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Shock Building Tips and Tricks

Shock Building Tips and Tricks

Old 09-15-2012, 06:54 AM
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Default Shock Building Tips and Tricks

Proper shock setup (among other things) is key to any rc race vechile operating properly. The problem I see is a lot of newer racers do not know how to build their shocks properly and thus get frustrated when their setup does not work properly on the track. I know that that are many ways to build a shock that works great and that everyone has their own technique so I hope that we can discuss and share that information in this thread.

If you have a certain question please ask and we will get someone to help answer it.


Fire away.
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Old 09-15-2012, 08:34 AM
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How do I keep my bleeder screws from leacking oil? I don't know why but it has always been like that.
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Old 09-15-2012, 09:01 AM
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im a new racer so will be following this thread. i build mine emulsion style with 0 rebound because I have trouble getting them to match perfectly. bladders are to big of a PITA to get to match perfect, i mean how do you push in the shaft 1/3 of the way and get them perfect? it takes like 30 tries for me to get them close.
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Old 09-15-2012, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by 1wrecker
im a new racer so will be following this thread. i build mine emulsion style with 0 rebound because I have trouble getting them to match perfectly. bladders are to big of a PITA to get to match perfect, i mean how do you push in the shaft 1/3 of the way and get them perfect? it takes like 30 tries for me to get them close.
Have you tried building the bladders with no rebound? IMO, building bladders with 0 rebound is a lot easier than trying to bleed out an emulsion style build.
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Old 09-15-2012, 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by elecRC23
How do I keep my bleeder screws from leacking oil? I don't know why but it has always been like that.

Oh yes i have that issue with my RC8T big bores i hand tighten them fully intill the shock cap is fully seated on seems to work better but still does it a little after a run. The Bladders are fully seated in the cap also.
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Old 09-15-2012, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by 1wrecker
im a new racer so will be following this thread. i build mine emulsion style with 0 rebound because I have trouble getting them to match perfectly. bladders are to big of a PITA to get to match perfect, i mean how do you push in the shaft 1/3 of the way and get them perfect? it takes like 30 tries for me to get them close.


I try to get as close as i can with the bladders on with rebound i just get ticked off trying to get them perfect .
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Old 09-15-2012, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by 1wrecker
im a new racer so will be following this thread. i build mine emulsion style with 0 rebound because I have trouble getting them to match perfectly. bladders are to big of a PITA to get to match perfect, i mean how do you push in the shaft 1/3 of the way and get them perfect? it takes like 30 tries for me to get them close.


I try to get as close as i can with the bladders on with rebound i just get ticked off trying to get them perfect with less than full rebound.
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Old 09-15-2012, 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by RC10Nick
Have you tried building the bladders with no rebound? IMO, building bladders with 0 rebound is a lot easier than trying to bleed out an emulsion style build.
yes I have! One shock always rebounds more than the other I even tried using a medicine syringe to make sure I have the exact amount of fluid in each shock and they still come out different, one will rebound faster than the other. I cant beleive they dont make a tool for this and I dont mean the losi shock matching tool because that is usless, than only tells you wich one is weaker on stronger.
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Old 09-15-2012, 07:46 PM
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Originally Posted by tc5 man
I try to get as close as i can with the bladders on with rebound i just get ticked off trying to get them perfect with less than full rebound.
Im boarder line OCD so anything less than perfect is not an option, I will waist a hole bottle of fluid to get them right, I cant help it. If I let it go anything that happends with how the truck handles I will blame it on that one shock thats weak, and I would have drivin better if the shock wasnt weak lol, im way to picky for that.
Am I really over thinking it? i hope so because it take me at least an hour to match 2 shocks. and all I do is compress them all the way and tighten the cap and they will come up different.
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Old 09-15-2012, 08:00 PM
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Originally Posted by 1wrecker
Im boarder line OCD so anything less than perfect is not an option, I will waist a hole bottle of fluid to get them right, I cant help it. If I let it go anything that happends with how the truck handles I will blame it on that one shock thats weak, and I would have drivin better if the shock wasnt weak lol, im way to picky for that.
Am I really over thinking it? i hope so because it take me at least an hour to match 2 shocks. and all I do is compress them all the way and tighten the cap and they will come up different.


Yea i get you i tried doing the same exact thing many times with the shocks to get them to be perfect on rebound and just like i said i get ticked of and i just run full rebound to be honest. If i can get them to be close thats a victory for me and my truck seems to handle and jump fine . Im not a pro driver so i cant tell that small of a diffrence only bigger things like droop , ride height etc.

The one reason why i just run full rebound is its easier to match and less chance of trapped air bubbles because your not bleeding more and more oil out .


Heres the thing also with shocks that run bladders even with bleeder holes the rebound doesnt really stay the same anyways after you run on the track a few times .
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Old 09-15-2012, 10:38 PM
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What is the ideal rebound? Is no rebound ok?
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Old 09-15-2012, 11:43 PM
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Originally Posted by tc5 man
Oh yes i have that issue with my RC8T big bores i hand tighten them fully intill the shock cap is fully seated on seems to work better but still does it a little after a run. The Bladders are fully seated in the cap also.
also, the screws never tighten. I have the plastic shock caps for my v2 shcoks and it seems like the inside of the screw hole is stripped. The screw goes in and out just fine with turning though.
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Old 09-16-2012, 06:11 AM
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When it comes to the rebound there is no 1 perfect setting. On my SCTE I run close to 0 rebound and it works well. On my DEX408 1/8th scale buggy I run 25% rebound and have no complaints. I would ask the fast guys at your track and see what they are running.

As for the screw not tightening on the shock cap it is very easy to strip them out and so you need to go to a aluminum cap if available or just be very careful not to over tighten. If it is leaking at the hole I have seen a lot of guys use a small oring or a small washer.

Hopefully we can get some shock gurus to chime in and share some of their secrets.
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Old 09-16-2012, 06:56 AM
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I can say this. If you think your rebound is off one shock to another, try running them in on the kit for a battery pack then check them.

Setting rebound is tricky. If one has a little more than the other put it on the heaviest side of the kit then run it in.

Rebound is also effected one shock to another by the o/ring seal. Be sure all of your spacers are the same, even if you have to sand them to make them even.

I top my shocks off before practice and the mains every race day.

When I build my shocks I sand the spacers even. I sand mine down to the point they are close to leaking and as the rings swell they don't get to tight.
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Old 09-16-2012, 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by UN4RACING
I can say this. If you think your rebound is off one shock to another, try running them in on the kit for a battery pack then check them.

Setting rebound is tricky. If one has a little more than the other put it on the heaviest side of the kit then run it in.

Rebound is also effected one shock to another by the o/ring seal. Be sure all of your spacers are the same, even if you have to sand them to make them even.

I top my shocks off before practice and the mains every race day.

When I build my shocks I sand the spacers even. I sand mine down to the point they are close to leaking and as the rings swell they don't get to tight.
great tips thanks

hey tc5 man, thanks for the help, I just dont like the bladder i keep getting vapor lock and it makes them real stiff, what causes that? air in the shock?
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