shocks for TWS CTS?

[Jim85IROC]

Anybody here running a TWS CTS? I'm just finishing a CJ7 build, and the shock/spring package seems to be, well, lousy. The shocks are stupid stiff, and are very sticky until you cycle the suspension. The suspension won't even flex if you lift up one wheel.

I'm going to try and open up the holes in the shock pistons and make sure to radius the top and botttom of the pistons to help make everything move nice and smoothly, but honestly, I'm not expecting much.

If I can't save these, does anybody have a recommendation for a budget set of shocks? This is destined to be a trail truck, not any kind of serious crawler, so I'm looking for something that can be set up soft enough to have a realistic look on trails.

[soze]

I'm building my VTR one right now, and mine actually does flex, but my kit came with 2 sets of springs. Long/soft or short/shiff. If the TWS shocks are not an option, you can try anything that typically fit the MST CMX/CFX chassis.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by soze

I'm building my VTR one right now, and mine actually does flex, but my kit came with 2 sets of springs. Long/soft or short/shiff. If the TWS shocks are not an option, you can try anything that typically fit the MST CMX/CFX chassis.

Mine came with 2 sets also. I built them with the softer set, but they're still ridiculously stiff. I think it's more from the stiction/valving of the shocks themselves, so I'm going to try and focus on fixing that to start.

[soze]

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

Mine came with 2 sets also. I built them with the softer set, but they're still ridiculously stiff. I think it's more from the stiction/valving of the shocks themselves, so I'm going to try and focus on fixing that to start.

I just cycled my suspension, and everything is fairly smooth. I didn't experience any stiction at all. I'm not sure if it's something I did while building them, or if there may be something with your pistons that might be off? The only other thing I can think of that may have had an effect was greasing the o-rings like I usually do with noleen sf-3 (green slime).

I am also using the long/soft springs.

I do however have an issue with the front bumper mount hitting the stock servo horn, since I have it set up as servo on axle right now. I'm either going to trim the bumper mount, or change it to CMS. Not sure yet. I could also just get a new servo horn or use a different servo.

[Jim85IROC]

I assembled with green slime, but maybe the pistons are too tight in the bore or something stupid like that. Hopefully I'll have time this week to explore.

[soze]

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

I assembled with green slime, but maybe the pistons are too tight in the bore or something stupid like that. Hopefully I'll have time this week to explore.

I'm pretty sure this is not the case, but your issue is not the internal pressure right (not compressing the shocks before sealing up)?

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by soze

I'm pretty sure this is not the case, but your issue is not the internal pressure right (not compressing the shocks before sealing up)?

There's a little bit of internal pressure, but not much. I usually like to build my shocks so there's just a little bit of pressure near full compression to create a bit of a "rising rate" setup. Maybe I need to ease up on that a bit.

[Jim85IROC]

Last night I pulled the shocks and tried reassembling them with the shaft 1/2 way compressed and still had a fair amount of springback at full compression, so I assembled them with the shaft almost fully compressed. This got rid of the springback, but they didn't really feel any different through the first 1/2 of the stroke, and after they sat they'd still stick until they got cycled. I took them apart, reapplied green snot, and filled them with 10wt Axial oil, which seems to be a hair thinner than the oil that came with the CTS. The shocks cycle with a bit less resistance now, but still have significant stiction until cycled.

I think at this point I'm going to live with it until the vehicle is otherwise done. Right now even after I cycle the suspension it doesn't have any static compression under vehicle weight, but there's no body and no electronics yet, so it's a lot lighter than it will end up.

[soze]

That's odd for sure, I actually went up in oil weight to Factory Team 30wt. When I filled them up, I kept loosening the top cap and letting the oil bleed out until I barely had any pressure rebound. If I lift one tire up at a time, the shocks compress without issue.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by soze

That's odd for sure, I actually went up in oil weight to Factory Team 30wt. When I filled them up, I kept loosening the top cap and letting the oil bleed out until I barely had any pressure rebound. If I lift one tire up at a time, the shocks compress without issue.

I followed the same process, and I do get some articulation once the shocks are cycled. They're stiff enough that the suspension won't articulate until I cycle them.


If I had to guess, it seems like once it sits, the o-rings have enough pressure that they're squeezing the oil out from between them and the shock shaft, which is what causes the stiction until they're cycled. I'm not really sure how to rectify this, aside from finding o-rings with a slightly larger ID.

[soze]

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

I followed the same process, and I do get some articulation once the shocks are cycled. They're stiff enough that the suspension won't articulate until I cycle them.


If I had to guess, it seems like once it sits, the o-rings have enough pressure that they're squeezing the oil out from between them and the shock shaft, which is what causes the stiction until they're cycled. I'm not really sure how to rectify this, aside from finding o-rings with a slightly larger ID.

I'm not sure what your direction is headed with the CJ7, but with my VTR, I'm going for scale. I'll likely have a bunch of weight on top which should enable the suspension to cycle with no issue. I'm looking for the wobble stance.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by soze

I'm not sure what your direction is headed with the CJ7, but with my VTR, I'm going for scale. I'll likely have a bunch of weight on top which should enable the suspension to cycle with no issue. I'm looking for the wobble stance.

My goal is definitely more scale than crawl too. The vehicle's primary function is to be used in youtube videos, so I want the suspension to function as realistically as possible, or at least as realistic as you're going to get with a coil spring CJ7