SRB Rebuild….by a newbie (Chapter 1 Shocks advice needed)

[rcerrie]

Hi all, first post here.

I need some advice pls. I got an 80's SRB chassis with Ford F150 and Sand Scorcher body a while ago but only had a chance to look at it now.

Needs a rebuild and a good clean, so i decided to start with the shocks

Will it be better to rebuild current stock shocks or replace with "better" other make of shocks possibly cheaper. I suppose it would be nice to keep the original shocks for looks, but I am not really worried about it. I had a look at teamcrp and rcchannel shocks. $$$

Any advice pls

Thanks

[jwscab]

Depends on two things:

Are you restoring, or rebuilding to become a resto-mod?
How good are the original parts and how hard is it to find seals?

If the seals are like hen's teeth or the parts are too worn, it makes more sense to find a suitable replacement. You can use about a thousand different shocks out there I'm sure something reasonably priced would fit.

[rcerrie]

Depends on two things:

Are you restoring, or rebuilding to become a resto-mod?
How good are the original parts and how hard is it to find seals?

If the seals are like hen's teeth or the parts are too worn, it makes more sense to find a suitable replacement. You can use about a thousand different shocks out there I'm sure something reasonably priced would fit.

My intent is to restore but I recon it will become a resto-mod as I go along.
Not sure what the tolerances must be on the shocks, but I do see it has the original brass bush on the shafts, instead of a teflon one found in rebuild kits. I will see if I can find 3mm seals locally, if not I have to make a decision which route to go i suppose.

Next question is what oil to use? my thinking is a thicker almost gel type since srb shocks tends to leak.
Is a coil over conversion better than the stock torsion bar suspension?

****Sorry question overload****

[tamiyadan]

.

[rcerrie]

Thanks Tamiyadan, quite a lot of info you gave me. I can just drool at that collection

I will look again at the replacement srb shocks, and differential

You just made up my mind, for now I would like to get it drivable with what I have even it is not perfect just get to know the srb. Slowly I will progress to the 21st century regarding parts. Will change the mechanical speed controller with a brushed esc, get a 2c lipoly and might change the steering servo position to be more direct on the steering, will see.


The day I received grandpa….

[tamiyadan]

.

[shodog]

Tamiyamandan has covered quite a bit. If you plan to run this, get an aftermarket aluminum chassis. The stock fiberglass chassis is superflexible and on big hits you will eventually crack your body and Radiobox. To use that scorcher body you will need a scorcher roll bar as the ranger and scorcher are different.

Here are a couple of pics of my runner where I have addresed about every issue with the SRB. From front to back. Race prep steel front bumper, RCH Hardened suspension pins, thorp ball cups, super champ steering servo saver aluminum chassis coil overs for the stock dampers, super champ steel universals CRP aluminum rear bumper.

[rcerrie]

Thanks Shodog, Super setup you have there!!!

I have a lot of things to change, slowly I will get there. At least I can now show SWAMBO where I will be spending my money on