Stampede 4x4 shocks

[Mikeryder]

Hi all, I am now learning pretty quick. Honing my driving skills. I need to learn quite a bit more. I have a question about my shocks. My kit came with shock adjusters(inserts). Now I'm learning to drive(btw I'm 61 and my first truck) I'm getting better. I have noticed if I jump off a small hill onto the road it bottoms out. Do the inserts help with this? This is my new stress release not a basher. I'm trying now to get it tuned in as much as i can. Its fun......
Mike

 

[Cranberry Juice]

Hi all, I am now learning pretty quick. Honing my driving skills. I need to learn quite a bit more. I have a question about my shocks. My kit came with shock adjusters(inserts). Now I'm learning to drive(btw I'm 61 and my first truck) I'm getting better. I have noticed if I jump off a small hill onto the road it bottoms out. Do the inserts help with this? This is my new stress release not a basher. I'm trying now to get it tuned in as much as i can. Its fun......
Mike

It will help because it puts more tension on the springs to begin with, so they want to rebound sooner, but it will make it sit higher. You could add spacers and move the shocks to an outer shock mounting location if possible. You could also replace the shock fluid (if they are already filled) with thicker fluid, which would increase the damping and make it harder to bottom out. You could also get stiffer springs. Just depends on what you feel comfortable doing.

 

[Mikeryder]

Thanks, I am starting to get it. I have relized the soft shocks are great for turns without flipping. but there also to soft for a little jump. I need to find my sweet spot. I'm just not sure what different shocks, oil, spacers will do. I guess like everone else I will learn, as I have limited funds, I'm trying not to do it the hard way.

 

[Doom!]

Experiment with the free options first, shock position and spring tension via the spacers is a good place to start. The fronts and backs don't always have to have the same settings. Good to experiment and learn, especially when there is no cost involved.

 

[Rocketzx1]

You want the shocks to bottom out and let the chassis slap the ground, as in not letting this happen will break many, many things... shock towers, a-arms, shock rod ends, shock rods, bend hinge pins, etc.

For better shocks, look at getting Traxxas GTR shocks. The GTR shocks are a huge upgrade over the stock Ultra Shocks that come on the truck.

Traxxas just refreshed the 3s 4x4 and 2wd lineup, and those come with composite GTR shocks, which would also work well. Though they aren't for sale yet, you should keep them in mind for a lower cost upgrade over the all aluminum GTR shocks.

The composite GTR shocks that came stock on my Jato 4x4 (4s now with Castle 1415 2400kv/Mamba X) have held up really well. Once Traxxas releases the composite GTR shocks, I'm putting them on all of my trucks that don't already have the aluminum GTR shocks.

 

[RustyUs]

A small amount of chassis slap is perfectly fine. Once you get the ride height you want, do not mess with the springs. Change shock oil thickness for your desired amount of damping.
https://traxxas.com/articles/suspension-tuning-guide-part2

 

[Ramp addict]

It's a compromise between ride quality and bottom out resistance. Ideally when you squash the truck to the ground and it rebounds the driveshafts should be near level. This isn't absolute. You might try 35wt fluid in your shocks. This will stiffen up your truck a bit without being excessive.

 

[joerzr]

Hi all, I am now learning pretty quick. Honing my driving skills. I need to learn quite a bit more. I have a question about my shocks. My kit came with shock adjusters(inserts). Now I'm learning to drive(btw I'm 61 and my first truck) I'm getting better. I have noticed if I jump off a small hill onto the road it bottoms out. Do the inserts help with this? This is my new stress release not a basher. I'm trying now to get it tuned in as much as i can. Its fun......
Mike

Try heavier wt. oil and firmer springs. Shock spacers effect ride height. They may keep your truck from bottoming out on jumps but handling corners and smaller bumps will be worse.

 

[Mikeryder]

Now I'm more confused. I am looking at the GTR shocks. There are long and xxx shocks. I am not sure what ones or one type front and the other rear? I want to try to get it right the first time as funds are limited.

 

[HPIguy]

Try heavier wt. oil and firmer springs. Shock spacers effect ride height. They may keep your truck from bottoming out on jumps but handling corners and smaller bumps will be worse.

Firmer springs will also affect ride height.

Suspension tuning is a labor of love to get it truly dialed. Lots of tear downs and changes to be made. Best way I've found for go fast stuff is to get slow motion video of the suspension in action, and go from there.

 

[joerzr]

Firmer springs will also affect ride height.

Suspension tuning is a labor of love to get it truly dialed. Lots of tear downs and changes to be made. Best way I've found for go fast stuff is to get slow motion video of the suspension in action, and go from there.

*I was stating the result of a spring change.
i.e. ride height increased. I believe you're looking at my statement as the act of changing the springs. Splitting hairs to be sure..
Tuning suspension action to your liking can be trial and error.
If differing shock oil is too expensive (gone up considerably), most kits and rtr's come with extra shock pistons. Keeping the same wt. oil, say 30wt., and going from a 2 hole piston to a 1 hole piston will make the shock stiffer. A lot of race brands such as Associated and TLR include a tuning guide. Very helpful in racing my 2wd B6.1 for the local indoor carpet track.

 

[Mikeryder]

So, looking at the GTR shocks. I'm thinking xxl on the rear and GTR long on the front. I have no idea what springs to start with. I did do a few two foot jumps into the street. It hit flat and loud. Any advice for me the newbie.
Thanks

 

[Mikeryder]

Or should I do Long or XXL all around?

 

[PonkyKong]

Or should I do Long or XXL all around?

I like to hop an Amazon and grab some cheap shocks. Hosim are okay. Sometimes you get lucky and they work for a long time.

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

Have you checked the manual?

Traxxas is really good about listing PN's.
Even hop ups!

Off their Parts Finder section on the website

Shocks

I am trying to remember what I used on mine. I want to say it was either the Big Bores or a Losi shock.

 

[PonkyKong]

OGRC is a cheaper brand that makes a good shock. They cost about half as much as Traxxas would. Sometimes I add extra shocks or 8th scale shocks if I plan on repeated jumps. I also put some hot glue on the bottom of the chassis tub to absorb some of the chassis slap.