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T.O.P. Racing "Photon" 1/10 EP Touring Car

Old 08-01-2010, 08:10 PM
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Originally Posted by L.Fairtrace
The new kits come with the v2 shocks. And if you run xray shocks you'll never be able to use any setups posted on here because getting the shocks to feel the same as the kit shocks will be basically impossible.
Hey larry could you go into detail on how you build your shocks. Do you build them exactly the way the instructions say? Do you use green slime on the o-rings? What shock oil do you prefer and how much rebound.

And I cant explain how important it is to get your shocks feeling pright on this car. It makes a world of difference.
P
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Old 08-01-2010, 08:16 PM
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Hey larry can you go into a little detail on your routine on how you build your shocks. What brand shock oil you prefer, green slime, how much rebound.
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Old 08-01-2010, 08:29 PM
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Humm, let me try this question:

Has anyone tried to compare the Xray shocks against the Photon V2 shocks on carpet? I do not intend to drive this car outdoors.
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Old 08-01-2010, 08:53 PM
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Ok here is what I do when I build my shocks. I only use the V2 Shock now as they are smoother and don't have random leaking problems that some of the old v1 shocks had.

The first thing I do is not exactly necessary but I like to do it.

I cut the little nub that doesn't have threads off the bottom of the shafts. this makes me able to screw on the bottom and shorten the whole throw of the shock so the piston doesn't push on the bladder as much when fully compressed. Like I said its not necessary because you are probably never compressing the shock that much anyways but I do it none the less.

I make sure the white spacer that goes in the bottom of the shock slides on the shaft with no friction at all, I like to make sure it drops on. If it doesn't I hit it with a reamer real quick. But as of right now with the v2 shocks this problem has gone away and I haven't had to do it with the white machined piece.

I use the 40 degree o rings even with the V2 shocks all the time. I use green slime on the o ring.

I put a .2mm shim on top of the piston between the piston and the Eclip to take up the little bit of play the piston has.

As of late I don't like running any rebound at all in my shocks so I drill a hole in the plastic part of the cap right at the base of the shock mounting part that goes up from the flat part of the cap with a #57 drill bit.

Then I put the shaft in and make sure it slides up and down very very smoothly on the oring. It usually does if everything is done right. I ream out the shock bottom were the 5.8 ball goes in so it is as free as possible without any slop. This usually just takes a slight touch with a reamer. I also hit the plastic top with a reamer too, just so everything rotates smoothly.

I screw the bottom on as much as possible right before it starts binding the 5.8 ball in the bottom on each of the shocks.

Then I fill up the shock with oil. Always Losi oil, just because thats what I have used for the past 5 years so I know it well. And they have half weights which gives me more range of adjustment.

If possible I build my shocks and let them sit overnight and get the bubbles out, I don't like using a shock pump because it feels like you can always get bubbles to come up if you pump it too much. I do use them at the track once in a while if I don't have time to let the shocks sit for an hour or so.

When I am ready to finish I push the shaft 95 percent of the way in and push the bladder on with the back of my lunsford turnbuckle wrench or whatever is just about the same size as the concave part of the bladder make sure all the excess oil runs out and you keep the shock shaft pushed in 95 percent of the way. Then I screw the cap on almost all the way and push the shaft the rest of the way in as any excess oil bleeds out and then tighten the cap. If you drilled the holes right and built it right it should have no rebound at all and no contraction when you pull the shaft out.

I measure my shocks from end to end after being built and make them 61.5mm.

That is pretty much exactly what I do. The keys are making sure before putting oil in them that all the shafts slide on the orings very smoothly with almost no friction at all.

Also always make sure the pistons are clean and without burrs before putting them in.

I always use the 1.2mm pistons with 3 holes.

I think that is everything. Probably way more info than anyone needed and most of it unnecessary.
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Old 08-01-2010, 09:02 PM
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Originally Posted by PDX-Spike
Humm, let me try this question:

Has anyone tried to compare the Xray shocks against the Photon V2 shocks on carpet? I do not intend to drive this car outdoors.
Xray shocks are a PITA to build compared to any "Tamiya Copied" shock. I know a lot of people that run Tamiya shocks on Xray cars. If the new Top shocks are as good as people say they are compared to Tamiya shocks, then run them.
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Old 08-01-2010, 10:13 PM
  #5091  
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Originally Posted by Owen RaCing
Xray shocks are a PITA to build compared to any "Tamiya Copied" shock. I know a lot of people that run Tamiya shocks on Xray cars. If the new Top shocks are as good as people say they are compared to Tamiya shocks, then run them.
Interesting comments, thanks. I've been using Xray shocks for four years and haven't had any problems with building and maintaining them. I gave up on the adjustable pistons a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. Caps are vented allowing 0 to 25 percent rebound. Bleeding them out the bottom is easy.

Checked A-Main for available Photon springs. It appears there are two "13" sets (soft and hard). The "14" set has a decent spacing, but what do you do if you need a spring in the 23 lb/in to 27 lb/in range? It appears there aren't any; OR, the kit comes with two spring sets in that range?

