HCT Magnetic Body Post System Installation

Like some of the other HCT parts I’ve created for this car, this magnetic body post unit is a bit different than my original prototype part you watched on my Honda City Turbo Senna Edition video. The part you now have in your hands is much better in material, strength, function, smoothness, and even looks. Because of this, the method to install this part now is slightly different than what was shown in the original video (but not far off from it). While there’s a lot of directions below, overall, it’s a very easy part to install. I just outline every detail to ensure nothing is missed.

Starting with the supplied rear body post unit, you may need to open up all three 3mm holes from the top of the unit using a 3mm bit by hand (shown below). If you don’t have a drill bit small enough, a micro rat tail file or even a hex driver can push open the hole allow the M3 bolts to go through. You can see in the below image that some fibers are in the middle hole that should also be cleared out.

Next, push the regular (non-flanged) nuts into their two outer side slots (shown below). You’ll need to fully push these into place, probably with a flat head driver or similar. Push it in all the way until the nut’s hole is inline with the M3 hole you opened up.

Get one of the three SHORT bolts and one of the holed magnets. Position the bolt so the bevel underside of the bolt meets with the countersunk portion of the magnet so the bolt’s head is flush with the magnet’s top surface. Dab some thread lock on the tip of the bolt (I prefer Orange thread lock). Try to avoid getting thread lock on any of the black material of the body post part. Run the bolt down into the hole (with the magnet attached) and thread it into the nut. You might need to a tool to help keep the nut in place while you hand tighten the bolt with your hex driver. It’s really important you don’t over tighten this bolt, as you need to retain the integrity of the body post material while also keeping the magnet high enough so the opposing magnet can cup itself into that space (the will later help make it so the body is always aligned the exact same way every time). Repeat for the other opposing hole.

For the center hole, basically repeat the same process as the first two holes, using the remaining SHORT bolt, with the only difference being that you will hold the nut in place by hand while screwing in the bolt/magnet into the bolt. Don’t forget that thread lock!

Now use the two LONG bolts and two flanged nuts on the HCT Front Splitter. Like the process above, run the long bolt through the holed magnet, being mindful of the bevel/flange of the bolt/magnet. And again, use thread lock to secure the nut to the bolt, while minimizing it’s contact to the black surface of the splitter.

At this point, place the remaining SOLID magnets (no holes) onto their counterpart bolted magnets (photo below). You’ll want all the magnets pairs in their locations so that when you later place the City Turbo body on the car, the correct vertical heights on everything is correct with how it will be glued later. This also ensures the magnet's north/south polarity are correctly facing the holed magnets prior to gluing anything.

Going back to the rear body post unit, you’re going to position the rear body post unit so that the Tonic RC logo is facing the REAR of the car. There’s a very slight angle to this body post unit so that it sits flush with the underside of the car’s body, so the direction (with the logo facing rearward) must be correct or your car’s body magnetic strength will suck booty. Also note the opposing directions of the body pins that hold in the rear magnetic unit in the below photo.

You’re going to need to decide how much of the stock post stems you want to cut off. I would start very conservative with at least one hole TOO LONG and cut down from there. Remember, you can’t undo the cut after it’s been cut without having to replace the stock body posts. Use my car’s body post holes as reference, but I’d still start TOO TALL and then cut more after you confirm the length on your car. And remember: I’m using different shocks, arms, wheels, and tires than stock, so your end result may be different than mine! I did incorporate multiple body pin holes to further adjust the height of your body height, so keep that in mind too. Side note: to cut body posts, I have actual RC body post cutters/chamferers, but I tend to prefer these micro tube cutters.

If you haven’t done so already when installing the HCT Front Splitter, you’re probably going to have to make some vertical height adjustments to the splitter with the body on and off. When placing the car body on the magnet system, I find it easiest to start with the lower front lip and have it “dig” at an angle behind the rear section of the splitter that dips up. The rear of the body simply rests down on the rear magnetic post system.

Once you are 100% satisfied with both the front AND rear height of the car’s body on the magnets, it’s now time to glue the magnets to the body. This will be a TWO PART process. Make sure you are resting your car on a flat, level, and secure surface!

Place a fair amount of E6000 glue on the tops of all the solid magnets, again, while these magnets are still magnetized to their counter magnets. Place the City Turbo body on all 5 magnets and carefully position the body into place. Make sure you have visual access to the front, sides, and rear of the car to ensure alignment is exactly how you want it. A large Lazy Susan might be a nice option here if you’re working in a confined space. Once satisfied, let the glue fully cure for 24 hours.

After the glue has cured for 24 hours, carefully pull the body off the magnets. If for any reason any of the magnets didn’t hold to the body, you’ll need to repeat the gluing process for those magnets.

If all 5 magnets have secured themselves to the body without coming off, add liberal amounts of glue to the sides of the magnets so it covers both the sides of the magnets to the underside of the body. You basically want to create a “wall” of glue around the magnets so it further solidifies the strength of the magnets to the body. The body does NOT need to be mounted to the car while you let this second glue application cure for another 24 hours.

Top photo below: Three final glued magnets at the rear of the body. Bottom photo below: Two final glued magnets at the front of the body. (Note these 5 magnets in these photos are from my Senna Edition build with prototype parts and these magnets are holed and not solid. Your body magnets are solid and thus, better, with even more magnetic strength).

Having patience and taking the time to run all of these steps as outlined will ensure your body will stay secured for its lifespan. No guarantees against wall collisions at full pin though!!!

If you want to go a step further and fill in the stock body post holes in the City Turbo body, you can use the styrene/putty method I did on my Honda City Turbo Senna Edition video on YouTube. If you don’t have solid styrene tubing like my video shows, you can also use the sprues/runners from a white plastic parts tree. You basically want to fill the hole’s void with solid plastic/ABS, glue it in place (E6000) from the inside, putty up the outside, wet sand, re-putty, re-wet-sand, primer, paint, gloss, etc.