Tamiya TT-02 Front Suspension Rally Mod

thingiverse

Hi guys, The TT-02 might just become my new favorite car due to its super budget-friendly entry point. I got the Kyosho Fazer working incredibly well as a basher that I wanted to see if the TT-02 would be just as great. So far, it's working pretty well. Picked up a cheap body that I can widen the wheel openings on for running bigger tires, and a super affordable brushless setup really gets it moving. Check out the build instructions: https://youtu.be/bX8qFE_ukms These are TT-02 front suspension parts with modifications. This is similar to the Kyosho Fazer MK2 front suspension with balls in the knuckles instead of arms (I doubt the Tamiya style knuckle would print durable enough). They're a little different than stock because I had rally-type use in mind, so I wanted travel and ground clearance. The ball works best when printed in halves because it's hard to get a one-piece to print perfectly and there is too much play in the joint no matter what I try. The trick to the half is that each half is slightly larger than half which eliminates most of the play in the joint. Run an M2.5 screw into one half, add a little gel super glue, then thread the other half tightly into place. Sand lightly when dry and use a hobby knife to clean out the slot. It took a bit of fiddling, but this method works great. Use the knuckle print support as a press support and then use an adjustable wrench (or a vice) to gently squeeze the ball into the socket. I have only broken one knuckle and it was the first or second one, so if parts are breaking when you put it together, something is wrong. The steering arm versions are for high and low ride (V2 is high ride) because the toe gets a little ridiculous with the low version when you jack up the ride height. You may need to sand the arms slightly for your shocks to fit perfectly. Also, if you plan to run wheels with offset that gives you 185mm width, you'll need to sand the arms slightly because they rub. If you're running 190-200mm width you should be fine. Handling is pretty neutral and very predictable with the V2 steering arms and I've decided that the car is pretty close to perfect for my preferences. With high ride height the original steering arms give a lot of toe out and the car under-steers. Your mileage may vary. The shim is a spacer to reduce in and out play in the outer drive shaft. 0.5mm worked perfectly on mine. Strength of parts varies greatly based on print settings and plastic. I print hotter than normal (right at the point stringing starts) with thick walls (min 2mm) and heavy infill (min 50% for this type of stuff 80%+). Solutech Filament is the best I've come across for strength of parts but it's really only the odd bad roll that causes problems if you can get the heat right. Too hot will result in brittle parts (breaks across layers) but too cold will make weak layer adhesion (breaks along layers). As always, use at your own risk. Wrench to drive or drive to wrench?