"Shocking" problem!

[Straightspeed]

I'm having a problem with a leaking rear shock ???

I have replaced the shaft with an FT Unobtanium jobbie, replaced both "O" rings, and the cap seal. It appears to leak when its standing, (it's left 7 days between meetings) not when I use it, from the bottom of the shock. The shocks are not over filled, and all the others are fine.

The shock body is an FT blue alloy threaded item. Any Idea's?

[burgie]

make sure that the white plastic retaining clip is properly forced into place. I and a number of other people have recently had this problem with associated shocks.

You need to really push the clip hard into place using the tool provided in the kits. I used the tool and a small hammer to tap everything into place, and the shocks leak no more.

You could aslo try replacing the shock seals with the blue MIP versions too..... hope this helps

[Straightspeed]

"White plastic retaining clip" and "Special tool" are a mystery. "They" are also reffered to in the small instruction leaflet that came with the rebuild kit, which bore no resemblance to the shock internals that came with my kit.

I have two red "O" rings that sit in the bottom of the shock body. Over these is a square sleeve type arrangement that has a foam "bobin!" inside that is pushed inside the shock body. The assembled shaft then pass's through this little lot (difficult to describe) I needed no special tool - can't see one mentioned in the build instructions - to assemble/dissassemble.

Are there two types of shock internal?

[burgie]

???? that doesn't sound like any associated shock absorber that I have ever built.....i don't remember there being any foam compenstors in mine. They sound much more like schumacher shocks to me, with Bobbins and Foam.....

[Simon Smith]

my AE shocks have the Bobbin too. Actually, thinking about it, my shocks are identical internally to what Straightspeed described.

[burgie]

unless its me with a bit of a mental block going on here, but I really do not remember my shocks being built like that at all. It makes me want to strip them down to find out!

As far as i can remember, my shocks have a number of white washers and red o-rings built in sequence, onto the "shock tool" with a white squarish peice of plastic being the first thing to be put on. all of this is inserted into the shock abosrber, and pushed firmly down until the white plastic square clicks into place.

I have no recollection whatsever of sponges or bobbins, and no, my shocks do not leak!

Maybe the design has been changed recently, I just don't know....

Chris

[learnerdriver]

Tim,

it would appear that associated have changed their assembly instructions for shocks (there is no mention of snapping bobbin into place first with special tool in the tc3 manual online) ???

have a look at the following link on the associated site for the b3 buggy manual where the shock assembly instructions on page 15 are given step by step - you should apply the same principle to your touring car shocks
http://download.teamassociated.com/pdf/manuals/10b3_man2.pdf

as I remember rightly, you place the bobbin followed by two o-rings on the special tool and then insert the tool into the shock body with slight pressure until you feel it click - the square white plastic clip on the bobbin should lock into place with the internal recess in the shock body - thereby compressing the bobbin and o-rings making a leak-proof seal (sorry for all the words, the pictures show a cut away of the shock/bobbin assembly much better !!)

It sound like you may have non-standard parts - will try and look out my associated parts for next tuesday ;D

[Simon Smith]

Chris, thats the method used on the T3, i built the shocks on my friend T3 Basic+. I imagine the B3 is the same. The Tc3 doesnt have all those washers and things, or a "shock tool".

[burgie]

My TC3 Racer did, My B3's (Team and Factory Team) did, as did both of my B4's . . . . .I have never seen an associated shock with foam compensators ever.

I have so many "shock tools" I could bag them up and sell them back to associated!

[learnerdriver]

Chris, thats the method used on the T3, i built the shocks on my friend T3 Basic+. I imagine the B3 is the same. The Tc3 doesnt have all those washers and things, or a "shock tool".




most losi & schumacher shocks have an external cartridge system whereas all the associated vehicles I have had all had some form of internal catridge system requiring you to snap it into place - cannot see how the bobbin and o rings are retained otherwise ???

[learnerdriver]

just looked at ntc3 manual - it would appear that associated has done away with special tool and expect you to snap the bobbin into place with the shock shaft ???

"insert the assembly into the shock body and pull the shaft through firmly to seat the vc bobbin at the base of the shock bore "

from my experience, I would suggest that anyone with touring car gets hold of the buggy special tool - it makes assembly and dis-assembly a lot easier - you could even find someone to make a bling bling aluminium version of the special tool instead of the plastic one 8)

happy shocking ;D

[mr_baz]

I have just finished building my new TC3 Factory Team, it has the blue threaded bodies and unobtanium shafts etc...

They have a recess in the bottom of the shock body for the white plastic 'bobbin' to sit in (the bobbin has the foam compensator stretched round the middle).

To fit the bobbins you put them on the built shaft/piston assembly and slide them into place using the shaft itself. My ones all fit very well and don't leak at all... :)

I had no special tool in the kit and nor did I need one...

Hope this helps!

Baz

[burgie]

it's obviously a modification to the way in which the shocks are built then. I wonder now though, if this is typical only to recent release touring cars, and not "proper" :o model cars such as buggies and trucks!

sits back, waits for the deluge to begin......

