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Front suspension on the modified Sand Rover model car
Completely redesigned from end suspension pictures and info
The front end of the Sand Rover also called for extensive re-engineering. The chassis was broken where the trailing arms fitted and the trailing arms themselves were worn out. I wanted to keep the style of the front suspension similar to the original car by using trailing arms and coil springs but everything had to be made from scratch save for the wheels, tyres and plastic stub axle arms (even these had to have new metal stub axles fitted).
Construction started with milling out a couple of aluminium alloy trailing arms. These were mounted to a steel shaft that runs through the front of the chassis and are secured by lock nuts. The steel shaft is epoxied into postion. An alloy plate was fabricated to mount the shock absorbers on, this being epoxied into place on the chassis.
Everthing was a tight fit at the front end due to the lack of much clearance under the dune buggy bodyshell, this called for setting the shock absorbers at an unusual angle. The shocks themselves are once again Mardave Cobra front units. These ones though had to be modified substantially (shortened) to fit the car.
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Front wheels and tyres are from the original Sand Rover model car. The hubs where the plain bearings used to run were warn somewhat, this required the use of some more epoxy when mounting the new ballraces in order to get them seated correctly.
Steering is accomplished by a futaba servo which is mounted in the original position. Track rod arms are 2mm threaded rod with outer balljoints and inner Z bends. No servo saver is fitted, the original Sand Rover had loops bent into the track rods for this purpose which were always bending thus throwing the wheels out of allignment.
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In operation the front suspension and steering assembly works well. I set the suspension quite soft at the front as I was reckoning on the car understeering. Travel is not huge but this is limited by the wheel arches on the shell anyhow.
While we are looking at the sharp end of the car we may as well mention the alloy bumper/skid plate I made for the model. This replaces the long lost original Sand Rover bumper.
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Sand Rover model car page 1
Sand Rover model car page 2
Sand Rover model car page 3
Sand Rover model car page 4
Sand Rover model car page 5
Driving the Sand Rover car
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