Can the center shock be too long? By this I mean, when you are running wide open and the shock extends do you want to limit how far the rear pod can travel? I hope this makes since.

That is called pod droop... When the pod extends back to far... Yes there can be to much.. it really depends on your track,, But rule of thumb i use is .. put your car on a flat surface so the pod is flat with the chassis.. take the center shock off and mesure how far past the ball stub the ball cup hole is.. i usually have mine 1/8 past.. or the losi and rpm ball cups have a notch on them... with the car flat the ball stud should sit right in that notch..

Burbs,

Waht I understand about the center shock is that it is supposed to be able to extend a little past the point where the rear pod is flat with the chassis. Meaning that when the shock is fully extended it should make the rear pod arc just a little bit. I have always wondered about that and have always set up my cars that way. Or am I not thinking right about that???

You should have some upswing while the car is sitting race ready, with some droop.

I've always sat mine up like Burbs,but I'm seeing that doesn't always work quite right.I'm thinking that you would want the piston to ride in the center of the shock when the car is in race ready form, allowing for plenty of movement both up and down,but without a lot of pod droop.As they used to say on SNL "Discuss" LOL

depending on how much droop you run more really plants the rear.. less will make the car feel more free..

I've always sat mine up like Burbs,but I'm seeing that doesn't always work quite right.I'm thinking that you would want the piston to ride in the center of the shock when the car is in race ready form, allowing for plenty of movement both up and down,but without a lot of pod droop.As they used to say on SNL "Discuss" LOL
I would have to agree with Pepe. The way I set mine is with the piston in the center of the shock. That way if the track you are running at has some bumps the car will go across the bumps a little smoother. It gives the pod more up movement before the shock over extends and picks up on the front of the car. You control the amount of droop in the pod with the center spring.

Just My 2 cents

Jason

So if you limit the shock extending - droop - and the shock bottoms out I assume this will transfer more weight to the frontend. Therefore more steering and probably more twitchy?

Nope! if the shock bottoms out you will lose the rear end and round you will go.

I have found with having to much drop back it is harder to get the pre load to work the same.. Our aspahlt track usually require almost all the threads for pre load.. with out having the shock stop at a certain point it will put for droop in the pod..