Mass-holes Rock Rey Build Thread

[mass-hole]

What do people recommend for steering linkage/servo savers? I know Hot Racing and Team Losi make then but I had heard the Losi one is not the best and is a lot more $.

[OpisOpus]

I bought the HR setup they sell. Just make sure you use threadlock where the screws go into aluminum. As for the actual link itself, I was having issues with those ballhead screws that the link snaps onto actual snapping off at either the servo horn or other end. I ended up making one from rod ends and the Traxxas Revo hollow balls to run a screw straight through. So far has been good.

Cut the head off a screw (M4 screw I believe) and thread the rod ends onto it. Last image is comparison of stock (with snapped screw) and replacement. Doesn’t show the Revo balls, but I replaced the plastic ones with them. Hope that helps some.



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[mass-hole]

Originally Posted by OpisOpus

I bought the HR setup they sell. Just make sure you use threadlock where the screws go into aluminum. As for the actual link itself, I was having issues with those ballhead screws that the link snaps onto actual snapping off at either the servo horn or other end. I ended up making one from rod ends and the Traxxas Revo hollow balls to run a screw straight through. So far has been good.

Cut the head off a screw (M4 screw I believe) and thread the rod ends onto it. Last image is comparison of stock (with snapped screw) and replacement. Doesn’t show the Revo balls, but I replaced the plastic ones with them. Hope that helps some.



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Good idea on the servo link. I noticed this weekend that I would turn the wheel left on the TX, the servo would make noise, but the tires on the truck didnt turn. I thought to myself, uhhhh ohhhh.

Turned out the servo link was bowing when the servo would push on it but didnt have the same problem when it was pulling. I ordered the HR steering setup last night, and then realized it didnt come with a new servo link.

I also noticed my servo saver was engaging just trying to turn the tires on flat ground, but I was afraid to tighten it as I didn't wanna break anything without spares.

[OpisOpus]

I think the reason I was personally snapping those screws was from having the saver too tight, but any looser and it didn’t want to steer. My RR is heavy though. I just tighten mine until it’s just snug enough to not have any play. Blue threadlock the nut on the saver as well. Mine kept coming loose. Personally I think the whole steering setup stock is poorly designed.


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[mass-hole]

So i am insane, and i really dont like the way the front and rear suspension work together. My next project is going to be to try and fab up some spacers for the front shock tower so i can run longer shocks. Im thinking i might go powerstroke XT’s front and rear.

Why?

i was taking some measurements today from the lower shock mount holes on the a-arm to the shock tower hole with the shocks disconnected:

Fully collapsed: 64mm
Fully extended: 111mm

Ummmmmm, thats 47mm of travel. The Slash rear powerstroke shocks give us a whopping 27mm

The XT’s give us 41.3mm of travel, so an extra 13 mm or so. This should work out to ~1” of additional wheel travel

Since the collapsed length on the XT’s is 84.7mm and the collapsed length between the stock shock holes is 64mm, i need to add ~20mm to the shock tower to get the truck to bottom out in the same spot. This will put the collapsed distance at 84mm and the extended distance at 131mm.

The xt’s give me 84.7 to 128. Almost perfect match to the front suspension.

[Thloftus]

I’m excited to see how this turns out! I agree that the Slash rear PowerStrokes are a bit short. I may try longer rod ends, which doesn’t help with the travel, but may reduce some of the preload issues in combination with a stiffer primary / longer ProSpec springs ...


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[mass-hole]

Originally Posted by Thloftus

I’m excited to see how this turns out! I agree that the Slash rear PowerStrokes are a bit short. I may try longer rod ends, which doesn’t help with the travel, but may reduce some of the preload issues in combination with a stiffer primary / longer ProSpec springs ...


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It should give some extra ride height in the rocks and let the front suspension droop as much as the rear does. The rear will hang way farther down currently.

[mass-hole]

Here is my first mock up:

Full droop:



You can see the left side is the Slash Powerstroke, right is the Powerstroke XT. Even though the slash powerstroke is disconnected, both arms droop about the same. Check. Xt making full use of the available travel.

Full squish:



My current mockup spacers, ID 1/4”x OD 5/16”x3/4” long:



Extended eye to eye length:



So a 3/4” spacer will get you the full available travel of a Powerstroke XT in the front.

Also, here is a comparison of the full droop front and rear, almost exactly the same:



My only real issue is that my local hardware store doesnt carry long enough M3 screws, 30mm is as long as i could find. The front two screws are not even threaded in and rears just barely. You really need 35mm and 40mm long screws to get the same thread engagement as the stock setup.

The aluminum spacers are not ideal because they are quite a bit larger than the M3 screw, however, they fit perfectly over the little locating nubs that fit into the shock tower on the front. I did order a 3/4"(19mm) thick delrin slab so I could make some rectangular spacers that should provide more stability and have the correct size holes drilled to keep the screws all lined up.

I feel this mod is probably the best you will ever get from a losi in terms of all around suspension performance and should dramatically increase tuneability. You can run a huge amount of droop for bashing, or you could lift it up to get some clearance for crawling, all while getting huge front and rear travel.

Now I just need to drop another $54 on my second set of powerstroke XT's.

