Small suspension mod

[Siq6Six]

While U4RC may not be as popular as it once was, that doesn't mean I've forgotten about my Bomber. It's not drastically upgraded, but I've always wanted it to drive better - when I do pull it off the shelf. I started with the kit King aluminum shocks. At some point I put the Powerstroke XT's in the rear (with a little too much locktite into the HB aluminum upper mounts). Still sat too high. Shocks were too stiff & it bounced, kicked and bucked everywhere. Found a thread where they said they were successful with the powerstroke short course rear & fronts. It sat lower, but still too stiff. Front end still popped up constantly & it lost travel.

So I decided to experiment. XT's are a good length - but too stiff even with the "softest" springs. So I snatched the soft springs from the 100mm powerstrokes. With the collar adjusted to keep them on the bottom perch, the bomber sits where I want it. & has ~2 5/8" travel

Next I started playing with the front. Barely over an inch of travel doesn't cut it. I searched for upper shock mounts - something I did years ago as well. Also tried searching for possible mods, but my Google-foo failed me. So I stared at it for a bit wondering how I could fit a longer shock up front & keep the ride height low... Considered drilling new holes in the plastic mounts. Then I decided to mock up the 100mm shocks, as if they were mounted to the cross bar. Turns out it isn't that bad if a location. Nothing appears bind or rub. You gain distance & angle. Now it was time to figure out how the heck I could make this actually happen.. Queue more googling & forum digging. I didn't exactly find my answer, but I did find posts on what id need to make my fix. I'm a long ways from building a cage, or even putting down a clean braze, but I managed to braze M3 nuts to either end of a 3/16 brake line so I could thread a bolt in to secure the frame & shocks. Getting about 1 1/2" of travel up front now. Id like to push that to 2". I may mock up the XT's for some shock hoops, but I think they'll be too long.

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[Fallen]

Bravo, nicely done.

There's a lot to be said for staring at a truck and coming up with a solution. I'm not an engineer, so I don't design things. But I have enough mechanical aptitude and experience using tools to find a solution usually.

Sounds like your Bomber will be better at, well, bombing through the desert now,

 

[ferp420]

To much flex can really hurt your performane especially on a bomber
but its your toy

 

[Siq6Six]

@Fallen - Hope so! Tryin to get it to its happy place so it doesn't need a groomed track to go fast and still be capable in the technical stuff.

@Ferp420 Suspension travel, flex, body roll... All things which must be considered. It does have the Currie (Vanquish) sway bar in the rear. A sway bar up front is always an option if necessary. The lower links are close to flat as it sits. When the shocks bottom out, I still have roughly 1/4" additional upward movement before the axle hits the cage. Might run out to Horseman's this week to run it around the "U4" course PBTF sets up to see how it fairs.

 

[Siq6Six]

Got some time on the rocks after work today. This thing handled better than expected. It ate to the smaller stuff & uneven surfaces of some of the large slabs of rock. There are a couple rolling jump & has a tendency to nose down in the air. Think I'll add some weight to the rear - maybe toss the spare back on. I know that'll effect how it climbs buuuut I have a Sendero & Capra for that! It crawled up a lot more than it did last time.

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[ferp420]

@Fallen - Hope so! Tryin to get it to its happy place so it doesn't need a groomed track to go fast and still be capable in the technical stuff.

@Ferp420 Suspension travel, flex, body roll... All things which must be considered. It does have the Currie (Vanquish) sway bar in the rear. A sway bar up front is always an option if necessary. The lower links are close to flat as it sits. When the shocks bottom out, I still have roughly 1/4" additional upward movement before the axle hits the cage. Might run out to Horseman's this week to run it around the "U4" course PBTF sets up to see how it fairs.

more flex and a sway bay kinda twisted my brain those 2 things dont really go together
Ive never seen a u4 track at horsmans not even at proline by the fire dosent mean there isent one just never seen one i know lazernut has one at there place but thats the only formal u4 track ive herd of in that area i dont spend much time at horsmans the crawling is better at my place and we have alot more trails to run but ill stop by if im stuck in town for what ever reason like last week i killed a hour or so just outside the park waiting for the post office to get there shit together

 

[Siq6Six]

I think I wasn't clear. What I am saying is those all effect one another and that's something to be considered. The goal is more wheel travel, not necessarily more flex. Its a go fast car meant to traverse rough terrain and climb over some stuff.

As far as any tracks, I don't know of any that aren't on private property. Digging up the '22 PBTF Vlog from HarleyDesigns YT page, it was a "U4 Hot Lap". Heres the clip from YouTube, starts @ timestamp 14:55. (Guess we can't embed clips?)
https://youtu.be/GdiEG7Li2pY?t=895

Anyways, I ended up just going to the south end of the dirt side. There's plenty of options - even stuff this thing could climb.

 

[ferp420]

I think I wasn't clear. What I am saying is those all effect one another and that's something to be considered. The goal is more wheel travel, not necessarily more flex. Its a go fast car meant to traverse rough terrain and climb over some stuff.

As far as any tracks, I don't know of any that aren't on private property. Digging up the '22 PBTF Vlog from HarleyDesigns YT page, it was a "U4 Hot Lap". Heres the clip from YouTube, starts @ timestamp 14:55. (Guess we can't embed clips?)
https://youtu.be/GdiEG7Li2pY?t=895

Anyways, I ended up just going to the south end of the dirt side. There's plenty of options - even stuff this thing could climb.

Lol ok it all makes sence now


I ran that course in the video right after they set it up on friday

If i remeber right ultra running shoes sponsered the hot lap event



i dont feel the rc u4 scene is doing rock racing justice just throughing some rocks on to a short course track dosent make it a u4 track but that seems to be all thats out there

I dont know why theres not a real rc u4 track in johnson valley or any public place for that matter

 

[Siq6Six]

Sweet. The link atleast shows a thumbnail when viewing through Tapatalk.

Anyway.. I agree with you about courses not really doing justice to U4. Its probably too difficult to do realistically. They're building off your typical RC track & adapting. I think the way they did the hotlap is close tho. Something with a slower segment where you have to be a bit more intentional with how you're getting over obstacles, then open up to the high-speed section.

I think the courses in Cherry Valley & Apple Valley were both built on somebody's property. Heck I don't even think there's a hobby shop up here besides Coyote Hobbies anymore? Ben a while since I was in there but they looked to have a focus towards buggies/truggies/SCTs.

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