3D Printed Leaf Springs on a 1/25 Scale RC Trans Am 🔧 Will They Work?

After many requests, I've decided to experiment more with leaf springs on these micro RC builds and model car conversions. Leaf springs are simple and have been used on many full scale vehicles. Recreating these suspensions in 1/25 scale however has proved to be a bit of a challenge. While 3D printing these parts offer some benefits, there are some shortcomings with 3D printing as well. Follow along as I do my best to make a well functioning rear suspension for this AMT 1/25 scale 1978 Pontiac Trans Am. After a little more testing and experimenting, I'll be posting some STL files onto Patreon for you all to 3D print yourself and use for your own projects. Stay tuned for more information.
Intro: 00:00 - 01:35
The Challenge with Leaf Springs: 01:36 - 05:11
The Model Kit: 05:12 - 06:25
Working on the Rear Suspension: 06:26 - 11:35
What’s Next, and Final Thoughts: 11:36
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[@MakeItRC]

This has been a fun little side quest for me. I played around with leaf springs awhile ago but after getting so many requests recently to make some that work with the MA10, I've once again been trying to make them work. Should be a fun little project for me, and hopefully you all as well. As always thanks for watching everyone! 👍

[@exo068]

What did happen to the 25$ rc Ferrari? Is it even still going?

[@AngelHernandez-dz9jd]

Would love to see the Bullitt Mustang

[@stoneywardog]

What kind of 3d printer do you use everything turns out so well

[@jomomma8291]

I had a gold one back in the day. Building a RC one is probably the closest I'll come to owning another one.

[@alteredstateskustom]

I definitely think using a hidden coil spring as the actual suspension. And use a pair of dummy leafs as more of track locators

[@TheDementedMonkeys]

Lovely video! We have recently started 3d printing with PU filaments and I think that a mix\match of materials like cf reinforced nylon and polyurethane could lead to great results on a rc model!

[@4by100]

It's awesome seeing you attempt to tackle leaf springs for small scale rc's like this! I've been playing with the idea of trying to figure out how to create a scale (ish) leaf spring setup for my scx24, but I honestly don't think I know enough about solid axle suspension geometry to do it myself.

[@machoman5356]

That looks like the real deal

[@stevewatts3502]

Leafs on 1:24th have always been a pain (matching them, getting the length, adjusting and doing the ends) espesh, using the spring from the inside of a mini tape measure/clockwork toy. Maybe you could combi? 3D ends and shackles for the sprung steel. Gr8 vid, btw.

[@mikeupton5406]

Leaf springs primitive, warts and all. I wish would be embraced by R/C hobbyists for the onroad car chassis, not just the scale diesel trucks and crawlers. Not an expert but historically leaf springs played a big part in production cars in North America and it would be really cool to see some vintage stock car, and street stock, traditional hot rod drag racing to go with the no prep. What your doing is awesome in a smaller scale. Your builds are amazing.

[@exo068]

Oil filled shocks would also be a nice experiment to try. I guess you could also just add some weight in the back and use stiffer leaves.

[@fords4life914]

U have the general lee!,paint this like smokey and the bandit😤🖤

[@SC.243k]

Very nice 👍

[@ResonatingWind]

I love this idea/project. I think you’re on the right track with adding coil springs to your design as the 1:1 applications get some assistance from the shocks. I would imagine you’d only need springs long enough to have it sit in the stance you want. I’m sure you’re experimenting with a bunch of ideas, you got me thinking of possible solutions for the sag issue. The quickest would be to try and add additional leaf(s) especially since you have more room in the new axel mounts. I’m also not sure if ABS or PETG is an option as I understand it’s more flex friendly than PLA, though I’m not sure if they’d be stiffer. I look forward to seeing how this evolves at the end!

[@mwestie12]

You can always design an extremely soft leaf spring and then design a shock absorber that has a coil spring inside to make it more adjustable.

[@DimaLegoFUN]

yep, need more tests with another plastics like petg, abs or some other variants...

[@matthewallen3375]

"What's the Fun , if you don't have to work for it." - such and Engineer. (Says the Civil P.E.) Great video.

[@jbatic8094]

I like the white and gold don't see that often

[@reh3ddoes]

Aluminum cans are greats for leaf spring strips.

[@perotekku]

This is what I was thinking. Not exactly aluminum cans, which is an awesome idea, but something like a clock spring, or thin strips of springy metal.

