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I was browsing through red rc and stumbled upon this,

http://liverc.com/news/special_features/5345-LRC_EXCLUSIVE%3A_TLR_4WD_Spy_Shots!/

It looks like they've kept some of the same elements of the xx4. I think I need to start saving...

So, a return to the mid-motor belt-driven 4WD from the late 80's. What's old is new again.

Coelacanth wrote:So, a return to the mid-motor belt-driven 4WD from the late 80's. What's old is new again.

Not surprising considering they've all been running XX4's with big bore shocks recently, about time really. I bet the actual geometry is all pretty much the same too.

I am sure there will be alot of people moaning that its simply the XX4 platform brought up to date - but probably forget that the XX4 can hold its own even today!

I really hope they lay it down at the worlds next month...

It basically looks like a XX4 drivetrain with a 22 suspension on an aluminum chassis. Close to that at least. People today complain if things aren't new and different because they feel that old is inferior regardless of design. No one questions new things anymore as long as they came from a big manufacturer. If Associated came out with a solid rear axle B5, many people would believe its a better design because it's new. A good design is a good design regardless of age.

fredswain wrote:It basically looks like a XX4 drivetrain with a 22 suspension on an aluminum chassis. Close to that at least. People today complain if things aren't new and different because they feel that old is inferior regardless of design. No one questions new things anymore as long as they came from a big manufacturer. If Associated came out with a solid rear axle B5,
many people would believe its a better design because it's new. A good design is a good design regardless of age.

Unfortunately the worlds will be run on a sugared track which in my opinion completely invalidates any results. Ifmar died a decade ago. They've been irrelevant ever since.

I agree with you guys....old is new but forced because ppl are expecting "new"...its almost like they've trained the herds to actually desire to give up all their money consistently...just look at the iphone crowds. their not bad phones but u dont need 40 revisions within a decade. same goes for all these apps.

Fred what do u mean by "sugared"?

they put sugar on the track and it makes it sticky. traction compound, if you will.

You must have been quoting me while I was editing my post. I was removing the sugaring comment since it isn't relevant to the car.

Wow..i didnt know they did that. Well I guess it could be argued they are doing it to the whole field so it levels the results for everyone.....except we could argue they're not real world results since out here most probably dont run "sugared".
I think i prob agree with u that its not an accurate measurement of traction improvements in any of the modern designs if compared to old. Its relevant some.

Either way they cant really bring it back just like an xx4 if they feel the 22 suspension is better...I cant fault them for that. Now how much better in percentage? maybe not much. Im sure original XX4 guys have been smiling for years regardless....

Wish I could say ill be saving for it....but im falling more and more for 1/8th scale.....and gas at that !!!...most are already 4x4. Is that sacrilage? Any of you guys enjoy gas 1/8ths? yea noisy i know but they're faster and run all day !! 1/8th parts are bigger and break less.

License2iLL wrote:Wow..i didnt know they did that. Well I guess it could be argued they are doing it to the whole field so it levels the results for everyone.....except we could argue they're not real world results since out here most probably dont run "sugared".
I think i prob agree with u that its not an accurate measurement of traction improvements in any of the modern designs if compared to old. Its relevant some.

They sugared the track at the warm up event because the tyres chosen for the event had no grip on the new dirt and until then whoever won would have been the one who had spun out the least. Part of the problem at the warm up is that the spec tyre was chosen before the track was built so they couldn't test different tyres on the track. At the 2007 Worlds finals the winner Neil Cragg ran a 14T motor and a 5 cell nimh pack to reduce power to stop his B4 spinning out. I'm sure the people complaining about sugaring the track will also complain if the track is left unprepared and the winner ends up running a 13.5T or 17.5T motor because they have to run that slow to get any grip.


As for a XX4 running with 22 suspension, there's already a lot of XX4s that are running with XXX-CR VLA rear suspensions on them. Considering how competitive the XX4 still is, the new car looks like Losi have fixed the weak spots of the XX4 and added the currently fashionable alloy chassis to it. Hopefully the drivetrain will still be enclosed like the XX4, but a lot simpler to access for maintenance.

I sure hope they make it easier to maintain, because getting to any belt is a major hassle on the original platform.

I've eyeballed those photos for quite a while since released. It actually has XXXCR rear EA3 arms on it, not 22.

I for one cannot wait for a new Losi wheeler. I may end up with a 22T, then the wheeler when it comes out to complete my Losi "collection"

JK Racing wrote:I've eyeballed those photos for quite a while since released. It actually has XXXCR rear EA3 arms on it, not 22.

Sorry but I disagree, to me it looks like these are new arms specific to the car, i am sure the EA3 arms didn't have the captured shock mounts at the bottom.

http://liverc.com/pictures/news/5345/TLR_22_4WD_Pics/DSC_5258.jpg

I also like the fact the top link mounts front and rear are ally, I guess that means they can change the geometry of them by simply making new plates, rather than moulding a whole new shock tower. Nicely thought out.

I was looking at the mid-air under-chassis shot, from that picture, I will agree, new & specific.

JK Racing wrote:I was looking at the mid-air under-chassis shot, from that picture, I will agree, new & specific.

I bet that the geometry is not that far off though!

terry.sc wrote:

License2iLL wrote:Wow..i didnt know they did that. Well I guess it could be argued they are doing it to the whole field so it levels the results for everyone.....except we could argue they're not real world results since out here most probably dont run "sugared".
I think i prob agree with u that its not an accurate measurement of traction improvements in any of the modern designs if compared to old. Its relevant some.

They sugared the track at the warm up event because the tyres chosen for the event had no grip on the new dirt and until then whoever won would have been the one who had spun out the least. Part of the problem at the warm up is that the spec tyre was chosen before the track was built so they couldn't test different tyres on the track. At the 2007 Worlds finals the winner Neil Cragg ran a 14T motor and a 5 cell nimh pack to reduce power to stop his B4 spinning out. I'm sure the people complaining about sugaring the track will also complain if the track is left unprepared and the winner ends up running a 13.5T or 17.5T motor because they have to run that slow to get any grip.


As for a XX4 running with 22 suspension, there's already a lot of XX4s that are running with XXX-CR VLA rear suspensions on them. Considering how competitive the XX4 still is, the new car looks like Losi have fixed the weak spots of the XX4 and added the currently fashionable alloy chassis to it. Hopefully the drivetrain will still be enclosed like the XX4, but a lot simpler to access for maintenance.

If you go to rc tech and look at the xx4 forum there's a guy there that's doing some pretty cool stuff mashing together the 22 and the xx4. I think currently he's on his v4 rear end using the rear shock tower, mid engine weight, rear arms and a few other things from the 22. I've been tempted to do some of the mods he's done but it does require you to cut the xx4 chassis and I can't bring myself to do that on mine. It's cool stuff he's doing regardless, he also claims that with the 22 suspension bits it makes the car more forgiving and easier to drive.