New JConcepts 13mm Shock Pistons

Press Release From JConcepts:
www.jconcepts.net

In today’s competitive racing, the piston game remains a constant when tuning a high-end 1:10th off-road vehicle. The 2.3mm machined piston refers to the thickness of the actual piston giving an in-between option racers have not had until now. The pistons are made for 13mm diameter shocks with a tight tolerance for reduced blow-by giving consistent performance. The Delrin material, a hard compound with low friction characteristics arrives with dimples indicating an array of possible hole combinations drivers can alter to their own preference.

Notes from the team: Thinner pistons created their place in RC racing with racers using this option at famous tracks such as OCRC during such events as the Reedy Race of Champions and the Surf City Classic. In the past, the stock setting for piston thickness was 2.5mm and later, 2.0mm thickness was introduced. Paul Wynn, using tuning to his advantage, has always looked for a slight change in thickness and the recommendation is now available to further dial into conditions.

In general, when the piston is passing through the oil, the thinner piston reduces the time the oil spends being restricted through the user generated holes in the piston. Although a small change, the moments difference alters the compression and rebound damping providing a different control and ride for the racer. Track time from team drivers Paul Wynn and Julien Oliveras have offered the drivers a smooth ride, bump handling consistency, a slight overall traction increase, and the ability to setup for jumps with more precision. Depending on jump difficulty, racers can choose pack settings with hole diameter and number of holes chosen.  It is recommended to always start with smaller holes for testing, making them larger is always easier and more efficient.

Starting point on dirt, drill 2 x 1.7mm front with 30wt and 2 x 1.9mm rear with 27.5wt.

Starting point on carpet, drill 3 x 1.5mm front with 40wt and 3 x 1.6mm rear with 35wt.

Features:

• Machined Delrin material
• Dimpled hole locations for easy identification
• Tight tolerances, less blow-by

A project from the man himself has now appeared as an option for 13mm shocks. The BK piston, machined in low friction Delrin material has opened a can of goodness racers have only heard about, until now. The prototype slotted piston, machined by BK using equipment purchased exclusively for the master of all RC trades was for sure a late-night project. During 2016, finding grip with newly released mid-motor vehicles was a vicious hunt for low-traction dirt conditions.  

As track conditions advanced, finding grip wasn’t necessarily as high a priority, hence the delay in the BK piston introduction. However, as the hands of time move forward, vehicles are once again looking for an edge in grip handling due to their advanced corning abilities. The all-precision machined item has the makings of the latest winner from the JConcepts Speed Laboratory and can be tuned by the user. The pistons have dimpled indications located on the top so the racer can dial in the perfect settings for their individual track or condition.

Notes from the team: Test drivers have reported increased vehicle grip while utilizing the exclusive design. The BK channel in the piston increases the volume of oil in the shock body acting as another chamber in the shock body to add consistency to the mechanism. During compression and rebound, a lot of disturbance is created inside the working area of the shock.

The action of a traditional piston is very top to bottom with pass-through only allowed through dedicated holes and around the perimeter due to blow-by.  With this design, the piston is passing fluid through 2 separate channeled sections while the entire disturbance area rests in oil which helps compartmentalize all activity.

In testing, this has translated into consistent handling, more overall grip, while the vehicle seems to act more with the track surface, rather than against it. Driving with a lower ride-height always helps cornering ability and stability, however, the adverse effect is handling over uneven terrain. With the BK piston the vehicle seems to perform better at low ride-height while still handling individual bumps and deflections that vehicles undergo during hard sweep cornering.

Starting point on dirt, drill 2 x 1.7mm and 1 x 1.8mm front with 30wt and 2 x 2.0mm and 1 x 1.0mm rear with 27.5wt

Starting point on carpet, coming soon

Features:

• Machined Delrin material
• BK, channeled design
• Dimpled hole locations for easy identification
• Tight tolerances, less blow-by