ZX1-R suspension questions

[vnmsgt]

Do any of you guys drill out your shock pistons on your stock shocks for the ZX1-R? I am trying to get my shocks smoother. They do not feel so smooth when working the suspension as my other buggies I have had. Will this help?

Also another question... my front suspension when I push down on the front of the car will not be able to touch the chassis to the ground at all. It is about 1/4" above when it bottoms out. The rear bottoms out fine on the ground when pushed down. Anybody know why? I have rebuilt my shocks and everything looks ok but still does it.

Last question... Anybody notice that when you front suspension is at full droop (hanging freely off of the ground) that the car is hard to steer (will not turn the wheels as far as with the car on the ground, arms level) like it is binding? It is the same if the car is on and you try to steer with the servo or if off and steer with your hands. But if you lift up on the arms (ALOT less droop) almost level the steering is free as can be. Anybody know why? Looks to me that the steering arms from the ackerman plate to the front knuckles are at too much of an angle and not level still with the arms and will not let the knuckles turn freely on the steering rod end ball joints.

[janderson78]

Do any of you guys drill out your shock pistons on your stock shocks for the ZX1-R? I am trying to get my shocks smoother. They do not feel so smooth when working the suspension as my other buggies I have had. Will this help?

Also another question... my front suspension when I push down on the front of the car will not be able to touch the chassis to the ground at all. It is about 1/4" above when it bottoms out. The rear bottoms out fine on the ground when pushed down. Anybody know why? I have rebuilt my shocks and everything looks ok but still does it.

Last question... Anybody notice that when you front suspension is at full droop (hanging freely off of the ground) that the car is hard to steer (will not turn the wheels as far as with the car on the ground, arms level) like it is binding? It is the same if the car is on and you try to steer with the servo or if off and steer with your hands. But if you lift up on the arms (ALOT less droop) almost level the steering is free as can be. Anybody know why? Looks to me that the steering arms from the ackerman plate to the front knuckles are at too much of an angle and not level still with the arms and will not let the knuckles turn freely on the steering rod end ball joints.


YES!!! I did mine prior to the last race. Using a 55 drill bit. I then used 35WT in the front and 30 in the rear and it felt just like the guys running big bores. So I had four holes in mine. Buy the way my buggy drove very well!!!

[vnmsgt]

I am using 30 wt right now in all 4. I might try that. Just let me wait till I get a little more feedback on what I wrote before I decide. Sounds good though.

[razzor]

its a good idea to drill the shock pistons to 1.5mm or get the 1.5mm pistons.
I run mine with 45/40wt oil and it works well for me, with 35 oil it would suit more loose, bumpy tracks.
Shocks feel smoother and more consistent over the duration of a race.
as for the hassle with the droop and steering all i can think of is possible binding some where possibly on the pillow balls.

[30percent]

Last question... Anybody notice that when you front suspension is at full droop (hanging freely off of the ground) that the car is hard to steer (will not turn the wheels as far as with the car on the ground, arms level) like it is binding? It is the same if the car is on and you try to steer with the servo or if off and steer with your hands. But if you lift up on the arms (ALOT less droop) almost level the steering is free as can be. Anybody know why? Looks to me that the steering arms from the ackerman plate to the front knuckles are at too much of an angle and not level still with the arms and will not let the knuckles turn freely on the steering rod end ball joints.


Lift the car so the arms drop to full droop. Follow the axel running through the upright hub... Is it rubbing on the top side of the hub? I just discovered my Hyper8.5 had that problem due to the "caster" (hahaha) block the upright bolts to. 22 degrees. To fix it either, increase the droop or change the caster block to 20degrees.

[vnmsgt]

Well I did a few things today and found out if I turn my droop screws only a half turn in my binding of my steering knuckles goes away at full droop so that is fixed.

Also drilled out my pistons to 1.5mm and added 2 more holes per piston and they are smooth as butter! Oh yeah

Still cannot figure out why my front suspension will not bottom out on the ground, The suspension travel is not that much going up. The shock ends are bottoming out on the shock bottom when fully compressed. Thinking I should have more up travel of arms.

[janderson78]

If you want full droop lengthen your pillow balls. This should release the binding.

[vnmsgt]

If you want full droop lengthen your pillow balls. This should release the binding.

I have the pillow balls set at less than a on thread out on the top ones and 3 threads out on the bottom ones. The knuckles are not hitting the upper arms at full droop so I do not think that is the problem. It is pretty good now though.

Can anyone else take there ZX1-R with stock shocks and push the front end down to where the chassis touches the ground? Mine will not.

[razzor]

Mine touches .
could be the front is narrow on yours.
Just give a try to changing the pillow ball lengths .

