Desert Lizard shocks

[Volsfan25]

I have these installed on an element Ecto. Trying to figure out what spring setup to run. I want to keep the rig down as it's crawling and also keep the front end from bouncing up while climbing.

[DrIsotope]

Try the "all droop" setup with the shocks mounted upside down, the long light spring between the piston and the seals, and a short light (or medium, depending on your rig weight) between the piston and the eyelet. As far as oil weight, I think I'm running 25wt in all of mine.

[Volsfan25]

Thank you

[tigris99]

Have to tune shocks. Selection of springs first. Find the one that give the ride height you want.

Droop rigs are fine for crawl speeds but if you use it with any speed you will beat the hell out of the shocks and mounts. Causing premature failure. So keep that in mind. Droops basically eliminate any form of suspension. Having shocks maxed out either full compressed or full extension is bad for performance on one end or the other. Either sitting too high so obvious problems, or having no control beyond crawl speeds cause you get bounced around.

Once you have springs figured out, then it's adjusting shock oil weight. Heavier weight (thus thicker, higher number on the bottle) the slower the shocks extend or compress. Too thin of oil causes "bouncing" in either droop or regular set up. Oil weight is proportional to spring rate. Stiffer spring, thicker oil. This can vary if you can change the porting on the shocks which most scale style shocks you cannot.

Now if say 80wt (1000) is still too thin (very possible) iirc the brand is racers edge that make even heavier. Which I have 60wt n rear and their 4000k in the front on my IFS rig. It can roll off an 18" ledge to flattish ground and settles to normal ride height with almost 0 rebound bounce (going up past static ride height and settling down to it).

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[josh9mile]

Why would you remove what most people consider to be the best shocks in the industry and replace with the most overhyped shocks in the industry?

[OSRC]

Takes a little trial and error. I've got 2 sets of the DL's and 3 of their spiritual predecessors the G-Transitions. I assemble mine with a light coat of oil first just to get the springs set up right, then fill with oil once I've got them in the ballpark. Less messy that way.

I only run them in "droop", or short springs on top of the piston and longer ones under (if I ran them otherwise, there's plenty of better options out there) and right side up. Technically, they are not droop shocks per-se, they just allow you to adjust floating piston height.

Generally start with medium springs all around and go from there...depends on a lot of things - weight of the rig, balance, etc. I run lighter longer springs under the piston up front usually - allows the front to flex a bit more than the rear. I've found that anything heavier than 40 wt oil really slows down the shock - a bit too much. Pretty sure I've got 30 wt in all of mine, front and rear.

Some people mount them up-side-down, I never do that. The slight COG benefit isn't worth the instability of having the piston in the air bubble at the top of the shock. It's a personal preference.

[Volsfan25]

Because it's missing the cups on the bottom of the shocks and I have the desert lizards laying around

[tigris99]

Originally Posted by OSRC

Takes a little trial and error. I've got 2 sets of the DL's and 3 of their spiritual predecessors the G-Transitions. I assemble mine with a light coat of oil first just to get the springs set up right, then fill with oil once I've got them in the ballpark. Less messy that way.

I only run them in "droop", or short springs on top of the piston and longer ones under (if I ran them otherwise, there's plenty of better options out there) and right side up. Technically, they are not droop shocks per-se, they just allow you to adjust floating piston height.

Generally start with medium springs all around and go from there...depends on a lot of things - weight of the rig, balance, etc. I run lighter longer springs under the piston up front usually - allows the front to flex a bit more than the rear. I've found that anything heavier than 40 wt oil really slows down the shock - a bit too much. Pretty sure I've got 30 wt in all of mine, front and rear.

Some people mount them up-side-down, I never do that. The slight COG benefit isn't worth the instability of having the piston in the air bubble at the top of the shock. It's a personal preference.

FYI there is an air bubble at the "top" regardless of shock orientation. It's just what end of the travel it's in. It can be all but eliminated either way by properly filling the shocks.

The air bubble compresses as the fluid is forced into that space by the rod being pushed into the chamber. Too little fluid, too large of air bubble remains which the piston can then enter. Too small of air space, shock won't compress fully easily (or not at all without blowing a seal or breaking something). Over full shocks are actually one of the biggest causes of shocks leaking.

