Conference vmszoo::rc

    I too have a Kyosho Raider I got for my son. I've been real lazy
    and still have a way to go. It's to bad they did'nt use a standard
    bearing, it's hard to find the 4x8 they call for with out buying
    the whole set ( I wasn't rich at the time and he had been patient
    enough). I'll let you know my impressions as time allows.
     
                                                      Jim

    .0 
    	Could you tell me how bad the over steer problem was you had
    and how much difference the new tires made.  Alos have you considered
    an eletronic speed controller for the car ?
    
    Thanks Alot for this info, I am trying to decide wether or not to
    buy the Raider myself. Price is right for my budget. 
    
    
   ~Eric

    How are ya Greg??Explain this oversteer and how rear tires corrected
    this,I'm still dizzy trying to figure over/under/sideways/upsidedown
    steer etc etc and how things correct them.I've been trying things
    to death on my Blackfoot to correct steering problems to no avail.
    I do believe my last stunt may have done(too much snow to really
    tryit).I put 4 Proline Masher tires on(softer than original and
    square on the edges as opposed to rolling off)seems to help the
    flipping on corners.
    As far as your servo's go,I bought a Futaba S-148 because I stripped
    the top spline on the Kyosho with the giant servo-saver I put on
    the blackfoot.I shaved off the key and it went right in,had to flip
    the servo-reverse for that channel even though the polarity was
    correct(black-,red+)This servo is far superior with a longer spline
    for the servo-saver,Kyosho's is about 1/16"shorter and is just enough
    to strip if you stress it.Other than this the 2000 is a pretty good
    radio for the buck.
    Les Borda
    

    re. oversteer
    
    Oversteer says your front end has good bite, but your rear end
    breaks loose.  Understeer is the opposite.
    
    The oversteer problem on the Raider wasn't real severe as it came
    out of the box, in my opinion (and on my home "turf", which is
    fairly well-packed gravel).  I have not started racing it on
    a maintained track, so I'm still working with a limited amount
    of experience.  However, it's a guarantee that the surface you race
    on will have a lot to do with handling, and that what works well
    on one surface may work poorly on another.
    
    What happened rather quickly though was that we wore out the rear
    tires, which turned a little oversteer into a lot of oversteer.
    The new pin spikes cleared it up nicely, and I feel they are
    superior to the stock tires on at least my turf.  Comments from
    local racers tell me these tires are good at the indoor tracks
    in our area (So. N.H.).
    
    Dampening and spring rate changes can affect understeer/oversteer
    conditions as well.  If your suspension is too stiff, chances are
    your tires will be bouncing and losing traction.  Suspension too
    soft, you'll have excessive roll or lean in corners and bottoming
    over the rough stuff, causing loss of traction.  And that loss of
    traction will affect your steering control!
    
    I think the Raider's suspension can be tuned up real nice with just
    a little trial and error.  I plan to have fun doing it!  Plus
    there'll be some tips on doing just that over the next few (?)
    issues of the RC Car Action magazine, as their next "budget racer"
    feature will be on the Raider.
    
    Re. an electronic speed control...
    
    When I buy my next one (soon I hope) I hope to do just that.  But
    on this one, when the stock rotary unit goes, I may try a wire-wound
    from Parma.  I understand they're a step-up from the stock 3-speed,
    offering real proportional throttle.  You can also get braking action
    with these units, though I've a lot to learn on that aspect.  Anyone
    familiar with how this braking works?  Do you still have a reverse
    option on the wire-wounds with brakes?
    
    I think I'm biased towards the Raider at this time.  I looked at
    a lot of cars before making the move.  I couldn't find anything
    close for the money.
    
    Greg
    surface 

    
    Here's a new tangent for the buggy's topic:  The Traxxas TRX-10
    Bullet.
    
    Has anyone seen one of these in the flesh?  Seen the kit or a
    completely built and running machine?  Read any test reports or
    first-hand comments?
    
