XB4 14' shorty pack conversion
 

Can anyone tell me how to turn the 14' model into a shorty pack? I know you turn the center differential 180 degrees to run the motor on the back left. This is all I know what to do. Do I have to trim the plastic chassis any way and do I need other parts. Any info and pictures would be great. Thanks Mike Richmond, Maine, USA

from what I rememeber you need to rotate the diff drill 2-3 holes cut and shave a few bits of the plastic chassis and hope that your shorty is skinny enough not to rub the center diff outdrive.
Make a battery strap as well. There are threads on this and or pics in the the thread as a few have done it

You would also need to flip the diffs as the motor would be running in the opposite direction. Not sure if it's a straight flip in the day. You may need to Dremel the diff cases to suit.

No need to Dremel the diff cases but you do have to clearance the aluminum chassis for the flipped diff bevel gears and for the spur gear.
All easily done with a Dremel.

Bent

Might be easier getting the 15 model chassis and bits.

Sell the old one as a roller and buy a '15 is what I would've done.

Buying all the parts separate quickly adds up especially if you want the metal diffs as well ;)

Bent

I thought about seeing if I could just buy the center chassis, side rails and center diff of the 15' and use the 14' ends. I have not built it yet. It is new in the bags. I given it as a gift. I thought about parting it out to sell and buy the 15' model.

Also with the diff's, could you swap front to rear snd rear to front and they will turn correctly?

Front and rear diffs are the same……you just flip them 180 degrees when you flip the motor mount 180 degrees to run the shorty.

Bent

You would also need:

• New length front and rear center drive shafts.
• New length front, rear and middle top deck (or modify a full length '14 top deck).
• Battery holders for shorty.
• Front and rear plastic chassis braces.

And then you still won't have the new metal diff bevel and pinion gears, updated uprights, front shock tower, front bumper, wing mounts, drivehsaft collars, servo mounts, '15 body ('14 is a bad fit for shorty layout) ++++++

Bent

Question for Bent!!!

Going to run my new xb4 on high grip carpet. Should I run the centre diff, and if so, what sort of oil? 100k, 1000000?

He he…..I think I've answered this close to 40 times on Facebook and Messenger in the last couple of days :lol:

We most often run 1.000.000 cst in the center diff on high grip carpet.

That's with the stock composite gears.

For low grip (outdoors dirt) we've ran 500.000 cst.

Bent

Cheers. 41 times now :)

Agree, stock gears are good enough.

and counting……..2 more on Messenger now…….US drivers this time ;)

Stock composite gears hold up just fine and they will retain that snap from the lightweight drivetrain :)

But for those that want to calm it down a bit the steel and alu options will add a small amount of weight to the rotational mass and for some that might make it feel a bit easier to drive.

And besides……you can never have too many tuning options :D

Bent

Oh the joys of trying to get the air bubbles out of a 1000000 oil diff :(

Car does look awesome, can't wait to get it running!

Coat every side of every part before assembly, add grease after assembly and then put it in a vacuum pump for shocks ;)

Bent