Shock set up on Mugen MBX5

[Dr. Paint]

I've noticed how the buggy gets kicked arround when the track gets worst and worst during a long main.

This happed to me this past weekend in Kamloops as well. The back end kept on getting kicked up and to the right and left while going in a fairly straight line through the infield.

I ran more ride height than I ever ran in a race before and the buggy still got rocked hard.

So what's the solution to this?

[Nutter]

I noticed that a lot too when I was watching the video of the re-openings A-main.

Less anti-squat, softer springs, and heavier shock oil with larger holes in the shock pistons will all affect the handling of rough areas while under acceleration, but as with everything it'll be a matter of finding which gives the best results without detracting from the handling elsewhere too much. Most likely the combination of heavier shock oil and larger holes in the pistons is what you want though - it will reduce the shocks pack while keeping the low-speed feeling very similar.

*edit: I probably should also mention that the shock oil/piston change will of course mean you'll bottom out over jumps more..

[Nutter]

Hey Seb, out of curiosity, did you try anything new yesterday to get around this issue? If so, what was it and how did it work out for you?

[Dr. Paint]

Yes.

I went stiffer oil in the front... and it helped but I don't have the amount of steering I used to have now. I will take the this over the steering.

And one more thing.... I busted my front shock tower. I ripped a pice out of it and now I only got 1 hole. Hove wheely into pit lane wall...

[Nutter]

You busted a front shock tower? ouch! I presume it was a stock piece, not a ProSpec/aftermarket aluminium piece?

How does thicker front shock oil help the rear from bouncing around (at least, from the videos it looks like the rears that bounce the most)? In combination with larger piston holes (and in the rear) I can see it helping, but not alone. I guess it's one of those things that you have to be there to see how it's reacing to the track.

[Dr. Paint]

I actualy has 2 problems.

1) the bouncing in the rear

2) my front end would hit the ground at te end of the straight.

1 was solved by mounting the rear shocks inwords on the shock tower

2 got solved by the thicker oil

[Mach3]

I was wondering what shock oil people are using in both the front & rear of there MBX5 buggy. Also what diff oil are people using too?
Mach3

[Dr. Paint]

Till the Cash Race I was using 30wt.

I went with 35wt for the cash race and it was beter for driving slightly more hard core than I usualy do. My best pace with the 35 wt was 11 in 5:22:xx

I actualy beat that with 30 wt but while the track was smooth.

The way this new track is looking.. I'd stay 35wt.

On an open track I run 30,000 - 100,000, and 5,000

On the local track less weight oil in the front helps it turn in better... like 10,000 or 7,000

[Nutter]

Seb: What brand of 30/35wt oil was it? Unfortunately that's not a standardized measurement, so varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

And wow, I haven't heard of people running 100k in the centre diff of a buggy before. That must give you practically no centre diff movement?

[Dr. Paint]

I put Losi 35wt oil I velive. I had 30wt Losi oil before.

The 100,000 in the center gives very very very tiny small diff action.

You know when your front or back wheels come of the ground sometimes over rough terain... with 100,000 in the center it distributes the power 50\50 Front to Rear so that the wheels that are on the ground get power as well...

Mugen recoments lighter center like 10,000 for bumpy tracks... so what I'm running is extremly wrong if you go by that.

The reason I run it the way I do is because I just took the adwise from people that used to run 1\8 scale 4 - 5 yeas ago.