B4 for Racing ???

[Steven Forster]

Alright there,

Just wanting to know what peoples thoughts are on the B4, is it still competitive with all the new range of 2wd buggies on the market and is the B4 still winning at Regional / National / International level ???

I dont feel like im doing as well as i thought i would or would like to be with my B4 (RTR). Ive only started racing 3-4 months ago indoor on polished wood and painted concrete (I think), I also entered the NE Regionals to get more experience driving on different surfaces.

It was pointed out to me by a club member that my ESC isnt any good for racing as its a "Sensoreless" Mamba Max ESC, will a "Sensored ESC" make all the difference

Basically would a new 2wd Buggy and "Sensored ESC/Motor" be better or should i just stick to my B4 and get a "Sensored" setup

Cheers

[RoyalCBR]

I think the best way to get into this hobby (sport) is to get to grips with things one at a time.

I am new to RC and have been gradually (with the help of some fellow club members) refining my B44 over the weeks to get to grips with how it handles and then upgrading the speed.

Things I have heard about the RTR B4 is the servo is slightly on the slow side, so that isn't going to help. A faster motor might be great for speed, but if you can't control it properly it is just going to mean bigger crashes and more fixing (plus possibly deeper pockets).

I hope to run a B4 soon, and I will over time refine and upgrade it as I go along.

Hope that helps - stick with it mate

[peetbee]

I would stick with the B4 and as long as it's setup properly you should be fine. If you post your current setup I'm sure we can help refine it to suit your tracks/driving.

Something that should make the car easier to drive (especially on slippery tracks) is getting the AS7487 rear suspension blocks as that will let you increase the rear tow in in 0.5 degree increments which will increase the amount of rear end grip. (3 degrees is standard, try the 3.5 first)

Can't comment on your speedo/motor combo as I've never used sensorless in 10th.

[Steven Forster]

Originally Posted by RoyalCBR

I think the best way to get into this hobby (sport) is to get to grips with things one at a time.

I am new to RC and have been gradually (with the help of some fellow club members) refining my B44 over the weeks to get to grips with how it handles and then upgrading the speed.

Things I have heard about the RTR B4 is the servo is slightly on the slow side, so that isn't going to help. A faster motor might be great for speed, but if you can't control it properly it is just going to mean bigger crashes and more fixing (plus possibly deeper pockets).

I hope to run a B4 soon, and I will over time refine and upgrade it as I go along.

Hope that helps - stick with it mate

Originally Posted by peetbee

I would stick with the B4 and as long as it's setup properly you should be fine. If you post your current setup I'm sure we can help refine it to suit your tracks/driving.

Something that should make the car easier to drive (especially on slippery tracks) is getting the AS7487 rear suspension blocks as that will let you increase the rear tow in in 0.5 degree increments which will increase the amount of rear end grip. (3 degrees is standard, try the 3.5 first)

Can't comment on your speedo/motor combo as I've never used sensorless in 10th.

Gonna try setting it as per manual as i bought it 2nd hand, ESC is a Mamba Max (Sensoreless), motor is an Losi Exceliron 6.5t (got a 15x1, 12x1 and 17x2 Brushed) Servo is a Hitec H645MG, Radio is an Ansmann W3.............think my problem was rear end grip mainly on sports halls polished wood/painted concrete using yellow mini spikes and doesnt help when ESC is cogging up at low speeds

cheers

[peetbee]

A 6.5? that's a lotta power to get used to!

The kit setup is good for US dirt tracks, not so great elsewhere.
Try starting with the setup below and see what you think:
http://www.petitrc.com/setup/associa...aldicot201102/

[blue_pinky]

B4 is def still competitive. In the right hands, essentially as quick as anything out there.

6.5t in ANY car on polished floor is gonna be a real handful!

6.5 in any 2wd car on any surface is actually going to be a handful, and especially if your new to the sport!

My advice would be stick a 10.5 in it! You'll find that only the top top guys might consider a 6.5 in 2wd (and to be honest I'm couldn't say for certain they even go that far!). 7.5's are much more popular in 2wd with good racers, and at club level, most people will get much better results with a 10.5. A little less pokey, much easier to drive, and consistency and not crashing over 5 mins is actually the thing that will make you faster.

Straight line speed is not the fast way around in offroad racing!

As an idea, I run an 8.5 in an x6 at nationals, and am not being left for dead anywhere!

Sensorless, although not the optimum top level racing kit, is more than adequate for club racing. Proper gearing and on that esc, proper setup, will help with cogging. Check how it's programmed currently, see if it's adjusted right for you and your track.

Get a good baseline setup, then your thumbs will be the biggest factor...so practice

[Adam F]

Ultimately, all you need to do is make the car as easy to drive as possible, the 6.5 wont help at all, I run a 7.5 and its more than fast enough...

Regardless of whether the car still wins at the top level or not (it does) its more about getting the car how you want it, the top lads would still be top regardless of the car they drove that season.

Try getting the car set up properly and a calmer motor, that should improve things no end... I used to run my B4 really heavy and it worked for me. (plus lead is dirt cheap and can be removed easily if it doesn't do what you want!)

[migsy]

[QUOTE=dexter24;521565]Alright there,


It was pointed out to me by a club member that my ESC isnt any good for racing as its a "Sensoreless" Mamba Max ESC, will a "Sensored ESC" make all the difference

i use a mambamax in my losi xxxcr and it is no doubt one the best brushless systems i've got. never blame your tools mate..one step at a time, you'll get there.

[RoyalCBR]

Agree on the 6.5t front - I run a 10.5t in my B44 with some added boost and it is more than a match for some 8.5t s.

[Steven Forster]

Guess i am trying to run before i can walk and being impatient isnt helping much .

Im am new to racing but had/got a few different RC cars 1/10th and 1/8th, B4 and B44, Tamiya TL01 and TB01, HPI RS4 Rally all electric then a Losi XXX-NT, Traxxas T-MAXX 2.5, Hyper 7 and ST, all being nitro.

Im ranked 20th out of 55 people in the NE regionals, sounds good but some people have only done 1 or 2 race meets so not a really good comparison

Ive ran the Mamba Max ESC and losi 6.5t in my B44 indoor for the 2nd time last friday and my fastest lap was 3 seconds slower than the fastest lap of the night, it was alot easier than using this combo in my B4 but started realising that the motor is to much for me

I was thinking of getting an Orca Q-Spark ESC and 8.5t combo but think i might opt for the 10.5t motor instead and also more and more practice

[SHY]

I'd go for a 8,5 turn and a proper sensored ESC, where you can select from different throttle profiles (to alter the amount of punch you want, on different surfaces).

Other than that as a beginner you should foremost make sure the car is in shape. Don't think too much about setups in the beginning, especially the AE std. setups work very well on all kinds of tracks.

This means removing the dampers, make sure all suspension arms move freely. Take off the springs, check if the dampers are smooth (without air or missing oil). Make sure the diff is smooth. Set the slipper for a little traction control (slight slip).

Myself I prefer a much larger rear wing than the std. B4 wing.

If you find the car too nervous >> try with negative steering expo (if your radio can do that)

Good luck!