    I've seen their advertising, and now I've seen Tower's price: $109
    
    At first glance, it looks like a lot of car for the money.
    
    I looked back through RC Car Action, but didn't see anything.  I
    could have easily missed it though, as I have to rely on their
    "back-issue index" as I only have issues back to November or December.
    
    Any info is appreciated, I'll post any further findings.
    
    Greg (who's thinking maybe he won't get a second Raider!)
    

    I was wondering the same thing. A local hobby shop (Colorado Springs)
    has one for the $109.00 price and I looked at the box. The guy there
    seemed to think it was very comparable to the RC10. It has oil filled
    shocks, an aluminium chassis and oilite bushings. These were the
    only things that seemed to me to really set it apart from the Raider.
    
    I ordered my Dad a TRAXXAS Cat for Christmas. One of the things
    that came in the box was a blurb sheet on the Bullet. Now that I've
    decided I want a car too I can't find the darn thing, but one thing
    I remember is that the motor in the Bullet is *NON* somebody legal.
    I can't remember which orgainzation it was though.
    
    Further info appreciated here also.

    Raider order pending,
    Randy

    Well, I yielded to temptation yesterday: I bought a Traxxas TRX-10
    Bullet kit.  I went through the kit and instructions last night.
    This will be a fun project, there's certainly more challenge in
    it than there was in the Raider.
    
    Before purchase, I checked out a completed chassis.  Felt good
    and stiff/solid, good suspension travel, little if any slop
    in any joints, but also a heavy buggy if you use the stock
    speed control (it's got a three-pack of 5 watt ceramics in a
    big heat sink).  I don't think it offers reverse, either, but
    I need to go back over the specs/instructions a few times before
    it will all sink in.
    
    Comes with bronze "oilite" (whatever that means) bushings.
    
    At this time I'll venture a guess: This may be a little more
    for your money than the Raider.  However, consider Kyosho's
    momentum in this business.  Plenty of parts, both from Kyosho
    and 3rd parties, and good basic designs that can be easily customized
    and maintained.
    
    How will Traxxas fair in the long run????  Hope my little gamble
    pays off.
    
    At least the shop I bought it from had a full complement of spares
    for it.  It also appears that bearings, connectors, linkages, and
    wheels are "industry standard" (i.e. Tamiya, Kyosho, etc. clones).
    
    If anyone's interested, I'll update this topic as the kit takes
    shape.
    
    Geez, now I gotta get a radio, batteries, and I should get another
    charger ($$$$$$$$$).
    
    Can I afford this hobby?  Hell no, but what a way to go broke!
    
    >;v)
    
    Greg

    Gave in to the temptation didn't you Greg???The next thing you know
    you'll be writting into this notes file all the time and I won't
    be able to get you on the phone!!!!!!!!
    It's one of those hobbies that once it bites you,your sunk!!!But
    it's a lot of fun!!!!!
    

    Does anyone have experience with the TRAXXAS TRX-10 BULLET ?
    I am considering this as an entry level car only because it looks
    like a friggin tank as far as durability.  Looks can be decieving
    though, so if anyone has thoughts on this product let us know...
    
    
    ~Eric

    Re. .9
    
    Eric, my Bullet chassis is together and waiting for a radio.
    I'm not sure I'd call it a tank, but it seems solid enough in most
    aspects.  It might be nice to have a wider front bumper, the
    stock unit does not extend to anywhere near full wheel-track.
    The body may/may not prove durable: the design of the tail end
    makes me think it will be prone to *excessive* flexing during
    tangles on the track, and may not hold up.
    
    I'm very impressed with the chassis/suspension/steering gear.
    I wish it had a R.O.A.R. legal motor.
    
    I wish I had a radio so I could start track testing it.   >:v(
    
    I'm still convinced (at this early stage) that it's a lot of
    car for the $$$$.
    
    Gimme a call if you want to hear more,
    
    Greg

    I too broke down and bought the Bullet. Its sitting on the shelf
    waiting for the radio from Tower to arrive so I can finish it.
    
