Return to the BUILD
“In this stage you will continue to assemble the front right suspension and the elements that make up the front section of the chassis.”
Contents
Parts
Materials: The Front Right Chassis Beam Cover Plates (Piece 1 & 2) and Suspension Bump Stop are plastic – the rest is metal.
Assembly Guide (Digital Version)
Build
Front Right Suspension and the Chassis
The Chassis
Stage 9.1
Retrieve the chassis assembly from Stage 6. In the same way as Stage 5, the Front Right Chassis Beam Cover Plate (Piece 1) has two circular raised sections on it, but one of them is thicker. Secure this cover plate to the right side of the chassis assembly (with the thicker circular section to the rear and facing down) as shown, using two (2) CM screws.
This is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:
Stage 9.2
The Right Engine Mount Plate also has a raised post on it:
Fix the Right Engine Mount Plate (smooth side down) to the chassis with the raised post toward the center, and secure with one (1) AM screw:
Fit the Front Right Chassis Beam Cover Plate (Piece 2) to the chassis as shown (smooth side up), and secure with one (1) CM screw:
Front Right Suspension
Stage 9.3
Insert the wider end of the Front Suspension Torsion Bar into the hole near the right front of the chassis, as shown. Secure this end to the chassis with one (1) DM screw.
There is a slight angle to the torsion bar, so we did not tighten this screw all the way just yet. This will help align it correctly in the next step:
Stage 9.4
Turn the chassis over, and slide the free end of the torsion bar from the previous step into the Front Right Suspension Lower Control Arm Anchor. Secure the anchor to the chassis with one (1) IM screw, as shown.
This is where you may want to rotate the torsion bar to get it straight, then fully tighten the screw from the previous step:
Stage 9.5
Insert the Shock Absorber Piston between these tabs of the Front Right Suspension Lower Control Arm, align the holes, and secure with one (1) FM screw, as shown:
Fit the Suspension Ball Joint (Piece 2) between the same tabs, but aligning with the adjacent holes, and secure with one (1) FM screw as shown:
Stage 9.6
Press the Suspension Bump Stop into this hole in the Front Right Suspension Lower Control Arm. It can fit either way:
Fit the Suspension Ball Joint (Piece 2) through this hole in the Front Right Spindle (Piece 2), and secure from below with one (1) EM screw:
This spindle (steering arm) also needs to be able to pivot (move), so do not fully tighten the screw:
Stage 9.7
Retrieve the suspension assembly from the previous stage. As we did for the left suspension, insert the Spring (from this issue) into the Shock Absorber Unit, slide the Shock Absorber Piston into the Shock Absorber Unit, and align the two holes of the Front Right Spindle (Piece 2) with the matching holes on the back of the Front Right Brake Caliper Baseplate and secure with two (2) CM screws:
Stage 9.8
Insert the two alignment pins of the Front Right Suspension Dome to this location on the right side of the chassis:
Secure the dome in place from underneath with two (2) FM screws:
Then, fit the Front Right Suspension Lower Control Arm to the end of the Front Right Suspension Lower Control Arm Mount and secure these together with one (1) EM screw.
Be sure these fit flush together. You may need to compress the suspension to rotate the control arm a bit:
Stage 9.9
Turn the chassis assembly upside down and position the engine guard assembly (from Stage 7) as shown. Secure into place with two (2) KM screws at the front (circled in red below) and three (3) CM screws at the rear (circled in yellow below):
Stage 9.10
Turn the chassis assembly over again, and on the right side, secure the Front Stabilizer Bar End Link to the open hole in the end of the Front Right Suspension Lower Control Arm with one (1) DP screw:
Stage 9.11
Repeat the previous step on the left side as well with one (1) DP screw:
Thoughts
MOM: I am so excited to finally be building again and hope we do not have to wait as long for the next parts! The stage went fairly smoothly, outside of the tightening of the screw in stage 9.4, it took a bit of muscle and to be sure the rod didn’t rotate.
Next Up
Stage 10 – Tie Rods, Central Steering Bar, End Links, Stay Rods