better shocks for the B4.1?

[captainlip]

I recently spent a hefty chunk on upgrading to the threaded b4 shocks and on first outing every single shock leaked and needed rebuilding.

since then ive seen the b44 with big bore shocks on

and i wondered if there was anything similar for the b4 that is more reliable and take more of a beating?

ta

[peetbee]

What shocks were on the B44? There's no AE big bores out.
I'm guessing you have the original threaded shocks not the V2s?
The V2s come on the B4.1 FT and the B44.1 and use a different way of putting the seals in the bottom.

Elvo has a great guide on building the original shocks here:
http://users.telenet.be/elvo/12/8/1.html

If you follow this you should be fine (mine aren't leaky)
Although there were some shock bodies that weren't machined correctly allowing the clip to come out. If yours were part of that batch then I'd contact the shop that supplied them. but try Elvo's guide first.
Good luck!

[MHeadling]

Or if you have deep pockets some nice Yokomo Big Bores? Tom Yardy had these on his B4 at some nationals, there are some pics of it in Jimmys reports.

Or fit losi shocks?

I have heard good things about the V2 shocks that come with the B4.1 and B44.1 so maybe a re-build could sort your probs?

[gnr racer]

Fitted a pair of rear v2 shocks to my b44,was fed up of seals blowing,v2's easy to build and silky smooth..same construction as 1/8th shocks i suppose

[The Pookster]

New V2s on the B4.1 are very good, no problems to report.

[TonyM]

I've fitted V2's to my B44 and I'm really impressed with how easy they are to build. Even easier than the Losi shocks I have on my X6.

[alexb4]

If your not after spending lots on new shocks the bleeder caps are excellent

[captainlip]

But that wont exactly stop shocks leaking, i rebuilt them perfectly and they have held out for a few meets now

[Fatal1ty]

Hmmmm, also with the V2 Shocks its hard to make them without bubbles. The shock piston comes to wide out of the shockfluid, and make a lot of bubbles. The Lenght of the Shocks are correctly and I also tried it, with an o-rings outside on the shaft.

I dont know, its enogh oil in and they are buildet correctly...

Have/had you the sames problems?

[Thomas P]

Fatal1ty:

Im no ace, but the old and the new ones (v2) can be build with out any bubbles without any problem. There is one solution for this mr, and it is so easy

Build the shock as manual, fill her up with oil, to the top..be sure there is NO bubbles in the house...prepare the shockcap, with the screw(installed, BUT not screwed all the way in..) fill the cap almost full with same oil...(no you will not get any mess, if you are little handy), screw the cap on, and relese the air/bleeder screw..screw the cap on tight...and bleed the shock and then rescrew the bleedscrew..

I builded my rear ones forover one month ago, still no leak or air, same in the front

Goodluck

/T

[mark christopher]

Originally Posted by Fatal1ty

Hmmmm, also with the V2 Shocks its hard to make them without bubbles. The shock piston comes to wide out of the shockfluid, and make a lot of bubbles. The Lenght of the Shocks are correctly and I also tried it, with an o-rings outside on the shaft.

I dont know, its enogh oil in and they are buildet correctly...

Have/had you the sames problems?

Originally Posted by Thomas P

Fatal1ty:

Im no ace, but the old and the new ones (v2) can be build with out any bubbles without any problem. There is one solution for this mr, and it is so easy

Build the shock as manual, fill her up with oil, to the top..be sure there is NO bubbles in the house...prepare the shockcap, with the screw(installed, BUT not screwed all the way in..) fill the cap almost full with same oil...(no you will not get any mess, if you are little handy), screw the cap on, and relese the air/bleeder screw..screw the cap on tight...and bleed the shock and then rescrew the bleedscrew..

I builded my rear ones forover one month ago, still no leak or air, same in the front

Goodluck

/T

the v2 shocks will have air in as they have no volume compesater and are called emulsion shocks

[Thomas P]

Ok, but so little that i can´t feelém..after a month

i fill my cap 100%,my shock house 100%..just bleed out the leftover oil =)..

[Gayo]

Originally Posted by Thomas P

Fatal1ty:

Im no ace, but the old and the new ones (v2) can be build with out any bubbles without any problem. There is one solution for this mr, and it is so easy

Build the shock as manual, fill her up with oil, to the top..be sure there is NO bubbles in the house...prepare the shockcap, with the screw(installed, BUT not screwed all the way in..) fill the cap almost full with same oil...(no you will not get any mess, if you are little handy), screw the cap on, and relese the air/bleeder screw..screw the cap on tight...and bleed the shock and then rescrew the bleedscrew..

I builded my rear ones forover one month ago, still no leak or air, same in the front

Goodluck

/T

As soon as you push the shaft out, some air will be sucked into the shock by the oring.

Sorry, I'm not trying to be a smartarse but you need some air so the shocks can actually work

[Thomas P]

No problem Gayo .

[Lonestar]

Well let's say the V2 shocks seem to be much less of an emulsion shock than the V1... there's a tiny bit of air in the V2 shocks to allow the shock to extend the first few times (sucked via the o-ring as Gayo pointed out) indeed, but there's quite a vacuum in them really (zero rebound or close) as opposed to V1 shocks which would be real emulsion shocks with a lot of air in to prevent any hydra-lock... the snap ring would just pop off otherwise anyway! V2 shocks all the way baby!

Paul

[spiro]

Originally Posted by Lonestar

there's quite a vacuum in them really (zero rebound or close)

This actually raises quite an interesting question - do we want rebound? It's fairly easy to bleed the v2 shocks to a desired rebound level. I am no shock expert, but I've always built my 1:8 shocks with a bit of rebound. How about the 1:10 cars, do they benefit from it or not?

[Thomas P]

I never ever built my 1/10th shocks with rebound. I cant tell why but my car works bwtter without it. the new v2 shocks give me zero rebound

[Lonestar]

Originally Posted by spiro

This actually raises quite an interesting question - do we want rebound? It's fairly easy to bleed the v2 shocks to a desired rebound level. I am no shock expert, but I've always built my 1:8 shocks with a bit of rebound. How about the 1:10 cars, do they benefit from it or not?

not sure, really, comparing (not constant volume, small) AE shocks with (constant volume, HUGE) 8th scale shocks is really tough...

All I can say is the first race I did with my B4.1 I had built my shocks "as usual" ie with a solid amount of rebound, and I barely made the A and never "felt" the car the whole day. I haven't cracked this one, really...

when you think about it, the force generated by pressured air in a 100% rebound shock (not hydra-locking, of course) is not material compared to the force generated by the spring itself... so in reality it shouldn't make a difference... and yet it does... I don't get it

However, on my 8th scale (mbx-6) I have "vented" the shocks lately, losi EU-style, ie drilled a hole in the cap and put a (losi) foam in there. The handling isn't drastically different, but the damping sure is more consistent during the mains.

Not sure, really... this is where empirism takes over theory

where's Elvo when we need him???

Paul

[captainlip]

sounds like ive opened a can of worms