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Hi all....,I'm just finishing off my re release. And I seem to be having trouble with the front shocks. As the wont compress fully when mounted on the car. Is this normal on the original front end ????
Also, and it has been touched upon on here. Do the rear shocks need 3 spacers putting inside ? As they are no way correct with the 2 thin black spacers as per manual. They are far to long.

if your shocks are going into "hydraulic" lock, you need to unscrew the cap partway (after taking them off the car) and bleed the excess oil out until the compress completely in your hands.

The 3 spacers are for the rear shocks, everything I read says yes, you need to. I will build some rear shocks in the next couple days

I just finished a test run in the house with mine and the dog bones are no where close to coming out of the out drives. I would still tear them down and add the spacers as it couldn't hurt to be safe. I won't be leaving it per the manual as it will not be a box art shelfer. Also it doesn't sit right even with all the running gear on it.

janaya wrote:I just finished a test run in the house with mine and the dog bones are no where close to coming out of the out drives. I would still tear them down and add the spacers as it couldn't hurt to be safe. I won't be leaving it per the manual as it will not be a box art shelfer. Also it doesn't sit right even with all the running gear on it.

What do you mean it doesn't sit right?

If your saying that its nose down that is because the front shock tower needs the lower set of holes added like the original had. This will allow more travel and the car will sit closer to level.

MH7 wrote: Do the rear shocks need 3 spacers putting inside ? As they are no way correct with the 2 thin black spacers as per manual. They are far to long.

If you look at an original manual for a Cadillac RC10 they had you install a 5/8's length of silicone fuel tubing (like for an RC plane) on the shock shaft under the piston. This acts as a down stop for the shock and suspension.

I'm thinking of just using a shorter shaft.

I have called associated and told them about this problem. The tech said that it was engineered that way and should be fine. I told him that they would pop out., and sent him pictures. He wants me to show him it happening. No problem when I get my bearings and install the tranny. I think everyone that bought one of these needs to call the tech support.

TheSpeedway wrote:

janaya wrote:I just finished a test run in the house with mine and the dog bones are no where close to coming out of the out drives. I would still tear them down and add the spacers as it couldn't hurt to be safe. I won't be leaving it per the manual as it will not be a box art shelfer. Also it doesn't sit right even with all the running gear on it.

What do you mean it doesn't sit right?

If your saying that its nose down that is because the front shock tower needs the lower set of holes added like the original had. This will allow more travel and the car will sit closer to level.

The rear end still sits a little high. Can't get the dog bones to sit level so I think I will have to change out the internal limiters in the rear like most are saying.

Thanks for your replys. The shocks are built fine and move work properly off the car. I should explain I've built loads of associated shocks over the years. And been around the hobby since 89. It's just when I put them on the front of the car it won't allow full travel. So I'm a little baffled ???? As for the rear shocks I do think it's abit poor of associated to send the car out like this.

MH7 wrote:Thanks for your replys. The shocks are built fine and move work properly off the car. I should explain I've built loads of associated shocks over the years. And been around the hobby since 89. It's just when I put them on the front of the car it won't allow full travel. So I'm a little baffled ???? As for the rear shocks I do think it's abit poor of associated to send the car out like this.

I did this as well and had to go look at an old instruction manual as well. The portion of the heim joint on the bottom of the shock that is longer (the Standoff) needs to face forward. You have it facing the rear like it shows in the illustrations in the instructions and this is a small mistake. You will also need to add the 2nd set of lower holes in the front shock tower. The current tower only has the upper holes and these were never used. The Original 1984 manual had you build the car with the shocks in the lower holes.

janaya wrote:

TheSpeedway wrote:

janaya wrote:
The rear end still sits a little high. Can't get the dog bones to sit level so I think I will have to change out the internal limiters in the rear like most are saying.

Javiar, You don't want the dog bones to sit level. Full droop will have then them hang lower than level.

See the post above on the front Shock Tower and then see the other post talking about the 5/8s section of fuel tubing inside the rear shock as a limter and you will be just like the old days.

TheSpeedway wrote:

MH7 wrote:Thanks for your replys. The shocks are built fine and move work properly off the car. I should explain I've built loads of associated shocks over the years. And been around the hobby since 89. It's just when I put them on the front of the car it won't allow full travel. So I'm a little baffled ???? As for the rear shocks I do think it's abit poor of associated to send the car out like this.

I did this as well and had to go look at an old instruction manual as well. The portion of the heim joint on the bottom of the shock that is longer (the Standoff) needs to face forward. You have it facing the rear like it shows in the illustrations in the instructions and this is a small mistake. You will also need to add the 2nd set of lower holes in the front shock tower. The current tower only has the upper holes and these were never used. The Original 1984 manual had you build the car with the shocks in the lower holes.

Adding to your answer

From the Cadillac manual
Direction of heim joint


5/8" spacer on 1.32" shaft
If they used a .89 shaft the 2 thin spacers shown in the Classic manual would be correct

The shock binds because the lower collar/spring retainer hits the inside of the A-arm at full compression. Here is an old racer-trick. Carefully take a dremel and hollow out the inside of the front corner of the a-arm where it hits the collar. You will get to full-compression. Many people cut a notch here too, but I always felt it could weaken the arm. I looked at my 1986 RC10 and I had customized those a-arms until I got the Andy's Arms.

Heim joint? I just learned something new today. I just realized my front shocks were binding too and spinning the joint 180 degrees fixed it. Also, I built the rear shocks with the 3 spacers. It appears that if you don't use the limiters, the travel is stopped by the dogbone?

RichieRich wrote:Heim joint? I just learned something new today. I just realized my front shocks were binding too and spinning the joint 180 degrees fixed it. Also, I built the rear shocks with the 3 spacers. It appears that if you don't use the limiters, the travel is stopped by the dogbone?

Yeah that's how I bent a cvd axle on my CE, cos I lost a spacer while rushing a shock rebuild between heats