My S18 Suspension Mods

[Rehab1]

My S18 suspension mods have diverged from @Feynman’s superb suspension overhaul topic so I felt it best to post my own mods in a separate topic. Best wishes Feynman and thanks for all of the motivation. 

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by Rehab1

[Rehab1]

Video depicting my DIY method for extracting the pivot bearings using a vise,  11mm and 3/4 inch socket. 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by Rehab1

[Rehab1]

Well I made more headway today.  All of the new bearings are installed and I added zerk fittings to the sliders and control board frame. 
 

Zerk installation on sliders

 

 

Zerk Installation on CB frame

 

[Rehab1]

No more infamous ball buster, split washers ripping my bearings apart! My wheel had 6 of those jagged gators. 

S18 suspension systems contain 14 individual pivot bearings. All of the bearings on the suspension arms are piggybacked except for the 2 articulations that attach to the mainboard’s metal frame. 

For reasons unknown Kingsong’s engineers tapered the end of two suspension arms and installed only one pivot bearing per pocket instead of two. 

The suspension arm bushing and screws used throughout the S18 suspension system are of identical length.

When these carbon copy bushings are used to secure the 2 narrowed suspension arms to the MB metal frame they end up being too long resulting in a 3/16 -1/4” gap between the bushing and screw head.

We all know what happened next to resolve this ‘extra space‘ dilemma.....split washers. 

After experimenting with various methods to shore up the sloppiness at these 2  articulation points I elected to add an additional pivot bearing to each of the 2 arms. This singular modification  diminished  my suspension’s fiction significantly.

Below is a view of the modified, twin bearing suspension arm attached to the MB metal frame. 

I also installed my new DNM 38RC shock today.
 

 

I’m getting closer to the finale. 

[Meulebeest]

6 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

I also installed my new DNM 38RC shock today.

Nice, amazed by all the work you put in.

Just a Q, why did you take the DNM 38RC ?

[Rehab1]

2 hours ago, Meulebeest said:

Nice, amazed by all the work you put in.

Just a Q, why did you take the DNM 38RC ?

Thanks. The S18 suspension is truly unique and sophisticated.  I find it interesting  exploring all of the options to improve it.

The 38RC is an updated version of the 36RC and only has one air chamber to fill so it should be easier to dial in. 

[Rehab1]

My S18 suspension mods are finally complete.

There we so many tiny tweaks I performed as you can read in my previous posts. I will compile a list of the components I used in a few days. 

[Unventor]

8 minutes ago, Rehab1 said:

My S18 suspension mods are finally complete.

There we so many tiny tweaks I performed as you can read in my previous posts. I will compile a list of the components I used in a few days. 

Yay that is yet another happy video of the famous and one and only @Rehab1. I hope you get to ride that thing soon.

Personally I dislike tinkering with my wheels. I prefer to ride them. I just have one recommendation, be careful as a smooth suspension will make it feel you are ride slower than you actually think. I am pushing my speed limit all the time. It more than once cought me by surprise but so far so good no accidents yet despite some car drivers tried hard run me down. 

I am looking forward for some more of your excellent videos. 

[Rehab1]

54 minutes ago, Unventor said:

Yay that is yet another happy video of the famous and one and only @Rehab1. I hope you get to ride that thing soon.

Good to hear from you buddy! I’m glad your enjoying your V11. 

 

56 minutes ago, Unventor said:

Personally I dislike tinkering with my wheels. I prefer to ride them. I just have one recommendation, be careful as a smooth suspension will make it feel you are ride slower than you actually think. I am pushing my speed limit all the time. It more than once cought me by surprise but so far so good no accidents yet despite some car drivers tried hard run me down. 

I truly thought my wheel mod days were over but this was fun. Yes please stay away from accidents. I still hurt! You can’t find a better weather forecaster. . 

[Rehab1]

Video greasing my S18 suspension zerk fittings. All 4 fittings performed flawlessly while I injected a white lithium grease into each nipple. You can see the overflow indicating the grease is reaching the bushings.

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by Rehab1

[eve]

@Rehab1 Your linkage no longer seems misaligned where the shock connects on the outside part? Was it a problem with the spring washers or was the mold of the alumminium bad?

[Rehab1]

4 hours ago, eve said:

@Rehab1 Your linkage no longer seems misaligned where the shock connects on the outside part? Was it a problem with the spring washers or was the mold of the alumminium bad?

Great observation!  No I still had to muscle the new shock’s  pivot bolt into the left suspension arm. I thought maybe the OEM 36RC shock was out of alignment but the 38RC presented the same issue. 

[Rehab1]

I just solved a major slider binding problem. It was driving me nuts! The 2 motor’s axle bushings contact the axle clamp but when the 8 hex nuts were torqued it affected the alignment of the slider assembly.

 

I created a 1mm deep slot in the machined clamp to eliminate the contact with the axle bushings when the hex bolts aretorqued.

 

Photo depicting the clearance between axle clamp and motorbushing. This mod was the last major hurdle for eliminating the binding in the sliders.  

[fryman]

WOW!... Great job Dan, lets see this baby on the road!

[Rehab1]

Thanks! Hopefully this weekend.

The alignment blocks now have my attention. When the blocks are removed after torquing down the bolts the pillars collapse by .5 mm. 

 

In my case the suspension pillars remain parallel when the blocks are intact. 

[Rehab1]

The S18 is back together. 

I did have to grind a small relief pocket in the side pads to fully access the zerk fitting.

I also riveted on a GoPro attachment to video the shocks and other things. 

One small detail that has me puzzled. Although I never touched the mainboard  the buzzer has now diminished in volume by 80%, No loose wires. I contacted Jason for his input.

