Any of you guys run these? (shock tower braces)

cabbynate · #1 09-01-2007

http://www.penguinrc.com/products/losi.html
I just ordered some and was wondering if some of you may have tried them......

super__dan · #2 09-01-2007

I run some I had made about a year ago, will post pics later when I can access photobucket.

They work functionaly like those, but the rear one mounts on the back on mine. Since I ran them I've never broken a rear tower (except a camber link hole once). I have cracked a few fronts still on a thin brace, but always finished the race (in fact i once cracked a tower in practice and raced it all day). I've since put a thicker one on and not broken one since (but not used car much).

They are some weight high up, but for ensuring you finish they are ace!

cabbynate · #3 09-01-2007

Good to hear.

It's not like we can just walk into the hobby shop and ask for an X-5 rear shock tower.........

cmgreen · #4 09-01-2007

True, cause its a xx-4 shock tower, made to fit

cabbynate · #5 09-01-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmgreen

True, cause its a xx-4 shock tower, made to fit

I guess I should have said a XX-4 shock tower modified to fit an X-5.

Chrislong · #6 09-01-2007

They are a good idea to add strength, I have never run one tho. Id rather carry spare shock towers (or raid Dans stock

) as I don't break them so often.

cabbynate · #7 09-01-2007

I can't remember breaking a shock tower on any of my buggy's in a very long time although once a marshal stepped on my XXX4 and broke the rear tower once (ouch). My X-5's rear shocks seem to bottom out before the chassis if you lad a big jump to one side or the other. It flat bottoms fine but the shocks seem to long? If I were to land at the right angle (well wrong angle) all the energy would be transformed to one wing of the rear tower so I'm sure this would help to disperse the energy. At least I think so.

Chrislong · #8 09-01-2007

Hi mate,
With you mentioning previously that your ballcups rub on your outdrives, and now you mention your shocks bottom before the chassis hits the deck - this all leads me to beleive that your shock tower is mounted far too low.

Has somebody at some point, shortened the 4 legs of the tower. Or has somebody filed the camber blocks down so they are thinner.

I can't think whatelse it could be. if you have spare parts, try taking some measurements of both the blocks and towers.

Chris

cabbynate · #9 09-01-2007

Hey Chris,
Sorry for the mis confusion. The ball cups don't rub on the out drives. what I had to do is add an .120 spacer on the outside of the rear shocks to keep the aluminum CVD's from rubbing on the out drives at full compression. By doing this it limits travel and while bottoming out on flat landings is no problem, if I were to land at an angle with one rear tire landing first it could bottom the shock and that could break off the wing on that side of the shock tower. The brace seem like if this were to happen than it would disperse the energy through out the shock tower and save the wing from a break. I guess my question would when you compress your rear shock will the bone rub your out drive and if not compress you buggy's rear end at an angle and see if your chassis rear corner bottoms out before your shock and if so is the bone touching the out drive?
Cheers and thanks for the input M8.

super__dan · #10 09-01-2007

Here are the ones I run

These are actually Fybre Lyte (sp) ones I modded the CAD for, the front mainly to allow me to run a roll bar (which I no longer bother with) and the rear to follow the tower outline slightly better.