Shocks Questions for newbie

[stipey33]

Just bought the ARTR AX10 and wondered what mods I need to do with shocks to make them operate better. Just noticed they don't come with spacers on shaft so no need to remove them.
What about shock oil weight and springs? I notice some Crawlers are not using springs, is this an option?
Any help greatly appreciated

[emidyl]

A search will come up with lots. Sometimes too much so here goes:

To start make sure they are tight as they have a tendency to snap off of the threads and leak all over. Oil weight is all personal preference really, but my son's is 35 front and 40 rear. Most of the drivers at our location are running 40 all around. Keep the stock rear springs for now and get the softer fronts.
Experiment with those first and see what works best for you.
Some of the tops crawlers I've met are still running just the stock plastic shock bodies, so no need to spend $ when you don't need, unless of course you want which is always cool.
You can also add a spacer to the rear left body to combat torque twist, so I was told.
As for no springs, meaning droop, it's hit or miss I believe. Springs are inside. Some people swear by it and others can't see the benefits.
To each their own as what works for me will not for you, but have fun trying to play with your individual set up.

If I missed anything or am wrong please post up as I too am relatively NOOB.

Cheers

[BigB_117]

Originally Posted by stipey33

Just bought the ARTR AX10 and wondered what mods I need to do with shocks to make them operate better. Just noticed they don't come with spacers on shaft so no need to remove them.
What about shock oil weight and springs? I notice some Crawlers are not using springs, is this an option?
Any help greatly appreciated

On the ARTR the spacers are already inside the shocks I belive.

[sierrajim]

There's heaps of different set ups.

If you want to run droop/semi droop you'll be wanting an aftermarket chassis as you'll be sitting significantly lower.

Torque twist will be easier to overcome with correct link placement, again one of the benifits of an aftermarket chassis.

Full droop gives you no compression which can/will sacrafice traction if you are a little trigger happy. At low speeds the sidewalls of your tyres will help you out but with some wheelspeed i feel that you're loosing traction.

Semi droop works wel for me, currently i have the spacers limiting my downtravel (inside the shock between the valve and the lower shock end). I have about a 1/2 inch (maybe a little less) of up travel and the rest in droop. I'm currently running 80 weight and am about to try some synthetic rc diff oil which is way thicker again. I find that the stiffer/slower reacting suspension gives that little extra control.

[sierrajim]

There's a good, simple and easy write up located here

http://thecrawlpit.com/forum/viewtop...=2963&start=60

[SDheavymetal]

sierrajim thanks for the link! I just installed Losi shocks and I love them. The plastic shocks where comming apart almost every run. Thanks again for the link. Matt

[stipey33]

Wow! Thanks guys for all the info, really appreciate it. Think I will play around with stock shocks and see what works best.

Great link as well, thank you.

[the3kid]

I run droop in front with 3/8" bump spacer and full shock in the rear with medium spring. Gives me good GC and articulation.

[supr_fly03]

I am going to share what I am doing with my stock axial shocks. (I have the kit version) I did the "move the spacer inside the shock body" mod and wound up with very stiff suspension. So here is what i did.

1st- I went to my local hobby shop that carries lots of Traxxas parts.
2nd- Then we found some springs close to axial size. (Stock Rustler black rear springs 4457)
3rd- Found a spring cup set. (Rustler springs are slightly larger)
4th- Went to Walgreens and got the cheapest retractable pen set I could. (10 for $2.25)
5th- I took some Traxxas rod ends I had and swapped the balls out for the axial ones so the spring cup would fit on them. The axial top spring guide fits inside of the Traxxas ones and works very well.
6th- I took the spacer out of the inside of the shock and put it back in stock position. I also took 4 of the retractable pens apart so I could get the springs out of the inside. I put these inplace of the spacers inside of the shock body.
7th- I filled them with some Losi 50wt shock oil but did not fill them all the way to the top. (About 1/8 of an inch from the top) It keeps them from pushing the shock shaft back out under pressure.
8th- I put both the short and tall spacers on the shocks and this got my ride height to exactly 2 3/4". (Remove the short spacer and it becomes 2 1/2")

Results, the shocks are super smooth now with 50wt oil. The black Ruslter springs are a little too soft in the rear, but there are two other springs that can fit. (Red and white) I will pick these up to tune it a little better. The spacers keep the springs from seperating and the pen springs act like a partial droop setup and keep tension on the shocks to help prevent sudden unloading. It allows about 1/4" of droop which makes it ride better over the rocks.

I have done a 4-link conversion in the back and I know my anti-squat is 101% and roll axis is 1%. This makes for a stable ride. When it gets to about 64-65 degree incline it torque twists and flops over backwards. 61 to 62 degress and it will crawl no problem. (stiffer springs will net about 1 degree increase in climbing and stabilize the rig)

If you have additions to this or suggestions I am open. But it has worked very well for me so far.

[Pdog7]

I took my shocks apart and added a second black spacer internally this limited the shocks by about 3/4''. I then swapped the stock springs in the front to the soft. This really helped allow the front to articulate easier.The flex is much more managable now and the cg is much lower. My truck can sidehill much better after this simple mod. Keep those stock shock caps tight and you should be ok.