Since I am an expert at crashing my RPV UGVS. I was always loosing body clips. After struggling with a clumsy metal detector, I started using BRIGHT ORANGE #95 PARACORD attached to my body clips ( PIX ). I still crash and have the clips pop off, they are easier to find. Have also started using a double layer of adhesive aluminum duct tape inside around body mount holes to lessen the clips from punching through bodies. Last, because of inertia in a crash, a film of LIQUID ELECTRICAL TAPE on the battery cavity floor lessens battery movement when I slam into something unmoveable .
I may have 2 solutions for you, if you stick with body clips, make a little tether from folded over duct tape (sticky side on sticky side, then trim it till it's ~2 inches long, and ~4mm wide, then loop one end through the "eye" of the body clip, tape the short end of the tether around long end of the the long end), or use zip ties. I used to use the former method on my buggy, I now use hook-and-loop (aka Velcro, more on that later).
Here's a video that demonstrates the "zip tie" approach.
And here are a few of pictures of my tape method, and the hook-and-loop.
I now use hook-and-loop on buggy, (Velcro is a brand that makes hook-and-loop, like how Kleenex is a brand that makes tissues) hook-and-loop on the "nerf" rails/side chassis guards, and on the inside of the body (where the body contacts the chassis side guards). I did that mostly because I was tired of fumbling around with body clips (with cold fingers, like here in wintertime) while trying to get the battery/ESC wires in position. Velcro improves that, it does take a few more seconds to take the body off, and do reinforce your body shell (with Gorilla tape like me, or dry wall tape and shoo-goo, while you're at it, do the whole body, it'll make the whole body MUCH stronger and last much longer) at least along the bottom side edge, and repeated pulling will stress and crack the body shell there eventually, just be careful pulling on the velcro, don't go yanking on it like a gorilla!
Using any of the 3 above methods will eliminate your problem of losing body clips, no more metal detector, no more bent-double searching on the ground for tiny pieces of metal!
You can also make little pull tabs/cords, although the first two methods will help with pulling out the body clips. The most popular methods for pull cords are (in no order) paracord (what you've done),
zip ties (or
like this),
duct tape, or actual little rubber or plastic body clip pull tabs (
these have Arrma tabs and a tether).
Also found this thing on Amazon.
And lastly, reinforcing you body shell, including the body holes, is a great idea, I'm currently working on taping my new SG 1601 body shell (1/16 scale monster truck)!