[Rehab1]

Be careful when loosening the allen nuts. Make sure your allen key is not compromised with rounded edges. 

I stripped one of the allen bolts and had to drill it out. In my case I believe too much locktite was applied.

 

[Tilly]

Hi! Great job man!  Suspension looks really smooth.

 

What size of zerk fittings did you use?

Why you decided to use them? You thinks stock grease inside bearings is not enough?

[Rehab1]

42 minutes ago, Tilly said:

Hi! Great job man!  Suspension looks really smooth.

Thanks!

46 minutes ago, Tilly said:

What size of zerk fittings did you use?

They’re 6mm. I used both straight and 90 degree. 
 

48 minutes ago, Tilly said:

Why you decided to use them? You thinks stock grease inside bearings is not enough?

 I purposely used the zerks in areas that I term as  ‘dry sockets’ where the allen barrel nuts extend through the bearing less machined holes. Lubricating those areas can easily be performed using a spray lithium grease but I just wanted to get fancy.   

[BFE Duke]

Thanks for these posts and pictures. My S18 just arrived a couple days ago, and it is as much a cluster**** of a suspension setup, except it doesn't have that spacer block. I for some reason thought ewheels had the fixed version in stock, but instead it looks like I got the second batch instead, and I feel that they should have given me some kind of disclaimer, or not sold them at all. I did some comparison riding and it literally roder harsher than my MSP with an trials tire. I would not recommend anyone buy this wheel unless they're willing to do a suspension overhaul. Out of the box it is just terrible. I was skeptical when others were saying the V11 suspension felt better for softer , but now I am convinced. 

I'm about 90% into the tear-down and it looks like I might have to drill out two of those allen barrel nuts due to excessive loctite. I'll probably also have to shave down part of the shaft/bushings on one end of the shock, as it is causing the pivots to bow outwards from there not being enough clearance. I'm not certain you need those zerk fittings or any oil/grease in those locations if it's gonna be riding on the bearings there. 

[Rehab1]

36 minutes ago, BFE Duke said:

Thanks for these posts and pictures. My S18 just arrived a couple days ago, and it is as much a cluster**** of a suspension setup, except it doesn't have that spacer block.

Your welcome. Sorry about your issues. The 2 spacer blocks are important during reassembly when tightening the 8 axle bolts. I wonder if they just forgot to install them. 

42 minutes ago, BFE Duke said:

I'm about 90% into the tear-down and it looks like I might have to drill out two of those allen barrel nuts due to excessive loctite.

Yep I had to drill one out. If you haven’t stripped out the hex yet try using some heat on the head to soften the loctite. A propane torch is best but you’ll need to make a metal shield of sorts to protect the paint on the suspension arms. 

 

51 minutes ago, BFE Duke said:

I'm not certain you need those zerk fittings or any oil/grease in those locations if it's gonna be riding on the bearings there. 

Probably not but if my S18 is ever stolen it will stand out in the crowd. 

[Yellowjacket]

"Probably not but if my S18 is ever stolen it will stand out in the crowd. "

Okay, I'm a newbie, and not a mechanic, but I race cars and know guys who have shown me a couple of things over the decades. That's why I say, "Wow. Nice work. All of it!"

Especially liked your discovery of the slider binding on axle busing, and the 1 mm of clearance fix. If that were me, I would have tightened and loosened those eight bolts a hundred times, asking "Okay, I tighten this, and I have binding. I loosen this, binding goes away. BUT THERE'S NOTHING CHANGING!

On another topic, I wrote to fbhb, asking if I could direct people to his posts here, on this forum. I ask the same to you. It didn't seem right just to do it, given a remote possiblity that King Song would take umbrage that you had to improve a brand new wheel. But if you're willing, I think the wider the audience for the required fixes, and the more detail, the better chance that King Song will improve the wheels out of the factory door.

Another question: Given that King Song has taken shortcuts, what is your impression of the quality of metal? I watched your vid on taking a Dremel to the bearing sockets. Is the aluminum used a high grade, in your opinion? Just adequate, or barely adequate? When pivot arms went from gray to gold, I'd foolishly assumed they had been anodized, not just painted. And the crap in the bearing pockets! I'm suspicious.

I love the zerks. I probably would have been content to spray lithium grease past the heads and cross my fingers. Not nearly as effective as your solution.

~ YellowJacket

[Rehab1]

11 minutes ago, Yellowjacket said:

That's why I say, "Wow. Nice work. All of it!"

Thanks! 

14 minutes ago, Yellowjacket said:

On another topic, I wrote to fbhb, asking if I could direct people to his posts here, on this forum. I ask the same to you. It didn't seem right just to do it, given a remote possiblity that King Song would take umbrage that you had to improve a brand new wheel. But if you're willing, I think the wider the audience for the required fixes, and the more detail, the better chance that King Song will improve the wheels out of the factory door.

No issues here. The forum is designed to share ideas and assist those that are having issues with both their wheels.....and wives.

25 minutes ago, Yellowjacket said:

I love the zerks. I probably would have been content to spray lithium grease past the heads and cross my fingers.

Thanks. Having a spare set of suspension arms afforded me the luxury of experimenting with various modifications without contributing to significant downtime.

 

[Phi1osopher]

@Rehab1, I have thoroughly enjoyed your posts and details regarding reworking the suspension.  My S18 arrives in a few days, and I am also a heavy modder of my equipment.  The apparently required modifications are a bit disappointing/concerning, but I am glad to see folks like you have overcome and sorted it out.  

Now that it's been a few months, do you have any updates on the performance of this wheel?  Are you happy with it?

 

[Macul]

Hi @Rehab1, I know this is an old thread, but you're the only one I know that has upgraded the original DNM 36RC to the 38RC. Have you noticed any difference? Would your recommend the upgrade?