shock oils

[Tarant]

were i live their are ditches streets and a park but I dont know what Wt. to use I dont whant to go out and buy 5 different oils only to use one so can somone suggest a good allround Wt. now I useing 30 Wt. it is to soft.

 

[Rolex]

What buggy or MT do you have. I have a Tmaxx, and run 55 Wt oil, and it seems to behave pretty well under all conditions. You also have the option of adding the spacers to your shocks to stiffen or soften the ride without changing oil. Experiment with the spacers. The proper setup makes a world of difference as to how the car will handle in different terrain.

 

[Lessen]

You also have the option of adding the spacers to your shocks to stiffen or soften the ride without changing oil. .

Sorry if I sound like I'm pickin but spacers don't change how stiff or soft you're suspension is. Spacers are used to add preload to the spring. The only thing this does for the suspension is change the ride height of the vehicle. i used to think that they made 'em stiffer also but I was corrected as well.

 

[Kodama]

I have a T-Maxx also with the stock shocks. I used 50K weight just recently but I plugged one hole in each of the shock valves thingys, I forget the name right now... plunger maybe, so it acts like the oil is thicker and just absorbs more.

 

[Lessen]

I think the're referred to as pistons.

 

[Kodama]

That sounds right. It's just one of those brainfarts I get almost all the time. lol Anyways, I plugged one of the three holes in each piston (8 total) and it acts as if the oil is thicker so it will absorb slower and make it smoother.

 

[Rolex]

Sorry if I sound like I'm pickin but spacers don't change how stiff or soft you're suspension is.

I realize that, but preloaded also makes them spring back quicker. That's obvious, since they are compressed more. Whenever I changed the shock oil weight, I also end up changing how or where the spacers are in front or rear. It all seems to work together, is what I've found out. Lots of preload on pavement, and none on the front in gravel. Same shock oil, different behavior on different surfaces.

 

[Tarant]

I have the 2 mil spacers in front withe 30 Wt. it is fine but it is to soft it gives to easy and in the back their are the 4 mil with 30 Wt this blows it is to soft and the back rides so low.
It seems you guys suggest 50 or 55Wt. would that fix my front and back problems.
oh ya I have a sportmaxx with 2 speed tranny and skid plates its a 4x4

 

[Hypedonrc]

Other than stock, the only combo. I have used is 50 Wt in all 8, add one of the biggest preload spacers that comes with your maxx to all 8, and move the a arm connections out one hole as to lower it a little. I like it 100% better than the stock set up. It handles alot better, and takes landings alot smother.

 

[ToRqUe]

i dont understand about changing weight oils and the spacers.........dont the do the same thing ???

 

[SkyMaxx]

Wow...this thread is certainly a mess of discussion.

Shock oils/silicones and their weights. The differing weight of oil/silicone is all about the viscosity of the oil/silicone. All else being equal between two shocks, if you have a heavier oil in one than the other the one with the heavier weight will rebound much more slowly than the lighter weight.

Pistons and the number of holes in them. The different number of holes in the piston head are there for a similar reason as the various oil/silicone weights. All else being equal between two shocks, the one with fewer holes in the piston head will rebound more slowly than the one with more holes. Think about moving you hand through water. If you have your hand out flat like a paddle and move it through the water, you feel some resistance. The faster you move your hand the more resistance. Now spread your fingers and do the same thing. The resistance you feel is lessened. Same concept.

That about covers the dampener portion of the shock.

The springs are a different animal and serve one purpose (maybe two). The one purpose is to rebound the shock. The dampener is there to absorb the shock. If you use a really light weight oil and a really strong spring, you now remove the dampener as the absorber and make the spring do all the work...or most of it. The second job (the maybe one...) is that the spring can also be set up to shoulder some of the shock absorption.

Different weight springs do different things. Most people who go for big air or have heavy rides, use heavy duty springs. Most people that do a lot of offroad racing on rough terrain or groomed offroad tracks use lighter springs coupled with lighter oils to allow for rapid articulation of the suspension. The bottom line is that there are as many set ups out there as there are hobbyists.

Dual rate springs versus single rate springs. Single rate springs maintain an average compression rate throughout. In other words the force that they exert is close to constant throughout their compression. Dual rate springs work differently in that they tend to increase the force that they exert throughout their compression. The more you compress it, the more it resists.

That being said, pre-load spacers on Single-rate shocks do nothing more than increase the ride height by making the spring try to decompress thus pushing the truck higher. Will it cause the spring to rebound any quicker? No. It may appear to do so but in reality it does not. Simply put, the spring will exert constant force in resistance to the compression. This in turn pushes the ride up as far as the spring retainers will allow the spring to de-compress. On a dual rate spring, you may see some change as the force is different depending on how far you compress the spring.

So, what does changing the oil, piston head, spacers, and springs do? That is up to you and what you hope to accomplish with your ride. Since this thread is in the T-Maxx Talk section, I will go out on a limb and say that you are running a Maxx of one variety or another (T-Maxx, SportMaxx, or some hopped up variant of either). If all you are doing is running around on the block or playing on relatively easy terrain (which is what you have described,) you should be fine with 30-50wt oil, two to three holes in the piston head, as much preload as you desire, and I would recommend some Trinity Blue springs at all corners. This will give you good suspension movement, decent rebound time, and some strength should you get adventurous and take some air from something higher than the curb.

Hope this lengthy post helps.

 

[Tarant]

thank you to all who answerd I have set my shocks to the hole rite under the stock position and put in 50 Wt. and I can't be more pleased.
say Skymaxx were can I get some of those blue springs.

 

[SkyMaxx]

Here they are listed at Tower Hobbies: CLICK HERE