[@rockyice8301]

Great video! Nice to see a ma10 specifically made for leafsprings. I made my own leafsprings for a revell 69 mustang. I know the pain of every spring being to stiff lol. A freaking scx24 is a boat anchor compared to these little styrene models. Long story short I used a spring out of a little tape measure. Cut it up into leafs and hand made all my own brackets. Your set up looks way easier and looks like it works way better lol. I know those 3d parts like to sagbut having to replacing them 30 times over would still be easier than what I did for mine lol. I too enjoy the challenge of these little models, but I'm going to let the 3d printer do the hard work next time keep up the good work 🖒

[@jimmyjones8311]

You might think about making them a few mill shorter or moving the shackle mount a little further back. It looked like the shackles were laying down against the chassis. That doesn’t allow the suspension to compress like it should.

[@Blackcrow931]

I like this. I need a kit. Plug and play.

[@occrc3333]

Ninja flex might work well. This kits going to look great though. One of my favorite cars

[@paulmcnamara16]

Yep I must be crazy I'm just converting a 1/6 toy grade RC F350 Super Duty pick up into an Excursion with custom metal floorpan and solid axles from a 1/8 crawler. Been at it for months now! 😱 love the channel buddy just wish had the cash and skillset to run a 3d printer!

[@MK-FreedomUSA]

You should try printing over piano string. Just add hollow point in the center of the spring end to end, enter a stop point during printing. Insert piano string. Then continue printing.

[@justinpeterson6839]

Hey in 1978 they actually used a fiberglass composite mono leaf on the back of the corvette

[@roberttierney9284]

Try adding a little weight to the chassis to lower ride height. Brass works well.

[@cliftoncascell1107]

Take a look into the orlandoo hunter m01 military truck it has leaf springs and u bolts. 32nd scale rc and they are soft. Great work with 3d printing too.

[@koalafan1455]

I’d love to have 3D printer skills like this, I’d absolutely make a RC dodge stealth

[@goodsinner333]

Use the metal coil that retracts ID. Those things that holds your work ID that has a string attached to it..you can pull it then it retracts. That metal spring/coil that is inside.

[@andrewsouthern3517]

I think a box style wide body would look epic for this build

[@Scaze74]

Smokey and the Bandit

[@andrewisenbart3404]

if Paccar had success with there composite leaf springs I really believe you can also with your 3d printed ones

[@machoman5356]

Leafs rule

[@brianlewis6926]

Might need a traction bar or latter bar if it twist the spring, wheel hop

[@damion8981]

Have you thought about ever building a 1/24 scale crawling truck?

[@tankerboysabot]

For your own use unroll a coil spring and integrate in the mold.

[@Big_boss1964]

Paint the shell black, but keep the gold bits

[@huntergibsonii4785]

Try sheet aluminum? Or 3d print with a less dense aluminum,/metal strapping for like ac units?

[@Alamander81]

Have you tried battery strips? They're very thin and springy

[@josephcervantes6872]

Hey, have you ever thought of making a 1/24 truck.

[@michaellewis1976]

What if you made the first Leaf that connects the body to the rear end out of your 3D printed composite and the additional leaf out of spring steel

[@Rudestude]

Hey! I was wondering if you could make an off-road/ rally type car? Like a Chevy s10, or something like that?

[@thekangster0_032]

dawg please give tips on how to make a model kit into a rc

[@mlgmounted9599]

you can use the springs from a cheap push and pull toy cars

[@mungaloidender]

Would it be possibly to design a standard sized tub the has a full driver and seat molded as 1 hollow piece? To then hide the electronic pack inside the drivers body while still having a proper depth floor pan?

[@TheUncleRuckus]

I'd imagine that carbon fiber filament might help with durability of the leafs.

[@wthhuh]

Did you get my question? What happened to your 72 Chevy Pre runner?

[@bygsyxx4271]

Do you make rc parts for 1/16th scale cars also?

[@nukedathlonman]

I dunno if it would work well or not, but put a little channel into the leafs and use very light weight piano wire?

[@nukedathlonman]

And that issue of the leafs going flat, it even happens to spring steel - just over a longer period of time (and also over loading).

[@danielnunez3518]

How did you get an exact copy of the body into cad?

[@stuartkorte1642]

How about piano wire. Comes in different diameters. Create a channel on top side of spring to lay wire in. If I calculated correctly, wouldn’t this car weight around 134 lbs at scale?

[@perotekku]

Scale weight, since it's density based, is scale to the power of 3. So you'd do: real world weight / 24^3 EDIT: assuming the Firebird is around 3000-3400lb real world, that means scale weight in 1:24/25 is around 100g or so

[@goodsinner333]

OR ORRRRR use the inside of a retractable tape measure...that spring/coil metal is a bit thicker. Let's us know if that works, for you. I haven't had the time to do.

[@CharlesFlahertyB]

Consider gold wheels