    I second the opinion that it seems to be a lot of car for the money.
    It went together well and looks sharp. My only complaint is that
    all the plastic parts (most all of the suspension and the front
    bumper) are molded not in black, but in wimp white! The box and
    the instructions show it in the normal black which looks much better.
    
    Oh well, for $109.00 I'll live with it.
    
    Does anybody know why the motor isn't ROAR legal?
    
    Randy
    

    .10 & .11
    
    I can hardly wait to here how it performs on the track.  Can either
    of you (or others)compare it to the RC-10 or Ultima Turbo  ???
    
    What motor will you put into the car after the first one burns 
    burns out ???   (My local hobby shop knew little about the car 
    except that the motor it comes with will burn out very fast..
    they did not say why ..)

    
    
    Thanx for the info....
    
    Eric

    My son has the bullet also. For the money, it is a very well built
    car. Set up correctly, with the right motor etc., it compares very
    favorably to my RC10. Several people I race with have them and in
    the hands of an experienced driver, there definately competitive.
    
    As to the "plastic", actually I believe it is nylon, it's the dyable
    nylon which enables you to dye the parts any color you want. That's
    a nice advantage for someone that's detail oriented rather than
    sticking you with one color.
    
    I suspect the motor (which is junk) is part of the reason the car
    is priced the way it is.
    
    
    Steve

    re. the limp white color
    
    I dyed several components on the Bullet to black (roll cage, bumper,
    knock-off hubs).  I may someday do them all.  It's an easy and
    effective procedure that not only helps in the esthetics department,
    but supposedly "stress-relieves" the nylon (or delrin?) parts.
    
    re. compared to RC10
    
    In many respects I think it's a clone of the RC10: suspension
    design, modularity of construction, component layout.  The
    chassis is not a tub though, as is the RC10, it's an almost
    perfectly flat aluminum pan with a fiber radio plate/stiffener
    mounted about an inch above.
    
    re. the motor
    
    A dud huh?  Oh well, it should last me through "driver ed".
    My son and I are trying to decide what motors to pick up
    come serious racing time.  We'll be stock class, can't afford
    anything else.  Trinity seems to have a good rep as a motor
    vendor, but then there's Reedy, Twister, etc. etc.
    
    Suggestions on motors would be much appreciated!
    
    Greg

    Most clubs have a specific list of motors they will allow to run
    in the stock/superstock class. Most major brands are covered, but
    then again, some are better than others. I, as well as most of the
    people racing in superstock are using the SPEEDWORKS DIRT/OVAL stock
    motor. At least those of us that are winning. This motor sells for 
    $28.00 which is the usual price limit for stock motors. The speedworks 
    motor is made by Trinity. One of the other guys tried the Reedy 
    superstock motor, and went back to the speedworks. Twister is supposed 
    to make a good/fast stock motor but I don't know of anyone using one 
    at this time. If you do pick up the speedworks motor, make sure
    it is the BLUE LABEL. They make other "stock" motors with different
    color labels that are not legal for superstock.
    
    
    Steve

    Just a word of advice...
    
    When you notice the 'junk' motor starting to get unusually hot after
    a run,  GET RID OF IT!  It will only get hotter with each run and
    eventully start melting any plastic near it.  Once you buy a decent
    motor for it you'll wish you had it since day one.
    
    Todd

    re. thoughts on motors
    
    Thanks for the tips.  I am looking at adding a heatsink on both
    cars (my Bullet and my son's Raider).  I know that it won't help
    much in offsetting the Bullet's stock motor if (when) it exhibits
    the overheat problem, but it may help the future motors.  Now
    finding the best heat sink for both these cars should be interesting!
    The Bullet being relatively new, and the Raider (also relatively
    new and unproven in terms of popularity for aftermarket parts
    houses) with its mid-engine design, will both pose problems in
    finding the right heatsink.
    
    Well, time will tell (gotta get that radio first).
    
