Pen Spring Mod - Best cheap upgrade for High CG crawlers like the Axial Capra

[@crazyskullcrusha]

You can also buy spring assortment packs ($5) from big box stores like Harbor Freight and they have various size springs for even more tunability.

[@tomandrews5392]

Yes great mod works well I put purple spring on front and Red in rear with 60 wt oil just great abilities...

[@billderas3420]

Yes. Agree that those springs and 60 wt oil work well.

[@rc-ingaroundamerica8792]

When I built mine, I put the soft springs in the front but with 70/75 weight oil, and the stiff springs in the rear with 45 wt oil, I then also set my rear links for more anti squat, and the front for more squatting, and after breaking the truck/shocks in, I have no plans on currently of modding or swapping shocks like I orginally was going to do, just how I have mine set up

[@tonyhoff86]

So.... the pen spring has to take up some travel of the shock right? The shock won't extend all the way, you'll lose whatever the length of the compressed pen spring is in extension travel.

[@steveblackbird]

Absolute genius Francis!! who ever thought of this is on point! Never thought of modding shocks like that... Guess I'm going to the dollar discount store lol... Brilliant!!!

[@Plaemore]

Hi Francis. I've watched many of your videos and taken on board some of your tips (relevant to me and the terrain I run on). Today I fitted this mod to my Capra, along with red springs in the rear and purple up front. Definite improvement over the same terrain before this mod! Thanks for your vids 👍

[@modelnutty6503]

yes! and I would add, use a cutoff wheel to trim the "solid" ends of the pen springs down, it'll sit slightly taller for it, but same time when the spring inside does fully compress it's total length will be shorter too (for longer travel).

[@RCReviewChannel]

This is a great suggestion. Minimize stack height when compressed.

[@rcdb4160]

@@RCReviewChannel do you use it in 2022??? Pen spring mod... mine is good 1week...and after the spring remain compressed

[@RCConceptsx]

Great video. I always look to your channel for tips on all of my RCs, Funny I have not had any issues with the CG. I primarily rock crawl, so I need a little bit more height. Right now it’s bone stock. Planning to start my upgrades in a week or so.

[@justinfleming2683]

I’ll say it again!!! Absolutely brilliant!!!!

[@7philly5]

I’m building my Capra now and I just happened to have 4 kyosho mini z springs laying around for my mini z buggies and they seem like they’re going to work great on the inside... I used team associated 60wt oil in back and 40wt up front...

[@RCReviewChannel]

You are hella dialed!

[@driftwood240]

I like your channel. I appreciate how you explain in detail.

[@ka4172]

Now you have four pens with "full droop" ha ha ha!

[@RCReviewChannel]

Initially stole daughter's nice pens... now useless. Had to rethink that strategy.

[@robbryan3044]

I was already running sightly heavier oil in the rear (20wt front, 25wt rear), plus the "soft" springs front & "med-soft" springs rear. I also have 2.75mm of limiters inside all 4 shocks...but, I've been considering the pen spring mod, instead of the limiters.

[@TT-yg2np]

Great Mod! Really liking your Capra video's

[@RCReviewChannel]

It's good and getting better

[@CarminesRCTipsandTricks]

This is one of the Cooler Old School mods! 😎 MANY newer People never heard of this. It was one of the original Droop Mods. As you said, possibly the BEST of the options, because it leaves nearly all of the original extension. You DON'T loose that incredible articulation!! GAWD!!! I wish I could afford a Capra, and the right Tires. 😭 Carmine ✈🚂🚙

[@GrimJerr]

Just Started my Capra build and the rig I have been Imagining hits the shelves, The RYFT.

[@GrimJerr]

Focus Ninja, stay on task and let the early runners report on the bugs. ;- )

[@richm77]

thx for the tip ill try this on my rig soon

[@MCsCreations]

Pretty interesting mod, dude! Thanks a lot! 😃

[@RCReviewChannel]

It actually works! We're glad we tried the other options first to appreciate this one.

[@DrBleck35]

6:29 is where it needs the dig, and some aftermarket brass portal covers.

[@sjoerddejonge4080]

I got almost 90 degrees articulation on my injora sc10 removed the cage and made my own to make it as low gravity as technicly possible

[@jdsrcs8061]

Your mod videos are getting me closer to pulling the trigger my wallet thanks you. Good job.

[@DADRacingYT]

You’re the king mods

[@zaxpage9003]

You mentioned full travel with the helper spring, but doesn't the shock lose extended travel the distance of the compressed internal spring?

[@RCReviewChannel]

Correct. It varies with different springs' stack height at full compression. Ours lost 2mm of travel.

[@werescrewed3719]

Bro, I was Literally just doing this before your video came out

[@werescrewed3719]

Orion duhhh

[@KTMcaptain]

My problem is the pen springs fully collapsed are 5mm... so it will limit travel nearly as much as a 90mm shock will or more. Going from a 90 to 110mm traxxas shock only increases travel by 10mm (25 vs 35). So that pen spring is eating up all the extra travel your shocks have. Why not an external negative spring? Something tunable? Maybe new spherical mounts that have the standoff for the shock to mount to the body on one side and the spring attachment on the other.