[vnmsgt]

I'll go ahead and try it. Thanks

[janderson78]

like I said extend the pillow balls

[BigC123]

yeah dude and then you will have crazy droop.:eek:

[vnmsgt]

Anybody try the short wheelbase on the there buggy yet? I am racing at a short tight track this weekend and have not decided on running buggy or truggy yet but just in case I shortened the wheelbase on the buggy. Has anyone noticed a big difference in turning like this?

[razzor]

It helps the buggy rotate better and be more responsive for quick direction changes.

[razzor]

Did lengthening teh pillow balls solve your hassle with the front end not bottoming out ???

[bc24fl]

Do you guys have pics or a linkey so that I can see how you drill your shocks? Also, did you also drill the truggy as well?

[vnmsgt]

Did lengthening teh pillow balls solve your hassle with the front end not bottoming out ???

Yes it did. Thank you!

[vnmsgt]

I was talking with David Alberico and found out he has his diff fluids on his buggy at 5-7-3. I have mine at 7-10-3. My buggy likes to push on power in turns and am wondering if I switch to 5-7-3 if it will help get rid of that and turn better on power? What do you guys think.

[Jonathan Bell]

With both your and davids setup being the same, and all thats different is the diff oils I would image you would have more on power steering then he would. The thicker front you may loose a little on entry to mid but gain when your back on throttle. jmo but your diff setup sounds a little to aggressive for a buggy. What about shock oil, I thought I read earlier that you were using drilled pistons? Does it feel a little light in the rear? Another I would check is antisquat. If the rear is a little soft and your running the antisquat more inclined then flat then on power your really tranfering alot of weight to the rear of the car hence allowing the front to have less traction, in turn giving you a little on power push. Just judging from the diff oil I would think you swapping to davids weights would gain some off power steering and lightening the center will make it act more like a "slipper clutch" if you will, decrease acceleration a tick and make the car a little easier to drive. Hope this helps.

[vnmsgt]

With both your and davids setup being the same, and all thats different is the diff oils I would image you would have more on power steering then he would. The thicker front you may loose a little on entry to mid but gain when your back on throttle. jmo but your diff setup sounds a little to aggressive for a buggy. What about shock oil, I thought I read earlier that you were using drilled pistons? Does it feel a little light in the rear? Another I would check is antisquat. If the rear is a little soft and your running the antisquat more inclined then flat then on power your really tranfering alot of weight to the rear of the car hence allowing the front to have less traction, in turn giving you a little on power push. Just judging from the diff oil I would think you swapping to davids weights would gain some off power steering and lightening the center will make it act more like a "slipper clutch" if you will, decrease acceleration a tick and make the car a little easier to drive. Hope this helps.

Well I have a TON of off power steering right now and if I need to I just tap my breaks and it whips the back end around on a dime going into a turn. Yes I have drilled pistons and my rear shocks feels real light. I have 30wt in all 4 shocks, maybe I should try 45 in back? When you say antisquat more inclined I think you mean dogbones level or above level or upper rear arm level or above level according to the holes. I have the upper rear arms in the inner most lower hole on tower and upper outer hole on the rear uprights. I run the dogbones level.

[Jonathan Bell]

Yeah stiffer in the back shock oil should give you more on power and will the antisquat. The antisquat plate in the plate right undereath your rear chassis brace that site on the chassis and the inner hinge pins come into to. This will angle the rear arms up and down depending on which plate you use. Usually antisquat is meassured in 0,1,2,3 degrees. With the arms laid more at an incline the car wants to lift the front end more on acceleration and little weight on the front means less traction. With laying the rear arms down more will give more on power and the car should be a little more stable under high speed breaking. Hope this helps.

[vnmsgt]

Yeah stiffer in the back shock oil should give you more on power and will the antisquat. The antisquat plate in the plate right undereath your rear chassis brace that site on the chassis and the inner hinge pins come into to. This will angle the rear arms up and down depending on which plate you use. Usually antisquat is meassured in 0,1,2,3 degrees. With the arms laid more at an incline the car wants to lift the front end more on acceleration and little weight on the front means less traction. With laying the rear arms down more will give more on power and the car should be a little more stable under high speed breaking. Hope this helps.

Cool well I checked and I have the antisquat down with a stock 3degree toe plate. I also put 45wt fluid in the rear shocks and it feels alot better. We will see if that helps. Thanks.

[Jonathan Bell]

cool I definately experiment with the shock fluid more if that don't get you where u want to be. With you diff setup, 3 degree rear toe, and your antisquat down it should almost be "darty" when you get back on the throttle. I would think.

[vr6]

what kind of surfaces does everybody run on. i seem to never stray away from like 35 in the rear. if it is to thick, the car seems be slide alot more in the turns(not much weight transfer), being a little softer also helps with a blown out track

[vnmsgt]

Most tracks I have run at are loose. When we wet down tracks here in floriday they only stay damp for about 5-8 minutes or so then goes back to dusty and loose. But the state race coming up next weeken is like a pro track and looks like orange concrete, AWESOME!!

