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Suspension on Tmaxx too soft

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godale03

godale03

Awesomer!! Than Rolex!!
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Hey Guys,

I have changed the stock shocks on my Tmaxx with a set of Traxxas' big bore shocks. I changed the oil in them to like 35 weight shock oil per recomendations from my LHS and also put the stiffer stock springs back on. The big bore springs were way to soft. I am still getting a ride that is to soft the truck bottoms out in the jumps, and the nose dives way to much in the turns. I know it is a monster truck and it is supposed to handle like a truck, but I was hoping to get a bit of a stiffer ride out out it. Any suggestions? I spent almost a hundred bucks on the shocks and the oil.

Tom
 
run 45wt oilin front and 35 in the rear...you're nosediving might be a few symptoms of stuff to check as well....
first turn on your truck and radio...you should be able to push the truck and it rolls freely, no brake drag....if you have brake drag as soon as you leave the ground the tires will slow down fast and the centrifugal forces created by the tires mass will pull the front down....if you gas it the nose will raise up....usually a blip will do the trick, that's all practice stuff anyway......next the shocks in the front being too soft will tend to suck up the lip of the jump and the back end still pushes forward.....this force change also causes the front to dip as soon as it leaves the ramp......shock oils are a definately a preference....personally I like the soft supe shocks on my truggy but not on the buggy.....on my MT I'd run all different weights depending on the conditions and driving style....MTs actaully have most of the setup in the shocks anyway.....you can also use th eRPM dual stage piston heads and get some real cool tuning features....it will make the return and compression rates different based on the piston heads you use......good luck w/ the chassis tuning man, that's the good stuff to learn...
 
Yeah tell me about it. I am learning, slowly, but I am learning just the same. I will try the heavier weight oil in the front and see how that works. I would love to be able to control the truck a bit better than I am able to at this point. I will check the drag on the brakes tonight. How close the the rubber tube should the collett be on the brake linkage? Should it be touching, or should it not touch? I am having such a hard time controling this truck at higher speeds. I like the fact it drives like a truck... but there are other guys out there running there trucks and not loosing them in the turns and off the jumps as I am. Thanks again Plaid.....

Tom
 
when you raise the CG (monster Truck) you have to have something that sucks up the energy when you corner or it will just flip it sideways w/ the force it's throwing out.......soft shocks will do that or you can get sway bars (I don't think they are too good on MTs).....the sway bars will help keep the truck level in turns but once it hits the point of no return it's usually impossible to keep it from rolling....the soft shocks may let it run loose but it gives you a chance to recover before it rolls.....now you have to temper your shock setup for stability w/ making it able to take jumps well (jumping or just crazy driving you want stiffer springs and heavier oils)......on a T-maxx bottoming out really can mess em up.....I let mine do it anyway so I can keep the soft ride......BUT i put lil sections of fuel tube at the bottom of the shaft and at teh top of the shaft.... inside the body and under the piston head, use a washer or plastic spacer that's a lil thinner than the tubing if you do end up using the RPM heads, the tube can stop the piston heads from doing their thing if it's too fat......the tubing gives you a good "bump stop" like when you lower a 1:1 car and you need a stopper so you don't hit chassis.........the tubes will split after a few good hits so there is more maintenance required......but you don't blow caps or bend shafts nearly as often......
 
That last tip was real nifty, Plaid. I am going to try that on my Maxx.
 
You would probably be better off stacking up a few o-rings instead of using fuel line. o-rings will compress and give you cushion when you bottom out the shock, but they would be less likely to split.
 
Hey guys,

I know I am still as stupid newb, but I am having a hard time understanding where on the Maxx you are talking about putting fuel tubing and why you would do that. Are you talking about actually going inside the shock housing itself and buffering the shaft from the inside, or are you talking about adding the tubing, and/or O rings to the bottom of the shock on the outside? Thanks guys.

Tom
 
olds97_lss said:
You would probably be better off stacking up a few o-rings instead of using fuel line. o-rings will compress and give you cushion when you bottom out the shock, but they would be less likely to split.
Click to expand...
If you use shocks w/ the caps on the bottom (like stock or maxx specific shocks all seem to have the caps) they work, If you are using 1/8 scale shocks they Orings can rip out your C-clip thingy.....the fuel tube doesn't seem to grap it liek the O-rings do.....I tried the red ones and the black ones...IF I can find the clear blue ones in a larger size they would probably work real well.....

tom: I'm talking about both.....take the shaft and piston out of the shock body and slide a small section of fuel tube onto the shaft under the piston head (the disc inside the shock).....rebuild the shock and before you put the bottom end back on slide another peice of tubing...the one inside should only be between 1/8 and 1/4".....the one outside the shock body about 1/4".....I make the inside on smaller than the outside usually......make sure your tubing does not interfere w/ the piston head.....WAIT A MIN....OLDS I'm sorry I didn't think your post through more carefully....I never tried the O-rings inside......that would probably not infere w/ the piston head...... :doh: ......godale try 2 O-rings inside like olds suggested...I'm trying that next rebuild myself now.....
 
I wouldn't use the silicone or whatever "stock" o-rings. I'd get some fatter ones from the hardware store. That way they will press on the shock instead of the actual o-ring that's sealing it.
 
It will give me something to play with this winter. I am still not real sure about how to build a shock or exactly where to install the O rings, but you have to learn sometime. I am also going to change out all the plastic drivetrain stuff this winter with MIP stuff, and maybe put an RRP slipper in. I am not real sure about that, since I do not know how to do that either. I swear I have got to be the most stupid newb there is! :shrug:

Tom
 
Tom, the RRP slipper is real simple. You just pull of the old slipper set up and completely replace it with the RRP kit. It just uses slipper plates instead of those pesky pins that always wear out.

As to the shocks, if you have a spare one sitting around just take it apart and study it. It will come to you what Plaid is talking about. Real good idea. I have heard it before but now I plan to try it on my S-Maxx that I converted to a T-Maxx.
 
Yeah Revo,

I understand what you are saying. The only way to learn is to jump in. I do have an old shock to play with so that is a great idea. I had not actually thought of that before, believe it or not. Hey, if I run into trouble I know where I can find the help, that is for sure! It is a shame that I can't get sealed diffs like the revo. I hate working with Diff grease. Thanks guys

Tom
 

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