[@GrimJerr]

When is your RYFT unboxing / reveal video !

[@wordenb1830]

How can it still have the same travel, doesn't the pen spring prevent the shock shaft from extending fully?

[@rowntrp]

Worden B, I also wonder about that, I would have thought with pen spring mod that you would still get full compression, but extension will be limited by the height of the compressed pen spring inside the shock.

[@7philly5]

He’s right you only loose a couple mm and it isn’t really noticeable but it is lost... also depends how soft the internal springs are... I used kyosho mini z buggy springs...

[@wordenb1830]

You would lose the length of the compressed spring, in the pens I have looked at this is at least 5mm. I can however see the advantage of the pen spring over a shorter shock absorber in that you lose nothing on compression of the shock.

[@tommorgan1381]

Is this a good mod for all crawlers? I recently purchased a TRX 4 Sport and wondered if this would be an improvement.

[@GastonMaqueda]

Same question here

[@velko2433]

And what about the limited compression after this upgrade?

[@dustymorris9191]

so after the pen mod what weight oil in the front and what weight oil in the rear? not sure if i missed it in the video?

[@scottpalmer3875]

I have a exceed Max 10 V RC rock crawler but as wondering what type of mods and what's out there from my truck

[@justinwood61]

How can you still get full travel? Doesn’t the pen spring take up some room when it’s fully compressed(shock pulled)?

[@Squintz45]

Yep, depending on the compressed height of the spring. Probably removing 5mm or more from the fully extended length.

[@jazzyjair]

I dont have a Capra but could you not just run a droop setup?

[@nicholassimon1038]

Can you please give me a link to the wheels you have on your capra , thanks in advance. Love your channel btw, very informative.

[@AdventureTimeRC]

That's a great idea this should work in my vaterra it has bad torque twist😎😀🍻🤘🏻✌🏻

[@RCReviewChannel]

Exactly!!!!! We tried soft springs and torque twist was awful. Also try heavier shock oil

[@matthewgonzalez2360]

What is the brand of pens that you used?

[@troyallenburton]

Where is this location

[@derricksazrc3411]

I want to do this mod to my TRX4

[@bonfire0141]

I need to test this out

[@STEVOD313]

I see u watch Exocaged channel, he showed this on his Capra last week

[@americanmade73]

Some people don't watch that channel, or other channels that may have showed it.

[@adampsrcs3487]

Is it worth doing this mod on my TRX 4 bronco?

[@Pedro123-s6v]

Francis is Mc gyver 3.0...😁

[@wildmangeorgesrcchannel6916]

Mine set nice and low after I assembled the kit. Level links first try

[@craigchase5381]

Have you tryed this mod on the trx4 sport.... to lower cg ....??

[@RCReviewChannel]

We would love to soon. Even the Element RC rides a little high

[@thab398]

What size wheels are you running on your capra

[@dezertdestroyer7782]

Wow tight thanks

[@trailcrawler2038]

Nice!

[@Dakindbrew]

nice! strike 2 capra.....

[@royomtb]

How about the articulation lost with pen spring? it still better than with 90mm shocks?

[@RCReviewChannel]

Yes, it's about 2-4 mm, depending on the stack height of the pen spring when fully compressed.

[@ClarkDieselShop]

RC Review What about adding set of dual rate springs like the proline or king shocks sets? Would those shocks be a nice upgrade

[@brookekathryn1980]

How much articulation is lost when installing the pen springs?

[@RCReviewChannel]

Articulation lose = the height of the pen spring used when compressed. So about 3mm

[@brookekathryn1980]

@@RCReviewChannel Not bad. Might end up cutting the heavy coiled sections on the end of the springs to reduce articulation loss by 1-2 mm while still having neutral stance tension on the shocks!

[@jahmenrcbuildingasone4254]

I like this I would just put springs in the back😛

[@pertsasep]

What are those wheels on that capra you have in this video?

[@RCReviewChannel]

Those are Traxxas Chevy Blazer wheels

[@wikallen]

@@RCReviewChannel how did you get the chevy center cap to thread onto the axles? are the threads on the Capra extended like the TRX-4 Blazer/Bronco?

[@flipcivicvtec]

Cool cheap mod!

[@davidcoleman8770]

Will this work on king reservoir shocks?

[@RCReviewChannel]

for sure.

[@christopherlastname7638]

It seems bouncy!

[@woodyuk1983]

First 30 seconds.... should be 110mm not 11mm 👍🏻

[@RCReviewChannel]

correct. thank you.

[@NCmountainsYouTubeChannel]

NC❤ MOUNTAINS backyard RC AND MORE.🖒. Good info. COOL mod..

[@BlvlWmpower]

It bounces really badly badly said Exocaged recently.

[@mje19D]

opinion is different than fact...