4wd Thread
 

Hey, I do not see any 4wd thread so I figured now was a good time.

I have a question to start this thread.
How many and who makes 4wd offroad cars. Here is my knowledge.

Losi XXX4 available at any hobby supplier. www.teamlosi.com
Losi XX4 available used only www.ebay.com
X-5 Available only from 4wdrc www.4wdrc.cpm
BJ4 available from J-Concepts only www.jconcepts.com
Yokimo I have no idea what the current model is. Anyone know. Is there a prototype in the works. Where to buy. Website?
Durango I have no idea what the current model is. Anyone know. Is there a prototype in the works. Where to buy. Website?
Academy I have no idea what the current model is. Anyone know. Is there a prototype in the works. Where to buy. Website?
Any one have anything else to add. Even prototype. I’m just curious as to how many cars there are currently on the market. Like we know that there are 2 2wd buggies out there. :cry: Losi BK2 and Associated B4

Academy SB Buggy - http://www.modelrectifier.com/produc...RCVehicles.asp
Yokomo - http://yokomousa.com/ - but you have to look really hard on the website to find the offroad buggy. Even in the downloadable catalog it barely rates a mention.
Durango - http://www.rc10.de/Durango/v3/eng/ - Great website, lots of pictures, race results, etc. but I still don't know how you can actually buy one, or how much it would cost.

How's about the TENTH TECH PREDATOR X10?

T.TECH RACING

Yokomo and Kyosho are having new prototype in devloppement, see World's Warm Up Thread... :nod:

Don't forget Schumacher Cat 3000. Most consider it obsolete, but that's another thread. Still raced quite a bit in Europe, but pretty rarely raced here in the states. There is also some other TC3 conversions. Kyosho is hard at work developing new 2wd and 4wd buggies to go in to mass production.

visit www.rc10b4.com for information on the BJ4 and the Academy SB series of vehicles.

www.4wdrc.com is for the X-5 which is a conversion of the XX-4 to a single belt drivetrain. I have seen one go and they are very nice.

4wd right now is probably one of the most diverse electric offroad classes out there. I also got a rumor from someone that HPI may have a vehicle in the works for the class. wouldn't that be something, an RS4-B?

I think right now two things are needed for the class to really grow:

1. Kits in a more reasonable price range that everyone can afford
2. Classes other than default mod as an entry point

Ultimately, 4wd needs to get rid of the elite only feel to it if its really going to grow imho.

I like the fact that at least for the BJ, it uses common parts with the B4 and some losi parts too I believe which makes it very easy to get into parts wise, especially if you have a B4. What would be interesting is to see how much it would cost to make a BJ4-Sport , basically using all plastic pieces instead of carbon, FRP instead of the carbon plate, and basic "Team" level components or even RTR style stuff like the blue shocks. Would be interesting to see at least.

Academy right now has the most affordable way to get into 4wd with three levels offered, a Sport kit, a Pro kit, and a RTR kit. These can be had for the following ranges at ultimatehobbies:

Sport - $145
Pro - $225
RTR - not sure how much

The sport with a few upgrades is quite the performer. The Pro is great too. Even with some minor upgrades it still comes in less than the next cheapest offering.

the other option that I like if you are a losi man is that XX-4 X-5 conversion. just pickup a cheap XX-4, by the conversion, and your all set.

4WD is now in its most exciting year since I've been in the hobby. I've said this on RC Tech before: Buggy and truck, with only two manufacturers building very similar cars, are positively boring.

The just-completed World's Warm-Up, with six different cars including two new prototypes in the A main, is simple proof of the above. I'm prejudiced, but I think the X - 5 is now the Fastest Car That You Can Buy.

The winner, Atushi Hara, drove a Durango, and Gerd is not selling them. Taking second place by a nose was Travis Amezcua with a xx-4, which you can't buy new any more. Greg Hodapp was third just behind Travis with the X - 5, and further back was Masami Hirosaka with a Yokomo prototype that you can't buy now.

