Suspension

[Tudor Handra]

having no experience it's pretty hard....
but having a very low budget it's harder.
Are this shocks going to do the "job"???
http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=21654&page=FOX+VANILLA+SHOCK+'02

[Tudor Handra]

having no experience it's pretty hard....
but having a very low budget it's harder.
Are this shocks going to do the "job"???
http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=21654&page=FOX+VANILLA+SHOCK+'02

[Christopher Catto]

Sensible answer is NO. Unless these are old stock without the pro-pedal feature which is used for mtbikes. Ask the seller VERY CAREFULLY about this.

However, if you care to get the valving/shim stack (whatever vanillas run) replaced then you can.

But by then I'm not sure there's a price advantage, just a packaging one. Try looking at Risse dampers if you're after tiny dampers.

In my op, they're just as bad.
Sorry, but only some teams are now getting some decent small dampers but you'll have to search the forum to find out make and model if the info is out there. I've only seen Ohlins and a couple other makes which are not as small as Fox or Risse.

[PatClarke]

These shocks are advertised as " '02' " and considering the discount price, I am pretty sure they are not the Propedal model. Ring the seller and ask??
As such Tudor, they will probably be okay (not good and certainly not great) on your car. Many FSAE comps have been won on these exact shocks.

If you are saving your pennys, this tells me a bit about your aspirations, go buy a set, adapt them and use them. If nothing else, you will learn a lot from the exercise......and thats what FSAE is all about.
Good luck
Pat

[Steve O]

I don't have personal experience with them but I know 2 people personally who got brand new mountain bikes with the fox vanilla's on them and they blew out their seals within the first month on regular usage. In my personal research to find some new dampers this year, I have also read that in quite a bit of reviews. I believe most teams that go with fox at least go up to the RC.

In my personal opinion the two most important things in one of these cars are; a well designed and predicable suspension, and a car that is comfortable to drive. Your suspension is the only form of communication between the road and your car. That said, if the decision were in my hands I would cut costs in other parts of the car in order to pay for better dampers. I know its easier said than done but I would rather have a crappy looking paint job than shocks that blow out in the endurance run or are unpredictable and make you blow a corner in the autocross or skidpad.

Either way though, do what you have to do to make it out there, a car that doesn't go all doesn't have any chance.

Good luck!

Steve-O

[PatClarke]

Steve, I would place little importance on shocks 'blowing out' on a mountain bike application. I have not yet seen a FSAE car jump off a cliff, which is where the bike shocks usually fail.
Again, many FSAE comps have been run and won on Fox Vanillas, so they can't be all bad.
Pat

[Steve O]

If I'm not mistaken, they have been won on the vanilla RC's which are the next line up. The people I know were not jumping off of cliffs, they said they blew out under far less stress than they should have. One blew out going off of a sidewalk and the other blew out going down stairs, and both were fairly brand new bikes. It is true we don't do either but don't underestimate cornering forces placed into these shocks. I believe most teams that run the RC's replace them every year.

Honestly I agree, you probably won't blow out the shocks in an FSAE competition, I would just be more concerned with their handling characteristics, especially since you should have pretty close to a 1:1 motion ratio with such small dampers in order to move enough fluid(meaning you should get some decent movement out of them). I'm not saying go out and buy million dollar ohlins, I'm just saying at least consider spending 50 bucks more a piece and getting the Vanilla RC's.

I have to admit I did laugh at the thought of an FSAE car attempting a cliff jump...great visual. Ours was very unhappy with just hitting a water main cover... that did a good number to the car... I'll send you some pics if you are interested.

Steve-O

PS. commenting a little more on the comment above about small dampers, they work great as long as you don't have a small motion ratio, like I said, you just need to move the fluid. We've run the Risse jupiter 5's for a while and we love them. Cost effective and get the job done and have lasted 5 years without a problem. We are getting new ones this year, don't remember the model, but they are the Risse's with the remote reservoir to give us the freedom we need with our current mounting location.