1/10th Crawler Shock Adjustments

[Jay Robinette]

Please post any questions you might have about the shock's and shock arm location adjustments here and the Team will answer them. :cool:


Here's a quick overview of what to expect from your shock locations.

Raising and lower the shock arm (holes A,B,C) will give you more or less ground clearance. Hole "A" lowers your ground clearance, "B" is the middle and "C" raises your ground clearance. We have found in testing that running hole "B" on the front and rear seems to be the best all around location for all types of terrain.


Shock mount positions are holes #1-5, #1 being all the way in towards the gearbox and #5 all the way out towards the axles.

Running hole #5 stands the shock up more and has a stiffer feel while going through the suspension cycle. Hole #1 lays the shock down more and will give the shock a softer feel and it adds more articulation to the cycle. Sometimes when running your shocks laid down you'll notice the springs collapse a lot more then when stood up, so a stiffer spring or oil might need to be used.

[chenzo]

What kind of tires do you run???

[Jay Robinette]

What kind of tires do you run???

I run the Comp Claws with 1-1/2 Losi memory foam in the front with about 8oz of weight added to the rim.

In the rear I run a grey Losi Rock Claw foam inside a Comp Claw with about 3oz of weight added to the rim.

Chenzo, come out and crawl with me buddy. Long time no see :cool:

[Clovis Crawler]

Jay, what would you suggest for tuning a CCR that will bash ninety-nine percent of the time, but at competion level? What I mean is the truck will be the best basher on the rocks and still compete as well. It needs to be a versatile high performing crawler. I have personally put eight ounces in the front wheels and four in the rear. I thought about putting the pink springs on the rear shocks on my maiden voyage. I've noticed a huge improvement in performance on my MRC when I have a firmer rear and softer front. I've also inverted my MRC shocks, but don't feel the CCR needs it. However, I've also noticed that the first CCR (the yellow flamed one that Richard owns) that we saw in all those pictures had the upper shock mounts at the number three hole.

Oh yeah, I've also tried 45wt shock oil in my MRC shocks (because I thought the small bottle wouldn't fill all the CCR's shocks) and that was another major performance change. Love the heavier weight oil. I did this because I heard CCR owners were doing it, with success. Do you have 45wt oil in your shocks?

[Jay Robinette]

Jay, what would you suggest for tuning a CCR that will bash ninety-nine percent of the time, but at competion level? What I mean is the truck will be the best basher on the rocks and still compete as well. It needs to be a versatile high performing crawler. I have personally put eight ounces in the front wheels and four in the rear. I thought about putting the pink springs on the rear shocks on my maiden voyage. I've noticed a huge improvement in performance on my MRC when I have a firmer rear and softer front. I've also inverted my MRC shocks, but don't feel the CCR needs it. However, I've also noticed that the first CCR (the yellow flamed one that Richard owns) that we saw in all those pictures had the upper shock mounts at the number three hole.

Oh yeah, I've also tried 45wt shock oil in my MRC shocks (because I thought the small bottle wouldn't fill all the CCR's shocks) and that was another major performance change. Love the heavier weight oil. I did this because I heard CCR owners were doing it, with success. Do you have 45wt oil in your shocks?


Here's my current set up. http://crawler.setupsheets.com/Losi-s-Comp-Crawler_Team-Driver_5895.html

Your weight in the wheels is perfect but you might want to go 1oz lighter in the rear.

I've tried a stiffer spring in the rear but always go back to the white or grey spring. I feel when climbing vertical the rig will stay planted more in the rear and not wash out as much.

[Clovis Crawler]

And this is the reason for forums. I don't have to buy all the springs and spend months trying to tune. I'll use the Losi team's combined experiences to purchases only what I need. I'm going to try pink springs (because I already purchased it), but I'm going to buy grey springs, too.

I just went to your setup sheet through your link. I forgot about that section at the site. I'll have to visit it more often.

What does the heavier weight oil do to the shocks? What's the difference between the #57 (your choice) and #56 (stock)? Logic says your choice is like changing from a one hole piston in my MRC to a two hole piston. The reason why I ask is when I look at the pictures of the pistons at my dealer's and the Losi site, they all seem to have the same number of holes (3) and there's no description. At least the springs have different rates to choose from.

[Jay Robinette]

And this is the reason for forums. I don't have to buy all the springs and spend months trying to tune. I'll use the Losi team's combined experiences to purchases only what I need. I'm going to try pink springs (because I already purchased it), but I'm going to buy grey springs, too.

I just went to your setup sheet through your link. I forgot about that section at the site. I'll have to visit it more often.

What does the heavier weight oil do to the shocks? What's the difference between the #57 (your choice) and #56 (stock)? Logic says your choice is like changing from a one hole piston in my MRC to a two hole piston. The reason why I ask is when I look at the pictures of the pistons at my dealer's and the Losi site, they all seem to have the same number of holes (3) and there's no description. At least the springs have different rates to choose from.

On the Comp Crawler all the pistons are three holes but the size #54, 55, 56, 57 and #60 are hole sizes. Take a look at this chart and it can give a little more info. (http://bobmay.astronomy.net/misc/drillchart.htm) Look down the Designation column and you'll see where the piston size numbers come from. Basically the #54 has the largest hole and the #60 has the smallest and they all have three holes.

