B4 durability

[scr8p]

Can they take a lickin' and keep on tickin'? I was thinking about getting one for my kid for Christmas. He can wheel an R/C very well, so it's not gonna be hammered on. I'm just looking for some input.

[Moggie XL]

I've been racing one since 2003.The weakest point seems to be the front shock tower.I've snapped 2 or 3 and a few wishbones but nothing major.At the end of the day if you crash badly enough it will break but it's not fragile.

[JK Racing]

they can take a beating as any other 2wd race car...i raced one for a season, didnt break a single part, passed it on to my son (5) he ended up breaking a front shock tower and a front carrier. not bad for 4 packs on a pretty technical slippery track. are you thinking RTR? it "gives" a bit more than the FT version, just upgrade the front hinge brace to the FT one, and turnbuckles if you need to, but i still have the steel ones on his car.

[scr8p]

i was thinking about the "team" kit. i want him to build it, not just pull it out of a box and go play. i have off of work the whole week after christmas, so it'd be like a father/son thing, but i'll just be supervising.

[templeofspeed]

Why not? Do the Team kit...if he's a good driver, as you say, it should be an awesome father/son deal. Dig up some older stock motors and learn him about brushes, oiling bushings, etc while you're at it. If it was a few years from now there wouldn't be any brushed motors to learn about...

Good dad!

[wyldbill]

cool go for it and if you decide to make it down to birdsboro some time you could put him in the novice class ans let him tool around. there has only been like 2 cars running that class so he wouldn't get beat up too bad. as george carlin says " hook 'em while their young just like the tobbaco industry"

[scr8p]

it probably won't be until after the new year before i can get down there, but when i do, he'd probably run my old raborn. i remember the first time he drove that car on a dirt oval. i think he was 4 or 5. i'm sure you can imagine..........................

[ra272]

I have a Team T4 for 3 years, I never break anything, some of my friends have broke front shock strut on theyre B4...I suggest you to buy a Parma Beetle body to protect the front shock strut.

[Asso_man!]

I've been racing mine for 3 years now, I just had to replace some bearings, an arm or two and yes the front shock tower is a bit brittle. The best you can do is buying a FT and when breaking a "composite" part, replace it with a plastic one (they are cheaper, can deform and they are way more durable). Awesome car, go for it eyes blinded. I regularly beat all the Losi's at my local club and finished first this year in both classes (4wd with a Lazer ZX-5)

[scr8p]

thanks for the input, guys. i guess i'll pick-up a team kit for him. most likely, a new radio system and an esc, too. that's one nice thing with rtr's. it comes with all of that. but you miss out on the best part buying an rtr.....................

building it.

[SUPERDAD]

And the 1 rtr (race spec) B4 I have had any dealings with had MAJOR electronic problems that associated made a truly half assed attempt to repair under warranty. Even after talking to a "tech" about the exact problems it was experiencing, I was assured it was fixed. Well, after it drove itself off the road into a ditch with 2 feet of water in it on the first run after being "repaired", the new esc and reciever it required solved the problems. Oh well, at least the new motor (the supposed "fix" to the problems) and the servo survived

[templeofspeed]

"F" RTR's... Although the two RC18T's I bought for the wife and I were trouble free... Too bad the local track doesn't have a class for them anymore. Fun little trucks...

[Erich Reichert]

i go through front arms a bit but thats about all and i consider it normal wear and tear (I also drive like a savage sometimes lol). Team kit or normal really depends on where you race. If the track has a TON of traction go with the graphite bits but IMO they are too stiff for almost all conditions here. If you go to big races that a lot of factory racers are using the plastic ones. I've even seen Maifield and a couple other guys running custom machined chassis' at certain tracks.

[Weave]

Good decision on the Team Kit. That's what I started with on my X-6 conversion. It doesn't have all the graphite parts of the factory team, which in my opinion are "junk" for all but the pro guys. All they are good for is breaking and putting you out of a race. Even some of the factory driver B4 setups use plastic parts (especially the chassis). I would also buy the Factory Team blue aluminum front hinge pin brace and if you are worried about front end breakage, add an RPM B4/T4 front bumper as added insurance - at least until your son gets the hang of the B4. The only other things that are nice upgrades in the Factory Team kit are the threaded shocks with the "unobtanium" shafts and the ball bearing steering.

[Tadracket]

If he seems to be pushing it too hard, just throttle him back. I let me 3 year old run the B3 this weekend. I set the throttle to run 40% I think. He just tooled it around the driveway and ran the front yard a bit. Plus the pack lasted forever. He loved it. As he gets better, I'll bump up the throws.

Shoot, if you just built the car and put it on a shelf, that would be worth a ton of memories there. I don't know how the B3 compared to the B4, but I am rough on front arms. But I don't race. I throw it in the yard and chase dogs with it the jump of pick nick tables and junk like that.