XXX4 G+ Essentials

[super__dan]

Having still not decided which car to run at the nationals this year ::) I am now very much considering a XXX4 G+. What exactly am I likely need to get in addition to what comes with the kit?

Obviously I'll need some springs (got rid of my old losi spring kit last year :( ), does the kit come with a 1 way. I assume if not I'm gonna need one?

Also are there any bits that need fetling, like something to do with driveshafts and is that mod to the steering to pick up in the centre of the link a good idea?

Cheers,

Dan

[DA_cookie_monstA]

Dan, from what I have seen recently, a decent bin bag for the fron end that breaks, but that could just be the hooligans running them in the Welsh Region.

[super__dan]

Were those on G+'s? I know the mounts are uprated on the new car. I know there are also others who have had even thicker mounts made that I think I can get hold of if I need them.

Dan

[tyreman]

Dan, from what I have seen recently, a decent bin bag for the fron end that breaks, but that could just be the hooligans running them in the Welsh Region.


What a load of crap! I have run the car for 18 months now and the only time I have broken it is when I got annoyed and broke it intensionally, as to what else you need to buy you will need black front and red rear springs and a apex one-way as it is £20 cheaper than the losi one and you don't need to grind down the ends of your cvd's, plus the oudrives are made of steel not plastic, other than that nothing else is essensial just cosmetically pretty.
Not sure about the steering link as I have never needed to use it as the lock on my car is fine,

[CrazyCano]

Yo Dan,

Looking forward to the Nationals?

On my xxx4 i have tried the 4mm shorter link - and liked it a lot, made the car feel more reactive.

I am currently experimenting with lengthening the bellcranks, not sure on it yet tho!

I also tried a shorter/lower rear camber link, but i didnt like it... i personally felt it made the car a little wandery over bumps.. too much camber change i think, but have been told its good for tiverton?

I always run the one way, its ace! But make sure you file the little metal rings to clear the cvd's (not vice versa). And then use a soldering iron to race some of the plastic to make the outdrives a push fir into the bearings (or else they tend to work loose and break £30 for a new bearing!)

I also found that running the batteries in the rear was faster as the back felt more secure over bumps and in corners.

Any other questions just ask, but youll probably be faster than me and ill come asking you for some setup info! ::)

See you at Holbeach

Alex

[John Pape]

OK then I may be of some assistance. I have just run my brand new G+ for its 1st time at the brca indoor finals.
On my car I fitted the one way diff (a must in my opinion),
You'll need some springs - depends on how many different surfaces you run on as to the range, ie. you run completely different springs at tiverton than you would indoors.
You also want some different pistons, reds and oranges are a good start.
I modified the steering on my by putting the ball stud in the centre os the drag link, and also lengthing the bellcranks. I am going to try it without the servo saver on there as well to get rid of the slop in the steering.

[super__dan]

Thanks all for the replies.

Alex I am indeed looking forward to the nationals, especially after the indoor finals last weekend (which I thought you and Ollie would have been at?). Got my new tent end of last week :)

Glad to hear that other than the one way and the springs no-one is saying there is loads to buy as its sending me broke buying the car. Al and John do you run the Apex or Losi one way?

I was fearing loads of replies saying you need all sorts as I believe Mr's Stafford and Taylor now run quite heavily modified cars.

I've considered getting some of the extra extra meaty towers but then realised if you make them too strong the chassis or mounts are going to take the brunt so maybe its best to occasionaly break a shock mount.

Dan

PS hope I'm better at building Losi shocks these days that I used to be :-[

[John Pape]

Ran the Losi one, but put 7.5mm worth of limiters in the front shocks to protect the outdrives on the oneway. Apparently you break the outdrives if the driveshaft comes out of or close to the end of the outdrive.

Had a look and Rich's and Ellis's cars at the indoor finals and they are relatively out of the box, just some small mods to the steering etc.

Shock mounts are cheaper than a chassis.

[super__dan]

Tonight I will mostly be building a XX4 G+.

Any build tips? Do people use the stock servo saver on the servo or a solid one? WIll build to kit but look at getting the modded steering pick up soon (pre nationals).

Dan

[Doughty]

build it as the book and you wont go far wrong...

I use a 'hard' servo horn on mine. I also mount my steering knuckle the 'long way' on the steering set.
Look here http://www.teamlosi.com/ManualsJPG/XXX4G+/12.jpg you could do it by flipping the drag link, I have done mine by mounting a ball where the screws are.

if you do go with this method then make sure that the track rod does not catch on anything through the whole travel.

if you are not sure, stick with the normal way.

[super__dan]

Its nearly finished, I've built the steering as std but intend to mod it at some point.

Only problem through the build is where they have included 2*right toe in blocks ::)

Actually tensioning the belt is a bit of a mystery as it recomends 2-3mm of movement but doesn't say whether thats on the top from rear diff to tensioner or underneath for the length of the front to rear diff, makes quite a lot of difference too.

