mid motor 2wd buggy conversion
10-13-2009 | 06:31 AM
#31
Tech Elite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,264
From: N.W. Ohio
I guess I'll put in our 2 cents worth. X Factory has been making a mid-motor Conversion Kit for the B4 for over three years now, and a Kit for the T4 for about a year. Just about every customer who buys one discovers he's 1/2 - 3/4 sec per lap faster, no matter what track or surface he's running on.
With the pendulum effect of the rear motor gone, the car carries much more speed in corners, is more stable over bumps, and much more agile in the air.
It takes a few packs to get used to because the driving style is closer to on-road than the "point and shoot" style we're all used to. You take a more natural racing line. Once you get used to it, the car is easy to drive and easy to drive fast, which are two different things.
We make a graphite molded chassis and our own tranny, plus our own rear suspension. You don't cobble anything together and "make stuff fit." You end up with a car that's perhaps of higher quality than the one you started with. Lots of CF stuff standard, the first car on the market designed specifically for LiPo. An experienced hobbiest can go from a running B4 to a running X - 6 Squared in about 2 1/2 hours.
We've won around 15 National Championships in the five years we've been in business, including the ROAR National Championship in '05 and at least 5 National Championships so far this year. We are 2009 National Champion in England, France, and The Netherlands (2 years running in all three), Czech Republic, Finland. Ellis Stafford, the U.K. Champion, TQed the Euros. Brian Kinwald, who has been driving for us over three years, makes the A everywhere, and just TQed the Arizona State Championship. Dan Griffin is the ROAR Region 5 Champion. Those who don't know how many cars we've sold or how successful they are have not been paying attention.
The 3-gear vs. 4-gear thing is long since proven. We converted to 4-Gear almost two years ago, and the cars are simply ballistic on every surface. There are a few places, mostly astro, where the 3-gear is as good as the 4-Gear, but that's all -- it's as good, not better. The 4-Gear absolutely rocks everyplace else.
We have all the forward traction you can ask for -- wheelies at will on loose outdoor tracks in Michigan. Speaking of Michigan, Mike Ciresi is the 2009 MORL Champion. Car must be good on loose dirt...
With the pendulum effect of the rear motor gone, the car carries much more speed in corners, is more stable over bumps, and much more agile in the air.
It takes a few packs to get used to because the driving style is closer to on-road than the "point and shoot" style we're all used to. You take a more natural racing line. Once you get used to it, the car is easy to drive and easy to drive fast, which are two different things.
We make a graphite molded chassis and our own tranny, plus our own rear suspension. You don't cobble anything together and "make stuff fit." You end up with a car that's perhaps of higher quality than the one you started with. Lots of CF stuff standard, the first car on the market designed specifically for LiPo. An experienced hobbiest can go from a running B4 to a running X - 6 Squared in about 2 1/2 hours.
We've won around 15 National Championships in the five years we've been in business, including the ROAR National Championship in '05 and at least 5 National Championships so far this year. We are 2009 National Champion in England, France, and The Netherlands (2 years running in all three), Czech Republic, Finland. Ellis Stafford, the U.K. Champion, TQed the Euros. Brian Kinwald, who has been driving for us over three years, makes the A everywhere, and just TQed the Arizona State Championship. Dan Griffin is the ROAR Region 5 Champion. Those who don't know how many cars we've sold or how successful they are have not been paying attention.
The 3-gear vs. 4-gear thing is long since proven. We converted to 4-Gear almost two years ago, and the cars are simply ballistic on every surface. There are a few places, mostly astro, where the 3-gear is as good as the 4-Gear, but that's all -- it's as good, not better. The 4-Gear absolutely rocks everyplace else.
We have all the forward traction you can ask for -- wheelies at will on loose outdoor tracks in Michigan. Speaking of Michigan, Mike Ciresi is the 2009 MORL Champion. Car must be good on loose dirt...
10-13-2009 | 06:35 AM
#32
Tech Adept
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 148
From: Fultondale, Al.
It was at Gulf Coast Raceway in Magnolia Springs Alabama...
http://www.gulfcoastraceway.com/rcphotos.html
Layout has changed from the picture but it is a red clay with a hard underpack and a loose dusty top, unless recently watered, which it was not Saturday as there was a lot of moisture in the air already (it wanted to rain though it never did). Race was run at night too so track surface temps were low.
http://www.gulfcoastraceway.com/rcphotos.html
Layout has changed from the picture but it is a red clay with a hard underpack and a loose dusty top, unless recently watered, which it was not Saturday as there was a lot of moisture in the air already (it wanted to rain though it never did). Race was run at night too so track surface temps were low.
10-13-2009 | 06:49 AM
#33
I was wondering when X-factory would chime in. 
Great cars.
I did this to my truck as I am constantly tinkering with stuff, and always wanted one since the Tekin conversion back in 93-94ish.
My only cost to convert it was some time, and a 11$ Axial battery tray with straps. I also spent 3$ at Home Depo for some threaded rod to make a trans brace.
I am tinkering with the idea of a new motor mount and an extra Idler gear as well.
