sounds like your spring is too short and you're actually hitting the bottom of the threads, or your spring assembly is bottoming out on the flange. 1/4" washer or two between the spring and the inner plate pushes the spring outwards some, which allows you to get more tension on the spring and you will actually compress it 100% before you bottom out on the threads.

I was skeptical of this until I tried it and for $0.25, I became a believer.

Yup. you bottomed out on the threads. You need to add a spacer right after the thrustwasher to bring the pulley out 1mm and everything is fixed. Don't go crazy over 1mm, you'll throw the pulley alignment off and cause new problems.

When people were getting Baskets and HD pads, I did this, and I ran stock 550 no problem.

For the Center diff, you have to tighten it all the way down, and the ledge on the Topshaft isn't allowing that.

Thanks mister, that's kind of what I did.

And yeah, the dang things are 100% metal sealed on one side, rubber on the other. Having a competitive in-line speed skating background, i'm VERY familiar with bearings, and their shieldings, and where you want better bearings and where you can get away with OK bearings. (Forget your ABEC ratings...I'd rather have a high quality ABEC 1 bearing than pay extra for an ABEC 7 or 9 bearing from a manufacturer that claims that a higher ABEC rating is key to performance....in anything with shocks and vibrations affecting bearings that spin at less than 30,000 RPM, don't bother!)

How do you tell the V2 spring from the regular spring? Is the PN different?

V2 Slipper Spring

Standard Slipper Spring assembly

Looks like the V2's hardened.

7486 is stock according to my manual, so everyone with an SC104x4 1st gen kit should have a V2 spring (this was V2 for the SC10 slipper, so it makes sense to include the stronger spring with the heavier truck)

That being said, my first spring lost all of it's....springyness....within the first month of heating up the slipper assembly. A new spring, even if it was the same as stock, would definately have more spring since it hadn't been subject to the heat and pressure.

Seriously? It's an upgrade? I knew about it for the SC10 2w (the stock spring blows goats) but never considered it for the 4x4.

I see the confusion on my part, thank you BGB.

Yup, mine did the same thing, and bought another as soon as I put the spacer in. Not even a tad bit of heat from that point on, Used the same spring for 6 months.

I know, great huh?

In AE's defence....how many 550 motors were available during their testing? I'm pretty sure there was....ah...one? Maybe two? And I'm pretty sure that AE guys don't often run Novak equipment. They were testing with 540s and the stock slipper spring and pads were "enough". Now we know that we need more for these monster motors.

I want to especially thank Mantis for doing the R&D and finding the penicillin to our slipper woes. (From what I recall of the story, realizing Garolite was the solution almost an accident)

Of course, now that I've spent the money on two sets of Garolite pads, he releases something even better...what a guy!

Don't forget MTK.

There were 550's out. The 'racing groups' were behind the bashers. I was running a 550 in my Slash 9 months before I got my Sc10.

This is my Final version of my Sc10 4x4.
Coyote Team Sc10 4x4

I will now begin to horde excess money in preparation for the True FT Sc104x4. (Feb? I'll believe it when I see it)

page 904 post #13554 are a few pics. I know it has the Exotek saddle kit but that is side by side. The Mantis is inline so it will fit.

Point taken. And I don't forget MTK...if the garodiscs and center diff hadn't come around, I would have an MTK clutch basket...for a long time, I just couldn't justify the price when my lap times were being hampered by my driving rather than my setup. The pads were cheaper, and many people who tried both said they were pretty much the same as running a basket with AE pads.
When you need marshalling at least once every lap, a clutch basket isn't going to help much! ('course, this is my first offroad racer....jumping is a hard thing to get your head around when you're used to flat track racing)

I have posted on the viper thread but would like more info. Does anyone have any experience running the viper esc or motors in the sc10 4x4? A few guys say their new Copperhead combos are awesome. After responses from this thread i have pretty much decided on the Tekin Pro4 4000 motor with a mmp esc. However, I am very interested in the Viper VTX10R esc with the progauge. I know nothing about them and can't find out much info. Anyone have any experiences or recommendations as I plan on purchasing something soon.

the viper esc and progauge is my absolute favorite esc to tune and program its super easy and u dont need a lap top. ive had just about every brand of esc and as far as tunability the viper is the best. As far as performance i prefer the havoc pro wit x drive or the lrp sxx v2 my viper i had the 10r would sumtimes just shut off on me for no reason once in a great while and it was annoying it was great when it was working though and it could have been from the servo at the time though for the price the havoc pro it best bang for buck