[Jonathan Bell]

Here in ohio valley it's mostly clay. High bite with lite dust on top.

[vnmsgt]

Here are 2 vids of tracks I run on. The WOW track (2nd and 3rd vid) had been changed as of last week but still close to what you see.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=I-JfRPe_qkk
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kAmMAyNf9jw
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9XOvrPZTdSk

[razzor]

I think driving style will have a big influence on what teh car does with teh softer shock oils.
Some guys like to generate traction through a car that rolls a lot and they drive smoother and more precise while others like to slide the cars more.
35wt felt a bit too soft for me the softest i run is 45wt front with 3 1.5mm holes and 40wt rear with 1.5mm holes in teh shock pistons.
This is on a bumpy/blown track.
Our new track we building is being modelled on a track down the coast.
They soak the track with old car oil and it works exceptionally well, doesnt break up as quick and has good consistent traction with minimal dust.
A good blow off with teh compressor is all we need.

[vnmsgt]

Soak the track with car oil???? Never heard of that.

[hakmazter]

I'm calling greenpeace.
Sounds like you guys have more freedom over there than we have here.
I can't wait for the next president and congress to complete our transition into a third world country......lol.

[razzor]

yeah sometimes being backward is good.
The track is a mixture of clay, red sand and sea sand.
Originally used for electric offroad they used to soak the track with lime to help it pack together but after a while it would degrade badly.
The oil holds everything together and lasts a good few months and most importantly for a club doesnt cost anything to get.
Dont see a issue with using it as teh track is purpose built so we wont be planting anything on it.

[vr6]

OMG. this past weekend i ran 4 - 1.5mm pistons with 35wt losi oil. red springs on a very, i mean very blown out track. the car was dialed through the rough stuff. my car could absorb just about anything.

if you have not tried this setup, you should. props to anderson though!!!

[vnmsgt]

Has anybody noticed how short the new Buggy Big Bores are on the front shocks compared to stock. My stock shocks are about a half inch longer than the big bores. You do not have much droop in front with the big bores. I am wondering if I should but my stock shock shafts in the big bores to see if I can get my droop back.

[Mayor Frithe]

I noticed that also and unscrewed the front eyelets about 2mm. Cam and Dave had there's all the way tight and their cars were fine with that setup. I think they are going to post a setup soon.

[BigC123]

I practiced with my new shocks yesterday and they were awsome. also found out that the jammin BB springs are a perfect fit on the shock so you have more tuning options. here is my shock setup

front blue springs
1/4 pistons
50w
inside hole on arm
middle on shock tower

Rear blue springs
1/4 pistons
45w
inside hole on arm
second hole out from inside

GOOD LUCK!!!:D

[vr6]

i lost some steering quite a bit with the heavier oil setup. anyone have any suggestions as to where i can get some back while still using the heavier oil?

also, how does everyone get the diffs to not leak? i have tried just about everything, but they still leak bad. mainly the rear one

[skeller]

i lost some steering quite a bit with the heavier oil setup. anyone have any suggestions as to where i can get some back while still using the heavier oil?

also, how does everyone get the diffs to not leak? i have tried just about everything, but they still leak bad. mainly the rear one


Protec brand diff o-rings from A-Main hobbies for Mugen diffs. Pack them with Mobile 1 synthetic grease.



No more leaks. :)

[vnmsgt]

Protec brand diff o-rings from A-Main hobbies for Mugen diffs. Pack them with Mobile 1 synthetic grease.



No more leaks. :)

I have to get those orings. I just redid mine on the Truggy and used stock orings and used grease and they still leak but just a little. Not too bad now.

[bc24fl]

Protec brand diff o-rings from A-Main hobbies for Mugen diffs. Pack them with Mobile 1 synthetic grease.



No more leaks. :)

Is this it? What's so special about this brand?

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/products_id/2670

[razzor]

You can also match the orings for the diff at a local hydrolic seal company and use Viton orings or if they have a good quality silicone oring but prefer the viton.
Get a oring that is slightly thicker than the std ones.

[hakmazter]

So we could probably go to home depot......

[razzor]

yeah
They usually work with id of oring and thickness.
dont use the cheap orings they get hard with the silicone.

[bc24fl]

Ok, since I had a $10 credit with amain I purchased 2 oring bags, a sportswerk throttle linkage (heard it was good), and a himoto usb controller (hone my skills =) ).

[skeller]

Is this it? What's so special about this brand?

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/products_id/2670


Did you read about it?

[bc24fl]

Did you read about it?

Yeah sorry, I'm usually good at RTFM. Bigger is always better!! ?&^