Thanks for the reply mate..are the angles really different? I thought they were the same...

nah slightley different but i would think they would work the same ish. only difference is that the screws that hold the steering are different. with the ali ones you have to screw the steering and then it floats in the ali hub. and with the new ones you screw into the hub and then you put a gromit in the steering to make it float there. so i would think you would have to use the bj4 steering to

A little update.

Yesterday I started with the built of the B44 and the first thing I noticed that it just feels more professional than my TRF501x.

-Screws are perfect
-The materials used are also lighter and the carbon is of a nicer quality.
-The diffs also feels more robust and durable, this + the closed gearbox is a serious +.

So far I'm very pleased with the kit :D

Not sure I totally agree.

I've just completed the shocks on my B44 and they are the worst shocks I have ever built in my life! :mad: It must be the poorest design in shocks I have ever seen and bleeding them - what a joke! The shock caps are not threaded properly at all.

I read somewhere it says some pro's rebuild the shocks, sometimes after every race! I'd rather stab myself in the eye than do that.

Does anybody use a different kind of shock on their Associated cars? Maybe even Kyosho shocks? Kyosho must be the best shock to build and work on there is and with the new RB5 shock bottoms they just don't leak.

The shocks are indeed a pain in the "ss but when you know how to build them they are the best shocks available.
If you use this guide all should go very smooth.

http://users.pandora.be/elvo/12/8/1.html

The AE shocks do work very well - but the Tamiya ones I think are a lot better and nicer to work on. The tamiya shocks are based on the AE ones (same dimensions and pistons)

You can buy a different cap for the top that incorporates a bladder. Can't remember who makes them but they are about £10 a set. A friend had these on his B4 and it improved them 100%. removes the painful bleeding process and eliminates air in the shock.

i agree, kyosho RB5 shocks are the best. sooooooo smooth and leak free, especially if fitted with Northy's special "orings"!!

Bladders have been around for many years so there's a reason the AE and Tamiya 501X and Losi shocks don't have them - goodness knows what it is tho.
The AE shocks are in desperate need of an update if you ask me - an easier way to install / remove the orings would be my only real wish.

Oooh, where do I get some of them?

The AE compatible caps with bleed screws are by Yokomo.

Elliott.

Are we talking about bleed screws or bladders here? or indeed both? I used the Yokomo caps on the B4 shocks, never bladders tho.

I have these and they don't leak at all.

http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/Associated-B...QQcmdZViewItem

I never liked those, just for the simple fact they look naff after you roll over a few times - which I do a lot :D

I'd be very interested in bladders for AE shocks as well!!!!!!!!!!

Trouble with those shock caps is though in general I like blue anodizing, I somehow think those caps look chavvy, maybe it's just me?

I never crash so... :wtf:

The blue parts that come with the FT team kit are cool, those shock caps are definetly very chavvish lol

The blue color is the price you have to pay for shock's that don't leak :D

Mine don't leak and their not blue ;)

although I like the Tamiya shocks very much, I think there can be no discussion : Losi shocks are in many ways the best. PERIOD. Mostly because they are by far the easiest to work on. Changing pistons or fitting internal limiters is sooooo easy. Bleeding is a no-job

AE shocks were good 20 years ago, but they seriously need updating !

The Kyosho shocks on the ZX5 were also easy to work on, but I couldn't prevent them from leaking.

Follow the link \/ :D