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Asymair95

TT02 Datsun 240Z rally build

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I know this has been beaten to death, but wanted to start a build thread for a Datsun 240z rally build on a TT02 chassis. I would have rather just bought a DF03ra chassis with the Datsun body when they were available a few months ago, but I took too long to pull the trigger.

I enjoy building my cars as scale as possible, and have learned a lot from scouring threads on this great forum. Here are two threads I will be using as a reference, many thanks to the authors.

To start with I purchased this kit from Tower hobbies for $104 with free shipping.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFVHK&P=SM

After I bought the kit and started buying all the hop up parts I realized it would have been cheaper to buy this kit.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXGCWD&P=SM

This kit comes with a sport tuned motor, rubber shielded bearings, cva oil dampers, adjustable steering toe in, and beefier shock towers. Hopefully someone can learn from my mistake...lol.

Here is the kit as it arrived the other day.

 

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It was raining and snowing last night here in the Hudson valley, a perfect time to sit down with a warm beverage, stoke the fire, and settle in for some Tamiya quality time.

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The only immediate hop ups will be some bearings, cva super mini dampers and soft spring set, 24t pinion, and adjustable steering linkage. Of course there will be a tire and wheel set, and the Datsun Tamiya body.

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Nothing like a clean well organized work area. Note the torque tuned motor the kit comes with.

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First order of business was installing the driveshaft.

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Next was building the diff. I used shims to tighten up the gears and give a limited slip effect as this will be driven on dirt.

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Front and rear diffs built up with shims and packed with grease. 

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front and rear diffs and covers installed. Used a grease seal around the edge of the cover to keep out dust.

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I built up the pogo stick dampers just for kicks, but they won't be used. I don't know why they even include these things, they are total junk.

 

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Anyone know if I have to turn both front and rear trailing arms around to attain the short wheel base of 251mm? From what I'm reading in the manual it is just the rear arms, but it doesn't look like it changes the wheel base much doing that.

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Ground the nubs off the rear hubs to allow more suspension travel.

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Instead of using the supplied spacers for the front hub I made my own to allow more suspension travel. I used a pen as the plastic was the correct size and pretty tough plastic.

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Here are the spacers installed. They are long enough to allow the ball joint to sit flush with the tip of the hub.

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Upon further inspection and testing it appears my front hub bushing mod was a bust. It did give me lots more suspension throw. But, it reduced my ground clearance by a substantial amount. The problem was my lower bushing shims the hub up higher, which moves the axle higher. This is a shot of the suspension in stock "high clearance" form. It yielded less travel, less steering throw, but more ground clearance. I don't like the giant bushing sticking down below the control arm to catch on obstacles.  

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Here is another version I tried. I used the stock bushing on top and home made bushing on bottom which eliminates the bushing sticking down below the suspension arm. It looks much better, but again reduces ground clearance. I was thinking of cutting the mounting shaft of the hub and using a smaller screw to give me the ground clearance and also eliminate the bushing sticking down. I'm afraid there won't be much meat left to screw into though. Decisions...decisions.

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I ended up just running the stock bushings, but I ground off the annoying bit that hung down below the lower swing arm. Steering is nice and smooth, and I'm happy with the articulation.

 

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Got an assortment of shims from hobbyking to shim up all the moving suspension parts. There was quite a bit of slop in some.

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Shimming the rear lower swing arms.

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Getting the shock kit built. I opted for the 53619 for the extended length. Bad news is these springs didn't work too well with them as they were too small.

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Forgot how many little pieces there are in these things.

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I'm using the three hole damper disc and the Tamiya soft oil that came with the kit.

 

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You're having lots of fun with this build, slowly but surely you are getting there... the 3 holes will give a quick absorbtion are you planning to get this car on the rough stuff or mainly flat tarmac?

I have the same unpainted Datsun shell and some black steelie rims for a rally build at some point, I wonder why over the last few months I then sold my TT02 and DF03ra and am now left with just the shell and wheels arrgghhhh ;p (It was to appease the wife that I am cutting back.... but it's a false promise she will soon see!)

