Finally!! - some decent droop shocks

[Big Mike]

Since being bitten by the droop bug, I've searched everywhere for the right shock to do the job. LHS's, Ebay, all over.

Today at my LHS there was something new hanging around. Sportwerks shocks - the part number on the tag is SWK3028 Rear Shock Set: MAY (exact wording) They were 30 bucks for a pair, 60 total. A little more expensive than the Traxxas Big Bores I've been watching on Ebay, but I don't end up with 4 extras I'd have to try to re-sell.

I looked on Sportwerk's website but could not find them.

Here's one already set up, laying next to the Hot Bodies shocks I've been using: (sorry for the lame camera)



The body size is PERFECT for Losi Mini-T springs which are not too tough to locate. They are not only the perfect diameter to go inside without rubbing, the length is also just right.

Set up on my hacked-up stock TLT chassis. They are about 3/16" - 1/4" longer than the Hot Bodies, so a quick re-work of the upper mount points was needed:





The ideal spring combined with a slightly longer shaft gained me back the articulation I lost when I first tried droop:



In-shop pallet crawl testing was very positive - tonight I'll get some actual rock time, but I'm thinking already that this set up is going to be better than before...

[grapegoat]

Nice find. Those look killer!

[mrpink]

how long are they fully closed? open?

did you email sportwerks about them? i would be very interested in a set.

[JasonInAugusta]

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=SWK3028

They're for the Mayhem buggy.

[Offroader5]

It looks like in your pics that they have rod end swivels at both ends...is that the case? In the Horizon Hobby pic they are not shown that way. It'd be nice if they did.

[scatterbrains]

yes they got the swivel at both ends, good shocks pretty smooth on the buggies.
May i ask, is droop a "better" system or just another try at a better mousetrap? i am assuming by the pics when mounted you are putting the springs under the piston?

[L-TOWN CUSTOMS]

hmm intresting i will have to try them

[Big Mike]

Yep - the link JIA posted is the exact shock I got. (Thanks Jason) That would explain "MAY" on the tag. I had no idea what they were for, I just had a strong feeling they were going to work for me just looking at them.

Offroader5 - they do have a ball end on both ends. But the kit does not come with balls to install. The upper end (cap) took a "standard" size ball, I used 4 out of a Traxxas end kit. The shaft rod end was bigger, so I replaced them with Traxxas ends.

scatterbrains - correct, the spring is under the piston. So they work the opposite of what you're used to. Myself, I'm using a droop setup to take advantage of one of it's positive aspects - low COG - due to the fact that I'm still running a (cough) stock TLT chassis/tranny. It needs all the help it can get with the high COG caused by the tranny design. I think the chassis is more stable in rugged off camber terrain because it is not being "pushed" by the suspension. The chassis "sits" on the suspension instead, and the wheels "droop" into terrain variations. If that makes any sense.

Droop is definitely not the "end all" solution for a successful crawler, there are lots of guys out there getting on the podium with conventional sprung rigs. It's just another way of going about it. You do see lots of the 1:1 comp buggies using droop setups nowadays.

mrpink - they measure 3 1/8" eye-to-eye closed. With a Losi Mini-T spring inside they measure 4 1/2" eye-to-eye fully open. I did'nt think to email them, and I don't know if they are current production units or old stock. I'm pretty sure they were'nt hanging there last time I hunted through the racks at my LHS like a month or so ago.

RC Hobbies online has them also:

http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...p?prod=SWK3028

[mrpink]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

mrpink - they measure 3 1/8" eye-to-eye closed. With a Losi Mini-T spring inside they measure 4 1/2" eye-to-eye fully open. I did'nt think to email them, and I don't know if they are current production units or old stock. I'm pretty sure they were'nt hanging there last time I hunted through the racks at my LHS like a month or so ago.

RC Hobbies online has them also:

http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...p?prod=SWK3028

so they are a little over 1/4" longer then the maxx's fully compressed. Should work out just fine.

Good find.

[scatterbrains]

Thanks for the explanation! Those shocks are current production for the mayhem's
Rear Shock Set: Mayhem,TUR SWK3028

Thats should be the part # and they are available

[Reflection]

I bought a set of these for my sons droop set up last Christmas. Very nice shock. Coarse,I don't use internal springs in my set up. I was mainly looking for the length and these fit the bill. My LHS usually carries these and keeps them in stock.

[Big Mike]

These shocks are so much better than the Hot Bodies. Or is it the Losi springs? Probably both. The compressed stack height of the Losi springs is about half of what my homemade springs were. Combine that with about 3/8" more shaft travel, and that makes this setup way better than before.

Right now I have orange springs and 90 weight oil up front, red springs with 100 weight in the rear. I'm planning on swapping the right rear spring for a heavier gold one to help more with the torque twist (if the phone will stop ringing!)

[toy4crawlin]

AH Haah I found your thread this helps


Hey what is the inside diameter of the sportwerks body or the mini t springs maybe we can figure out what shocks they fit

the traxxas threaded aluminum shocks are 5/8 inside