What is the best upgraded shock option for an axial bomber

[26austinthomas]

Best upgraded shock option for an axial bomber

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[MasteroFlego]

IMO if you've got an rtr, the kit shocks are the best upgrade. Use green slime when you build them.

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[JatoTheRipper]

The Bomber kit shocks are pretty good. You can buy the parts to upgrade the RTR shocks to the same specs.

If you want the best shocks though check out ProLine, but they are expensive!

[kmnss]

I went with 103mm GMADE XD shocks. They are great for the price.

[26austinthomas]

I ended up going with the ultra reservoir shocks

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[granite]

Originally Posted by kmnss

I went with 103mm GMADE XD shocks. They are great for the price.

+1 on the XDs although the kit shocks are very nice I am currently running Pro line power stroke soon I'm going to replace them with the XDs.

Any of these 3 shocks work well.

[pielet97]

Originally Posted by MasteroFlego

IMO if you've got an rtr, the kit shocks are the best upgrade. Use green slime when you build them.

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Do you use the same quantities when you use green slime?

[MasteroFlego]

Originally Posted by pielet97

Do you use the same quantities when you use green slime?

Same quantities of what?

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[pielet97]

Originally Posted by MasteroFlego

Same quantities of what?

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I thought they were replacing the oil with slime?

[MAC FAB]

Can someone tangibly explain and prove a performance difference between/amongst the brands compiled here? A how, what, and why if you will. How are they better? With data to support your selection, the same for the other criteria factors. Brand X may be the ticket for trail blazing, Y for crawling and Z for U4.... etc. How, what's and why's about them. This could prove to be not only informative but educational as well for new suspension tuners. What shock lengths for what applications, spring rates, pistons and oils as well as mounting locations. HR mount comes to mind. Instead of shorter shocks, raise the upper mount. May help save some peeps $$$ by not buying the wrong shocks out of "ignorance", as much as I dislike using that description here. Maybe this subject will earn it's own sticky?

[MasteroFlego]

Originally Posted by pielet97

I thought they were replacing the oil with slime?

The green slime is applied on the O-rings, it helps prevent the shock from leaking oil.

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[Alexander_0_1]

I use six shocks on my bomber. Four powerstroke slash rear shock in all four corners, and a pair of powerstroke XTs on the furthest rear mounting position.

[clodzilla319]

Originally Posted by MAC FAB

Can someone tangibly explain and prove a performance difference between/amongst the brands compiled here? A how, what, and why if you will. How are they better? With data to support your selection, the same for the other criteria factors. Brand X may be the ticket for trail blazing, Y for crawling and Z for U4.... etc. How, what's and why's about them. This could prove to be not only informative but educational as well for new suspension tuners. What shock lengths for what applications, spring rates, pistons and oils as well as mounting locations. HR mount comes to mind. Instead of shorter shocks, raise the upper mount. May help save some peeps $$$ by not buying the wrong shocks out of "ignorance", as much as I dislike using that description here. Maybe this subject will earn it's own sticky?

^Excellent points^
i think with all the factors that go into the shocks we use(length, piston, oil, and spring rates, plus vehicle weight and driving styles) it almost impossible to really "recommend" any one kind of shock over another. Almost all R/C shocks do the same thing; so ultimately the "best" R/C shock is one that doesn't leak, or blow the caps off... the decision of what size piston holes, oil viscosity(sp?) and spring rates you use will only depend on the specific vehicle you drive and how its setup. ie: my truck with Gmade XDs with a 4-hole piston and 50wt. oil with Green(Gmade) springs may work great for my truck and how i drive, but might be to soft a setup for someone else..

I guess as with anything do your homework. Buy a 'Reputable' brand(Gmade, King,Proline, etc) and See what shock setups other use for what purpose and baseline your starting point from that. Tuning Shocks is Not an easy thing, and I'm will to guess 'most' people just build their shocks and alter their driving style to accommodate the Shocks performance. I'm guilty of that sometimes, but always end up going back to either change the piston out or try new oil to get the performance i want.

And lastly, I love my Gmade shocks.. the XDs , the RSDs and even the piggyback ones..BUT, this whole piggyback reservoir crap needs to stop.. yes, they look cool , but a R/C shock simply Cannot hold pressure the way they claim. putting pressure on the oil just makes it leak out of the 2 o-rings faster than usual. on paper, its a cool idea, but 2 tiny o-rings cant hold back oil thats under pressure. I own these shocks and love the 'Look', but dont 'use' that feature, I just fill 'em and use 'em as they are.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by MAC FAB

Can someone tangibly explain and prove a performance difference between/amongst the brands compiled here? A how, what, and why if you will. How are they better? With data to support your selection, the same for the other criteria factors. Brand X may be the ticket for trail blazing, Y for crawling and Z for U4.... etc. How, what's and why's about them. This could prove to be not only informative but educational as well for new suspension tuners. What shock lengths for what applications, spring rates, pistons and oils as well as mounting locations. HR mount comes to mind. Instead of shorter shocks, raise the upper mount. May help save some peeps $$$ by not buying the wrong shocks out of "ignorance", as much as I dislike using that description here. Maybe this subject will earn it's own sticky?

Your questions seem odd to me. A good shock is a good shock. Tuned properly it will do well at any segment of RC. A bad shock will be bad at anything and everything.

You obviously wouldn't put a scale shock on a basher just like you wouldn't put a large bore shock on something you were trying to make ultra scale.

But good shocks don't leak, are super smooth, and perform well.

