than where you have yours. I wonder if travel limiting tubes on the shock shafts might be required to stop the wheels hitting the body?

[Jason1145]

20 minutes ago, TurnipJF said:

Looking at the box art, it doesn't appear as if the factory body position is all that much higher than where you have yours. I wonder if travel limiting tubes on the shock shafts might be required to stop the wheels hitting the body?

I do take your point about the box art... but I've seen a Youtube Tamiya video where the clearance is much more, and when in the video they compress the shell down by hand on the front it still has clearance above the front tyre... with mine if I press down it hits the front tyres.

Yes I could limit the shock travel if I get stuck

 

[Jason1145]

Some progress for the shell, wasn't a fan of the box art scheme so went with something different..... this shell took me only 30 minutes to mask (loosely to get a fade between colours) and paint.... start to finish... 3 coats of blue followed by 3 coats of silver........ using a hairdryer with only about 3 minutes between coats to get it dry..... ... I'm never spending all day painting another shell again when the results can be this good in such a short time.

Painted in 8 degree weather outside in the garden..... not the best job granted but good enough.

Box art....

 

My Version (with overspray film still on

Best part about painting a lexan shell... the reveal

I had no instruction sheet for decal placement so looked on Internet for pictures for a guide... got it mostly right ;p

 

 

[Jason1145]

Mounted shots, got the correct height over the front wheels now.

[toj_romano]

 

hello Jason, just saw this post  on your project on mounting the nissan titan shell on a dt02 kit. though it's some time ago,  I 'm planning to do the same but i have a question:  the chassis hole that is going to be use to mount the body post for the nissan titan body has already been threaded with tamiya's standard self tapping 3x10 screws therefore the 2 holes has an existing thread, but the body post uses a 3mm threaded rod which is fine thread, how did you threaded rod (fine thread) of the body post into the chassis hole with existing regular thread pattern tapped into it (hole)  will it hold? or did you do something before you re-thread/re-tapped the holes with new fine thread of the rod from the body posts?  would appreciate your input on this.  Thanks ;-)

it would be nice if you post some pics of the the chassis hole, the threaded rod ,  looks like there is an aluminum adapter at the bottom of the body post where it mounts to the hole, would like to see it if you can post a pic or 2 of that aluminum adapter. thanks

 

 

[Jason1145]

Hi Romano, That photo you referred to with the metal spacers was a failed attempt at using some aftermarket body posts which I removed in favour of proper Nissan Titan front body posts.... they were only metal washers I found lying around.

I know what you mean about the screw hole being different but honestly I just used the machine (fine) grub screw and screwed it in... it will still bite and cut it's new way in to the plastic and holds firm so don't worry about it.

[toj_romano]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for your reply, so the hole can actually have 2 types of thread tapped into it, this is nice to know that the hole can have both thread interchangeable, because I like to alternately use both the Titan body and Sand Viper on the DT02.

The Sand Viper body is good for use in the dirt because the wheels are outside the body and dirt/mud won't be kicked/splashed into the tub chassis by the rotating tires or at least at a minimum level compared to using the Titan body.

Thanks again for your input ;-)

[Jason1145]

On 06/11/2017 at 3:01 PM, toj_romano said:

Hi Jason,

Thanks for your reply, so the hole can actually have 2 types of thread tapped into it, this is nice to know that the hole can have both thread interchangeable, because I like to alternately use both the Titan body and Sand Viper on the DT02.

The Sand Viper body is good for use in the dirt because the wheels are outside the body and dirt/mud won't be kicked/splashed into the tub chassis by the rotating tires or at least at a minimum level compared to using the Titan body.

Thanks again for your input ;-)

the Sand Viper uses one central hole for the front body post (short stubby) , whilst the Nissan Titan shell uses two different holes to hold the two long body posts, so you won't be same the same holes for each shell. IN fact you can leave the Viper posts there when you use the Titan Shell.... you only need to remove the Titan posts when using the Viper shell 

 

[toj_romano]

On ‎11‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 12:20 AM, Jason1145 said:

Just to be clear, the Sand Viper uses one central hole for the front body post (short stubby) , whilst the Nissan Titan shell uses two different holes to hold the two long body posts, so you won't be same the same holes for each shell. IN fact you can leave the Viper posts there when you use the Titan Shell.... you only need to remove the Titan posts when using the Viper shell... I think!

Yes I'm aware of the sand viper body post in front. only the titan post needs to be removed when swapping to buggy type body.

btw I saw your youtube upload on using front hex, I'm aware GPM product made a wheel hex that had 1 pair of bearings inside so can be inserted to dt02's front stub axle. this has advantage of using wheels from your 4wd buggy (if you have) like the TT02B, this means both DT02 & TT02B can share the same wheels both front and back.  But your video does not show the hex, the wheel was not removed on your video, it only shows you spinning it. I'm just curious what it your Hex adapter? by GPM or you made it yourself,  hope you can post a pic of it ;-) tnx

 

[waterbok]

Leave the M3 threaded shafts in the chassis and secure with spacer and (lock) nuts after removing the bodypost. That way you wont strip the threading in the hole.

[Jason1145]

11 hours ago, toj_romano said:

Yes I'm aware of the sand viper body post in front. only the titan post needs to be removed when swapping to buggy type body.

btw I saw your youtube upload on using front hex, I'm aware GPM product made a wheel hex that had 1 pair of bearings inside so can be inserted to dt02's front stub axle. this has advantage of using wheels from your 4wd buggy (if you have) like the TT02B, this means both DT02 & TT02B can share the same wheels both front and back.  But your video does not show the hex, the wheel was not removed on your video, it only shows you spinning it. I'm just curious what it your Hex adapter? by GPM or you made it yourself,  hope you can post a pic of it ;-) tnx

 

Yes I used that same GPM hex adapter that has bearings inside.... it is not a perfect solution though as when the new hex wheel is fully tighter on the lock nut causes it to bind and not spin!

The way round it was back off the lock nut a tiny bit so the wheel spins again... but this introduces a small but acceptable amount of wheel wobble!