Suspension for Rally Cars

ManiacMotorsports Thursday, 9/19/2024

Hello, 

I'm getting my car ready for the Group B Winter Rally Madness, that's going to finish up at Gravity Throttle Racing's Shavano Mountain Raceway, and I was wondering: what is the best type of suspension for the infamous Scrambler? Also, what's the best way to fit it into such a small space? 

The 'suspense' is killing me lol

Thanks, Maniac


Discussion

I've been watching this post to see if anyone comments but I don't think anyone has a good answer yet. I've been experimenting with tiny coil springs and plastic but most seem to be too bouncy without some kind of shock absorber. I started tinkering with tiny magnets to dampen the wheel travel instead of friction or oil filled shocks like I built for my R/C vehicles. I haven't had a chance to build a test Scrambler to test them on but my initial reaction is that it's still too bouncy unless the body casting is very heavy but then it's probably too top heavy for the curves. If I get back to tinkering and find a good result, I'll comment again and post pictures. The best springs I've tried so far are Kadee HO scale #5 coupler springs. Most HO model railroaders should have dozens to hundreds of them in their parts drawers, so they are easy to find and seem to be equal in size and other characteristics. They are a good size for 1/64 vehicles and are very light so they do react nicely to the weight of the bodies and frames I've tested. I nearly sent a Baja Breaker with springs to 905's Van-damonium and almost put them into the Baja Bone Shaker at GTR. I decided to stick with rigid glued axles for my first events but I'd be curious to see how springs and maybe magnets would affect them.


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Crazy_Canuck 10/25/24

Mark put out a video way back with some really good tips and tricks on what works and what doesn't on the scrambler. Here's the thing though...if you only build for the scrambler then your car won't make it very far or run very well down the rest of the track. There have been builds with soft suspension that can't drift...or ride up over the walls...or get stuck at the top in the snow portion...so I'd suggest watching the test video and making your adjustment a accordingly 


  • agreed... that scrambler is only one aspect of the track. As Mark stated many times the original axle mounts gives the best overall performance. — Stoopid_Fish_Racing
  • Thanks Canuck! — ManiacMotorsports

I remind builders that all my test cars for Shavano Mountain Raceway were stock suspension.   Do not overthink the Scrambler.   Stock suspension has a little freeplay (not a lot), and a spongy suspension with too much vertical give will only make it worse. The vertical play of a stock suspension with some type of dampening agent thats not spongy is what allowed Boxer to win Season 3.  He was ultra consistent on the Scrambler.  Here's the video Crazy Canuck mentioned.

youtu.be/pCID4DKmdW0?si=QoiZ9A6r2YZhPd8A


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