    Thanks again for sharing the info,
    
    Greg

    Got a question, I'm installing the radio on my sons raider and the
    tie rods don't line up, it looks as though I'll have to bend them.
    Is this common to all raider kit's? Are there any other adjustments
    of this nature I'll run into before it's complete? Thanks in advance
    for any help.

    ****Update on Traxxas Bullet****
    
    Remember way back in February I replied saying I picked up a Traxxas
    Bullet?  Of course you don't, you've all got better things to remember!
    It does seem like quite a while to me, because I'm the one who's
    been staring at the completed chassis/body and wishing I had the
    radio.
    
    Well now I've got the radio!!!!!
    
    Picked up a JR beat 2 Alpina, and I'm hoping this will be a good
    choice.  Had a problem right away with the transmitter though,
    wouldn't transmit!  Swapped it the next day, no problems, down
    at Hobby Etc. in Nashua.  This seems like a very good radio, and
    I'll try and report further after I have some hours on it.
    
    Now to the Bullet:  It's got problems.  First and foremost, those
    folks who responded here saying the motor is junk seem to have hit
    the nail on the head.  After ~3 minutes run time it was too damn
    hot.  It began to draw some serious current, too (no surprise, huh).
    Secondly, I'm not at all pleased with the speed control.  Sure,
    when I first saw it I knew it was too heavy and too bulky to be
    considered for a competitive racer, but I figured it would at least
    suffice during my learning curve with the Bullet.  Not so, at least
    at this point.  The contacts on this controller are flakey.  I cleaned
    and tweaked the pressure/angle to no avail.  There are just too
    many "dead" spots in the arc (this is a 3 forward + reverse rotary
    type).  Also, I'm concerned with the values of the resistors used.
    There are three resistors: first speed has the power routed through
    two of them (a .15 ohm and a .22 ohm), second speed routes power
    across the .22 ohm ownly, and third is straight through.  Reverse
    drops voltage across all three.  Know what?  There's not enough
    power left in reverse to move the weight of the Bullet on a slightly
    rough surface!  First is barely useable too.  It's not until you
    hit second that the car gets any reasonable motivation at all.
    In third it moved along nicely, but as I stated earlier, the motor
    heated up quickly so my fun didn't last.
    
    I will say that in my brief shakedown, that chassis/suspension/
    steering combo does seem to perform (even with all that excess
    fat!).  The car cornered well, jumped beautifully, and showed
    real promise.  I will be making some small adjustments, like
    removing the sway bars (they're great for flat tracks, but I'm
    not convinced they belong off-road), adding some shims/spacers
    here and there to correct clearance problems, and swapping the
    stock front ribbed tires for some spikes.
    
    I'll also be talking to both Traxxas and the dealer today, as it just
    ain't right to sell such low quality components as that motor (and
    maybe that speed control too, although resistor changes may help
    there).
    
    Any of you other Bullet owners still out there?  How's it going?
    I'll update the note as the story unfolds!
    
    Greg
    
    P.S.  I'll have my own off road track ready in a few weeks.  The
    10-wheeler load of screened loam arrived this weekend!

    re. .18
    
    Not only do they not line up, you'll also find that they rub on the
    chassis at both extremes of suspension travel.  I "adjusted" (i.e.
    bent) the ones on my son's Raider, then modified the chassis to
    stop the rubbing.  The chassis mod was nothing more than some
    careful filing in the right places.  You may have to remove quite
    a bit of material though on the upper rear corners of the steering
    linkage cutouts in the chassis.  The best advice I can give is go
    at it slowly, remove a little at a time, and check to see how much
    ground you've gained.  On the encouraging side, my son has many
    hard hours on his Raider, and the chassis (as well as the rest of
    the car) is holding up well.
    
    Have fun,
    
    Greg
    
    P.S.  Try to minimize the number of times you pop the rod ends on
    and off of the ball joints.  These are a high-wear item, and you
    don't want to accelerate the process.  My son and I plan to replace
    all the stock rods/ends with better quality (on-the-car adjustable)
    hardware.  It doesn't cost much and makes maintenance so much easier.
    And there is plenty of maintenance on an off-road machine!

