suspension setup

[Nitro_Freak]

is my x-terminator's suspension supposed to be set super soft?? i like drive it off a curb and it almost bottoms out..is this normal or should i be looking at some new shock oil/springs. i've already added a preload spacer to the rear shocks which helped...but still didn't stiffen it up enough

thanks

 

[Maskale]

if you dont have any spacers in front you may want to add

 

[Nitro_Freak]

but all spacers do is add more proload to the suspension. the buggy already bounces up after it lands sometimes, i don't want to add to that. does anyone know the stock oil weight in the the x-t deluxe's shocks?? i have some 40wt shock oil that i may put in...

 

[Maskale]

I dont think the springs are what's making it bounce back up off the ground. that is just what happens sometimes when it lands hard, almost anything you drop hard enough will bounce weather it has springs or not, and the shocks should take the bounce out of it. I have a 5mm spacer in the rear and 11mm in the front on my buggy.

 

[WA2FAST]

It's probibly really thin oil... try changing the front out to 40 and the rear to 35-40... this should help a lot, if not, then you need new pistons and that WILL make a difference.

 

[militarymaxx]

Suspension setups can get complicated and confusing and most of us will tell you that it comes down to trial and error, see what works for different applications. Some rules of thumb:

Thicker oil = more dampening = slower piston movement

Thinner oil = less dampening = faster piston movement

Heavier springs = more pre-load = faster rebound

Softer springs = less pre-load = slower rebound

Keep in mind you can mix and match everything to get what works best for you. There are extreme setups that will help you on one end, but hurt you on the other. For example; a heavy spring with alot of spacers (pre-load) might help you on that monster landing, but over the washboards you'll be bouncing all over the place. Like I said earlier, trial and error. There are, of course, generalized settings for buggies and MT's but I've seen folks deviate from the
'norm' and have great success. I run a medium spring with 40 weight f/r and it works fine for me. But I like alot of pancaking (chassis bottoming out), so I keep things soft. Take notes and Good Luck !!

 

[GaInGrEEn]

Yeah suspension setup is all in driving styles. Test them soft/hard/med and try diffrent weights. It is all what works best with your style of driving.

 

[Nitro_Freak]

ok, i'll try switching out the oil tomorrow. but now, i started having engine trouble. it was running perfectly, then shut off. when i restarted it (after a lot of pulling when usually it only take 1-3 pulls), it was running really lean so i richened high/low about 1/4 of a turn. i retsarted it, again it was really hard to start, and it was the same. richened it another 1/4 turn, restarted, same thing. after that it just wouldn't start. i took the head off the engine and it looked like on the piston there were tiny specks of dust. i've never taken an engine apart before, so not exactly sure what to do. would it be ok to wipe the piston totally clean? it was pretty oily when i looked at it...

thanks

 

[Maskale]

You may have done it, but i would check the plug. before i start pulling it apart.

 

[WA2FAST]

Yeah, taking the engine appart like that is the last resort. Always check your glow plug and tuning before taking it appart... you shouldn't ever have to take it appart till there is little or no compression left and it needs a rebuild, or you have physical damage from something breaking... not when it won't start or stay running.

 

[Nitro_Freak]

i changed the glow plug, it didn't help. today i (my friend, actually) broke my pull-start, so instead of replacing it, i got the xtm startbox. i havn't tried it out yet. i asked the guy at my lhs what my problem could be after explaining the symptoms and he said to richen the lsn some more. i'll try that and let ya'll know how it goes. thanks for the all the help

 

[WA2FAST]

You could always set the needles back to the factory setting and start over again... now that it's broken in, you don't need to spend much time getting it tuned back in to run well.

 

[Nitro_Freak]

i'll try that, thanks

 

[WA2FAST]

Good deal... let us know how it goes.

 

[Nitro_Freak]

i tried starting it today with my new start box...and it didn't work at all, like the flywheel didn't spin. i think it might be seized or something...arghh i hate this

 

[Maskale]

what kind of starter box did you get, was it a good one? was the rubber wheel turning and not the flywheel? were you putting enough pressure between the flywheel and starter box?

sometimes on new mills it is still tight at the top. so turn your fly wheel clockwise (when looking at it from the front) until it is at the bottom of its stroke and then you can turn it a bit more just until you start to feel some resistance. then put it on your starter box and push down just a bit to start the starter box spinning and then push down some more to make contact between the flywheel and rubber wheel. doing this will give the mill and starter box alittle head start so that when the piston gets to the top where it is tight it will already be moving and hopfully keep going. do this and your mill should turn over, that is if you piston is just stuck at the top because the mill is somewhat new and still tight at the top.

one more thing is it hydro locked, if so losen up the glow plug a bit and try.

 

[Nitro_Freak]

i bought the xtm 1/8 offroad starterbox seen here: http://hobbypeople.net/gallery/146055.asp

i feel kinda stupid right now. turns out the rubber wheel thingy in the starter box was hitting the chassis. i lined it up now so it doesn't hit thr chassis, except now it won't reach the flywheel! anyone know what gives??

 

[Maskale]

hey man the only reason that i know what my be wrong is because, i have been there done that and felt stupid cause somelittle thing was just whoppin my arse mentaly, and so i would have to think about it and somtimes it would take a while to figure out.

Anyways the little plastic white things on the starter box can be moved around, so move them around so that they are not under the chassie but under the suspension arms, especially in the back. it will take alittle bit of adjustment but put them so that they will fit in some part of the lower suspension are so that when you push down on the buggy the lid of the starter box will be pushed down also but at the same time the little white plastic tabs on the starter box lid will push the suspension up and allow the chassie to come down and flywheel and the rubber wheel will make contact. make sure you have it set up so the rubber wheel does not touch the chassie or your rubber wheel will not last very long. if all is set up well you should be able to put you buggy on and line it up very easy, put the glow plug on push down and get it running

 

[WA2FAST]

Hmm... you should be able to spin the flywheel with no problem, obvoiusly get some resistance at TDC, but you should be able to spin it with your finger... is this not the case? You sure you put it all back together correctly? What about when you had the head off... you should have been able to spin it very easily with that off...

 

[Nitro_Freak]

yah i can spin the flywheel by hand with some resistance, so forget what i said up there^. my problem now is that when i push the buggy down on my startbox the rubber starter wheel doesn't touch the flywheel. i have adjusted everything so the buggy is lined up perfectly above the rubber wheel, and it doesn't work for some reason...help please?? thanks lol