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B3 Upgrades
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:32 pm
by socalkid13
Does anyone have pics of b4 wing mounts on a stock b3 tower? If that works looks like it might be a clean way to keep the wing on for me.
Fyber-lyte towers? I have seen a few people on here running them. Are they worth the shipping? Advantages?
Any other must have upgrades to keep a b3 competitive today? Besides lipo/brushless/tires of course
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 7:00 pm
by henry
One thing I've done to my T3(and that I will do to my B3), is that I've upgraded the topshaft and slipper to B4/T4 units.
It's cheap enough ( less than $20 IIRC), it also really helps protect the tranny from the newer brushless power.
When replacing the topshaft remember to use the spacers that come with the original topshaft on the new one.
Also, you may have to add a little ballast to the front part of the chassis to get it to turn.
These cars were designed with heavier Nimh in mind, so you might have to add a little bit to the front to get it to turn.
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 7:01 pm
by 85Edinger
If you're running a lot of power I agree on the b4 topshaft/slipper. However, in a 2wd buggy on 17.5 or weaker, I would just lock the slipper anyway unless you're on a really low traction surface.
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 7:34 pm
by ca-rj
I've been running my B3 for about a week now and running 30wt front and rear and brown front, green rear springs, the car is handling great. The rest is the stock Factory Team model. I agree, if you're not going to run mod, there is no need to upgrade the slipper.
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:18 pm
by knucklebuster
I run a stock T3 with a 5700 Castle brushless/lipo setup. The tranny (geared 84/23) works hard as the Proline Road Hawgs rarely break loose on the street. This is my basher and I run it as such. I regularly test the thermal protection on the ESC
The B4/T4 topshaft is surely a good upgrade however I don't think you will tear up the transmission if you choose not to upgrade. The B3 runs smaller tires than the T3. I trust your B3 would not be working as hard as my T3, especially if run offroad where the tires will likely break loose regularly.
My suggestion would be to buy spare top plates and rear arm mounts, the only parts I have managed to break. After multiple wrecks, I broke the top plate and tweaked the nose after hitting a telephone pole at a very high rate of speed. I was able to hammer the nose back into shape

Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:04 am
by teman
You could do bearings in the steering rack and upgrading to AE Ti or Lunsford turnbuckles would be good too. Anything RPM you can find will help, especially the rear arm mounts they made.
I haven't bothered with upgrading the slipper, I run a Castle 5700 and it seems fine to me.
As for the wing I may try an 18b mount set, we'll see when it gets here.
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:57 pm
by socalkid13
Thanks for the info guys. I am running a 17.5T and have not had any problems with the slipper, only made some small changes from stock like aluminum shock caps and low friction ball cups. With the right tires the car is handling pretty well
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 9:17 pm
by 85Edinger
If it's not broken, don't fix it.
Care to post up pictures?
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:13 pm
by socalkid13
Not much to see but here you go. The electronics are not ideal, I have my esc to receiver wire running over the battery instead of under and there is way too much wire on the esc that I have not trimmed down. The back rims were give aways from a bin at the RC shop that I modified to fit. Basically just took it off the shelf and got it running again, still novice to restoring my b3.
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:59 am
by teman
Looks good

If you need wheels, you can use Thunder Tiger Phoenix buggy wheels, they are essentially the same minus the plastic itself.
I'm surprised they let you run a Reedy 3300 in 17.5, I was under the impression it was more like a 13.5?
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:52 pm
by 85Edinger
+1 on the Thunder Tiger wheels. Those look like b4 wheels in the back, whatever they are they don't have enough offset. Your rear track is too narrow.
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:53 pm
by knucklebuster
teman wrote:I'm surprised they let you run a Reedy 3300 in 17.5, I was under the impression it was more like a 13.5?
Funny, I also thought the Reedy 3300kv was equivalent to a 13.5 turn. After smoking all the B4s with my CE and a Reedy 3300kv in the bomber class, I was told the motor was banned as it actually specs out closer to a 10.5

Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 7:54 pm
by socalkid13
Good call on the rims I will get those switched asap. The motor is actually a 3900KV guess I'm running hotter than I thought.
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 11:12 pm
by socalkid13
How about this!
Re: B3 Upgrades
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 1:02 pm
by ca-rj
Looking good. I just swapped in a 17.5 into my B3 and it goes like stink. I can't wait to start racing mine.