    I must just be spoiled. I just finished my sons raider and 
    I guess I expected more. I know, it's only an entry level car
    but it did receive alot of praise in the right ups. It's not much
    faster than a grasshopper with a 540 from what I remember ( he had one
    of those also) and I'm not impressed at all with Kyosho's cars.
    I myself have an RC 10 and thats why I think I'm spoiled, mind you,I
    never expected the raider to perform like an rc10 I just thought it 
    might be a little quicker. As far as the tie rods hitting the frame,
    I only notice it when your holding the car off the front wheels so
    I did'nt have to file or cut anything. I will say it handles alot
    better on road than a grasshopper with a 540, I'm not to fond of 
    off road , to much time spent cleaning up after a run. My feelings
    may change after this weekend when we can take out to a good size
    area and I'll let you know how it goes.                               

    re. .21
    
    Did you use the optional gearing?  In the kit they supply two idler
    or counter gears (I can't remember correct term).  Try the optional
    one.  Your final drive ratio will see a nice percentage change in the
    "go-faster" direction.
    
    We just did this to my son's Raider, as he feels he's ready for more
    speed.  The car is noticeably quicker/faster!  He's blowing my
    doors in (Traxxas Bullet) and loving it.  Dad will catch up though,
    as my only major problem (speed-wise) with the Bullet is the low
    quality stock motor.  Okay, it is a little on the heavy side too,
    but we'll take a big chunk out of that when I dump that mechanical
    speed controller!
    
    BTW...For all you folks looking at 2wd off-road machines, the Bullet
    should be a definite consideration.  The chassis/suspension is GOOD,
    and the price is right.  Also, Traxxas is introducing new goodies
    for it (lightweight components) and aftermarket outfits are beginning
    to do the same.  Add to this the tremendous support that Traxxas
    seems to offer their customers, and it's even more appealing (my
    calls to their 800 # have been VERY rewarding.  I'm sold on dealing
    with these folks!).
    
    Greg

    To be honest with you I can't remember which gear I used, I'll have to
    check. It will be interesting to see the increase if in fact I used the
    smaller of the two. I probably won't change it right away anyhow until
    my son get's some experience. He cant seem to understand he has a
    reverse until after he hits a wall or curb.
    
                                              Thanks, Jim

Re: .22

I'd be interested in more info on your car Greg. My son has been shopping 
through my Tower Talk with money in hand to get into an off road car (with
Dad's RC gear in it ;^) and I've been trying to figure out a good "cheap" car
that is repairable (talked him out of the Sears throw aways) and have been 
leaning towards Kyosho (sp?) since there is a dealer local to me for repair 
parts. I don't want to have to wait for mail order parts for repairs.

Tell me more (Kyosho owners speak up too)

    re. .24
    
    Jim, I think a Raider would fill the bill nicely in terms of
    cost and durability.  They can also be easily modified if racing
    becomes important.  I'm currently maintaining or helping to maintain
    the following: 2 Raiders, 1 Futaba FX-10, 1 Minicraft Lazer, and
    my Traxxas Bullet.  There's no end to maintenance on dirt-track
    machines in general, but of all the above, the Raiders are holding
    up the best.  A key point: *my* 12 year old (he'll be 13 end of August)
    needs plenty of assistance in the maintenance department.  If I don't
    work with him continuously, he'd have a lot more down-time and much
    bigger maintenance $$$$$.  He's learning, but I think that age group
    will need lots of Dad's (or someone's) help unless they're
    independently wealthy.
    
    Don't rule out the Futaba FX-10, it's a good buy!  You can pick them up
    for around $50, where a Raider is more like $80.  Avoid the Minicraft
    Lazer!!!!!  Not worth more than, say, $30 compared to the other two
    (Raider, FX-10).
    
    Oooops....gotta run to a training session.  More info needed?
    Let me know!
    
