Joes b4

[JosephS]

I finally started on this project, it was a b4 parts lot, missing rear shocks.

I picked up a set of 12mm rears when they were on eBay for not much money

Found some transmissions, but I need to disassemble it to see if if for the b4 or the b4.2/sc10

[JosephS]

So I'm taking apart the transmission for a rebuild. I've absolutely reached that special age.

It looks mostly well built. Reasonably smooth, though full of black grease. B4/T4 style with the 5/8 outdrives.
Opened up the diff. Had a nice metal T- nut, looked like new bearings inside the diff. Grooved thrust bearing washers.
Then I saw the MIP lightened aluminum top shaft. Sweet.

That's almost exactly how I would have built it. . . .

Did I build this? If I did it why was it greased?

I'm pretty sure I built it , then forgot about it. That would explain why it was away from the rest of the car.

[JosephS]

I like the 2-56 capture screws on the b4 series even less than e-clips. It feels like the plastic may be giving out on some of the plastic parts.
For the front caster blocks the pin drops down towards the ground of the screw fails.

Was there a common way to make sure the screws stay in? I was thinking about super glue, but concerned that it would break the part if I need to remove it. is there a threadlock for plastic?

Installing the spacers between the castor blocks and steering arms wasn't fun. I used a very small hex driver to align everything.

Does anyone know if the B4 front tires were the same as the wide rc10 fronts?

[juicedcoupe]

is there a threadlock for plastic?

Yes. But if you read the SDS, it's just CA glue. Maybe not the same strength or thickness as Super Glue, but more or less the same.

[carloco8]

To save holes for the small 2-56 screws, take a small safety pin, put a dab of super glue on the tip, then rub the it inside the screw hole. You only want to lightly coat the threaded walls of the hole, not fill/close it off, so if it's too much glue just stick the pin back in to take some glue out. Let it dry completely and now you can carefully rethread the screws. This way it's like a rethread job so you can still easily take the screws out instead of gluing them in. They only need to block the pins from coming out so as soon as the screw stops, that is it, no need to make them more snug than that.

B4 is a great buggy, nice choice on the 12mm shocks. It's the best rear motor buggy associated ever made imo.

[JosephS]

A bit more done

Made the best I could have the battery holder . Added some threaded rod and rpm nylon nuts that work as thumb screws

Found my axle spacers and attached the rear hubs on the proper sides. Replaced the newer style motor guard with the b4 style one.

I’m not sure what I can do about the drive shafts. Are there any rc10 parts that can work? Is there a cheap way to replace the shafts?

[carloco8]

Do you have any axle parts to work with or do you need a complete set? There are a few ways to get it together. With the 5/8 outdrives, its either: 1. Find the stock cvd/cva b4/.1/.2 parts (ebay) or 2. Get the cva axles from the Ae or Fan RC rc10 cva set along with B5 65mm driveshafts and slightly grind/open the stock outdrive area for the larger B5 metric driveshaft pin. If you have the sc10 trans case with the metric outdrive bearing, you can use a complete b5/b5m ball diff (both sides of the diff gear slightly shaved) and b5 65mm driveshaft mated to a b4/rc10 cva axle that will all drop right in.

[JosephS]

Do you have any axle parts to work with or do you need a complete set? There are a few ways to get it together. With the 5/8 outdrives, its either: 1. Find the stock cvd/cva b4/.1/.2 parts (ebay) or 2. Get the cva axles from the Ae or Fan RC rc10 cva set along with B5 65mm driveshafts and slightly grind/open the stock outdrive area for the larger B5 metric driveshaft pin. If you have the sc10 trans case with the metric outdrive bearing, you can use a complete b5/b5m ball diff (both sides of the diff gear slightly shaved) and b5 65mm driveshaft mated to a b4/rc10 cva axle that will all drop right in.

I bought some DR10's to part out. That may be close enough to the b5 to work.

[Charlie don't surf]

The Customworks Schmedium CVD set works on the B4!

[carloco8]

The Customworks Schmedium CVD set works on the B4!

Wait, hold on, I remember seeing somewhere that Frankentruck had the parts and found that they were a little too short? Here is the thread:

https://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=49100

I think custom works had "medium" bones at one point and those were b4 length. Schmediums are maybe the shorter b44 length?

[Charlie don't surf]

The Customworks Schmedium CVD set works on the B4!

Wait, hold on, I remember seeing somewhere that Frankentruck had the parts and found that they were a little too short? Here is the thread:

https://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=49100

I think custom works had "medium" bones at one point and those were b4 length. Schmediums are maybe the shorter b44 length?

Good catch, great link to a helpful thread! I swore one of the DO companies still made the B4 bone and or axle. I'll look at the wall of parts Sat some.too