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c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 4:22 am
by metallicats33
At first I thought it was due to miss-landing jumps at the track. But today I was just messing around in the parking lot at work and I lost 2 c-clips at different times :? even had the hinge pin fall out on me :shock: I don't see anything wrong with my set-up and they only come off on the front inner pins. Is this a common issue? I noticed a 10T roller I just picked up had all the front c-clips soldered on :roll:

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:12 am
by Lonestar
1- replace with new C-clips - they aren't made to be reused many times anyway
2- C-clips are press-cut - this means they have a "sharp" edge and a "rounder" one. Put the sharper one on the "outer" side as this is the side that will withstand the most forces before the clips "pops" out. This is not only valid for hinge pins... also a great thing to do on shock shafts for instance ;)
3- maybe replace the hinge pins if the groove the c-clip sits in is worn out...

Keep us posted ;)

Paul

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 7:33 am
by LowClassCC
simple fix. replace all old wore out c-clips with brand new e-clips. (and keep a bunch of spares handy.)

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:56 am
by call-911
Make sure they're the right size and aren't loose when clipped in. They may be able to spin around the hingepin, but they should not be wobbley.

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 9:43 am
by SteveK
The clips are probably being scrapped off when they front end hits the ground. If there is room, place a washer between the rear-most clip and the back of the suspension arm, one that is a little larger than the clip itself. An RPM mini bumper will help protect things too.

One time I let my little brother drive my 10T on the track, and he hooked the front tire over top of the retaining wall. He drove back and forth for a second trying to free it, until I went and pulled it off. A few turns later the outer hinge pin fell out, turns out he had popped off the clip on the rear side of the arm.

And yes, you should replace all the old clips, they wear out after a few uses.

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:23 pm
by Group B
Hinge pins are usually a little longer than need be.

Use a mixture of old motor endbell shims, and red shock o-rings, to take up the slack, and it will result in fewer missing e-clips.

Keep in mind, you will still have to replace the e-clips when they get wear, as they will find their way off at that point, and then you will lose your shims.

If all else fails, resort to using locking clips, which require the little special pliers to install & remove.

The one in the middle is the type you would want:

Image

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:30 pm
by metallicats33
Thanks for all the help guys. All the C-clips in the front are new. These are the ones I'm using: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LX2770&P=7
I don't think my front end touched the pavement last night. I was just spinning around the shop and the pin fell out, I wasn't even going fast.

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:38 pm
by fastang
For a runner I would use a set screw in the mount. Grind a bit of the hinge pin where the set screw hits and never worry about it.

Mike

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:25 pm
by SteveK
Or do the T4/B4 thing and use 2-56 screws to capture the pins.

Make sure the grooves in the pins are clean. Dirt can pack in there pretty tight and you might not notice it.

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:56 pm
by Group B
fastang wrote:For a runner I would use a set screw in the mount. Grind a bit of the hinge pin where the set screw hits and never worry about it.

Mike
This works great. This is what Kinwald does/did.

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:13 am
by metallicats33
I don't know how I could be so blind :roll:
I just noticed that the rear of my front a-arms are worn down enough to expose the c-clips. So any jump or dip would probably be enough to allow contact. My Bad :oops:

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 4:31 am
by Group B
metallicats33 wrote:I don't know how I could be so blind :roll:
I just noticed that the rear of my front a-arms are worn down enough to expose the c-clips. So any jump or dip would probably be enough to allow contact. My Bad :oops:
Doing this will prevent that from happening again in the future:
fastang wrote:For a runner I would use a set screw in the mount. Grind a bit of the hinge pin where the set screw hits and never worry about it.

Mike

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 12:46 pm
by tamiyadan
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Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:50 pm
by metallicats33
thanks for all the help guys, I might just have to try a grub screw :? I replaced my a-arms and put some new c-clips on and I already have a bent c-clip... O well I guess I'll just have to live with it.

Re: c-clips keep coming off

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:58 pm
by SteveK
Try slipping a washer than is slightly larger than the E-clip between the clip and the suspension arm. Even if you have to sand down the arm a hair to do it.

What car are you using? RPM still makes their little mini bumpers for the RC10 and RC10T, which should cover up the ends of the hinge pins pretty well.