aminnich

Hey guys, I have had my rc car for a while now, but have not done anything to the shocks yet. They are starting sag really bad and I am afraid the next time I run it, it will not work properly because of the shock. Can someone please help me out?? Thanks guys!

phmaximus

They are shocking to work on.....

phmaximus

Before I go to nuts making a big post explaining shocks....

I see u are saying it sags?? What do u mean by that?? Just to be sure we are picturing the same thing

phmaximus

Here is a quick go...

In rc cars the propose of the shock is....

1- to hold the spring

2- to controll the speed that the suspension can move up or down

the springs purpose...

1- to hold the vehicle up

2- adjust ride hight

aminnich

It is kinda hard to explain, like before (when I bought it) the shocks kept the truck "lifted". now I can pick up the chassis of the truck almost an inch.

aminnich

that is without lifting the truck off the ground... haha

Barracuz

That's normal. You're going from uncompressed to compressed.

I would be worried if one shock had one corner of the vehicle very low or if any shock is stiffer or slower to return to it original position.

aminnich

so how do I fix that????

vqdriver

are you just noticing this sag or is it getting excessive? some sag is normal and desirable. you say that you have about an 1" of sag. how much travel do you have left? meaning, even with it 'sagged' can you push down on the car and the suspension will rebound back to that height when you release it?

let's assume this is something new and it's too much. two kinds of shock bodies, threaded and smooth. you can adjust the spring tension by where the spring stop thingies are. on a threaded body, you just turn the adjustment ring up or down depending on where you want it. on a smooth shock body, there's a ring with a set screw on it. it could be that the set screw has worked loose and has slid up the shock body. that would produce excess sag. if that's the case, you just adjust it back down to where you want it and tighten the set screw.

click on these teeny weeny thumbnails to see threaded and smooth

aminnich

Thanks that helped, but could it be that the shock oil is old? idk And hopefully someone can explain the different kinds of oils to me, that would be a big help!

phmaximus

Generally sag in rc terms is called droop..... This is a critical part of suspension tuning. Without droop, the suspension would be only be able to move up at a static ride hight... But if u have drop, the suspension can move up and down.

think of it like a real car.... If u have ever changed a tyre u will remember it takes a lot of jacking before the wheel lifts of the ground... Most of the Jacking is just unloading the suspension.

like I was saying earlier. Shock oil only controlles how fast the suspension works.... It has nothing to do with droop, ride hight or spring rates... It's purley there to assorbe bumps.

the main thing to look at, don't worry about the droop. But look at how the lower suspension arms are sitting. For best preformance u should adjust the spring tension until the arms are level with the ground. And if it's rwd have it slightly lower than level...

to check it, u need to get the vehicle in a static ride hight. To do this u fit the battery and body, and drop the car parallel on a level surface from about 3-4 inches. When the suspension comes to a rest that's called the static position.....

aminnich

Ok, that helped me a lot thanks!!

Barracuz

Then again it depends on the type of vehicle op has. On a monster truck the arms should be higher than level where as on a truggy or on road car they're flat or lower...

aminnich

I have a monster truck, so scene by my profile picture. I figured the problem out now, so thanks for all your help

phmaximus

glad to help.... Allso one thing to consider.... It u change the ride hight over 5mm it's worth rechecking the wheel alignment, it effects the camber and can effect the front toe