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Old 07-06-2003, 08:36 AM
  #2366  
modellor
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Northern Ireland
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Default Re: Wait for it to free up???????

Originally posted by Slotmachine
I still don`t know what you guys are doing, when I build my Serpents I take the time during assembly to free everything up.
Sure springs may settle a bit,but you should`nt have to wait for susspension arms to work propperly. It does take an extra few hours to do this but the first time you go out its one less thing to wonder about,you know your susspension is freed up!
Ok,

So you like to take a few extra hours and make sure everything is free. Fine. But here's a little tech info for you. For each part to work perfectly under racing conditions it has to be a snug fit yet still free. By running the car around all the parts wear to that perfect snug fit and become free to move without incurring any slop. Fair enough, if you take the time you could probably make the parts a perfect fit by hand but you also increase the chance of inducing highly unnecessary slop.

Someone also stated that they wouldnt set a car down on the track until it was completely free. Well, neither will I. I run the car in a local carpark until it is free all round before it touches a track also. I am no amateur or beginner and I only use the best proven methods over the past 16yrs.

Bad ideas - Drilling out the wishbone to fit the hingepins. Unless the wishbone is held in a support and the drill is of the vertical or horizontal bench type it is impossible to drill out a hole accurately. The drill has torque power which will try to pull it to one side and while it may appear to track down the hinge pin hole it will run slightly to one side. This leaves slop on the hinge pin.

Hair dryers are also bad idea. Heating the plastic will warp the wishbone plastic (maybe unnoticeable to the eye) Again this will induce hingepin wear and at worst cause the car to be in a constant state of unbalance. Even if the wishbone survives the heating and doesnt warp the plastic will cool at different rates throughtout a given wishbone which will cause uneven flex rate in the plastic which again will give a constant unbalanced car.

Believe me, if spending an extra 3 or 4 hrs would be beneficial I would gladly stop spending 5-10 hrs + running the car around to get it freed properly.
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