As for running the #57 piston and 40wt instead of the #56 and 30wt I feel the heavier pack and damping control the suspension movement in response to wheel hop with weight in the wheels verse stock with no weight. Plus it carries a tire over obstacles but still allows the suspension to drop when the steering is wiggled.


The MRC pistons are all the same hole size but are like you said three different options. I run 60wt in all four shocks. Front pistons are 3-hole, right rear 3-hole, left rear 1-hole for torque twist.

Hope this helps Clovis :cool:

[Clovis Crawler]

Wow. Your oil is 60wt in the MRC? Is it better to use a heavier weight on the smaller crawler? And thanks for the tip on the one hole piston in the left rear shock for the torque twist. What do you choose for springs?

Wish my hometown had a hobby store, so I didn't have to ask about the Comp Crawler's pistons. We used to have one. I didn't the hole sizes in the pictures. I would have, if the old store were still here. And thanks for the chart. I see it now.

I see why heavier weight oil is used after reading your second paragraph. I'm learning a lot from you guys. Once again, thanks for the help.

I really enjoy my MRC and was really excited when I saw the prototype (if I haven't told you yet, congratulations on being the 1.9 World Champ!). When it hits the shelves, I'll buy one. However, I'm definitely keeping the first one. It's a lot of fun to crawl my modified MRC indoors.

Kabuki, the Clovis Crawler (actually Clovis is a girl's name and I'm a man)

[Jay Robinette]

Wow. Your oil is 60wt in the MRC? Is it better to use a heavier weight on the smaller crawler? And thanks for the tip on the one hole piston in the left rear shock for the torque twist. What do you choose for springs?

Wish my hometown had a hobby store, so I didn't have to ask about the Comp Crawler's pistons. We used to have one. I didn't the hole sizes in the pictures. I would have, if the old store were still here. And thanks for the chart. I see it now.

I see why heavier weight oil is used after reading your second paragraph. I'm learning a lot from you guys. Once again, thanks for the help.

I really enjoy my MRC and was really excited when I saw the prototype (if I haven't told you yet, congratulations on being the 1.9 World Champ!). When it hits the shelves, I'll buy one. However, I'm definitely keeping the first one. It's a lot of fun to crawl my modified MRC indoors.

Kabuki, the Clovis Crawler (actually Clovis is a girl's name and I'm a man)



Yeah my MRC has 60wt all around but I do run a wide stance. Losi aluminium rims are wide plus I run a spacer between the hex and wheel. I'm right about 7-3/4" and the limit is 8". With the wide stance and the heavy oil when running hard up a climb it stays on line and wont wonder back and forth. The springs on my MRC are front, silver stock, right rear blue, left rear black stock spring.

When you run a heavy oil light spring set up on the Comp Crawler or MRC make sure the springs are not preloaded too much, this will make the rig have a soft feel to it and makes the pack and damping from the piston and oil do all the work and not the spring. It wont come back to center if you lean it to one side because the springs have no preload but it will float on the rocks and is very predictable.

Thanks for the World Champ props too. :)

[Clovis Crawler]

Yeah my MRC has 60wt all around but I do run a wide stance. Losi aluminium rims are wide plus I run a spacer between the hex and wheel. I'm right about 7-3/4" and the limit is 8". With the wide stance and the heavy oil when running hard up a climb it stays on line and wont wonder back and forth. The springs on my MRC are front, silver stock, right rear blue, left rear black stock spring.

When you run a heavy oil light spring set up on the Comp Crawler or MRC make sure the springs are not preloaded too much, this will make the rig have a soft feel to it and makes the pack and damping from the piston and oil do all the work and not the spring. It wont come back to center if you lean it to one side because the springs have no preload but it will float on the rocks and is very predictable.

Thanks for the World Champ props too. :)

Once again, thanks Jay. I forgot about a problem (or not) with the Comp Crawler leaning towards the left. I thought it was because of the weight of the dig servo.

After all that I've learned from you, it's easy to congratulate you on the World Champ title, my friend. I can't wait to tell everyone that my Comp Crawler and MRC successfully crawl because I have the advice of the pros at Team Losi. Thanks to Jake and Casey, too.:)

[Mad Dawg]

Here is a brief rundown of my LCC setup.
Front: Comp Claws with homemade memory foam and 1/2" slice of stock gray foam on the outside of the memory foam for sidewall stiffness plus 8oz of weight. Upper links - top. Shock Arm - B. Shock position - 1. #57 valves (mine came that was from the factory for some reason- but installed new ones anyway) 40wt Losi shock oil. Stock white springs. 3/8" limiters.
Rear: Stock Rock Claws with stock unaltered gray foam and 3oz of weight. Upper links - top. Shock arm - B. Shock position - 4. #57 shock valves with 40wt Losi shock oil. Stock white springs. 3/8" limiters.

I like the reaction with the 40wt oil over the 30wt...it slows it down a lot. Plus I have some control over the droop with a wiggle of the steering.

All of my shock cartridges leak oil. (Came that way outta the box)

My question is about spring preload. Is it better to preload the spring enough to make the shock return to a nearly full extension?
Or is it better to preload just enough to keep it somewhere in the middle of the shock travel?
How important is skid plate height? Is it better to have the 4 link in a more parallel (horizontal) position? Or does any of that really matter?

Also got a rear shock outboard kit ordered along with all the aluminum / TiNi axle upgrades, axles braces, and steering linkages. (And new worms from Losi)