    Greg

    Geez, things are so quiet in the "off-road" topic...guess I'll
    throw in a thought or two.
    
    Just built another Lazer for a friend's son.  This one had the same
    major problem as the first one I did: sloppy differential/gearbox.
    Without adding shims (not in the kit, not mentioned in the instructions)
    to keep the spiders firmly (but not too firmly) located between
    the side gears, these units almost immediately self destruct.  It's
    a shame to have kits like this out there.  Especially so since they're
    promoted as "perfect for beginners"!
    
    My Bullet is laid up waiting for Traxxas to send a new gearbox.  I
    hit the a-arm mounting area with motor cleaning spray (overspray,
    my fault!) and yes, the stuff will make certain plastics brittle!
    The next morning I found the Bullet listing to one side as it sat
    on the shelf!  No impact was needed after that spray made contact!!!
    Traxxas is using a new material for the boxes now, and mine is on
    the way.  I'm taking this opportunity to install bearings as well.
    Hope it makes a noticeable improvement!
    
    My son's Raider is in dire need of a new speed control.  Seven + months
    on the stock rotary has done it in.  I've patched it up a few times,
    but feel enough's enough.  We (he?) can't afford electronics yet, so
    I'm shopping for a wire-wound.  Anyone out there have experiences with
    wire-wound speed controllers to relate?  Remember, the Raider is stock
    off-road, still running the LeMans Stock 05 motor from Kyosho, 7.2v
    power source.  Inputs would be appreciated!
    
    Enough for now.  Hope everyone is having a fun summer.
    
    Greg
    
    

    Well, at the rate of about one reply every six months or so, this
    topic will never be accused of eating up too much of anyone's time!
    
    >;v)
    
    I've got questions for anyone that's had experience racing and
    maintaining the following:  RC10, JRX2, Kyosho ULTIMA.
    
    The questions:
    
    	How often have they broken, and what part/parts have been most
    	troublesome?
    
    	Can you give any examples of how much replacement parts have
    	cost (e.g. had to replace the gearbox, new one cost $20)?
    
    	What stock parts were not up to par and had to be replaced to
    	make the car competitive?
    
    Why I ask?  My son's ready to "move-up" from his Raider, so I'm
    going to get him a nice Christmas present.  Prices on all of the
    cars above have gotten quite attractive over the last year.  For
    what you get, I don't know if I could find better at this time.
    However, if you have any other new car suggestions (1/10 scale
    gearbox class) I'd love to hear them.
    
    Any ideas and answers are appreciated!
    
    Greg
    
    P.S. FWIW, I'm still running the Traxxas Bullet mentioned several times
         in this topic.  It's gone through plenty of change though.
     	 It is now fairly lightweight, has a Tekin ESC, has gone back
    	 and fourth from off-road to on-road (radically lowered, stocker
    	 bodied) and is now torn down for a gearbox overhaul (it's
    	 going to spin smoother and easier than ever when I'm done).
         I ran a Trinity Speedworks Joel Johnson stock motor for the
    	 last season.  It was fast, but not torquey enough for the
    	 tracks we run on.  I'll be replacing it soon to get competitive
    	 for the winter on-road season.  One last note, the JR Beat
    	 2 Alpina radio system has been super!  Liked mine so much that
    	 I got one for my son last Christmas (Along with a Kyosho ESC500
    	 electronic speed control).

    I can comment on the reliability of the JR-X2, which I have been racing
    off-road for about two years.  The most vulnerable parts of my JR-X2
    have been the spindle blocks (those plastic parts into which you press
    the front axles and king pins) and the rear axles.  I have broken two
    spindle blocks and bent three axles.  Losi is always improving the
    weak parts; each time I have bought a new set of spindle blocks or
    a new rear axle, I've noticed some little change, and each part does
    seem to last longer.  RPM now makes Losi spindle blocks and guarantees
    them unbreakable; I haven't seen any aftermarket rear axles.
    