Dan

[Doughty]

I measure mine from top of rear diff to spur/pulley

[_Sleigh_]

I measure mine from top of rear diff to spur/pulley


That's where i'm checking my tension too.

I've drilled a small hole in the gear cover, so I can double check the tension before each race.

[super__dan]

Lads, as your both online, should I just get the std toe in blocks or is there a prefered alternative?

[_Sleigh_]

As far as I've been told from others, including Paul Worsley, I should stick with the STD outboard toe-in blocks.

The only track I could think of needing more rear toe-in, would possibly be Tiverton. (But not run the 4WD there yet ???)

Hope this helps

[The Hub]

I am in the middle of changing my XXX4 G+ to Rich Cree's setup from the Losi website. When i changed the rear ball studs on the hub and the shock tower mountings to the longest option as the setup says, the rod ends seem to be very near the end of the thread. My worry is that as soon as i go over the first jump they will give way. I don't know of any longer rod ends and think longer turnbuckles would have been mentioned on the setup. What is the solution to this or am i doing something wrong?

Cheers ;D

[_Sleigh_]

Had exactly the same problem. ???

Your best bet, well how I've done it anyway, is to get a second set of longer turnbuckles and make up a spare set for use with the longest setting.

Think the turnbuckle length you need is 1.625 inch, but don't hold me to that ;)

Hope this helps

[The Hub]

Didn't really want to upgrade perfectly good turnbuckles, but as usual if that's what it takes to win races what else can you do.
Any other suggestions ::)

[John Pape]

Alex, how did you reduce the bellcrank length by 4mm?

The long turnbuckles, is that a mod that I should really do for running the car on astroturf and grass?

[super__dan]

Ran the car last night, was quite impressed for her maiden voyage, need some time to learn to drive a 4wdwell though.

Next questions,

Does everyone do this snipping off every other tooth on the belt mod? Are there any negative effect?

I seem unable to build the front shocks without there being a nopticable amount of air in them, also when you pull the shaft all the way out, they suck back in a bit???

Lastly as it has the wrong toe in blocks with the kit, I had to get the 1 degree blocks for the back. With these does that mean there is an extra degree of outboard toe in, thus taking total to 3 deg?

Dan

[super__dan]

Another question,

I built the car to kit and installed the steering pivots in the rear position in the two in the chassis. Whats the difference between the two?

Dan

[Doughty]

John Pape - if you are talking about the drag link then I made another one. I used open ended 'rose joint' balls, this will work in the same way as the normal drag link, you will also have it adjustable

Dan -
Belt mod - No, I don't do it, some do. The drawback is the chance of snapping a belt, with the heavy duty belt and rollers coming out soon for the xxx-4 it would be worth looking at these
Shocks - this is perfect fine, mine do the same. I would not worry about it.
rear toe on - Yes, I believe so, 2 inboard, + 1 outboard
Steering points on the chassis - I think the rearward steering points (as sugested in the g+ kit) gives less steering. I have not tried them back to back though. it was std to run them forward in the std xxx-4 kit.

[richard_cree]

The rear steering position makes the steering more consistent and predictable, but it does kill a lot of the sharpness. It's rarely used in the UK.

[super__dan]

I actually ran mine in the front on saturday because the shell I borrowed had the holes in the front. I did notice that I had significantly less left lock because the steering arms rub on the chassis by the hole through the tunnel, looks like some filing will sort it out but a pain as it will all have to come off to stop getting crap in the tunnel.

Actually I've also decided to do away with the body mounts/ steering hold downs, just going to thread the stub into the steering and use a plastic nut on the top.

Last time I bought a Losi (10 years ago) I bought the entire spring range only to fins I only used 1/2 at the most. As a heads up which ones are used more commonly outdoors?

Cheers fellas,

Dan

[Matd]

alright dan you want black blue & green for the front & red & pink for the back.

Mat

[John Pape]

Yes i ment the drag link, what about the turnbuckle mods, worth doing?

[super__dan]

Any chance of some pics of these drag link mods?

Also I've been told that the fastrax blue alloy bellcranks are good, because they are a little shorter they give some more lock, anyone else tried them?

Dan

[super__dan]

Actually, one other thing.

I found setting the rear diff to be quite tricky comparred to the Associated ones, I had to adjust it in tiny amounts. I put this down to the Belville washers, is there a spring option? Doesn't the BK2 use a spring in the diff, does this fit?

Dan

[John Pape]

To set the diff your best bet is to buy a trickbits diff tool, put it in there and if the gear turns then its too loose. As for the bk2 diff spring it doesent fit in the xxx4 because the screw is longer in the bk2 so fouls the driveshafts.
If you catch my drift.