help on preserving/restoring graphite chassis

[strangersinspace]

I have a TQ10 that I'm restoring to be a runner. The graphite chassis is a bit beat up on the front and some graphite layers have begun flaking away. I've heard people say to use CA glue on the chassis, but I'm wondering if I could I just coat the front end (up to the point where there are screw holes) with a thin coat of epoxy glue. If I tape it off just right in a straight line, it might actually look kind of cool - I think the front 3/4" or so would just be glossy. I'm afraid CA glue might leave some whitish stains that could be an eyesore. I think epoxy would be strong enough to hold up to some abuse.. has anyone tried this? Any other general tips on restoring a graphite chassis are welcome...

Also some of the screw holes that hold the transmission halves together are stripped. Is there a technique to somehow fill and re-drill these holes so I don't have to find/buy replacements?

And lastly... some of my shocks have had the gold anodizing worn off pretty severely to the point where I think it might actually look better to just strip it all off. I'd like to know if anyone has done this and if so, did the results turn out ok?

[obsidian]

It's always a good idea to glue the chassis all the way around if you are actively racing the car. The white haze is caused by oils from the fingertips. So, 1st wash the chassis with dish soap and warm water ( be sure to use surgical gloves or something similar).

Next, dry the chassis and let it sit for awhile just to make sure all moisture is gone.

Then, while wearing your gloves, use thin CA glue and carefully apply a drop of thin CA to an edge of the chassis and let gravity slowly pull it around the chassis. Ad more CA as needed just behind the current drop that you are working around the chassis with gravity.

After the Glue has dryed( I generally waited a day) you can sand the edges to remove the gloss if you dont like it with 800 or 1000 grit sand paper. There you have it, a nicely sealed chassis where the laminates shouildn't seperate by themselves.

also, have a damp cloth handy in case you get CA on the surface of the chassis. just wipe it quickly.


Cheerz

[adam lancia]

Also some of the screw holes that hold the transmission halves together are stripped. Is there a technique to somehow fill and re-drill these holes so I don't have to find/buy replacements?

And lastly... some of my shocks have had the gold anodizing worn off pretty severely to the point where I think it might actually look better to just strip it all off. I'd like to know if anyone has done this and if so, did the results turn out ok?

For the stripped screw holes, try some M3 screws. They're a little larger than a 4-40 screw so they might hold. If not, pick up some 5-40 screws. The B4 uses that size to secure the rear end to the main chassis.

You can use over cleaner to get the anodizing off the shocks. After that's done, you can polish them or get them re-anodized. There are a few guys on here that have had parts anodized and they come out pretty cool.

[tallpaul]

Here's a link to sealing the edges of a graphite chassis:

http://www.teamcrc.com/crc/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=16&mode=&order=0&thold=0

[scr8p]

tq10 chassis' suck to fix. they're almost as bad as the rps dogfighter chassis.

[strangersinspace]

Thanks for the great feedback.... I'll post some pics showing what I ended up doing after I finish.