[learnerdriver]

I have just finished building my new TC3 Factory Team, it has the blue threaded bodies and unobtanium shafts etc...

They have a recess in the bottom of the shock body for the white plastic 'bobbin' to sit in (the bobbin has the foam compensator stretched round the middle).

To fit the bobbins you put them on the built shaft/piston assembly and slide them into place using the shaft itself. My ones all fit very well and don't leak at all... :)

I had no special tool in the kit and nor did I need one...

Hope this helps!

Baz


I agree that you do not need the special tool to assemble the shocks but how do you release the bobbin to dis-assemble - you cannot use the shock shaft ???

that is where the special tool came into it's own to insert into the bottom of the shock body at 45 degrees ish and release the bobbin

I agree with chris b - offroad engineering is better ;D

[burgie]

of course you can use the shock shaft, unscrew the thingymejig at the bottom that the screw goes through, remove the shock shaft and insert it back in from the base of the shock, just like the shock tool.

Thanks for the support fella, LETS OFF-ROAD!

[Straightspeed]

They simply push back out again. There is nothing to "lock" them in place ???

I assumed there had been a "mod" when I got the rebuild kit, and it did'nt tally with the original instructions.

I have removed the afore mentioned bobin (word of the day) before when cleaning and inspecting the shocks, and as they remove without a problem I can't see that I have or can damage them.

[nicholas mitchell]

i just read the whole thread. very interesting!
i HAVE experience of the associated shocks with the little foam 'bobin' things in.
the manual calls them VC foam and VC bobbin.
there is no 'white plastic thing' to click into place at all.
the only part that sits at the bottom of the shcok is two little orange O-rings.
then all u do is put them all on the shock shaft and shove them down into the shock.
these shocks were from a TC3 racer bought within that last 8months or so.
it must be a new design???
i agree with chris, LETS OFFROAD ;D
i always find that filling associated shocks without getting any air in the oil very difficult as there is no bleed screws.
i also find getting them to perform exactly the same as the shock on the other side of the car very difficult.
but thats just me
i dont ever suffer leaking of my shocks
i wonder why associated changed the design?
maybe john bull knows?
nick

[Straightspeed]

Ahhh, agreement, I'm not going mad ;D Nick your description is as it is, spot on ;D though my car is an 18 month old Team Edition, supplied without the threaded shock but upgraded - as you do ;D

Oh, and Off Road - agreed, but I'll keep my Mugen MBX4 XR Works for that 8)

Over to John Bull...........................(bet its warm in Malta :'()

[Phil C]

The ft tc3 shocks 2 red o rings in the bottom followed by a bobin with a foam ring around it. Then the shaft goes through. Basicly the way i solved my problem of leakage was to buy tamiya flourine coated trf shocks. Much Much better. Easier to fill, a hell of alot smoother and they dont leak.

[Stew Noble]

TRFage ;D

[Phil C]

Hehehe :D Also you would be suprised at the price you can pick them up at ;)

[nicholas mitchell]

oo how cheap?

[Straightspeed]

That pre-empted my next question. If it's time to replace the shocks (looking at the shaft hole in the body it looks a touch oval) what do I replace them with? I like the idea of the X Ray shocks, but the Tamiya ones sound OK, or do I just go back to FT bodies?

[John H]

I had problems with leaking shocks on my Ft TC3 too I had to refill them every week :(
I was told by a fellow racer to put Green slime on the o-rings and a small amount on the shock shafts and have had no probs since ;)

[Straightspeed]

Green slime, better go and ask my 5 year old son ;) Not thought of that, I'll give it a try 8)

[Phil C]

Trf's are the smoothest shocks you can buy. As for the price. Lets just say me an s2 picked some up for less than half the price of Ae Ft 1s ;) ;D

[Straightspeed]

Phil, couple of questions.

1. Do you have Tamiya part numbers?
2. Do they need modifying?
3. Will my springs fit?

OK, so it was three ;D ;D ;D ;D

[ColinO]

Trf's are the smoothest shocks you can buy. As for the price. Lets just say me an s2 picked some up for less than half the price of Ae Ft 1s

Also, Are they shorter that Ae shafts?
When I fit rear mount at front, there is very little shock movement left and the shocks seam to be packing.
I've tried putting spacers under the mount but I think shorted shock shafts would allow the shocks to works better.

(edit spelling misakes) ;D

[Phil C]

Ok...

Firstly they are pretty much a direct replacement. The bottom of the shock is attached on a pivot ball and the top as per normal.

the whole thing is shorter so you hav to unscrew the shockends a fair ammount to get the droop needed.

oh and the part number for the blue flouring coated ones is ITEM 49293**5800

[Straightspeed]

8)Cheers, I'll give them a go.

[Straightspeed]

Mmm, very odd. Changed front to rear during weekend rebuild. Shock leaked again, BUT different shock still mounted in the same place. Leak not as bad, but..............

Cant see anything bent or out of line - stripped and checked, set up on a set up station. Very confused ??? ???