Every RC vehicle comes with some sort of shock absorber setup, whether they are inexpensive friction units or high-end, plush oil-filled dampers. Up until recently, all 1/10-scale off-road vehicles came with a 10mm, small-bore shock that did a pretty good job of damping the suspension, even in extreme conditions. There has always been a lingering question, though, and that is if a bigger shock is better? At the 2012 Cactus Classic, Team Associated proved that bigger is better by dominating that event with a set of prototype Big Bores. Since that time, the Big Bores have been on every winning Team car in the US.
VITAL STATS
MANUFACTURER:Team Associated
PRODUCT:Big Bore Shocks
FITS: Team Associated B4, B44, SC10 and T4
PRICE: $49.99/pair
FEATURES
• Hard-anodized, 12mm Big Bore threaded bodies
• Black, hard-anodized aluminum bleeder shock caps
• 3mm, titanium-nitride coated shocks shafts
• 12mm, two-hole pistons in 3 different sizes (1.5, 1.6 and 1.7mm)
• Factory Team blue-anodized hardware
• Multiple spring cup offset heights
Let’s take a look at what’s included in with the Big Bores. First off, you get a set of hard-anodized, aluminum 12mm Big Bore bodies. New black, hard-anodized aluminum bleeder caps are also included, as well full set of Titanium Nitride (TiN) 3mm shocks shafts. The shafts glimmer a pretty gold color and have stronger M3 threads. New, 12mm, two-hole pistons are included and come in 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7mm sizes. A full set of internals come in the package, including O-rings, e-clips and spacers. To fit different installations, three spring cup heights are included (+0, +5 and +9mm offset). Finally, a Factory Team, blue-anodized lower seal gland cap and shock collar trick out the assembly.
Installing the Big Bores on your AE vehicles is as simple as removing the old shocks and installing the new ones. However, because the new shocks are 2mm thicker, you’ll need to modify the shock towers slightly. The best way to do this is to attach the shocks to your vehicle and take notice of where they hit the towers. Now remove the towers and, using a Dremel, lightly grind away enough material to clear the shocks. Reinstall both the towers and shocks and do a final check for clearance.
The final piece of the puzzle is how the new Big Bores handle, so I took my B4.1 over to my local track with them installed. On the smooth parts of the track I didn’t notice much difference other than maybe a slightly more consistent feel. The buggy seemed a little more planted. Where I noticed the biggest difference was on the rougher parts of the track! The B4.1/Big Bore combo had a lot less ‘dance’ as I powered through any sort of uneven or ripple section. I also felt that the B4.1 landed off the jumps with way more stability than before. The increased oil volume helps prevent the buggy (or whatever vehicle you install them on) from bottoming out.
Are the Big Bores worth the money? I think if you are serious about performance, the Big Bores are definitely something you should look at. If you race outdoors on some pretty rough tracks, the Big Bores are a necessity! The additional damping and stability these shocks provide will certainly outweigh the minimal cost. If you still aren’t sold, take a look at every Team driver’s car…not one of them is using the puny 10mm bodies anymore. Why stay puny…go BIG with AE’s Big Bores!
LINKS
Team Associated teamassociated.com, 949-544-7500