The IIC is creeping up and really need to get a jump on this stuff before I get the kit. Thanks for any help.
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Old 08-01-2010, 10:31 PM
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Originally Posted by L.Fairtrace
Ok here is what I do when I build my shocks...
Excellent information! Thanks!
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Old 08-01-2010, 11:07 PM
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Originally Posted by L.Fairtrace
I put a .2mm shim on top of the piston between the piston and the Eclip to take up the little bit of play the piston has.
Where do you get those shims to get rid of the play on the shock pistons?
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Old 08-02-2010, 01:55 AM
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Originally Posted by pakk
Where do you get those shims to get rid of the play on the shock pistons?
It's a 3mm ID shim. TOP make a shim set (PA-100305), Tamiya make some, Yokomo make some Kyosho make some... it's not an uncommon part, just not always something that shops keep on the shelves!

Shimming the piston is an essential otherwise you get a heap of undamped movement in the shock. The car will feel a lot smoother on the track once you do. I actually went another route and fitted Tamiya pistons and shafts to the shock.
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Old 08-02-2010, 05:15 AM
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Originally Posted by sosidge
It's a 3mm ID shim. TOP make a shim set (PA-100305), Tamiya make some, Yokomo make some Kyosho make some... it's not an uncommon part, just not always something that shops keep on the shelves!

Shimming the piston is an essential otherwise you get a heap of undamped movement in the shock. The car will feel a lot smoother on the track once you do. I actually went another route and fitted Tamiya pistons and shafts to the shock.
The tamiya pistons dont have the correct size holes and they are also slightly smaller diameter and thus will have more oil that can get around the edge of the piston within the shock body. This will give you a different feel on the track, and its a feel I never liked.
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Old 08-02-2010, 06:40 AM
  #5096  
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Originally Posted by L.Fairtrace
Ok here is what I do when I build my shocks. I only use the V2 Shock now as they are smoother and don't have random leaking problems that some of the old v1 shocks had.

The first thing I do is not exactly necessary but I like to do it.

I cut the little nub that doesn't have threads off the bottom of the shafts. this makes me able to screw on the bottom and shorten the whole throw of the shock so the piston doesn't push on the bladder as much when fully compressed. Like I said its not necessary because you are probably never compressing the shock that much anyways but I do it none the less.

I make sure the white spacer that goes in the bottom of the shock slides on the shaft with no friction at all, I like to make sure it drops on. If it doesn't I hit it with a reamer real quick. But as of right now with the v2 shocks this problem has gone away and I haven't had to do it with the white machined piece.

I use the 40 degree o rings even with the V2 shocks all the time. I use green slime on the o ring.

I put a .2mm shim on top of the piston between the piston and the Eclip to take up the little bit of play the piston has.

As of late I don't like running any rebound at all in my shocks so I drill a hole in the plastic part of the cap right at the base of the shock mounting part that goes up from the flat part of the cap with a #57 drill bit.

Then I put the shaft in and make sure it slides up and down very very smoothly on the oring. It usually does if everything is done right. I ream out the shock bottom were the 5.8 ball goes in so it is as free as possible without any slop. This usually just takes a slight touch with a reamer. I also hit the plastic top with a reamer too, just so everything rotates smoothly.

I screw the bottom on as much as possible right before it starts binding the 5.8 ball in the bottom on each of the shocks.

Then I fill up the shock with oil. Always Losi oil, just because thats what I have used for the past 5 years so I know it well. And they have half weights which gives me more range of adjustment.

If possible I build my shocks and let them sit overnight and get the bubbles out, I don't like using a shock pump because it feels like you can always get bubbles to come up if you pump it too much. I do use them at the track once in a while if I don't have time to let the shocks sit for an hour or so.

When I am ready to finish I push the shaft 95 percent of the way in and push the bladder on with the back of my lunsford turnbuckle wrench or whatever is just about the same size as the concave part of the bladder make sure all the excess oil runs out and you keep the shock shaft pushed in 95 percent of the way. Then I screw the cap on almost all the way and push the shaft the rest of the way in as any excess oil bleeds out and then tighten the cap. If you drilled the holes right and built it right it should have no rebound at all and no contraction when you pull the shaft out.

I measure my shocks from end to end after being built and make them 61.5mm.

That is pretty much exactly what I do. The keys are making sure before putting oil in them that all the shafts slide on the orings very smoothly with almost no friction at all.

Also always make sure the pistons are clean and without burrs before putting them in.

I always use the 1.2mm pistons with 3 holes.

I think that is everything. Probably way more info than anyone needed and most of it unnecessary.
Man, Thanks Larry I am going to try this. Do you hit it right the first time, most of the time? Seems like im always having to add more oil or rebleed and ending up using half the bottle of oil trying to get them perfect. Also, you are using the stock bladder? Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to learn.
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Old 08-02-2010, 06:43 AM
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Originally Posted by dannybcaitlyn
Man, Thanks Larry I am going to try this. Do you hit it right the first time, most of the time? Seems like im always having to add more oil or rebleed and ending up using half the bottle of oil trying to get them perfect. Also, you are using the stock bladder? Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to learn.
I always hit it the first time, every time. When you fill the shock completely with oil and press in the bladder like Larry said, the excess bleeds out and leaves the correct amount of fluid in the shock. If you have to add or remove oil, you're not pressing the bladder in correctly or you didn't start with enough oil to begin with. Try it Larry's way and you shouldn't have any problems.
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Old 08-02-2010, 07:35 AM
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Originally Posted by stiltskin
I always hit it the first time, every time.
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Old 08-02-2010, 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by pakk
Where do you get those shims to get rid of the play on the shock pistons?
I've always used motor armature shims. Still have lots of old brushed motor parts laying around, works for me.
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Old 08-02-2010, 08:27 AM
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Will the pistons fit the Tamiya shafts?
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