We are working to make an X - 5 Conversion Kit for the xxx-4 and expect to announce it within about a week priced at much less than $400. Stay tuned to www.4wdrc.com.

Also, we expect by Monday to have up every lap from every heat and main at the Warm-Up.

Chazz do not take this wrong but I have a theoretical question. Please do not take offence.

What makes your car so great.

Amezcua and Steenari also made the A main with the XX-4 just and Amezcua beat Hoddap with the car you “improved”. I think that this just proves that the XX-4 is a great car with a single belt drive train or not. I understand this is just the warm up race and we will see the final results later this year.

Just an open thought and in no way is ment to take away from the X-5 as it has just prooved to be a capible car.

Thanks, Later

I guess you had to be there, Dustin. Start out with this: Atushi Hara drove the wheels off the Durango. He was at least 4 seconds ahead of anything else, and no other Durango driver did nearly as well as Hara.

Amezcua also drove the wheels off his xx-4, and he and Greg were very close. Greg set TQ in H - 5 and was running second in A - 1 when he made an unforced error that put him back to about 7th. Greg then charged back through the field to finish fourth, setting the fastest lap of A - 1 by .12 over Hara. No one else had a 25 in A - 1.

In A - 2, Hodapp finished second, 7 seconds behind Hara and 7 seconds ahead of third-place Amezcua. A - 3 was a four-minute battle between Greg and Travis with Greg in second most of the way until Travis passed him. Amezcua finished A - 3 10 seconds behind Hara with Hodapp making sure of his third place overall two seconds further back.

Nobody else, not even Masami with the Yokomo prototype, was ever close.

The car made a tremendous difference. Paul qualified 22nd (!!) with five runs all between 16th & 20th -- every one a B main run.

So, yes, if you can drive the wheels off a xx-4 like Travis you can compete with an X - 5. But nobody else could do it at the warm-up. And Paul, who is very good but not THAT good, was able to beat 60 out of 80 in every qualifier by driving an X - 5. he agrees he could not have done that with either his xx-4 or xxx-4. Our experience is that customers who convert to an X - 5 move up at least one main at their clubs. We think the xxx-4 conversion will have the same effect.

Thanks for reply
 

Thanks for the reply Chazz. I believe in your product and what you are doing with the X-5 but i was just wondering as to the rebuttle you would have. You represent the X-5 well and if we had a 4wd class at CRCRC I would have one.

Later

YoungChazz: thats great that you have Gregg driving your vehicle. It does make a difference having a capable driver wheeling your vehicle especially for recognition at the bigger races. I bet the losi factory guys get a kick out of the fact that the X-5 performs so well in all conditions compared to the XXX-4 being good in one but not the other (hence why losi is running XX-4s ).

For my side of things being with Academy, I am excited to see what the new SB V2 will come out with. Looks like Alot of changes and will have the option to mount your battery packs and position your motor as you see fit. I just hope that we can pickup a big name driver to wheel the vehicle. For 4wd, I think that would really help the vehicle out.

Hi gang looking for some help. Is there an option for a bigger spur gear for this buggy? Going to a smaller pinion puts the motor against the driveshaft!! Very uncool :( Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

i like that predator thing looks awesome probally around 500.00 i think the durango is around 1000.00 four wheel drive is gaining popularity and i hope to run it next season. on some tracks they are faster than eight scale buggys. go four wheel drive. maybe xray will even come out with one. XB10 :o

my bad, buggy in question is an Academy Pro :blush: :rolleyes:

DFroyd- Academy/MRC now makes a 72T spur gear, part # st-t102. This should help out somewhat. The best bet would be to get an aftermarket motor mount. You can get one from Acratech (www.acratechracing.com) or call them directly at 909-394-1802 (I don't think they have them posted on their web site yet). They have it for $25.00 shipped. I can run a 16 tooth pinion on the 70 spur gear. Here is a pic of the prototype, and the regular ones come in blue. I am really happy with the mount.

DFroyd- You can also try this stock mount mod and this will help some. You will grind down the inside portion of the mount and mount the motor with the motor screws as shown, but I still think the aftermarket mount is better.