Everybody wants the engine with the most horsepower, the tires with the best traction, unbreakable this and super strong that.  Most folks just take their shocks for granted, racers are usually the only R/C people that ever think of their shocks never mind the suspension.    Most racers will change their oil weights, and experiment with different brands of oil, some will even change out the pistons and or modify the stock pistons.  This is very common in 1/8 scale buggies and 1/10 scale trucks and buggies.  You want to dial in your suspension for the track you are running so that you can put the most traction to the ground and have better steering and in response to these changes turn faster lap times. 

The average back yard basher only looks at the shocks when there is something broken.  R/C people across the country have taken the Traxxas Tmaxx and Emaxx by storm.   Most people buy them just to have fun and bash around, after the masses have bought these though it did not take long for some competition to break out.  Now on almost any R/C track across the country you can find T and or E maxx racing.  There are even a few places that have dedicated Tmaxx days.  So... the aftermarket companies jumped up and started making replacement shocks as well as many, many other upgrades.        

Progressive Suspension has answered the search for the ultimate T and Emaxx shock.  They have long made reservoirs for R/C applications and these make your stock shocks work much better and make them a dream to bleed, the new shocks for the T and Emaxx are called the EDC2's and they are AWESOME.  They have a new system that you can adjust the internal dampening  with a twist of the bottom adjusting nut, put in a good oil and you can make fine adjustments at the track  Theses shocks are durable, beefy, and good looking (not that it matters LOL).  They come in an eight pack kit that you must build, they also come with Progressives' own progressive rate springs.  The shocks bodies are black, and the springs are silver, you get the choose the reservoir color though.  You have the choice between red, blue, black, silver, gold or purple.   

The springs are 2.8 inches long unloaded and start out at a nice smooth rate of 2.5 lb. inches and increase to 3.5 lb. inches as they are compressed, they are available as a separate item and will also fit Associated Shocks as well.  The upper spring retainer is the type you adjust by sliding the collar where you want it and tightening the adjustment screw, no snap on collars here.  Once assembled, its very easy to set and adjust with an Allen wrench.  

I wont bore you with detailed instructions on the build process, the included instructions are very good and if you should have a build problem the people at Progressive will be glad to help you over the phone or via email if you like.  Replacement parts are readily available should you damage one of the shocks while bashing your truck.  Below are some shots of the duel pistons and the adjusting nut on the bottom of the shock shaft.  Also shown are the duel shock shafts so you can understand how these shocks work.

Internal shaft and its piston with  four sets of adjustment holes. Click for full size image	Outside shaft with its large two hold shock piston. Click for full size image
Shock with adjusting nut and lower mount installed. Click for full size image	Both internal and outside shock shafts.       Click for full size image

Put together and full of 40 weight oil, and set on the number one position, these shocks really kept the tires glued to the dirt at my local track.  There was also a very noticeable difference in fade, the stock shocks would become very mushy in just an hour of hard bashing.  The Progressive shocks were still very fresh, even after a hole day of severe jumps and high speed flogging across a rutted up construction site.  Here are a few shots of them built and installed on my Tmaxx.

The only complaint I have is the upper shock retaining collar, they are hard to get set to the same height because they are screw clamp adjustable, no shock clips here.  This does make for a much neater appearance and no clips to fool with, but again it is kind of a pain to get them set at the same height.  Overall, I am very pleased with these shocks and would say that in the long run they are well worth the money.  When I get an Emaxx, there will be a second set on the way for it without a doubt.

Any questions or comments please email me at

depdog@off-road.com

Thanks

Glenn R. Viveiros

 

Progressive Suspension
11129 G Ave. Hesperia, CA 92345 USA
For a brochure call: 877-690-7411
Techline: 760-948-4012 • fax 760-948-4307