New Slayer Pro 4x4 owner needs help

[DieselDoc21806]

Hi guys! First have to say how awesome my Slayer Pro is! I decided to buy a nitro r/c after messing with a co-workers RC10GT. Gotta love the smell of NITRO! Smells like the drag strip in my back yard now! But I have a few issues I was hoping I could get some help on. I'm a total newbie to the "hobby class" r/c cars. I have broken in the engine per Traxxas instructions and the truck is running great. My biggest issues are tuning the suspension. The rear end squats so bad under throttle that it has rubbed the paint off the body above the rear tires. I am going to get a sway bar kit after reading several threads. I guess what I'm asking is the shocks look threaded like coil overs on a car (I'm a gear head and build some hot rods), can they be adjusted to change the spring rate? Will this help raise the ride height a bit on the rear and keep it from squatting? The truck sits lower in the rear even at rest. Or do I need to change the rear springs to stiffer ones all together? Thanks for the help in advance guys!

[BomberSTi]

You can spin it down to adjust your pre load. I went with stiffer springs and 50wt shock oil. And I'm pleased with my set up. Think I actually have some revo springs cause I bash mine pretty hard and I hardly ever bottom out. And sway bar kit is almost a must.

[Nitronaught]

Suspension tuning guidelines

1. Springs set the overall firmness of your shocks.

2. Pre-load spacers (or threaded pre-load adjustments are for fine tuning your ride height, the increased firmness is a side affect. If you use Pre-loading to set your firmness you will lose come of the compression of the spring and your shocks will always be under a load. Using too much pre-load (happens when you use pre-loading to increase firmness) you are putting constant strain on the piston of the shock..... This is why it's best to use more firm springs compared to pre-loading them.

3. Shock oil weight/thickness sets the rebound rate of your shocks. When you increase the firmness you need to also increase the thickness of your shock oil. When you decrease the firmness you want to use lighter oil.
If you experience that your ride is bouncy, or it is dipping in the corners wanting to roll over on a turn, chances are your oil is too light.
If you experience loss of traction when you apply power and it wants to spin out on you, this is a good sign the opil is too thick slowing down the rebound speed of the shock to the point that the wheels are not maintaining contact to the ground as well as it should be...

Hope this helps.

[Wolfslash16]

I would get some firmer springs for the rear, because the stock ones are quite weak... Or you could just adjust for some more spring preload so it rasies the ride height... Just my .2 cents!

[DieselDoc21806]

Thanks for the advice guys! I stiffened up the rear shocks a bit and it helped a little. Played with it a bit and while trying to dial it in out in a parking lot I crashed pretty bad and broke a rear toe link. So now it is out of commision until the new toe link, sway bar kit and springs come in. Should I get the stock toe link bars? Are the aluminium ones worth the money?

[Reilly630]

If you were to get the alluminum ones id get the alluminum steering blocks as well you make one thing stronger the weeker will fail lesson learned many years ago lol and thesway bars dont listen to the guy at your hobby shop or websites about needing the revo rear wing kit its b.s. traxxas kit# 5998 fits perfect from

[DieselDoc21806]

Installed sway bar kit and new rear springs and WOW what a difference! I can actually drift the truck through turns and it won't just roll over. Thanks for the help guys

[ayS]

is there drilling involved with the sway bar kit install?

[Reilly630]

is there drilling involved with the sway bar kit install?

Yes it comes with the drill bit and guides to put the holes in the exact location needed.

[some_evil]

is there drilling involved with the sway bar kit install?

Yes there is, which when i read it I was a little worried at first, but when i read the instructions from start to finish you really cannot stuff it up. Guides you each step of the way making for a much better/smoother running truck