Take some trashy shocks like Axial RTR shocks and compare them to something like Associated, Kyosho, or Proline shocks. You'll notice a difference.

[DukeMinnix]

I bought a set of Team Losi shocks off here that a guy had built for axialfest, they are all metal body and he sent a bunch of different springs with them. They are so smooth and the rebound and dampening I can tell a noticeable difference on rough terrain at speed. I am also a big fan of the proline powerstrokes. I don't have them on my bomber, but bought a yeti that had them. They absorb jumps and bumps and woops like champs. I have a feeling if I put them on the bomber in the correct length and set the preload correctly, I would be as equally impressed.

[MAC FAB]

My point is this, many say get brand x (at pick your length) are best. Others say brand y. Personally, I will make any shock work, though it may have a little more stiction than a buttery smooth shock that isn't an offshoot of the Exxon Valdez. Length/stroke is my concern, especially as a scratch builder. That seems to be of some concern here as well, "run Slash shocks", "the GCMs at 103mm". So to say Powerstrokes are the best, or no, RC4WD scale Kings", "no, GTRs"......back your choice with tangible data as to how and why. There has to be some reasoning, right, other than looks or a personal bias? I don't know about crawler shock tuning YET, but will guarantee the learning curve will be short, being that the innards of the shocks are basically the same across the board and I am a shock tuner. Hence, my question. What I will agree with however, is that the Kings do look the part, but they won't take much abuse beyond a scale experience.

[terrible]

Bad shocks are anything that doesn't have a coating on the internals of the body, doesn't have good parts support (O-rings, spring options), leaks a short while into its lifespan, or has a bad design.

Personally I like the proline slash front and rear on my bomber. They have had excellent lifespan, rebuild easy, don't leak and have good rebuild and spring kits available. The only issue I have with them is a lack of piston options. Witch, I guess can be cured if you have a pin vise and a good selection of small drill bits. They are a good length out of the box for my bomber also.

I've tried the rc4wd king shocks, in the large size. They looked good but the inside of the body is raw aluminum and fouls the oil quickly. All the aluminum in the oil causes quite a bit of "stiction" on the shaft. I went to axial factory gold shafts from the wraith shocks and that helped a bit but the oil fouling is something you can't fix on the bench (unless you can hard anodize on your bench)

Also, I've tried to use the axial variable pistons with minimal results. But, on my associated B5M I love the MIP variable pistons. I wish I could get those for the proline shocks.

[MAC FAB]

Originally Posted by terrible

Bad shocks are anything that doesn't have a coating on the internals of the body, doesn't have good parts support (O-rings, spring options), leaks a short while into its lifespan, or has a bad design.

Personally I like the proline slash front and rear on my bomber. They have had excellent lifespan, rebuild easy, don't leak and have good rebuild and spring kits available. The only issue I have with them is a lack of piston options. Witch, I guess can be cured if you have a pin vise and a good selection of small drill bits. They are a good length out of the box for my bomber also.

I've tried the rc4wd king shocks, in the large size. They looked good but the inside of the body is raw aluminum and fouls the oil quickly. All the aluminum in the oil causes quite a bit of "stiction" on the shaft. I went to axial factory gold shafts from the wraith shocks and that helped a bit but the oil fouling is something you can't fix on the bench (unless you can hard anodize on your bench)

Also, I've tried to use the axial variable pistons with minimal results. But, on my associated B5M I love the MIP variable pistons. I wish I could get those for the proline shocks.

Winner! As for not having MIP variable pistons, make your own. I use the stuff used in a laminating machine. Punch what you need to cover the piston and a hole for the shaft then trim to tune your "valving/shim stacks". Very flexible and doesn't interact with the oil. My starting set up has one hole for compression and 4 holes for rebound with 25 wt oil. (Where traditional 50/50 valving doesn't work and needing fast rebound) As for the non-anno rc4wd Kings, IF you still have them, have you considered using a different type of oil, say motor oil or even gear oil for heavier viscosity? Hydraulic fluid? Motorcycle fork oil? (Same for some of the Asia Tees stuff I've seen and have, non annodized) Now onto O rings. Hit your local hardware store to replace your bad O rings, even some plumbing supplies have a great selection of replacements. Yes, you may have more stiction (friction of the O ring as a seal on the shock shaft, maybe Fox will sell us their Kashima coating, I wish) by going up a size thus altering performance a bit, but it may also help those on a budget to keep your rig up and running on the trails by not bleeding out. Springs now. Losi has a great variety of spring rates, and will or can be made to fit most any shock. You may have to double up on spring retainers for the right diameter, but it can be done. Where there is a will, there is a way. The scratch builder's mantra.

[terrible]

While the fox kashima stuff is pretty it's a complete waste on an R/C shock. There just isn't enough surface contact to make a difference. Also when built right an r/c cars shock piston shouldn't contact the side of the shock body internals anyway. In a perfect world that is.

As far as O-rings go I'm a fan of the X-rings a lot of manufacturers are going to. it gives oil or green slime a place to rest inside the seal pack and gives a smaller contact area on the shock shaft for less friction. Not to mention the doubled sealing surfaces vs/ normal O-rings.

[Topher Builds]

Originally Posted by terrible

Personally I like the proline slash front and rear on my bomber. They have had excellent lifespan, rebuild easy, don't leak and have good rebuild and spring kits available.

Did you have to use the mounting kit for these to work on your bomber? Part PRO6063-05. Feel like they are worth the upgrade over the stock kit shocks?