Vintage Aftermarket Shocks for a Mid- What are the Options?

[Coelacanth]

...
And about the Duratrax gold shocks...if half the people say they leak, and half say they're okay...that's a 50% dissatisfied ratio, not exactly a glowing recommendation of DuraLeaks.

At least half of the suck votes are likely coming from people that don't have actual first hand experience using Duratrax shocks and are just parroting what someone else told them. So I'd put the satisfied vs dissatisfied ratio closer to 30/70.

Well, you can add me to the group with first-hand experience of DuraLeaks. I have a full set that don't hold oil very well. It's a shame too, really, because I'd love to reanodize those shock bodies for another project--but I'd be limited to reusing the existing leaky innards with one fewer O-ring than the Golds use.

[HKS_TRD]

Thanks for all the replies guys

The car will be a shelfer, the basis is a Trinity SWB Saddle pack chassis (I will start a separate thread for it listing what I have for it so far) and I have just been amassing parts for it over time as I find them, its just I need to get a feel for whats out there to be able to search more specifically (I still need to figure out if there are any upper decks to look for as well).

Some thoughts I had for shocks (in no particular order) which mirror alot of the conversation
1. Platinums, I could even leave them dry lol
2. Anodised golds, probably blue to match some other bits on the car and look like Trinity shocks
3. Trinity shocks, there is a pair of blue fronts and purple rears on eBay at the moment
4. Equalizers. Though this gets interesting as I have a set of medium and long with threaded body for my Ultima build, and I have a pair of shorts which don't have threaded bodies, is it possible to get matching longs which don't have threaded bodies?
5. Gold RC10 shocks

Have to say the Brimrods sound very interesting though!

[RichieRich]

As far as I know, you should be able find unthreaded equalizers in 3 and 4 inch lengths. They are the OG versions. They usually pop up on ebay because people forget about them. They're always interested in the Kyosho's platinums and gold shocks.

[HKS_TRD]

That sounds promising, what do you mean by OG?

[GoMachV]

OG = original

I have a set of long unthreaded equalizers and have been looking for shorts! DOH! ill have to snap a pic as see if they are what your looking for. I don't want to let them go but half a set does me no good either! Or....maybe you want to let go of your shorties

[HKS_TRD]

Yes please do.
Are they new? My equalizers are NIP.
I wanted to avoid using my golds because I plan to build some mids up from all extra parts to sell rather than sell individual parts so I will need the Golds for those

[RichieRich]

That sounds promising, what do you mean by OG?

Ha! Sorry, OG means Original Gangster. It just means they are the original versions. Welcome to American slang 101. BTW, I know the proper usage of "root".

[GoMachV]

Yes please do.
Are they new? My equalizers are NIP.
I wanted to avoid using my golds because I plan to build some mids up from all extra parts to sell rather than sell individual parts so I will need the Golds for those

Mine are newly built but never used. I accidentally grabbed a set of ultimates for a good price thinking they were equalizers. So both were built and when I went to use them I realized I didn't have a match

[HKS_TRD]

So your Ultimates are long?
Is it hard to find medium length ultimates? I was considering some for one of my Lazer builds

[GoMachV]

Equalizers are longs but my ultimates are mediums

[HKS_TRD]

I'm guessing long Ultimates are hard to find?
Would you want to sell them all?

[GoMachV]

shorts are apparently the hardest to find lol! I am sure we can work something out if you can use them- I have enough projects!

[EvolutionRevolution]

What's annoying is that for a period of time Kyosho released different models of shocks under the same part number. So you have old model Equalizers without the threads, and new model with the threads under the same part number (although IIRC the Mini Inferno option shocks look like new model Equalizers and probably are new model Equalizers). Ultimate shocks are very hard to find.
In my opinion, the Kyosho shocks that are hardest to find are the optional threaded Teflon and Ultimate SS (Super Short) shocks for the Tour Force series, likely because most of the original cars already came with Kyosho's regular Teflon shocks and so there was no reason to upgrade.

Kyosho. Maker of many types of shocks that are all better than the previous model, which always is better than everything else.

[crusaderlyf]

During the 80 and 90's some small company made the differend shock，BRIMOD shock in UK，tech racing lub shock in japan，Trinity super shock OEM by Tech racing. YOUG、dirt burner、parma also make shocks，I remembered some special shock brand like
Phoenix、RUC、R&D ISHIHARA. but in my mind, kyosho & tamiya shock are better. kyosho gold shocks is my favorite

[HKS_TRD]

With this talk of Ultimate shocks can someone tell me which part numbers does one use on a Lazer ZX-R
I assume its W-5099 for the rear but is it W-5097 or W-5098 for the front?