My TR-SC10E Project - Part 3 - Front Bumper Modification

The TR-SC10e is proving to be a very durable race truck but there is one area that can use a little improvement...the front bumper.  The two screws that attached the bumper to the mounting bracket are fairly short (3x10mm I believe) and can pull out if you have a hard, nose first landing.  It's not the end of the world but the front bumper will then be flapping around and could potentially break if you don't secure it again.

Here's what I did to make mine stronger as well as links to the parts I used:

1. ​Drill the existing hole in the mounting bracket all the way through using a 5/64th drill bit
2. Re-install the bumper and bumper brace.  Replace the 3x10mm screws with the longer 3x18mm screws from the TR-SC10e screw kit

I also added a small amount of Gorilla Glue to the screws before installing them.  My theory is that the glue will repair any of the threads I damaged while drilling the hole and it also seeps through the crack between the bumper and bumper brace and may help secure the joint a little as well.  You could probably use CA Glue for this but I had some Gorilla Glue with me so used that.

Another option that may be even better than what I did would be to use an even longer screw (3x25mm should work) and add a washer and lock nut on top.  I didn't have these available at the time so didn't do this but I may in the future if my mod doesn't hold.

Drill a 5/64 hole all of the way through the bumper brace

This is the finished project

Check out the other parts of my TR-SC10e project here:
Part 1 - New Body
Part 2 - ESC Mount

'till next time

​Rob