After our last round of upgrades, we’ve been putting the buggy to the test. Unfortunately, a crash resulted in some front-end damage. So, for this installment, we’re giving the entire front suspension a major overhaul. We’ll be retrofitting front arms from a Grasshopper 2 and swapping to classic Tamiya CVA oil dampers.
The Parts We’ll Be Using
Here are the components for this conversion:
- Grasshopper 2 A-Parts: The main parts tree, which includes the front lower arms.
- Adjuster Rods (75mm & 59mm): The correct steering linkages for the Grasshopper 2 setup.
- CVA Mini Shock Unit Set II: The classic Tamiya oil dampers.
▼ Grasshopper 2 A-Parts
▼ Adjuster Rods 75mm, 59mm
▼ CVA Mini Shock Unit
Modifying the Front Arms
The Grasshopper 2 arms interfere with the chassis where the body mounts are located. To prevent this, we shaved off about 2mm from the mounting point.
▼ The front arm before modification.
▼ The front arm after modification. This is a small but crucial step for full suspension travel.
Assembling the CVA Dampers
The CVA damper set can be built to various lengths. Following the instruction manual, we built ours to a length of 58mm, which is a great fit for the Grasshopper’s front end.
Here are the completed CVA dampers. The simple, black design gives it a classic, functional look.
Front End Rebuild
First, we disassembled the entire front end. As you can see, the adjuster rod for the steering was bent in our last run. This repair and upgrade will solve that weak point.
And here is the final result with all the new parts installed. The Grasshopper 2 arms have changed the front suspension geometry, and the CVA dampers are mounted securely. The all-black look is very clean and purposeful.
Conclusion
This was a major overhaul for the front suspension. Using Grasshopper 2 arms is a classic and effective modification that should provide more modern handling characteristics. We’re excited to feel the performance of the CVA dampers on the track. Next up: test run!
Custom Parts Used
The parts used for this customization are listed below.
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