How Do You Stiffen Suspension on a RC Car?

Tuning the suspension of your Radio-Controlled (RC) car is essential to maximize its performance and maintain its longevity. Adjusting the stiffness of the suspension can help you maintain control around tight corners, reduce traction loss and improve handling. With a few easy steps, you can stiffen the suspension on your RC car to achieve better performance.

Adjusting Shock Springs

One of the most effective ways to stiffen your RC car’s suspension is by adjusting the shock springs. Different cars have different types of shock springs, such as coil or torsion springs, so it’s important that you familiarize yourself with your specific model before beginning adjustments. You can increase spring stiffness by twisting or compressing it until it reaches your desired level.

Using Stiffer Shock Oil

Your RC car’s shocks contain oil that helps them move and absorb impacts from jumps and landings. If you want to stiffen your suspension further, you can switch out this oil for a thicker viscosity oil for an added boost in resistance. Thicker oils provide more dampening power, which will increase the stability of your RC car as it travels over uneven terrain.

Adding Shims

Shims are thin pieces of steel that are placed between two surfaces to reduce friction between them. Adding shims between the shock piston and shock body will create additional resistance while allowing movement at the same time. This extra resistance will help stabilize and control your RC car when going through tight turns or over bumps.

Conclusion

By adjusting shock springs, using thicker shock oil and adding shims, you can effectively stiffen your RC car’s suspension for better performance. With proper tuning, you can maintain control around tight corners and improve handling while reducing traction loss.

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James Gardner