XXX4 modifications - explantions/help needed!

[Graeme]

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying a XXX4 to race on a smooth dirt track (St Gaudens, France) as I've already got a load of XXXCR, XXX original and XXXS stuff which gives me quite a lot of spares to start with.

Now I know Ash will immediately tell me to buy a XX4 but I want a new kit and the only place I know that has a new XX4 WE wants over 400 Euros for it.

I understand there are a few mods that people do to the XXX4 but there doesn't seem to be a list and rarely much of an explanation for each.

So I need some help as I thought I might as well build it right from the off!

Here's the ones I know of:

Steering extensions - I guess Fibre Lyte could make these although I understand they are more for high grip tracks (although I'm probably wrong...)

Using XXXS suspension mounts on both front and rear with different hub carriers on the rear- this one seems really confusing - can someone explain please?!

Upgraded shock towers for strength (Fibre Lyte again)

Front one way (I have this for the XXXS)

CR rear end - how do you fit this as the CR pivot block is wider than the XXX one which means the rear end will be narrower if fitted to a XXX4?

Any help or other mods most welcome.

Cheers


Graeme

[jcb]

Now it's been a while since I used my XXX4 and have to be honest and say that I never raced it on dirt either, but will have a go at explaining some of the things you mention.

The steering extensions and shorter middle drag link basically increase the amount of steering. The shorter drag link from memory also mounted the steering arm from the servo in the middle rather than on one side which made the steering feel more linear.

It took me a while to understand the XXXs suspension mounts. If it makes sense On the front of the car you remove the XXX4 suspension mounts that hold the rear of the front suspension hinge pin (the one that has the little red pip in it) and replace it with the equivalent part from the XXXs. This make the inner hinger pins more parrellel with the chassis.
I can't remember doing anything to the rear end though, apart from using the BK2 wishbones and hub carriers so you could run the outer hole on the VLA or whatever Losi called it.

I never had any problems with the standard XXX4 worlds shock towers so can't comment on the fibrelyte ones and also used the metal one way rather than the losi one.

[Kopite]

From what i remember, it's the front shock tower that needs strengthening, it quite often takes the impact when you land awkwardly. So yeah, it's worth getting the brace. No harm in doing the rear too, but it's not as important as the front.

I'd not worry too much about a one way in that car, it already has a lot of on power steering

[tyreman]

If you are running on smooth dirt leave the car as standard, but with the option of a one-way. The car was designed to work on dirt, all of the above modifications you have mentioned, were to get the car to work on high grip, bumpy-ish surfaces.

As for the towers leave them standard as if you strenthen them too much you will create a weak point some where else in the car, which will be the next point of contact the chassis, which is 50-60 euros to replace or 8 euros for a front tower.

The only modification I would really recommend, is swap the rear shock bodies for the XX4 ones 1.2 with the standard kit shafts 1.0, as this will increase the rear droop.

[DanB4]

I just fitted xx4 shock towers front and rear to my xxx4 and all seems fine, any comments why it shouldnt work? I assume they are xx4 anyway as they are moulded plastic....

[Oscar]

The original xxx4 ones were moulded plastic

[DanB4]

Aha that explains a lot thanks!

[Huckster522]

Your quite right that the original xxx4 shock towers were moulded plastic before the g+ release, but there is no way that the xx4 shock towers will fit a xxx4, i run both cars at club level and they are way different moldings.

The only way the xx4 shock tower will ever fit the xxx4 is if the xxx4 undergoes an X5 tranformation, which uses the xx4 shock towers and other parts( see www.xfactoryrc.com).

Perhaps you have got hold of some of the original plastic parts instead of the newer graphite version.

[super__dan]

I disagree with Brian about towers, I used to have the carbon towers (and steering extension parts) made by fibrelyte and sold loads, I never once saw anyone break a chassis as a result but they were obviously miles stronger than the standard ones which used to snap or at least creak really easily if they dug in during a roll.

[Huckster522]

i broke my xxx4 chassis 3 weeks ago after using a doubled up front shock tower for strength, snapped the mounting lugs clean off, now back to single tower with a home made chassis brace fixed to the diff cover mounts.

[Graeme]

Thanks for the info guys. Can anyone comment on the CR rear end as the rest seems to have been covered?

Cheers

Graeme

[Huckster522]

havn't tried the cr rear end yet on my xxx4, its still in use on my cr.
when i get round to swapping bits over i will let you know.

[super__dan]

Don't think the XXXCR rear end would fit as the Pivots are different on the XXX4 to the rest of the Losi fleet. BK2 setup was a commom upgrade though, I used to run the wide VLA with some nice bling Trinity BK2 hubs.

[Graeme]

Would BK2 arms work with CR hub carriers and CR dogbones? I'm guessing yes as I presume the BK2 arms inner hole (chassis) to the inner VTA hole dimension is the same as a XXX/XX arm as they are used on the XX4 WE reissue and the distance between the inner hole on a CR hub and the outer bearing flange is virtually identical to the original XXX hub carriers (I've checked this at home)

Dan - did you have to use BK2 CVDs on your setup? - I agree the CR rear end won't bolt directly on as I made the mistake of building a CR rear end with a XXX pivot block onto my XXX - didn't handle too well....

Cheers

Graeme

[super__dan]

Best thing is to look through this thread, particularly page 3, hope it helps.

Dan

http://www.oople.com/forums/showthre...ht=xxx4&page=3

[Graeme]

Interesting thread with a lot of info but it seems to miss the point that the XXXCR pivot block is wider than the XXX one which puts the inner VLA hole on the XXXCR arm in line with the only hole on the XXX one.

In any case it confirms that I can fit a BK2 rear end but do I need to change the driveshafts as the part numbers for the spacer in the hubs are different giving the impression that the axles are a different length. (also the axle part no is different!


Cheers

Graeme