This was likely in this thread, but I didn't see it.....

Are people still using the "rubber shock boot things"? Mine seem to come off and provide little (if any) protection for the shafts.

Time to ditch them? I'm strictly racing and practicing, not bashing, if that makes a difference....

Thanks in advance!

thanks for all the help here guys. I know i have been asking newbie questions but elecrtic is all new to me lol

Questions are questions, there is no such thing as newbie questions.

You need to cut some slits in them, they seal so well that when they compress quickly, the blow off. I ran my shock without the boots and started bending front cvd's.

Are you sure you have them installed correctly? They shouldnt come off. I personally like the shock boots, they keep the shock oil fresh for a longer
period of time. And helps to keep the shock shafts from getting scratched. (I had to cut slots in the boot or they didnt let the shock compress all the way).

If you dont use the shock boots you need to run another spacer on the shock shaft. I you dont the axle will bind with the outdrive on full compression.

Mine did the same thing for a bit but hasn't in a while. However got to run on 1/8 track today and problems got worse.550 4.5 ballistic havoc sc pro geared 60/13 runs 2 to 4 laps then loses all brake and throttle. Esc gives error green and blue lights flashing(locked rotor detection) although rotor is not locked. No binding in drive train. Tried different motor with diff harness same problem. Tried new cpu board in esc same problem. Motor and esc only reached 100deg. Mostly on the straight. Tried less gear still trips esc.waiting for response from novak Monday as to my next step.

Craigmba thanks for the tip about boiling wheels. I've been baking mine but it smoke a little and stinks ill give boiling a shot.

I used Beadlocks for 9 months on my Slash with a 1415 Castle system in it. I popped a bead one time. They are great. I have no issue with my beadlocks and I just bought another pair for my Sc10 4x4.

As far as the heavier rotating mass, I find that rediculous. We 'want' weight at our tires for dig and LCG. There's an argument that the "pros don't use them so they're bad" - they get handed bags of tires at each race! Come on.

I love them. Yes they will pop a bead occasionally as they are used. But you know what? 2-5 minutes of fix for the 100+ bucks I've saved in rims? I'm good with that trade off. My two cents.

(and yes, If you put them together correctly you're talking full throttle off the ground high high 4.5 spinning to pop a bead off, Experienced with my slash)

OK, so wheels are a whopping $7-10 a pair. You're already buying $20-25 pairs of tires...what's another $14-20 when you're gluing up $50 worth of rubber?

If it's that big of an issue, dismount them with the oven or acetone method...not that big of a deal.

I'm not sure if you're defending or attacking Beadlocks from that post... but either way

Rims are $9.00x2 = $18.00
Tires are $19.00x2 = $38.00

= Saving 18 bucks PER set of tires. Lifetime on my beadlocks: about 10 sets of bald tires (before the pins that hold the rubber started to round out. A bead pop or two? That's the point. that 14-20 whopping bucks just became $180.00 in savings.

Again, bake your tires and reglue them. It's not that hard. Beadlocks add rotating mass which means you're pulling more amps through your ESC and your motor's getting hotter.

Ten sets of wheels? 4wd SCT is already dead in ThunderbirdJunkie's area, and his 2wd SCT and bugyg are easy on rubber...ThunderbirdJunkie has MAYBE five sets of 2wd buggy rears and 3 pairs of 2wd buggy fronts...per car, he MIGHT go through a pair of tires on his 2w stuff a SEASON...and that's mostly REARS.

Yeah, ten sets, at $20 a set...K? Worth burning up a $120-$250 speedo over? Is it worth a DNF because of a bead coming off?

