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El Gecko

Vintage Hornet floppy gearbox, simple oldschool fix

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If you're a Hornet fan, by now you've probably read about how to add a third shock, or a little plastic piece that requires you to make cuts in the gearbox, and all the other crazy ways people try to keep the gearbox from flopping around.

I think that's all overkill. I got my Hornet used and I always always wondered if I was just missing a piece, like a stabilizer bar or something, so that's essentially what my teenage mind tried to duplicate. It worked before I packed everything into storage, and we'll see how it holds up once I get the car running again, but so far it has survived almost 20 years like this, so I'm inclined to trust it.

The nub on the gearbox case already had a hole drilled partway through, so I just finished it out the other side (that was the only actual modification I made). It's just a scrap of steel wire threaded through the hole in the nub and the holes in each of the suspension mounts, held on by the existing nerf bar screws.

I could have probably used more flexible wire to get more articulation, but it's 90% of the way there. Maybe I'm not searching hard enough but has anyone else tried this?

gearbox_fix_v1.jpg

gearbox_fix_v1_articulation.jpg

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Just an update on this: I finally ran the car again, after 20 years! And despite not having the springs in the side pods, there was ZERO gearbox slap, even when going full throttle from a dead stop. Not only that, but the articulation is even better than stock because the shocks can actually work through the correct geometry. And I gave it a proper bashing too... didn't roll the car or anything, but jumped a few small things and definitely worked the suspension out, and that wire didn't even budge. We'll see how it goes long term, but I'm loving it at the moment... it handles so much better than a Grasshopper!

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Nice work, this belongs in the “ghetto mods thread”

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4 hours ago, Snappy1 said:

Nice work, this belongs in the “ghetto mods thread”

Not sure what's "ghetto" about it? Other than the condition of the wire, it's not much different than installing a sway bar?

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37 minutes ago, El Gecko said:

Not sure what's "ghetto" about it? Other than the condition of the wire, it's not much different than installing a sway bar?

I realise it is pretty much a sway bar, have a look at this thread ......

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/88472-show-us-your-ghetto-mods/&tab=comments#comment-734662

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Thats a great idea  - a lot simpler than some of the other solutions. I assume you had to pre bend one of the wire slide it through then use pliers on the other side to lock it around the screws?

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51 minutes ago, Superluminal said:

Thats a great idea  - a lot simpler than some of the other solutions. I assume you had to pre bend one of the wire slide it through then use pliers on the other side to lock it around the screws?

Yes if I remember correctly I passed the wire through the nub on the gearbox, as well as the holes in the side pods, and then made the bends in the wire before putting the whole assembly back on the car. I have not tried to take it fully apart yet :ph34r:

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2 hours ago, ddaenen1 said:

There used to be a hopup for that from You-G. I have it on mine.

 

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AHA!! I just knew I couldn't have been the first to think of it! Got any closeup pics of that center attachment on the gearbox? I'm curious how You-G solved that problem.

Looks like that one works more as an actual anti-roll bar with the extension to the axle ends, while mine just turns the gearbox nub into a pivot point with very little stabilizing action.

Pretty cool, thanks for posting :D

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No problem. I will make you some sharp closeup pics tomorrow and post them in this thread. I also have the You-G front and rear shocks on mine. There was also a You-G blue alu sidebar hop-up to complete the set but i haven't across that one for sale but if i do, i would buy it instantly. I bought this car new middle of the 80's. It was my 2nd Tamiya, my first one was a Sand Rover. Never knew where that went.

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