Step 12 of our guide focuses on a crucial upgrade for any serious RC enthusiast looking to maximize the performance of their chassis, particularly one reminiscent of the iconic Mercedes C11. While the stock damper, a standard yellow CVA unit, is functional, it lacks the precision and responsiveness desired for high-performance driving. For those who have already invested in alloy components to enhance their chassis’ rigidity and aesthetics, upgrading to TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) dampers is the logical next step. The TRF Special Damper (P/N 53901), initially designed for the F103GT, is perfectly suited for this chassis. Its dimensions are ideal, especially when assembled with the longer lower eyelet, as opposed to the shorter one suggested in the instructions, ensuring optimal suspension geometry.
TRF Damper Upgrade:
Step 13 – Damper Oil Considerations
For this stage, the focus remains on consistency and reliability. Utilizing the kit standard damper oil is a sound approach, ensuring a baseline performance level and compatibility with the TRF dampers. This step emphasizes the importance of starting with a known quantity before experimenting with different viscosities for fine-tuning.
Step 14 – Precision Damper Mounting for Optimized Handling
Step 14 addresses a common issue in RC car construction: slop in the damper mounting. The manual’s suggestion of using a tube through the upper eyelet, secured with O-rings, can introduce unwanted play, especially when using eyelets designed for 5mm ball connectors. A far superior solution, particularly when aiming for the responsiveness needed for a Mercedes C11 style chassis, is to replace the stock tube and O-rings with a 5mm ball collar (P/N 50591). This component fits snugly within the TRF damper eyelet. However, its slightly shorter length compared to the stock tube necessitates the use of 3mm washers (P/N 50586) above and below the collar. This clever modification eliminates slop and provides a secure, precise damper mounting point, crucial for consistent handling and control.
Upgraded Damper Mount with 5mm Collar and Washers:
Step 15 – Rear Damper Attachment: Ensuring Robustness
Step 15 is straightforward, mainly involving following the kit manual for attaching the rear damper. The key decision here revolves around hardware preference. While JIS screws are perfectly adequate, some builders may prefer hex bolts for their perceived robustness and ease of maintenance. Options extend to materials like stainless steel, alloy, or even titanium for weight reduction and enhanced aesthetics, reflecting the attention to detail often associated with maintaining a high-performance RC car or even a meticulously detailed Mercedes C11 model.
Roll Dampers: Introducing Advanced Suspension Tuning
Unlike older Tamiya F1 chassis designs, the Group C initially lacks roll damping. However, for achieving modern RC F1 or pan-car levels of rear suspension tuning, roll dampers are indispensable. Integrating roll damping was a planned upgrade from the outset of this build. This addition allows for fine-tuning the car’s handling characteristics during cornering, mimicking the sophisticated suspension systems found in high-performance vehicles like the Mercedes C11 race car.
Utilizing the F104 gear case simplifies the inboard roll damper mounting process, thanks to its pre-existing screw holes on the front piece. By installing fluorine-coated alloy ball studs into the outer two holes (leaving the center one for the main damper), and attaching Tamiya RM-01 hop-up fluorine-coated alloy dampers (P/N 54342), an effective inboard roll damping system is established. These RM-01 dampers are high-quality components, also standard on the F104 V2 Pro. Alternatives include high-efficiency roll dampers P/N 54413 or the stock RM-01 roll dampers (P/N 9225133).
Mounting the outboard ends of the roll dampers requires a custom approach. The chassis’ body post holes are close but not optimally positioned, being slightly too forward and inboard. Ideal roll damper placement necessitates a position further back and outboard to ensure the dampers operate at 90 degrees to the chassis at ride height, preventing unwanted pitch/roll interactions and maximizing damper travel. To achieve this, custom brackets are fabricated.
Repurposing a fiberglass plate from a TL-01 quick-release battery holder provides the perfect material for these brackets, matching the weave of the chassis’ front pieces. By halving, trimming, and drilling a second hole in each half of the static end of the battery holder, ideal outboard mounting brackets are created. The original hole serves as the damper mounting point, while the new hole allows attachment to the chassis via the body post holes. This modification showcases resourceful problem-solving in RC car customization.
Custom Outboard Roll Damper Mount Bracket:
Outboard Roll Damper Installation Detail:
Completed Damper System Installation:
By meticulously upgrading the dampers and incorporating roll damping, the performance and handling of this RC chassis, conceptually similar to a Mercedes C11, are significantly enhanced, offering a more engaging and tunable driving experience.
