Help a Newb Select the Correct Shocks and Configuration

[jtice]

I have been doing some research on shock and droop setups lately.
But alot of the threads touch on alot of different aspects and have alot of varied suggestions in them.
I wanted to see if anyone can steer me in the right direction, based on the characteristics and setup I want to accomplish.

First off, I bit about my crawler.
Right now it is a stock Axial, which I have noticed many problems with.
Lots of torque steer and twist, especially trying to climb steep grades, the front passenger wheel lifts WAY up in the air.
Overal it sits a bit too high, I like the clearance, but it needs to droop some.

I have the following mods/parts on the way.
Edge Tube Chassis
CKRC Stage 2 Kit
4 Link Plates
MIP Drive Shafts
DNA Dig
55t motor (hope to get a hand wound in it soon)
Will be mounting a 7 cell Sub C battery pack on the back axle.
Adding about 1 pound of wheel weights to each front wheel.
Then adding the appropriate weight to the back wheels, but keeping the crawler front heavy.

I would like to run a half droop setup. The full droops are neat, as they are always keeping their center of gravity low,
but I still want to keep a bit of clearance and spring.
As far as ride height, I would like to make it so the stock straight links would be almost level. (I do plan on swapping to them bent links though)
Something like these...




I would also like to limit the travel of the back shocks some.
So that the ass end does not twist or squat down as much on steep climbs.
I have also read that "anti-squat" has alot to do with this.
Which, if I understand it correctly, boils down to the angles and mounting locations of your upper and lower control arms.
I plan to experiment with this also.

So, what shocks and setup do you guys recommend.
I have heard good things about the Losi shocks, but which ones are good for the half droop setup?
I think the shocks come withOUT oil?
What oils should I try running?
Im thinking of making the rear a bit stiffer than the front ?
I would also like to have all internal springs.

Thanks
~John

[jtice]

No one?
I figured I would get 37 posts, all with different opinions. :-/

~Jhon

[sdmf7]

You can't go wrong with losi shock's. Try different setup's. Full droop, All spring, or half and half. I run my shock's at full droop, and like them best that way. Nitro fuel tubing inside or outside the shock body on the shaft is a great way to set travel and ride height. Tinkering with your crawler is 75% of the fun. Build it up, run it, then tear it appart again, and figure out what work's best for you.

[Xtant3150c]

I think most people would reply to do more searching!hehehe

I am no expert but this it the internet after all so here goes :-P

The Losi crawler shocks are really good and may work for you? But I believe they are not that much shorter then the stock shocks which may make it harder to accomplish what you want to do?

The other Losi shocks people use are the Rear Shocks off of the XXX buggy. You will need to piece them together or hit ebay and see if you can find some on there?

Wanting to run internal springs only will mean the need to put a spring both on top of the piston as well as underneath the piston. This will take some trial and error to find the setup that gives you what you are looking for?

But you might want to do some testing with the stock shocks? Pick up some springs (most guys go to local hardware store) to use inside the shocks to see if you can find a setup that works for you?

You ever think of using and internal spring under the piston and some regular springs on the outside of the shock (maybe t-maxx red springs?) to get a lower ride height?

[jtice]

Thanks guys, sounds like the Losi shocks will work out for me, and theres enough tricks to modding them to do what i want.
I have had just about every one of the stock shocks pop open spewing oil all over the place.
They just dont seen that well made to me, and if I do a half droop, I dont need them to be that long.

~John

[bighitbomber1]

Hey there, I ran the original axial shocks in partial droop and loved that setup. I inverted the shocks,40wt. oil and red traxxas springs. The springs are short but this lowers your ride height and at the same time droops your shocks. Now i run traxxas big bores with 35wt oil and shaft extensions with red springs to give me partial droop without sacrificing ground clearance. This also works great for me. This might work for you and it might not, give it a try. Hope this helps you out!

[jtice]

Thanks, I may play around with the stock ones for the heck of it.
I wonder if they would leak less if I turned them upside down. They just always seem to be wet.
But that might be from the ajacent shock busting open LOL

I hear alot about the Big Bore shocks also, how do they differ from the Losi ones?
Is there a length difference? I think the Losi comes with most the parts needed for a half droop setup, is that true with the Big Bores as well?

~John

[bighitbomber1]

Originally Posted by jtice

Thanks, I may play around with the stock ones for the heck of it.
I wonder if they would leak less if I turned them upside down. They just always seem to be wet.
But that might be from the ajacent shock busting open LOL

I hear alot about the Big Bore shocks also, how do they differ from the Losi ones?
Is there a length difference? I think the Losi comes with most the parts needed for a half droop setup, is that true with the Big Bores as well?

~John

The axial shocks will leak less even if you take the rubber stoppers and install them inside under the piston. I have done this and inverted them and they stayed bone dry. As for the losi shocks, I think they are the same length as the big bores. The big bores do not really have any adjustments but I modded them to be in partial droop and it didn't take that much effort. I also think the losi shocks are a little smoother. Just incase here is a pic of the mod I made to the big bore's. BTW the spacers are 1/2'' long.

[Culetto]

Being that its now winter this might not work but when i ran my axial i ran it full droop on a blackjack chassis with 100wt in all 4 and a medium internal spring in traxxas big bore shocks. This worked VERY well on my setup. Just my .02

[jtice]

bighitbomber1,
The green spacers you placed on the shock shafts I understand, they limit your up travel.
(which I will probably do to the rear shocks so the ass end cant squat as far)
but How did you make them half droop?
I was thinking of inverting my stock shocks, and cutting some of the spring off,
so that they sit lower, making it a bit of a droop setup.

Culetto,
How in the world did you run 100wt?
Buddy of mine has a full droop setup and it takes his shocks waaaay too long to extend.
Did you get by with it due to that internal spring?
Also, if you had a spring in the shocks to hold the axial up a bit, how is that a full droop setup?
I thought that a full droop setup had no springs at all.

~John

[cannoncrawler]

from one newb to another......it's just gunna take time. both play time, and plenty of bench time!

[bighitbomber1]

The green spacers do not limit my shock travel. They basically just add another 1/2'' length onto the shaft wich makes the springs a 1/2'' "short" and allows the shock to droop. Works very well with the original red springs.