TT-02 Subaru Crosstrek XV Item # 58567

[Effigy3]

Steps 3 - 5:

 

She asked me to tighten the screws.  Even with a tiny dab of Tamiya grease they needed more push and twist force than she was comfortable applying.  This is my 3rd TT-02 chassis I've helped my kids build and I can confirm that A. the white chassis plastic is stronger/more ridged than the stock black one and B. the stainless steel hex head screws result in a snugger fit than the stock JIS head, coarse thread screws that come with the kit.

[TwistedxSlayer]

It does say on the packet.... 'white deck (hard)'

[Effigy3]

2 hours ago, TwistedxSlayer said:

It does say on the packet.... 'white deck (hard)'

That it does!

[Effigy3]

Step 6 - Differentials

Repeat the process with the 30,000 CST Kyosho differential grease.

I labeled them using my paint pen so someday in the future when I tear this apart I'll know exactly what I built them with. 

 

[Effigy3]

Step 7 - 10

Not quite sure where the camera was focused on that shot.  :/

Well, at least this time I can say the camera focused on her cheek.  WTH is going on with my focus tonight?

 

[Effigy3]

Steps 11 and 12

We're using the 18T pinion to start with.  That'll give us an FDR of 10.11 which is darn close to the Super Stock BZ's target FDR of 10.

Lending a hand...

I'm most definitely going to have to shorten up those motor wires!

Edit:  OK, now that's more like it!

The screw kit included counter sunk screws so the bottom is going to be nice and smooth!

I'm really glad I got the screw kit!  Here's a close-up of the motor mount screws:

[TwistedxSlayer]

Really liking the stainless screws with the white parts, they look really smart

[Effigy3]

Step 21

I didn't do a step-by-step on building the TT-02 CVA mini shock unit hop-up because there are like 1,000s of CVA builds on here.  I followed the included instructions to the letter yet there is a ton of space between the spring and lower spring retainer.  Even with the thickest spacer installed the spring still doesn't reach the retainer. 

Any ideas?

[TurnipJF]

Does the suspension droop low enough for it to be an issue? Or is the suspension droop less than the length of the shock, keeping it slightly compressed at all times even though the shock could go further if disconnected?

 

I know that is how the shock on my F103 works - it is the chassis that keeps the shock from extending beyond the length of the spring, not the shock itself.

[Effigy3]

To be honest I don't know. I haven't gotten them on the chassis yet.  I was just getting a jump on building them.  There are some bits my daughter doesn't care for about a build and the oily shocks are one such example.  I'll leave them as-is for now and if the chassis doesn't sort it out I will report back.  Thank you for the reply.  I never would have thought of it!

[Jason1145]

Arrgghh I'm at work and all the photo's are hidden due to firewall protocols... can't wait to get home and view this white deck with the silver screws lol.... and Turnip described a situation I've come across before with the shocks being held in place by the weight of the car pressing down, only an issue if it routinely gets airborne as the retainer may try to disappear if you're unlucky.

I'm with your daughter, hate building oily shocks!

[Jason1145]

Looking good Effigy, can't wait to see it all finished and runnning, that will push my own TT02 roller to the top of my project list for sure.

[Effigy3]

Steps 13 - 20

Lower suspension arms, drive axles and uprights

The front is done:

[Effigy3]

Steps 22 & 23

Attaching the front and rear dampers

Chassis built to the "High" ground clearance specification.  I have 16mm of clearance. 

The rear has significantly less droop than the front.  So I went about looking to see why.  I noticed that the rear suspension arms (1) and uprights (2) have a travel limitation block molded into the parts which keeps the suspension arm from drooping as much as I'd like for a rally car.

Maximum droop. (1) is halting (2) from drooping any further.

Maximum suspension compression.

So I decided to remove the block (1) from the steering arm which should afford that little bit more droop movement I was hoping for.

In this image you can see how much more droop there is on the right (shaved lower suspension arm block) compared to the stock set-up on the left.