Yep that's your sons car now ;p

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Thanks, yes it's lots of fun. My other Son (7 yr old) helps me with it too, so it's a family affair...lol. This car will mostly be driven offraoad, but will have some tarmac use too.

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Here is the stock pogo stick next to the cva. You can see the length difference. I built them to be the exact length with the suspension at full drop. I gained a few mm more in the back than the front, so it has a cool rake appearance to it.

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I lined up a cc01 damper, along with the 53619, and the friction damper. As you can see, the cc01 shock is about the same size, it just has the long eyelet on it. You can also see how small the 53163 spring is on the 53619 damper. 

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I remembered I had these progressive barrel springs for a cc01 project and they fit perfectly on the 53619 dampers.

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I'm happy with how these came out. I think these springs will work well with the mixed off road and on road use the Datsun will see. I used Tamiya soft oil on all four. I was having a problem with trapped air causing rebound of the piston. The fix was to move the piston to a half stroke position, fill with oil, and then install the seal and cap. Leaving the piston at the bottom of the stroke and installing the cap like the instructions said wasn't working for me.

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All mounted on the front with ball connectors. Internally I used the small spacer that comes with the kit, and the small eyelet connector.

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Unfortunately the lower shock spring mount contacts the swing arm. I will be installing longer 5mm ball connectors here to space things out.

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I used soft springs in the back and medium springs in the front. There is quite a bit more suspension throw in the rear. Again, I used the small spacer inside the rear damper and small eyelet.

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Installed all the little steering bits. Have some adjustable turnbuckles coming in the mail soon to replace the fixed stock pieces.

 

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Servo and electronics going in. Using a turnigy metal gear high torque servo. It's very tight in here with everything installed.

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Everything installed and buttoned up.

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After patting myself on the back and admiring my handy work, I discovered I had an extra piece. This "D15" piece had eluded me during the build. I scoured the instructions and low and behold it fits under the drive shaft just aft of the front diff. I had to pull half the car apart to install it...lol. Lesson learned I guess.

 

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2 hours ago, Asymair95 said:

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After patting myself on the back and admiring my handy work, I discovered I had an extra piece. This "D15" piece had eluded me during the build. I scoured the instructions and low and behold it fits under the drive shaft just aft of the front diff. I had to pull half the car apart to install it...lol. Lesson learned I guess.

 

I have that part left over as well on my TT02B .  It doesn't show it on the parts tree in the back of the manual.  Where did you see it shown?

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It is step five in the manual. I glossed right over it.

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I'm finished for the moment until the rest of my parts come in. Tires and rims are next, adjustable steering rods, and of course the 240z body.

I swapped the shocks around while everything was apart. Now the soft springs are in the front and medium springs in the back. There was more weight in the rear because of the rear mounted motor. I think the medium springs are better suited for back there. 

Had a question about these wheels I bought, I'm not sure they will work because they have a 6mm offset. I know they make a 3mm offset version but I haven't been able to find any.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-pcs-Rubber-Rally-Tyre-Tires-Wheel-Rim-12mm-Hex-For-HSP-HPI-1-10-RC-Car-11083/401295441264?_trksid=p2060778.c100290.m3507&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160727114228%26meid%3Db28071a05a224ab59904a0418d73667e%26pid%3D100290%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D401295441264

 

 

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Odd. The neo scorcher Tt02b manual does not mention that part even in the parts glossary but it was included. 

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That is interesting. Wonder what the reasoning is behind it?

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While I'm waiting for parts to arrive, thought I would share my next project. This one is for the wife to drive.

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Some goodies came in the mail today. My 240z body! I'm very impressed with the quality and what you get in the kit. 

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I also received my rally tires. They appear to be 3mm offset, even though the add said 6mm. Works out better for me though. I was a little bummed how small they were. They are a standard size touring tire, not oversize. They did come with two sets of foam, which was nice. I used a set in these, and a set in the stock slick tires that came with the car kit.

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The China mobs probably have no idea which they copied <_< those wheels were originally made by Japanese company Street Jam, they call it Tatsujin model and the originals came in 3/6/10mm offset.

At least your lot got the fake sidewall painted black, have seen some Tatsujin clones being issued entirely in same colour as silver or white rim... and ppl are blur enough to run them like that.

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