Category: Tuning & Setup | Tags: TLR Tune Typhon, MIP Pistons, Shock Tuning, RC Buggy Setup, Tekno RC Parts, Bashers, RC Tuning Tips
If you've been following our TLR Tune Typhon build series, you know we've been chipping away at this thing one upgrade at a time. After swapping to the JConcepts Razor low-downforce wing on the indoor track, the next obvious target was the shock pistons — and this upgrade turned out to be one of the biggest steps forward yet.
Here's the full breakdown of what we did, what parts you'll need, and what we learned on track.
Why We Changed the Shock Pistons
The factory TLR Tuned Typhon shocks come with a pretty unusual piston setup: 4-hole 1.4mm tapered in the front and 8-hole 1.2mm tapered in the rear. On a smooth indoor track that setup is manageable, but once you're on an outdoor track with more grip and chop, the bounce becomes very noticeable.
After chatting with sponsored driver Lee Setser, we agreed the pistons were the next logical move. The goal was to replace them with a more standard 6-hole MIP piston setup to get better damping consistency front to back, and to open up the ability to run any aftermarket piston that fits a 16mm shock body going forward.
Parts List: The Full Tekno Conversion
This swap wasn't as simple as dropping in new pistons — the factory shock shafts have an extra nub near the thread that prevents standard washers from seating properly. Here's everything you'll need:
Front Shock Shafts
- Tekno TKR6000-4T (Ti-nitride coated) — same length as factory, fits perfectly
- Standard chrome version also works if you prefer (will be linked on-site)
Rear Shock Shafts
- Tekno TKR6061 — approximately 4.5mm longer than factory; requires an external limiter to prevent over-travel into the shock cap
Rear Upstroke Limiter
- Tekno TKR6195 shock internal kit — use the thickest top hat bushing as an external limiter on the rear shaft; the 4.5mm thickness matches the extra shaft length almost exactly
Shock Eyelets / Rod Ends
- Tekno 6140C — the factory eyelet threads are slightly undersized and may strip over time; the Tekno version is the safer long-term choice
Lower Eyelet Pivot Balls
- Tekno TKR5049 — required to work with the new Techno rod ends
Pistons
- MIP 6-hole pistons — drilled to 3.1/3.5mm front, 3.1/4.5mm back (standard 6-hole race setup)
- Flap setup: clear flap front, blue flap rear — the blue flap allows slightly quicker rebound in the rear to handle outdoor chop
- VRP 6-hole is a solid alternative; equivalent flap colors are red front, black rear
Shock Oil
- 650wt VRP all around — same viscosity front to rear is appropriate when pistons are drilled differently front to back
Total cost for the Tekno conversion hardware: approximately $60 (not including the TKR5049 pivot balls)
Clearancing the Lower Shock Mount
One thing that caught us off guard: the Tekno rod ends are slightly thicker than factory, which means they rub the lower arm on the front shocks. The fix is a small amount of Dremel work — you only need to remove a tiny bit of the support plastic inside the lower arm mount until the pin seats cleanly. Take your time, keep the shock on hand to test fit, and stop as soon as the pin goes in without resistance. Both front shocks needed this; the rears were fine.
Building and Bleeding the Bladder Shocks
The TLR Tune Typhon uses bladder-style shock caps, not emulsion. This changes the bleed process significantly. Here's the order of assembly for each shock:
- Blue washer (included in MIP kit) → onto the shaft
- Piston → onto the shaft
- Valve → through the top hat washer, sits on top of piston
- Lock nut (5mm nut driver) → torque fully to lock the nylon
For bleeding, fill the shock body, use your pinky to press the bladder down and displace excess oil, then thread the cap slowly with the bleeder hole facing up. Push the shaft fully up while threading to push air out through the hole. Repeat until you get zero rebound. Expect to bleed 4–5 times on a fresh build — that's normal for bladder shocks.
A note for the future: we're planning to source replacement caps that support emulsion filling, which is a much cleaner process. We'll cover that in a future video.
On-Track Results
We ran the car on our outdoor track in Winchester, VA with blue Relapse tires (worn), and came away with a 2:59 lap time on a dusty, rough track. Going into the session, anything in the 25-second range felt like the benchmark given conditions — so a 2:59 on first shakedown with a new shock package is a really strong result.
What improved:
- The push we've been fighting is significantly better — the car can now transfer weight to the front end and actually rotate into corners
- Chatter and side-to-side hop through the rough sections are almost gone
- The shocks soaked up jumps cleanly with no bounce at landing
What still needs work:
- Diffs are too light — the rear especially diffs out under hard throttle, causing the car to dip and lose traction. Next step is going considerably stiffer on diff fluid
- Springs — currently running HB yellow front, HB blue rear; we'll likely step up to gold front, yellow rear as temperatures rise
- Shock oil — 650wt felt right for a cool day; plan to step up to 700wt as summer grip increases
Why This Conversion Matters Beyond Today
Converting to Tekno shock shafts and rod ends isn't just about fixing a piston clearance issue. The real win here is that the TLR Tune Typhon now runs a standard 16mm shock body setup, meaning any piston that works on a Tekno buggy will work on this car. Previously, piston choices were essentially limited to what TLR and Arrma offered. Now the whole aftermarket is available — MIP, VRP, HB, and anything else in a 16mm format.
For a car that already punches well above its price point, that kind of upgrade access is a big deal.
Shop the Parts
All of the parts mentioned in this build are available at Adrenaline RC Racing. We stock MIP pistons, VRP shock oil, and the full Tekno hardware lineup. If you're doing this exact build on your TLR Tune Typhon, everything you need is in one place with same-day shipping from Winchester, Virginia.
JConcepts RM2 Razor Low Downforce (Holes drilled to 10mm)
Tekno Shock Shaft Guide Set (Limiter)
Tekno Shock Rod Ends and Spring Cups
MIP 6 Hole Shock Pistons (3x1.35 + 3x1.45 Front & 3x1.45 + 3x1.5 Rear)
J&T Piston Drill Kit (1.1 - 2.0)
J&T Piston Drill Kit (1.05 - 1.95)
Position 1RC Yellow Springs (Identical to HB)
Have questions about this build or want help picking the right shock setup for your car? Drop a comment below or reach out to us in store. We'll see you next week for the next chapter of the TLR Tune Typhon build.