If you've spent any time in this hobby, you know that finding the right rc car body posts is often the difference between a truck that looks like a masterpiece and one that looks like a total mess. It's one of those parts we don't really think about until we're trying to mount a brand-new, custom-painted shell and realize the stock posts are either half an inch too short or positioned in a way that just doesn't work. They might seem like simple plastic sticks, but they're actually the foundation for your car's entire aesthetic.
Getting your body height just right is a bit of an art form. If the posts are too high, your car looks like it's walking on stilts, and you've got way too much gap between the tires and the wheel wells. If they're too low, you'll hear that dreaded "scrub" every time you turn the wheels or land a jump. Plus, there's the durability factor. If you're into bashing, those posts are going to take a serious beating every time you flip the car over.
Why Materials Actually Matter
When you start looking for replacements or upgrades, you'll notice that rc car body posts come in a few different flavors. Most stock kits come with nylon or plastic posts. For a lot of people, these are perfectly fine. They have a bit of "give" to them, which is actually a good thing when you're tumbling down a dirt hill at 30 miles per hour. That flexibility absorbs some of the impact, saving your expensive polycarbonate body from cracking around the mounting holes.
However, if you're building a shelf queen or a high-end speed run car, you might look at aluminum options. Aluminum posts look incredible, especially if they're anodized to match your chassis. They offer a rock-solid mount, which is great for aerodynamics because the body won't flex or flutter at high speeds. The downside? If you crash hard, aluminum doesn't bend and snap back—it either bends and stays bent, or it transfers all that energy directly into your shock towers, which can lead to much more expensive repairs.
Then you have the carbon fiber crowd. Usually, these are just extensions or mounts rather than the whole post, but they're incredibly light and stiff. You'll mostly see these on professional touring cars where every gram of weight counts and you want the center of gravity as low as humanly possible.
The Secret to Perfect Hole Alignment
We've all been there: you just finished a gorgeous paint job, and now you have to poke holes in it. It's nerve-wracking. If you miss the mark by even a couple of millimeters, the body will sit crooked, and it'll drive you crazy every time you look at it.
The old-school trick is to use a little bit of grease or a Sharpie. You put a tiny dab on the very tip of your rc car body posts, then carefully lower the un-drilled body onto the chassis. Once it touches, the grease leaves a mark exactly where the hole needs to be.
If you want to be a bit more "pro" about it, pick up a set of magnetic body post markers. These little magnets sit on top of the posts, and then you use a second magnet on the outside of the shell to find the center. It's way more accurate and saves you from the "eye-balling it" anxiety. And please, for the love of the hobby, use a body reamer instead of a standard drill bit. A reamer creates a clean, circular hole without tearing the Lexan, which prevents those tiny spider-web cracks from forming later on.
To Clip or Not to Clip?
The traditional way to secure a body is with those tiny R-clips. They work, but they're also the easiest thing in the world to lose. You drop one in the grass, and it's gone forever. A lot of guys have started using "body clip retainers"—those little rubber leashes that keep the clip attached to the body. They're a lifesaver if you're out in the field and need to swap batteries quickly.
But lately, "stealth mounts" have become huge, especially in the scale crawler and drift scenes. These systems use strong neodymium magnets or Velcro instead of traditional rc car body posts that stick through the hood. The result is a perfectly smooth, realistic-looking body with no ugly plastic pins sticking out.
The catch? Magnets aren't always great for heavy bashing. If you send a Maxx or a Kraton twenty feet into the air, a magnetic mount is probably going to let go on impact, sending your body flying one way and your chassis the other. For those high-intensity rigs, sticking with traditional posts and clips is usually the safer bet.
Adjusting Your Ride Height
One of the coolest things about modern rc car body posts is the adjustability. Most of them have a series of holes so you can move the platform up or down. This is crucial if you decide to change your tire size or if you're switching between a slim sports car body and a bulky SUV shell.
If you find that your posts are way too long and you've got two inches of plastic poking out of your hood, don't be afraid to trim them. A pair of side cutters or a fine-tooth saw will do the trick. Just make sure you leave enough room to actually get the clip in. I usually leave one "hole" worth of extra plastic above the clip just in case I want to raise the body slightly later on if I move to a different set of shocks.
Dealing with Broken Posts
It's going to happen eventually. You'll land a jump wrong, or a friend will t-bone you, and one of those posts will snap right at the base. It's tempting to try and superglue it back together, but honestly? Don't bother. Glue rarely holds up to the vibrations and flex of a running RC car.
Since rc car body posts are relatively cheap, it's always a good idea to keep a spare set in your pit bag. If you're running a popular platform like a Traxxas Slash or an Arrma Senton, you can find heavy-duty aftermarket versions that are reinforced with more material at the stress points. Some companies even make "adjustable" towers that allow you to move the post locations entirely, which is great if you're trying to fit a body that wasn't originally designed for your specific chassis.
Final Thoughts on Setup
At the end of the day, your rc car body posts are what define the "stance" of your vehicle. You can have the most expensive electronics and the fastest motor in the world, but if the body is flopping around or sitting lopsided, the whole experience feels a bit off.
Take your time during the mounting process. Check your clearances, make sure the tires aren't going to rub when the suspension is fully compressed, and choose a mounting style that fits how you actually drive. Whether you're going for the ultra-clean look of hidden magnets or the rugged reliability of thick nylon posts with beefy clips, getting this small detail right makes the whole hobby a lot more satisfying. After all, half the fun of RC is showing off a rig that looks just as good as it performs.