[mass-hole]

Powerstroke XT's ordered from Ebay, should be here Wednesday. 25 pack of M3x40mm screws ordered from McMaster because it was $3 and cheaper than buying 4 screws from the hardware store lol.

[OpisOpus]

Do you have any intentions on running limiting straps to prevent the shocks from rebounding 100%?


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[mass-hole]

Originally Posted by OpisOpus

Do you have any intentions on running limiting straps to prevent the shocks from rebounding 100%?


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No, the stock shocks and slash powerstrokes were both able to fully rebound without straps so i dont really see why it’s necessary. The suspension links themselves allow a little more droop than the shocks do so it shouldnt send the suspension into bind. and same with compression, the suspension has a shade more travel than the shocks so the bump stop should take care of things.

[OpisOpus]

The purpose of straps is to prevent it from rebounding too much. If you Especially if you’re running droop.
Here’s an article about them for 1:1 vehicles.
https://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/...fit-54528.html


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[mass-hole]

Originally Posted by OpisOpus

The purpose of straps is to prevent it from rebounding too much. If you Especially if you’re running droop.

Here’s an article about them for 1:1 vehicles.

https://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/...fit-54528.html





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I understand. I've also seen them in use to protect the CV's in trucks from going to an extreme angle but that is not an issue here. The tires turn just fine at full droop.



Why would I need them now if the truck never had them in the first place? All that article says is its to limit the shocks from fully extending, but almost no one is concerned about that with the stock shocks or regular powerstrokes. Any time i've seen straps on an RC it was for looks.



I am genuinely curious. Do people routinely damage their shocks?

Also, what about a small piece of rc fuel line on the top of the shock shaft, just below the piston. That would achieve the same thing i would think.

[OpisOpus]

I’ve heard of people damaging shocks from it over extending. I don’t run straps in the front, but I do use them in the rear, and it’s for a purpose the way I have mine setup. Not just for looks, but I have heard of ppl using them just for looks.

I suppose the fuel line thing would potentially work. Sounds like it makes sense. Idk how others have their stuff set up, but the straps have helped to keep the back end planted in some scenarios and helps to keep it from donkey kicking as much.


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[CoolRunning]

I locked my centre and front diff with lockers and love it. Still goes fast and crawls way better. I run 2S as 3S is crazy fast; too fast for my RR anyway even with open diffs.

[mass-hole]

Originally Posted by CoolRunning

I locked my centre and front diff with lockers and love it. Still goes fast and crawls way better. I run 2S as 3S is crazy fast; too fast for my RR anyway even with open diffs.

Good to know. I bought an extra Vaterra locker for the front when I locked my center, its just sitting in my parts bin at the moment. I also have some 500,000 wt diff lube I am gunna try to see if it provides enough of an LSD effect to avoid the locker.

I just bought a 3S lipo. I have a 9T pinion though so I am running 25% shorter gearing than the stock pinion and I found it wasn't spinning fast enough on my 2700kv Puller Pro. I think 3S should give me enough speed (and then some) without having to gear up. It already lifts the front tires if I have enough traction, I just want some more top end.

[mass-hole]

New toys:

[Thloftus]

Man, you’ll have some shocks up front, Lol! Clever use of spacers to raise the shock towers; I thought you were going to add extenders to the top, but what you’ve done is obviously better.

Nice new toys! I have the same on my RR and have been happy with them so far - although mostly speed runs for me so far (was 65 two days ago and now it’s snowed again!) so too soon to say what kind of abuse they can handle.


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[Thloftus]

Originally Posted by OpisOpus

The purpose of straps is to prevent it from rebounding too much. If you Especially if you’re running droop.
Here’s an article about them for 1:1 vehicles.
https://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/...fit-54528.html


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Thanks for the link! Noob-ish confession, but I’ve never really understood the purpose for limiting straps. Should have been obvious in retrospect, Lol.


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[mass-hole]

Originally Posted by Thloftus

Man, you’ll have some shocks up front, Lol! Clever use of spacers to raise the shock towers; I thought you were going to add extenders to the top, but what you’ve done is obviously better.

Nice new toys! I have the same on my RR and have been happy with them so far - although mostly speed runs for me so far (was 65 two days ago and now it’s snowed again!) so too soon to say what kind of abuse they can handle.


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Ugh, I know. I am in Park City, UT and we had almost lost all of our snow here at 6500'. Yesterday we got another 6" . . . .

That said, it made for an unexpectedly nice powder day on the slopes. Got out on the snowboard for a couple hours after thinking the season was over.

I am very excited to get these shocks on. I was gunna make delrin spacers, but I found some aluminum spacers on McMaster that are the same ID as the M3 screws and same OD as the screw bosses on the tower(9mm), so they may be good enough. I am also thinking of using some of the heavy steel plate that I made the body panels out of as a brace between the spacers and shock tower to give it some extra lateral stiffness. The shock tower is a little squishy, I am honestly surprised no one has made aluminum ones.

I also think having the SSD/Exotek/Hot Racing Front Bulkhead would help here because you would be anchoring the screws to aluminum instead of plastic. It may just give it some more structure. Same with the Hot Racing Shock tower brace.