Great cars.I did this to my truck as I am constantly tinkering with stuff, and always wanted one since the Tekin conversion back in 93-94ish.
My only cost to convert it was some time, and a 11$ Axial battery tray with straps. I also spent 3$ at Home Depo for some threaded rod to make a trans brace.
I am tinkering with the idea of a new motor mount and an extra Idler gear as well.
10-13-2009 | 04:35 PM
#36
Tech Regular
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 343
From: Maumee, Ohio
A few comments for you mopar1994 from the pics you posted:
First, be aware of your driveshaft angle as you put the trans in - its hard to tell from just some pictures, but it looks to me like the driveshafts are going to have some rear-ward sweep (hubs behind the outdrives) to them with the outdrives where they are; and forward sweep is generally more advantageous, especially for a mid-motor car as it helps generate forward traction on power.
Second, have you thought about how to mate the Losi driveshafts with the AE diff outdrives? Those dogbones there are a bit big... your best bet might be to try and fit some B4 CVD's to the car? I'm not sure how the lengths would work out.
Keep it up, it's looking good!
10-13-2009 | 07:27 PM
#38
Thread Starter
Tech Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 92
From: michigan
I guess I'll put in our 2 cents worth. X Factory has been making a mid-motor Conversion Kit for the B4 for over three years now, and a Kit for the T4 for about a year. Just about every customer who buys one discovers he's 1/2 - 3/4 sec per lap faster, no matter what track or surface he's running on.
With the pendulum effect of the rear motor gone, the car carries much more speed in corners, is more stable over bumps, and much more agile in the air.
It takes a few packs to get used to because the driving style is closer to on-road than the "point and shoot" style we're all used to. You take a more natural racing line. Once you get used to it, the car is easy to drive and easy to drive fast, which are two different things.
We make a graphite molded chassis and our own tranny, plus our own rear suspension. You don't cobble anything together and "make stuff fit." You end up with a car that's perhaps of higher quality than the one you started with. Lots of CF stuff standard, the first car on the market designed specifically for LiPo. An experienced hobbiest can go from a running B4 to a running X - 6 Squared in about 2 1/2 hours.
We've won around 15 National Championships in the five years we've been in business, including the ROAR National Championship in '05 and at least 5 National Championships so far this year. We are 2009 National Champion in England, France, and The Netherlands (2 years running in all three), Czech Republic, Finland. Ellis Stafford, the U.K. Champion, TQed the Euros. Brian Kinwald, who has been driving for us over three years, makes the A everywhere, and just TQed the Arizona State Championship. Dan Griffin is the ROAR Region 5 Champion. Those who don't know how many cars we've sold or how successful they are have not been paying attention.
The 3-gear vs. 4-gear thing is long since proven. We converted to 4-Gear almost two years ago, and the cars are simply ballistic on every surface. There are a few places, mostly astro, where the 3-gear is as good as the 4-Gear, but that's all -- it's as good, not better. The 4-Gear absolutely rocks everyplace else.
We have all the forward traction you can ask for -- wheelies at will on loose outdoor tracks in Michigan. Speaking of Michigan, Mike Ciresi is the 2009 MORL Champion. Car must be good on loose dirt...
With the pendulum effect of the rear motor gone, the car carries much more speed in corners, is more stable over bumps, and much more agile in the air.
It takes a few packs to get used to because the driving style is closer to on-road than the "point and shoot" style we're all used to. You take a more natural racing line. Once you get used to it, the car is easy to drive and easy to drive fast, which are two different things.
We make a graphite molded chassis and our own tranny, plus our own rear suspension. You don't cobble anything together and "make stuff fit." You end up with a car that's perhaps of higher quality than the one you started with. Lots of CF stuff standard, the first car on the market designed specifically for LiPo. An experienced hobbiest can go from a running B4 to a running X - 6 Squared in about 2 1/2 hours.
We've won around 15 National Championships in the five years we've been in business, including the ROAR National Championship in '05 and at least 5 National Championships so far this year. We are 2009 National Champion in England, France, and The Netherlands (2 years running in all three), Czech Republic, Finland. Ellis Stafford, the U.K. Champion, TQed the Euros. Brian Kinwald, who has been driving for us over three years, makes the A everywhere, and just TQed the Arizona State Championship. Dan Griffin is the ROAR Region 5 Champion. Those who don't know how many cars we've sold or how successful they are have not been paying attention.
The 3-gear vs. 4-gear thing is long since proven. We converted to 4-Gear almost two years ago, and the cars are simply ballistic on every surface. There are a few places, mostly astro, where the 3-gear is as good as the 4-Gear, but that's all -- it's as good, not better. The 4-Gear absolutely rocks everyplace else.
We have all the forward traction you can ask for -- wheelies at will on loose outdoor tracks in Michigan. Speaking of Michigan, Mike Ciresi is the 2009 MORL Champion. Car must be good on loose dirt...
10-14-2009 | 06:07 AM
#42
10-15-2009 | 06:27 AM
#44
I use this to secure the battery. It's the battery tray from a Axial crawler. It's steel, so adds a little weight right under the battery, and as it mounts using 2 screws, I have a couple locations drilled so I can move the battery forward and back depending on my mood.