Normal sprung suspension this is very helpful when filled just right. That bubble becomes an air spring. Helps keep the shock from bottoming out hard.

In a droop setup your gonna deal with air bubble instability no matter what, it's just at which end of the travel. When static or at full extension unless the oil is filled correctly.

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[Volsfan25]

This is all good info. Thanks

[Njeffs8]

I put the shirt spring on top of the piston and the medium under

[bfgair]

I am now on my third set of Desert Lizard shocks. I like the way they work when they are new but rebuilding them is a "NO WAY IT GOING TO WORK" . SO now I am open for suggestions for the replacement of these shocks.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by bfgair

I am now on my third set of Desert Lizard shocks. I like the way they work when they are new but rebuilding them is a "NO WAY IT GOING TO WORK" . SO now I am open for suggestions for the replacement of these shocks.

Have never been a fan of the Desert Lizards. I run these:

1. Traxxas GTS shocks (TRX-4)
2. Element Enduro shocks (stock or FT)
3. Vanquish Products Incision S8E shocks (VS4-10 Phoenix)

[Ots]

Tigris99 has provided good information. There's a lot of depth associated with what was said that most don't really understand.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by josh9mile

Why would you remove what most people consider to be the best shocks in the industry and replace with the most overhyped shocks in the industry?

Noobs do dumb things like listening to other dumb noobs. I giggle everytime I hear a noob say "dessert lickers are the best shock they've ever used!" When all they've ever used are the stock junk that came with their rig.

Element shocks are solid, Traxxas trx4 shocks are solid too. I run Traxxas 2660 big bores and dravtech shocks more than anything.

[fxman]

Originally Posted by WHITE-TRASH

Noobs do dumb things like listening to other dumb noobs. I giggle everytime I hear a noob say "dessert lickers are the best shock they've ever used!" When all they've ever used are the stock junk that came with their rig.

Element shocks are solid, Traxxas trx4 shocks are solid too. I run Traxxas 2660 big bores and dravtech shocks more than anything.

Destructive comments like yours are the reason I’m not on here much anymore. When I read someone calls others dumb - well usually they aren’t any wiser.
Just because you have a sh-tload of comments doesn’t give you the right to just judge over „noobs“. I have every single brand shock as well and desert lizard can be great when set up right. Why not add something helpful instead of judgmental?
I could say I doubt you ever tried - but I actually don’t even care.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by fxman

Destructive comments like yours are the reason I’m not on here much anymore. When I read someone calls others dumb - well usually they aren’t any wiser.
Just because you have a sh-tload of comments doesn’t give you the right to just judge over „noobs“. I have every single brand shock as well and desert lizard can be great when set up right. Why not add something helpful instead of judgmental?
I could say I doubt you ever tried - but I actually don’t even care.

If my post hurt your feelings enough to stay away then I've done the user base a favor.

I've been doing this rc thing since the mid 80s, you don't have to respect me or even like me but my experience means I'm usually right.

Every single shock eh? I'm betting that's a lot of a stretch but it's your story sweety so you tell it however you like.

I did add something helpful, I pointed out that dessert lickers are trash and mentioned several options that are superior.

[Ots]

Originally Posted by fxman

Destructive comments like yours are the reason I’m not on here much anymore. When I read someone calls others dumb - well usually they aren’t any wiser.
Just because you have a sh-tload of comments doesn’t give you the right to just judge over „noobs“. I have every single brand shock as well and desert lizard can be great when set up right. Why not add something helpful instead of judgmental?
I could say I doubt you ever tried - but I actually don’t even care.

He didn't call the person dumb. It was a reference to doing dumb things. We all do dumb things here and there.

[casco_bay_rc]

Originally Posted by bfgair

I am now on my third set of Desert Lizard shocks. I like the way they work when they are new but rebuilding them is a "NO WAY IT GOING TO WORK" . SO now I am open for suggestions for the replacement of these shocks.

GMade's are truly underrated. I use them on many of my builds. They rarely leak, are very smooth, and have more travel than most.