Main drive belt A-3208.
 

Has anyone used this belt in there X-5? I no the extra-flex belt is the way to go but in a pinch?:confused:

I think Chris Long tried this and it skipped like fook, best wait for him to confirm.

I actually run the XXX4 yellow belt in mine quite a lot, the back of the teeth seems to be thicker and even more resiliant to skipping, you have to file the tensioner slots back a few mm's to take up the extra belt length. (note there is nothing wrong with the normal belt).

Dan

The xxx4 belt is wider than the XXXs belt, hence more contact area with the pulley and less skip. I tried the green and yellow and although the green skips a little less the transmission is a bit tighter.

XXX4 yellow belt was my belt of choice.

sounds like I need to break out the file and get to work on fitting a XXX4 belt. I'm not getting much skipping with the extra flex belt from the XXXS but I'm only running a 14x2 on a tight track right now. That could change any time and I want to be ready!!!!!!;)

Just to point out you defo don't NEED to do that, I'm the only person on the X Factory team that does this. But you might like to try it sometime!

Dan

Yea but it can't hurt. I wonder why it was not designed to use the XXX4 belt? The wider, the better I'd say. You may lose a tiny bit of efficiency but you get it back in the durability department!!!!

Hey guys,
I know Chazz went for the best efficiency from the parts chosen to be used, which is why he went for the narrower XXXS belt over the XXX4 belt.

I tried the black belt, and this did run slightly free-er, but then it skipped like mad on braking compared to the XXXS, so by the time I had it so tight it wasn't worth using I swapped it back for the XXXS belt.

The Black belt came with a large black rolller, this is much larger than the normal black roller, I use the big one - I think I am the only one who does. Since the fold is less, it run free and lifts the belt on the idler better = more belt contact with teeth.

I have never tried any of the XXX4 belts.

Chris

Great input Chris.;) I think I have a large black 2 bearing roller here somewhere. I'll give that a shot. It sounds like the easiest trick yet.

You are welcome.
If you try anything that we haven't, or hasn't been mentioned - let us all know.

I am currently running my X-5 with standard belts, and standard gears all round.

One thing I have done recently, is with the layshaft gear on a shaft, I put it into a pillar drill and gently filed the internal sides of the belt support so they taper outwards. Isn't an essential thing, but if your belt runs to either side of the gear it stops the friction.... and I thought my transmission felt even nicer once done.... but it may have just been 'trick of the mind'

Also, we have been running a 2nd roller on the alloy belt tensioner, the 2nd on is further forward and as high as possible, so this one lifts the belt into the layshaft gear whereas the original one still tensions... but can only do this with small rollers, not the big black one.... im back to the big black one on its own now, and I think I prefer it.

Don't worry about a little skip on braking, I have my brakes turned down to 3/4 or less so its gentle to the belt. I encourage best efficiency at the cost of a few noises.. on power it can skip a little too, but I let my slipper absorb that.

Well now that you mention it I have done something i got from Jesse Roberts. When building your diffs, try using the XXX-CR rings kit. Like this: Add a tiny bit of diff lub to the diff half and then add the copper ring. Then swear a tiny bit of diff lub on the copper ring, then add the diff ring and build the diff as usual. I only add a drop of diff lub to each diff ball on one side and build it. I think that adding lots of diff lube will help to hold heat and that's not a good thing. Anyway, building the diffs this way they stay super smooth for a really long time. Really long, long time......

Clearly I'm not up so speed here, what copper ring?

I think I'm currently on full X factory diff gears, I have been known to run the XX4 gear on the layshaft though, but don't set the belt too loose on that or it looses all its teeth.

Going to order some bits tonight for a rebuild in a few weeks, Chris, is there a part# for that black idler do you know?

Dan

The new XXX-CR diff rings come with a copper shim that sits between the diff ring and diff half Dan.

G

Will the copper rings fit? they must add width to the assembly, is there room to allow this?

I have built a XXX-CR so I know what you mean, but I don't understand the advantage of it....

Dan, I haven't got the part number, but I will try and find out later... will email.

They're only a very thin shim. They just 'protect' things I think :o

G

Ok, here's the deal on the diff set up. The CR rings are round. Not the standard D rings. The CR rings are thinner so adding the shim will make it the same as the old D ring set up. Just hake sure you build it the way I explained and you'll smile ear to ear when its done. I also just installed the big pulley and I must say it gets the top belts close to touching. I mounted it on the farthest away hole of the two. I hope that was right?

So to clarify:

1. XX4 belts too loose and skip like hell even on decent tension?

2. XXX4 belts are wider, but require mod to the pulleys?

3. XXXS belts are perfect fit?

I have a couple of old XXXS belts with every other tooth cut off...hope these will work because they'll come in handy for sure!

1) xx4 belts won't fit in an X5, no way no how

2) the xxx4 belt is a fraction wider if any but it is notably longer (to make up difference in wheelbase between xxx4 and xxxs). You must use either a larger tensioner pulley to take up the difference in belt lenth or you can file the tensioner screw holes furthe back, to move the tensioner arm further back to take up the difference in belt length. I think the flat back edge of the belt is thicker which makes it more resistant to skipping., it is also incredably durable.

