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Building shocks....
- Thread starter mcvickj
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El Pirata
RCTalk VIP
Yup.
hmmm rebuilding and bleeding shocks..didnt know anything about this. But I do know about water hammer thats cool it breaks stuff..big time. the guy @ the hobby store laughed at me today and said the only time he broke his motor mount is when his maxx got run over by a real truck then he told me my shocks might need rebuilding cause it should be able to take a hit like it took and not break. so is there a place I can go to learn how to check and/or rebuild my shocks?
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If your shocks are the stock T-Maxx shocks, then we can walk you through the process here. It really is not that difficult. Let me know what shocks you have, and I'll let you know what to do.
What you will need to do a complete rebuild:
1. 4 sets of these
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJJ17&P=7
2. Some more oil or silicone in an appropriate wieght to refill the shocks.
3. Time to take them apart and put them back together again.
I'm looking to see if there is a diagram that breaks down the TRAXXAS shocks. That will make this go much more easily.
What you will need to do a complete rebuild:
1. 4 sets of these
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJJ17&P=7
2. Some more oil or silicone in an appropriate wieght to refill the shocks.
3. Time to take them apart and put them back together again.
I'm looking to see if there is a diagram that breaks down the TRAXXAS shocks. That will make this go much more easily.
hey sky thanks. obviously tonight I wont be rebuilding my shocks but they are the stock maxx shocks. the truck is only two weeks old...do you think the shocks would die that quickly? I have my brakes set pretty firm so when I hit em the front end nosedives really hard..almost bottom out. rear is firm but would rebuild those too if I had too.
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Odds are with a truck that "old", you do not have to do a full rebuild. The stock shocks tend to leak oil from the top. The most you should have to do is remove them from the truck, take the cap off, refill with oil/silicone, bleed them, then re-cap them, and install them on the truck.
The full rebuild has to do with replacing the o-rings that the shaft rides through and the diaphragm that goes in the cap. Sometimes you need to replace the piston head and the shaft for wear, but that should not be the case here.
Please tell me your LHS is not HobbyTown USA. If it is, tell the guy to take his laughter and stick it where it hurts.
The full rebuild has to do with replacing the o-rings that the shaft rides through and the diaphragm that goes in the cap. Sometimes you need to replace the piston head and the shaft for wear, but that should not be the case here.
Please tell me your LHS is not HobbyTown USA. If it is, tell the guy to take his laughter and stick it where it hurts.
The T-Maxx shocks need maintenance directly from the box!
I have never seen a Maxx that didn't need shock oil added before brake-in.
Shocks are one of the most neglected parts on a Maxx. Due to the fact that there are 8 of them and they are difficult to install and un install most people just let them run flat. The stock shocks are garbage and will need maintenance often.
New shocks are one of the first major upgrades people get.
OK sounds good...what is the stock shock oil weight? right now when I hammer the brakes (I have them set pretty hard) the nose almost bottoms out...the rear is firm but the front isnt. How much oil is in there orshould be in there?
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I believe stock weight is 35, but do not quote me on that.
To stop the bottoming out, try this mod I posted in a similar thread...
As for how much oil/silicone does it take to fill them up...not much. Something on the order of 4-6 floz. The trick is in the proper filling and bleeding of the shock.
To stop the bottoming out, try this mod I posted in a similar thread...
As for how much oil/silicone does it take to fill them up...not much. Something on the order of 4-6 floz. The trick is in the proper filling and bleeding of the shock.
I use the scientific approach to filling then up.
The exact fluid measurement is.......
To the top.
:
If you are using stock Traxxas shocks remove the rubber bladder from the lid and clean it up. Make sure there is no leftover fluid underneath then re-install it into the cap. Make sure the dome points out and the flat part is all the way inside the cap and sits flush against the top of the lid.
Fill and bleed the shock. The oil should come to the top of the shock with the shock shaft fully extended.
Hold the shock in one hand and slowly drop the cap on top of the shock and let it float down. You should get some fluid dripping down the side. Gently turn the cap so the threads just catch. Hold the assembly by the cap and slowly turn the shock about 1/8th of a turn then stop. Let the fluid leak out of the threads. Continue this process until the cap is tight.
You should be able to push the shaft all the way in. If filled properly the shaft will rebound about 1/4th the way out on its own.
The exact fluid measurement is.......
To the top.
: If you are using stock Traxxas shocks remove the rubber bladder from the lid and clean it up. Make sure there is no leftover fluid underneath then re-install it into the cap. Make sure the dome points out and the flat part is all the way inside the cap and sits flush against the top of the lid.
Fill and bleed the shock. The oil should come to the top of the shock with the shock shaft fully extended.
Hold the shock in one hand and slowly drop the cap on top of the shock and let it float down. You should get some fluid dripping down the side. Gently turn the cap so the threads just catch. Hold the assembly by the cap and slowly turn the shock about 1/8th of a turn then stop. Let the fluid leak out of the threads. Continue this process until the cap is tight.
You should be able to push the shaft all the way in. If filled properly the shaft will rebound about 1/4th the way out on its own.
ok I finally get around to removing my shocks from the truck. (stock shocks) take the spring out, compress slowly and ......it stays...this is not good is it? I opened one shock up and the oil is about1/2 in down from top. doesn't seem like that hard of a fix but hopefully this will help my maxx out a lil. I wont be around now until tues to do a rebuild so I will let you guys know how it came out. wish me luck:jet:
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Correct. This is definitely not good. The fact that you found the cylinder only half full of oil is an indication that the thing leaked. The symptom (the shock remaining compressed) is a result of the half filled cylinder.
You might want to pick up a rebuild kit and some new oil and just re-do all eight shocks. Should cost you less than ten bucks.
You might want to pick up a rebuild kit and some new oil and just re-do all eight shocks. Should cost you less than ten bucks.
What do you guys use to clean out the shock bodies after dumping the old oil out?
Once all the components are removed I use soap and watter.
Somewhere along the line I picked up a tiny little bottle brush.
Somewhere along the line I picked up a tiny little bottle brush.