Replacing shock oil.
10-27-2005, 12:11 PM
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Replacing shock oil.
I just bought some Team Losi 35wt Shock oil. So, I took off the caps and drained the old oil out of them. There is a little blue cup type thing in the top of the oil bottle, I assume that is for measuring the oil right? Do I need to do anything else or just put the new oil in the shock body and put the cap on? THANKS
10-27-2005, 12:17 PM
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RE: Replacing shock oil.
The little blue cup is simply there to keep the bottle from leaking before it gets to you, just throw it away. Replacing the oil is 1 step of about 10 I do when rebuilding a shock. Wanna know the rest?
10-27-2005, 01:37 PM
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RE: Replacing shock oil.
Materials:
[ul][*] disposable bowl[*] Hex Driver[*] Parts Cleaner[*] Green Slime lube[*] silicon shock o-rings[*] Drill or Dremel[*] Dremel metal polishing compound[*] old rag[*] e-clips
[/ul]
1.) Pull the shock, open the seal, dump most of the oil out in the bowl.
2.) Put the shock on the driver and hang it over the bowl so it will drain out completely..
3.) Spray out the shock body with your favorite degreaser. I use Simple Green, followed by a blast of parts cleaner. Again, let the shock body dangle so it all drips out. You want a totally dry shock body when the fresh oil goes in.
4.) Set the shock body aside to dry thuroughly.
5.) Open the cartridge and remove the seals and spacer.
6.) Blast the cartridge out with parts cleaner. Clean the spacer too.. (use non-chlorinated, it's safe on plastic)
7.) Throw the old seals away. Do not reuse them.
8.) Open the fresh o-rings and give them a nice goopy coating of Green Slime.
9.) Reassemble the cartridge, making sure the Green Slime is oozing everywhere. Green Slime = your friend.
10.) Set the cartridge assembly aside.
This is an optional set of steps, and one you DON'T want to do on shafts that are coated. Nitrided shafts should never be polished. Proceed to step #14 if you have nitrided shock shafts..
11.) Remove the piston, e-clips and shock end from the shock shaft, and chuck it up in a drill or Dremel.
12.) Apply a bit of polishing compound to the old rag, and buff the shaft. This will get hot, possibly even very hot, so be careful.
13.) Re-assemble the shaft using NEW e-clips.
14.) Blast the shaft/piston assembly with part cleaner and let it dry completely.
You are now ready to begin re-assembling your shock.
15.) Apply a bit of Greem Slime to the threads of the shock shaft, and slide it through the cartridge very carefully. This is where o-rings get torn, so pay close attention and try to notice any heavy resistance.
16.) Put the shock end back on the shaft.
17.) Fill the shock body with oil up to about 1/4" below the top. The book says go by the line, but I dont. I find it easier to work with too much oil than not enough.
18.) Plunge the piston into the oil, and pump it up and down a few times to release the air.
19.) Slide the cartridge down the shaft until it hits the oil.
20.) Now, and here is the tricky part, slide the shaft back out of the shock body while holding the cartridge in place. Meaning, fully extend the shaft.
21.) Tighten the cartridge all the way, then back it off 1/4 of a turn. This will allow you to bleed the excess oil.
22.) Push the shaft all the way in very slowly, and wipe up any oil that spills (there will be some)
23.) Pull the shaft out half way and then crank the cartridge down tightly. This will lock the oil level midway between a vacuum and pressurized. So, if you now pull the shaft out, it'll suck back in. If you push it in, it'll eject itself back out.
There you have my way of build a Losi shock. Slightly more involved than pouring new oil in =)
[ul][*] disposable bowl[*] Hex Driver[*] Parts Cleaner[*] Green Slime lube[*] silicon shock o-rings[*] Drill or Dremel[*] Dremel metal polishing compound[*] old rag[*] e-clips
[/ul]
1.) Pull the shock, open the seal, dump most of the oil out in the bowl.
2.) Put the shock on the driver and hang it over the bowl so it will drain out completely..
3.) Spray out the shock body with your favorite degreaser. I use Simple Green, followed by a blast of parts cleaner. Again, let the shock body dangle so it all drips out. You want a totally dry shock body when the fresh oil goes in.
4.) Set the shock body aside to dry thuroughly.
5.) Open the cartridge and remove the seals and spacer.
6.) Blast the cartridge out with parts cleaner. Clean the spacer too.. (use non-chlorinated, it's safe on plastic)
7.) Throw the old seals away. Do not reuse them.
8.) Open the fresh o-rings and give them a nice goopy coating of Green Slime.
9.) Reassemble the cartridge, making sure the Green Slime is oozing everywhere. Green Slime = your friend.
10.) Set the cartridge assembly aside.
This is an optional set of steps, and one you DON'T want to do on shafts that are coated. Nitrided shafts should never be polished. Proceed to step #14 if you have nitrided shock shafts..
11.) Remove the piston, e-clips and shock end from the shock shaft, and chuck it up in a drill or Dremel.
12.) Apply a bit of polishing compound to the old rag, and buff the shaft. This will get hot, possibly even very hot, so be careful.
13.) Re-assemble the shaft using NEW e-clips.
14.) Blast the shaft/piston assembly with part cleaner and let it dry completely.
You are now ready to begin re-assembling your shock.
15.) Apply a bit of Greem Slime to the threads of the shock shaft, and slide it through the cartridge very carefully. This is where o-rings get torn, so pay close attention and try to notice any heavy resistance.
16.) Put the shock end back on the shaft.
17.) Fill the shock body with oil up to about 1/4" below the top. The book says go by the line, but I dont. I find it easier to work with too much oil than not enough.
18.) Plunge the piston into the oil, and pump it up and down a few times to release the air.
19.) Slide the cartridge down the shaft until it hits the oil.
20.) Now, and here is the tricky part, slide the shaft back out of the shock body while holding the cartridge in place. Meaning, fully extend the shaft.
21.) Tighten the cartridge all the way, then back it off 1/4 of a turn. This will allow you to bleed the excess oil.
22.) Push the shaft all the way in very slowly, and wipe up any oil that spills (there will be some)
23.) Pull the shaft out half way and then crank the cartridge down tightly. This will lock the oil level midway between a vacuum and pressurized. So, if you now pull the shaft out, it'll suck back in. If you push it in, it'll eject itself back out.
There you have my way of build a Losi shock. Slightly more involved than pouring new oil in =)
