Carbon or plastic?

[Matt-h]

What are you guys running on the B4?

I am using the plastic chassis, but didnt know if you are using carbon arms, shock towers etc.

Whats the advantages/disadvantages?

Checked the search, but couldnt find exactly what i was looking for

Matt

[TonyM]

I think you will find that in Europe most people avoid the carbon parts - temperatures too low and they snap easilly. Also, the carbon chassis is less flexible.

Carbon reduces weight, but with the advent of lipo batterries most drivers add weight.

[Matt-h]

Thanks,

so most parts plastic is ok?

Matt

[TonyM]

Just to be clear, regarding chassis and A arms. These definitely should be plastic and not carbon graphite.

It's a bit different for the shock towers. Definitely don't use carbon graphite, plastic is fine. However, carbon fibre towers, like those from K Factory, are a good hop up for strength compared to the standard plastic parts.

One last point, when I started I was very tempted to buy aluminium towers. They look great, but bend very easily and are almost impossible to straighten again.

[Matt-h]

Thanks Tony, cleared up what i thought.

On another note, my B4 FT arrived from microtech today.
Its the 'black box' 'Cragg' kit, but the chassis looks more graphite that plastic.

Is there anyway of being sure?

Matt

[coolcars782]

That will have the plastic chassis

[Matt-h]

Thats what i thought, just looking at it put a doubt in my head

[TonyM]

As 'Coolcars' confirmed it will be plastic.

If you are ever in doubt as to whether a part is plastic or graphite the easiest way is to use a multi-meter set on the highest Ohms (resistance) range. With plastic you will get no reading - a perfect insulator. Whereas graphite will conduct and you will get a reading.

[Tom3012]

Never really had a problem with graphite arms/shock towers??

Everything breaks if you hit it hard enough, there are circumstances where a plastic arm will break when a graphite one wouldnt of and vice-versa...

For me, its down to personal preference...

[coolcars782]

Originally Posted by TonyM

As 'Coolcars' confirmed it will be plastic.

If you are ever in doubt as to whether a part is plastic or graphite the easiest way is to use a multi-meter set on the highest Ohms (resistance) range. With plastic you will get no reading - a perfect insulator. Whereas graphite will conduct and you will get a reading.

Another way is to check is the weight, as mentioned earlier the carbon will be lighter than the plastic.

[bigred5765]

Originally Posted by Tom3012

Never really had a problem with graphite arms/shock towers??

Everything breaks if you hit it hard enough, there are circumstances where a plastic arm will break when a graphite one wouldnt of and vice-versa...

For me, its down to personal preference...

graphite always makes the car more twitchy it is also way more fragile, plastic is more flexible and allot more forgiving,

[TomHow]

Hi Guys, I have lots of problems with the cold weather and breakages on my new FT B4, the front and rear shock tower and this week the lower front arms have all snapped and only after a few laps, I have replaced parts with standard plastic ones, is this common in the cold, should I replace everything with plastic lower and upper arms etc?

would I be better off with carbon fibre front and rear shock towers?

Some advice would be good as getting fed up with breakages etc, took my SC10 out yesterday had loads of fun plenty of bashing and crashing no breakages, took the B4 for a lap and the lower front arm broke really fed up....

[/tobys]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

graphite always makes the car more twitchy it is also way more fragile, plastic is more flexible and allot more forgiving,

Is that specific to the graphite chassis or the graphite parts in general? I always used to run plastic chassis in my Losi's and tended to keep away from the graphite parts on them - I even changed my XX4 chassis to the plastic one shortly after they first came out (partly to try and reduce interference and partly as I was drilling the chassis and it was cheaper to replace!)