3) You used to be able to cut every other tooth off the xxx4 belt in the xxx4 cos the pulley were so MASSIVE you still had plenty of teeth in contact to give drive. The X5 has much smaller diff pulleys like the xx4 (lower and better handling) so with every other tooth off I imagine it would skip quite easily. Doesn't sound good other than in an emergency to me.

the xxx4 yellow belts fit just fine, and are 1mm wider than the yellow xxxs belt so do provide a small amount of extra grip, i did'nt file the holes but moved the tensioner further back into another hole and used the extra belt tensioner mod from 4wdrc.com
works a treat,have the xxx4 green belt but havent tried that yet

As quickly as I can get to it -- put parts in bags, take photos, write ad copy, etc. -- we'll be selling a kit with the 3213 xxx-4 yellow belt, an extra, larger idler pulley, and the hardware to mount it.

You'll note the Squared idler bar has two extra holes in it. With the new kit you'll move the standard idler pulley from the "center" hole where it is now to the rear hole and put the new big pulley in the front. This takes up the extra length of the 3213 without filing on the chassis and also increases belt wrap on the drive pulley.

Wide belt, more wrap = less skip. Kewell.

ace work mate thanks for the info

This is the extra large idler pulley I run.... its bigger than the stock XXXs pulley by quite a lot. if running two pulleys on the new squared bar, can use this with a small pulley, but not two large pulleys. So use the large pulley for lift rather than tension.

This is the whole kit for the XXXS for low drag drive system that it comes from: The black belt skips like mad, so it isn't worth getting, just need the pulley, but you'll need the XXX4 yellow belt like Chazz mentions.

http://www.teamlosi.com/Products/Def...rodID=LOSA3280

This is the pulley alone:

http://www.teamlosi.com/Products/Def...rodID=LOSA3282

Chris

But if you have the X-5 Squared then you can just put the idler pulley back a bit to take up the extra slack on the belt....the idler bar has extra holes to allow for this....right?

Hey Russ,
The original X-5 alloy bar had 5 holes. 2 for mounting and 3 for tuning with a single roller.

the X-5 squared has 4 holes. 2 for mounting and 2 for rollers, but no tuning (as they're in the right place), run the single roller to the rear and the additional roller high to push the belt into the layshaft gear.

Small pulley to the rear for tension, and the large pulley high for lift. they almost touch, so stagger the sides, hard to explain but with them in your hands you'll understand.

So...I defo NEED these then.

I've got loads of old XXX-S bits so I reckon I may have that larger Losi pulley.

Do you know what is measures Chris so I can check?

Im sorry, I don't, not until I open up the X-5.... will post it here when I do.

But til then, all I can say is the large one is significantly bigger than the stock one.... and I don't think Losi did more than two different sizes of dual bearing tensioners, so if you find it, id put money on it being the right one.

if you stumble accross a single bearing roller, can use it for the lift, but it isn't stable enough for the tension, there have been some, X-factory did one but was short lived, they aren't that great.

Superb! I'll get digging for a dual bearing xxx-s pulley tomorrow....right now there's a cool british ghangster movie on C4.

Nice one Chris.

We've got the big pulley on our store by itself -- #3282.

I sent Paul everything he needs to put the Dual Pulley Upgrade Kit (OP 040)on the store -- expect it tomorrow some time when he's through grading papers.

Chris still has one of the first proto Squared idler bars so his has only 4 holes. The production ones have 5 holes: front & back ones for mounting, middle one for single small idler pulley & 3209 belt (standard Kit config.) and the other two for the 2-pulley upgrade with longer, wider 3213 belt.

Well I couldn't find one, only a small white one (not the big black one) so I went ahead and ordered the whole XXX-S part, with belts and bars and everything - just for that pulley!

Wish I'd checked back here first. Good to know you have it now though.

YoungChazz: I assume you mean it's on the xfactoryrc store?

Yes, Fiddy.

Couldn't see it yesterday. Which section? Losi parts?

The 3282 pulley by itself is in with the Losi parts.

The OP 040 Dual Upgrade Kit? It's coming, it's coming. I gave all the stuph to Paul last weekend and thought he'd have it up by now. Engineering grad students carry extremely heavy course loads, and Paul's a teaching assistant too, so he's got to conduct labs and grade papers. When he gets to it, this part will go in with the X Factory parts.

E-mail [email protected] if you want one of the Upgrade Kits now. They're all packaged and ready to go, and can punch your order in manually.

Now that is service big thumbs up from me Chazz.:D. I wonder if the hotbodies designer would do that for me?

Skelders, lol
o i guess ull see him sunday ask him urself

Does upgrade kit come with wider, longer belt?

Yes. OP 040 Dual Idler upgrade Kit contains a #3213 Losi xxx-4 belt (yellow), a #3282 Losi large machined idler pulley, two flanged bearings, the mounting bushing, a bolt & two washers, and a sheet of instructions.

You should have the Squared chassis & idler bar already -- if so, the holes are pre-drilled & tapped for this Upgrade Kit. If you do not have a Squared, you can drill & tap the existing bar. Probably will take longer to get out the drill & tap and then put them away than to do the work...

If you aren't Squared already, Lesro has the Higher Power Upgrade kits or you can order them from us. They're a great deal and work well too.

As to that HPI designer, maybe you run the wrong car. X Factory keeps working on better designs and better Family service every day...