Killer RC Slash Suspension Limiting Cables

[robmob]

http://www.killerrc.com/products/suspension_kables.php

I use a set of these on my Baja 5T. They do the job as advertised. Prior to installing them, I broke 2 shock ends. Haven't broke once since installing and I have run the 5T longer with them on than without.

Was browsing the Killer RC site looking for something else and noticed they have them for the Slash as well.

I just may pick a set up for my Slash 4x4.

 

[frickenjoey]

I agree most shocks have way too much travel. I am going to have to limit a few of mine. If the movement is no needed, don't do it.

 

[duramax47]

Great idea i didn't know something like this existed.

 

[alien13]

Are they flexible enough to give immediate full response?

 

[WrenchHead]

Might have to score a set of these.Or make my own. Have snapped a few rod ends my self.

 

[JessF]

it makes a whole lot of sense for the Baja 5t and 5b, they weigh like 25lbs. But a set of limiting cables for a truck that weighs less than 10lbs?, get some metal rod ends, call it a day.

does the Traxxas model have droop screws?

 

[sweetdiesel]

What's the difference between using these cables and using fuel tubing on the shock shaft underneath the piston to limit travel?

 

[JessF]

what your describing limits shock travel by limiting the length of the shaft but in the end your shock ends bear the brunt of the force.

with cables your shock length is limited by the cable, which is a few milimetres shorter than the shock, so the cable bears the brunt of the force.

think of it like this, hold the shock and pull from both ends, you'll probably pull the shock apart or break the rod end. Now do the same with a small piece of steel cable keeping the shock from fully extending, you'll have to break the cable before you break the shock.

for large scale it makes a lot of sense, but at a small scale I suspect it restricts suspension movement and adds a little bit of weight

 

[sweetdiesel]

I don't see a difference between using cables or fuel tubing. Here's my reasoning. When the car is in the air, the shock is at full extension. When the car lands, unless it lands perfectly level there is force exerted on the shock end. Since the shock was at full extension, the maximum amount of force is being applied to the shock end. By limiting or decreasing the shock length, that decreases the force applied to the shock end.

I don't see the main cause of shock breakage being due to the shock stretching itself apart.

 

[JessF]

flip your RC on it's lid, grab it and bang a tire on the side of a table, you'll probably pull the shock end right out. the cables protect the shocks in the event of a super bad and violent crash/rollover scenario.

for a 25lbs RC that, by virtue of it's own weight, can pull rod ends out in a crash, it makes sense.

small light 1/10 or 1/8 RC, makes no sense.

using fuel tubing to limit travel won't protect the shocks, it just limits travel.

 

[robmob]

small light 1/10 or 1/8 RC, makes no sense.

This depends on the RC.

The Slash has a known problem with breaking shock ends and caps. The limiting cables prevent this from happening. Upgrading to aluminum ends and caps is another option, but my experience with aluminum caps on the plastic shock bodies was not good. Instead of breaking the cap, the shock body started to pull out of the cap itself causing it to leak.

The Revo also had problems with breaking shaft ends. Even aluminum ones.

Weight gain is minimal and bashers don't care anyway.

 

[JessF]

This depends on the RC.

The Slash has a known problem with breaking shock ends and caps. The limiting cables prevent this from happening. Upgrading to aluminum ends and caps is another option, but my experience with aluminum caps on the plastic shock bodies was not good. Instead of breaking the cap, the shock body started to pull out of the cap itself causing it to leak.

The Revo also had problems with breaking shaft ends. Even aluminum ones.

Weight gain is minimal and bashers don't care anyway.

fair enough. If your RC is known to have this issue, and you're bashing around, the cables will do a great job preventing shock damage.

 

[sweetdiesel]

The Slash has a known problem with breaking shock ends and caps. The limiting cables prevent this from happening. Upgrading to aluminum ends and caps is another option, but my experience with aluminum caps on the plastic shock bodies was not good. Instead of breaking the cap, the shock body started to pull out of the cap itself causing it to leak.

The Revo also had problems with breaking shaft ends. Even aluminum ones.

Are you certain the shock caps getting blown out are due to over extension of the suspension, rather than excess compression dampening?

I still don't understand the advantage a cable provides to protect against a shock end breaking versus using a spacer underneath the piston. I don't see how there is tremendous pulling force on the shock that will actually rip a solid metal shock end. If the pulling force was that great, I would think that the rod would pull out of the plastic shock end, rather than snapping off.

 

[olds97_lss]

Probably also has to do with the kind of impact it takes. If it was a straight up and down impact that is pulling the arm down, then your probably right, would just strip the threads of the rod end. Although, if the pressure is at an angle, twisting the arm and over extending it, it has a higher likelihood of snapping the shaft. I've snapped a few on my revo. My brain says it should strip the end, but it didn't, snapped it right off at the threads.

What probably makes it more likely on normal trucks/buggies is that the shock is usually mounted to the front or back of the arm, so the arm twists as it over extends, which puts side load on the threads and snaps it vs stripping it. I've done it a few times on my aftershock as well.

I don't recall ever having it happen in my savage or t-maxx when I had one. On those, the ends do just strip, but since there are two shocks spreading the load across the front/back of the arm, it twists less.

Anyone make their own for the baja? Kind of pricey... until I look at the price of the shocks on that thing!

 

[JessF]

I was racing a guy and we both went of a huge jump at the drivers stand, i landed on all fours, but he flipped landing on the topside of his right rear wheel, pulled the shock end apart. On the Bajas, with metal shock bodies, the point of failure is the plastic rod ends.

if you just upgrade the ends, you could eliminate the problem, but you still have the piston smashing into a metal retainer clip inside the shock. this causes metal shavings overtime, which ultimately rips your seals apart, then you gotta rebuild, which sucks.

Killer cables, or something like it, are great. I made my own, and I haven't poped a shock cap once.

just simple steel cable and some aluminium collars. cost was around $3 total. I wrapped the middle section with electrical tape so the shrink tubing would have something to shrink tight against.

because the limiting cables are connected to the arms, and shock towers, and are slightly shorter than my shocks are fully extended, I can keep the stock plastic rod ends, and my shock fluid isn't filling with metal shavings.

 

[beason]

my biggest problem was in a bad landing. the suspension extending further then it is supposed to would rip the shock end off the rod on my revo. also on jumps the suspension extending in the air. the shock is what stops that down motion, and the shock end is the weakest point. even with a spacer under the piston, the arm is still pulling down on the shock end. with these cables, the cable gets tight before the shock gets to its max length, taking the strain off the shock end.

 

[robmob]

It would be nice if you could upgrade the shaft ends on a Baja, but you can't due to them being molded to the shaft.

After market shafts by DarkSoul or Phatdad are one solution, but are pricey.

I went with the cheaper solution which is to use limiting cables by Killer RC. I'm too lazy to go through the trial and error effort of making my own.

Good job on the ones you made JessF.

 

[sweetdiesel]

I don't know why it took so long but I finally got my head wrapped around the cable concept. Thanks for the explanation fellas.

 

[olds97_lss]

I made my own, and I haven't poped a shock cap once.

Where can you find cable and crimps like that? The closest thing I've seen is picture hanging cable... which seems a bit likely to fatigue and break over time.

 

[JessF]

i got the aluminium climping loop sleeve and 1/8" steel cable at Home Depot (canadian), but you should be able to find them at most any large home improvement store.