ITBJHO no. If you're cool with it, and spending $50 on a set of wheels so you can take forty five minutes to swap PL-only tires on your PL beadlocks when AKA Gridirons or (blech) Jconcepts Barcodes are the tires at the track simply because the tires you normally run at the track where you only race nights aren't hooking up quite nicely for the big race being held there during the day, go for it. ThunderbirdJunkie's post was not for or against beadlocks. There is a reason Associated quit using that stupid 3 piece rim crap on gas trucks and electric trucks...beadlocks have their place, again, ITBJHO, but it's not on a race truck. If you want to run them, go right ahead, but the convenience of already having a set of tires in the pit box ready to rock and roll is quite nice. Swapping tires on beadlocks on race day to experiment? Pfft, F that. ThunderbirdJunkie races toy cars to relax, not to do extra, unnecessary work. He can see changing a camber link, or even shock oils, at the track...but spending an hour mounting and dismounting tires? Pfft. Screw that, that's too much like work. ThunderbirdJunkie works enough between his full time job and his full time classes. Toy cars are for playing.

Everything old is new again
Let's all rush to buy the hot new Associated 3 piece wheels for our RC10s! 2.2s? That's new, that's stupid...let's stick with 1.5" ProLine Waffles, they hook up GOOD ENOUGH.

My ESC burst into flames with a 3 min run. Had put about 5 packs total through it... Went to novak in irvine, girl told me they had a bad batch of caps. Replaced ESC no questions asked, loving novaks customer support...

Other than that, its a solid setup! Love it, still fine tuning gearing but its close. (i think) 14/62

[QUOTE=T-BirdJunkie;9700026]Again, bake your tires and reglue them. It's not that hard. Beadlocks add rotating mass which means you're pulling more amps through your ESC and your motor's getting hotter.

Ten sets of wheels? 4wd SCT is already dead in ThunderbirdJunkie's area, and his 2wd SCT and bugyg are easy on rubber...ThunderbirdJunkie has MAYBE five sets of 2wd buggy rears and 3 pairs of 2wd buggy fronts...per car, he MIGHT go through a pair of tires on his 2w stuff a SEASON...and that's mostly REARS.

Yeah, ten sets, at $20 a set...K? Worth burning up a $120-$250 speedo over? Is it worth a DNF because of a bead coming off?

ITBJHO no. If you're cool with it, and spending $50 on a set of wheels so you can take forty five minutes to swap PL-only tires on your PL beadlocks when AKA Gridirons or (blech) Jconcepts Barcodes are the tires at the track simply because the tires you normally run at the track where you only race nights aren't hooking up quite nicely for the big race being held there during the day, go for it. ThunderbirdJunkie's post was not for or against beadlocks. There is a reason Associated quit using that stupid 3 piece rim crap on gas trucks and electric trucks...beadlocks have their place, again, ITBJHO, but it's not on a race truck. If you want to run them, go right ahead, but

Wow , thats quite a rant there Tbird , but you are right on the money . I have both types of wheels and there is a visible difference in acceleration between the two . I originally bought the beadlocks to ease tyre changes but now boil off bald tyres and keep my wheels . The beadlocks are gathering dust.

I run Grid irons when it's required, I run barcodes/subcultures - All on PL beadlocks. With a handy Lipo Drill, I can swap the tires in 10 minutes. Is that 45 seconds for plastic rims, no. Each new tire purchase+$18.00-10minutes=Win.

If I think about my ESC drawing extra amps: seeing as how I barely get over 130 degrees on my Speedo, and 165 on my motor, So I don't have that issue, 1415 castle, MMP. I'd really like to see a Castle Chart Log for this because I honestly think that's being overplayed a bit. But either way.

And as far as that rotating mass, my car is planted with them in the corners and down the rough straightaways. the extra weight makes the car travel under it's own weight farther than the plastic. Acceleration is completely null with or without them. I use the 1415 Castle, I won't put up an argument for a smaller can, but " I " do not have an issue.
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I don't want to argue the fact too far either. I just want people to see both sides of this "Taboo possibility" and not be blinded by the "do what the Pros do" thing and just accept spending more money. This "IS" a viable option if you take care of the beadlocks and have your truck set up with a good power system.

(the 9-10 sets i've gone through have been PL m4 compounds at local 8th scale tracks, some Gravel and street running, and 1 race season. -about 15 months) It really doesn't matter because 4 sets paid for the beadlocks, after that it's all savings. Anyway. Dropping Topic.~

Bottom line is I completely disagree with "Beadlocks have their place, but it's not on a race Truck."

NO!

They keep all kinds of crud out of the shock oil.