    Losi spindle blocks cost about $5 per set (includes right and left
    spindle blocks and spindle carriers), and rear axles are $6 each
    (includes a drive pin for the rear wheel.)  So the cost of these parts
    is down in the noise compared to normal wear items like rear tires,
    motor brushes and spray, etc.
    
    The JR-X2 has been superceded by the JRX-Pro, which includes all of
    the parts needed to make the car competitive on most tracks -- long
    chassis, H-arm rear end, etc. On some tracks the short chassis and
    5-link rear end of the original JR-X2 will be better.  Both Losi cars
    have the same transmission, which is a good one that doesn't need
    replacing (unlike the RC-10 and Ultima.)  It sounds like you plan to
    run the car on-road, and I am not knowledgeable about that.  I guess
    you would need new tires, at least.

I'll add my vote for the JRX-2.  If you are planning to run primarily on-road,
I would NOT get a JRX-PRO.  The 5-link rear suspension will be superior to the
H-arms on carpet or asphalt.

All the cars you mention are good competition-level kits.  I believe the JRX-2
is the most competitive "out-of-the box".  Both the RC10 and the Ultima are
competitive at our local track but most have be "customized" with various 
after-market parts.  The new "Stealth" transmission from Associated has 
dramatically improved the RC10 competitiveness.

Hi, this is Justin Dwyer, Greg's son.  I have had my JRX-PRO for roughly a 
year, it is the best car I have ever driven.  I have only one problem after a 
few races the cartridges in my shocks start to leak like sieves, it is costing 
me big bucks to keep up with leaky cartridges. I was wondering if any body has 
any suggestions in this field, my Dad said "keep them cleaner" but I think 
theres more to it than that?  But other wise I'am pleased to be an owner of a 
PRO.Its not a beginers car but it would be goood for some one with a year or 
so of experience.  I just finished converting my car to On-Road.  I plan to 
race at Hobbys Etc in Nashua.  He has a carpeted banked oval (Perfect for fast 
lap) I hope to add to my trophies which I won at Hobbys Plus with my Raider it 
moved out pretty good for a beginners car.  Thats all for now.  

Justin Dwyer

Where are the shocks leaking from. The top where the cap screws on, or out the
bottom?????

If it's the bottom, take the shocks appart and make sure the TWO tiny "O" rings
are there. Make sure the opening that the strut goes through isn't worn.

If it's leaking out of the top, did you remember to put the plastic semi clear
flat washers on the top of the shock before screwing on the cap??????? If you
did, you can go to the local hardware store and get a couple of rubber "O" rings
to put under the cap and seal it up.


Steve

    Re. .31
    
    Hi, Steve thanks for the info, but my shocks cartridges screw up from
    the bottom.  There is a cartridge that screws up into the bottem of the
    shock.  I notice that it seems to be leaking from where the shaft comes
    out of the cartridge.  I noticed when I looked in side the cartridge
    there were rubber "O" rings. I have a feeling that the ovaling out
    of the cartridge opening and worn "O" rings could be the problem.
    I wish I could think of a way to stretch their life, but it seems 
    that it is imposible.
    
    Justin

    You are right, Losi shock cartridges leak.  Even a new one often leaks.
    Rumor has it that Losi will soon be selling a "non-compensating"
    cartridge that won't leak.  Non-compensating means that oil won't move
    down into the cartridge as the shock compresses (cut a Losi cartridge
    apart if you don't know what I'm talking about.)
    
    With the new cartridges, Losi shocks will be "emulsion" shocks, just
    like Associated shocks are.  Emulsion means that you leave air in the shock,
    mix the air with the oil (to form an emulsion) by compressing the shock
    once or twice, and the air compresses as you compress the shock.  It
    takes some practice to leave just the right amount of air in the shock.
    You need to run a slightly thicker oil because of the air mixed in.
    
    If you want to solve your problem *now*, buy a set of MIP cartridges
    for your Losi shocks.  They work like a charm.
    
        --mark