 

[Effigy3]

Adding in the extra droop caused the short spring issue to be exacerbated.

So I checked the spring length and this is what I discovered:

(A) spring from the CVA  Super Mini Shock kit #50746

(B) spring from the friction dampers included with the TT-02 model kit

(C) spring from the TT-02 CVA super mini shock kit #54753

I can't use spring A on this build because I "borrowed" it off my sons TT-02.  I tried to use B on this build but they are WAY to stiff resulting in a very bouncy suspension even with 400 CST oil in the dampers.  I can't use C in this build because they are far too short.  So I'm currently using the hard and soft front springs from the DT-02 spring set.  They're a little on the long side but the chassis bottoms out before they stack so they'll definitely work.  TBH the red "soft" springs are pretty perfect.  I put them on the rear.  The blue "hard" springs are a bit too hard but I threw them on the front because they're better than using C.

Using the DT-02 front springs all around has provided 22mm of ground clearance!

This is where we're at with the build:

 

[TwistedxSlayer]

Loving this build, my only issue I have with it is.... the 18t pinion gear, it's not hardened :-( it's just a normal alloy one made for Tamiya finest chocolate coated in an alloy colour

[ThunderDragonCy]

Someone has just the soft red DF02 springs for sale in the sales and wanted forum.

[Effigy3]

5 hours ago, TwistedxSlayer said:

Loving this build, my only issue I have with it is.... the 18t pinion gear, it's not hardened :-( it's just a normal alloy one made for Tamiya finest chocolate coated in an alloy colour

Right!  I'm having a heck of a time finding the proper mod pinion in anything but recycled soda can metal.  Robinson Racing doesn't make a proper one.  If anyone can help out with a link to a proper correct mod zinc coated aluminum or steel pinion I would appreciate it.  The last time I built a TT-02 Nobby1977 was uber kind and sent my son one but I've looked for that brand on this side of the pond and have come up empty handed.

Edit:  Turns out that Banzai Hobby sells that brand so I just ordered up two pinion sets.  Shipped via SAL (which is fine for this order) I could receive them within 2-8 weeks (which is also fine).  Running this on a stock Tamiya soft aluminum pinion for a few weeks to a couple of months should be ok.

[TwistedxSlayer]

5 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Someone has just the soft red DF02 springs for sale in the sales and wanted forum.

That would be me :-)

 

As for the alloy pinion gear, I use Yeah racing titanium coated from Australia 

 

[Effigy3]

5 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Someone has just the soft red DF02 springs for sale in the sales and wanted forum.

Too bad that shipping would put them at about the same price as buying another DT-02 spring kit.

[TwistedxSlayer]

Shipping is around £15 or 19$ 

[Effigy3]

I may have the spring thing sorted.  If I use the thickest and a medium size (V6 and V7) spacers there is no slop.  The rebound rate seems to be even better than the DT-02 soft (red) springs.  This configuration is much less "bouncy".  My only concern with this set-up is that the spacers will "un-clip" and be lost during rally running or hard bashing.

[Effigy3]

4 minutes ago, TwistedxSlayer said:

Shipping is around £15 or 19$ 

Yeah, wicked expensive. 

[TwistedxSlayer]

Rather than the big spacers at the top do you not have the little spacers that sit over the shock shaft but under the mount spring mount? Little round black things they are.

[Effigy3]

3 hours ago, TwistedxSlayer said:

Rather than the big spacers at the top do you not have the little spacers that sit over the shock shaft but under the mount spring mount? Little round black things they are.

I do yes but that would limit the travel.  For an on-road car that would be fine but I want this rally car to have as much suspension action as possible.  I think the clip spacers will be fine.  (crosses fingers)  If they start to pop off a lot then I'll look into other springs.  She won't be taking buggy-style jumps with this but after watching her drive my wife's MF-01X I have a bit of an idea of the kind of abuse that this rig is going to be subjected to.