Complaint Dept. Why I hate my XX-4

[anoolite76]

No denying that this car is fast. I can stay with 1/8 scale guys with this car. But there are things I can't STAND about it. Here they are:
It is belt driven, and hasn't shown it can handle the same drive loads as a shaft/gear driven car.
The whole chassis layout looks like a yard sale.
Upgrades are scarce (in USA), and front LCD's by Losi are small fortunes.
The aluminum brace for the rear hinge pins. Almost ten years later and Losi never even tried to fix it, even though they knew it sucks.
Every bearing surface is exposed to open air. This means one good ripping in the dust and you have hours of cleaning to be done. AE stealth trannies are nicely sealed, but not the xx-4! All bearings for the steering are like dinner plates, holding mud and dirt for your XX-4's steering assembly as you drive it.
Dirt easily finds its way into the diff area, hastening wear.
Motor has little open space, so you can easily smoke a motor if you are running on low grass, for example. Temps get high around the motor, and it can cost you.Feel free to add to this list!

[Southwell]

It is belt driven, and hasn't shown it can handle the same drive loads as a shaft/gear driven car.
No problems with mine.

The whole chassis layout looks like a yard sale.
True, but some creative wiring can keep it fairly neat

Dirt easily finds its way into the diff area, hastening wear.
Does it?

Motor has little open space, so you can easily smoke a motor if you are running on low grass, for example. Temps get high around the motor, and it can cost you.
Holes in the shell over the motor help emmensly, and also opening up the back of the shell to allow air to move through

[Fiddybux]

It's a bit of a pig to work on if you snap a belt, but belts are faster than drive shafts so I reckon it's worth it. Convert it to an X-5 and have done with it. 1 belt, more speed, less to fix if it breaks.

My biggest annoyance is shock towers though, really expensive and very brittle...especially the graphite ones. I run stock plastics all round now which stand up to a beating better.

I don't really have a huge problem getting spares in the UK. Sure I have to wait a while, but they always come in the end. I can't imagine why you would have such difficulty?

Losi spares are always expensive compared to Associated, Kyosho or Tamiya for example...this is the way it is. In the UK we usually pay what you do with the $ sign changed for a £. So, $7.49 to you, that's £7.49 to us >>> really it should cost us half that due to the exchange rate.

I agree, the chassis can be tidied up with some nice wiring. But the shell is quite beautiful in my opinion. Curvy, slick, low-profile...just nice!

You have a point as regards the bearings being open to the elements though.

[jimmy]

http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/4wdbatleyregional2007/bigimages/OOP_4169.jpg (http://www.oople.com/forums/../rc/photos/4wdbatleyregional2007/bigimages/OOP_4169.jpg)

[ashleyb4]

The only thing ive broken on my xx4 so far is 2 belts and front wishbones the and thats it I cant see how you can break it so much and the gear box is sealled its super sealled and as for bearings the b4 is worst for that look at there front wheels!!!

A

[Northy]

but belts are faster than drive shafts so I reckon it's worth it.

Can you explain this please? I don't understand it.

G

[jimmy]

I just hate working on the car and the belts are certainly a weak point in my experience.
I enjoyed racing it, but I was only racing it because stu evans fixed it for me between rounds at southport National.

[xx4-nutter]

i blame my xx4 for my crap doings at duhram regional due to a belt issue, took ages to solve what was wrong with it, id stripped it down completely, and the worst part was nearly all the fecking radio gear had to come out !!

now im running this 501x it doesnt look half as bad, and taking the shell off this car is always a plesure, blue alloy, carbon fibre... it has to be the future of racing this type of makings with a car :cool:

[ashleyb4]

If you get the car all sorted and ready and put soem good preperation into it it will go longer than any ofther car and its good to drive but its all personaly exsperiance at least it gives you somthign to do i defntly think its the easiers car to change a shock tower on and take motor out etc. And it only takes a few minutes to change a belt.

A

[xx4-nutter]

it only takes a few minutes to change a belt.

A

if youre on about a xx4 belt, i strongly disagree....

daft lad haha

[ashleyb4]

Last time i changed a belt it took me about 12 minutes thats aint long its 14 screws and your in then its just pull diff out and puly and put new belt on easy peasy.

A

[xx4-nutter]

Last time i changed a belt it took me about 12 minutes thats aint long its 14 screws and your in then its just pull diff out and puly and put new belt on easy peasy.

A


bollex mate..

a few mins is at the most 4 ( probibly 3 mins )

12 mins is double figures haha which is between 3 and 4 times longer...

haha !!

[jimmy]

The rubix cube that is the XX4 needs all sorts of jiggling and manipulations to even get to the belts - by that point half the screws are lost in the grass and your 12 minutes becomes 45 + plenty of sweat and swearing.

:p

I've no idea how long it takes to change a 501X belt - maybe just as long since the top decks etc all need taking off. But it doesn't feel as long since you're not swearing and in tears -and I base that off personal experience :wtf:.

[super__dan]

No denying that this car is fast. I can stay with 1/8 scale guys with this car. But there are things I can't STAND about it. Here they are:
1. It is belt driven, and hasn't shown it can handle the same drive loads as a shaft/gear driven car.
2. The whole chassis layout looks like a yard sale.
3. Upgrades are scarce (in USA), and front LCD's by Losi are small fortunes.
4. The aluminum brace for the rear hinge pins. Almost ten years later and Losi never even tried to fix it, even though they knew it sucks.
5. Every bearing surface is exposed to open air. This means one good ripping in the dust and you have hours of cleaning to be done. AE stealth trannies are nicely sealed, but not the xx-4! All bearings for the steering are like dinner plates, holding mud and dirt for your XX-4's steering assembly as you drive it.
6. Dirt easily finds its way into the diff area, hastening wear.
7. Motor has little open space, so you can easily smoke a motor if you are running on low grass, for example. Temps get high around the motor, and it can cost you.Feel free to add to this list!

Shall I just add my usual comment about buying an X5??? :D

In fairness it wouldn't solve all of your issues, but I think 50% of them. I had a XX4 and hated working on it. I bought an X5 and loved it. I am now fortunate enough to be sponsored by X Factory but was a customer driver for 6 months at least before that started.

[xx4-nutter]

The rubix cube that is the XX4 needs all sorts of jiggling and manipulations to even get to the belts - by that point half the screws are lost in the grass and your 12 minutes becomes 45 + plenty of sweat and swearing.

:p

I've no idea how long it takes to change a 501X belt - maybe just as long since the top decks etc all need taking off. But it doesn't feel as long since you're not swearing and in tears -and I base that off personal experience :wtf:.


im actually sat laffin my head off ! :D well in jimmy haha

that was me at durham i could have easly given up that day..

[anoolite76]

http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/4wdbatleyregional2007/bigimages/OOP_4169.jpg (http://www.oople.com/forums/../rc/photos/4wdbatleyregional2007/bigimages/OOP_4169.jpg)

Yes, this is exactly what mine looked like after driving it with an orion 11x2, 13t pinion, 84 spur and 93F heat. POOF!


Dirt easily finds its way into the diff area, hastening wear.
Does it?
Holy cow, does it ever! I am going to make some lexan covers that will act as dust shields for the front and rear. The problem is that I shouldn't have to do this. That's what the "engineers" at Losi should have done a long time ago. There was an o-ring that went around the front bearings that was supposed to seal the front diff. They don't include that with the kit anymore. I asked Losi about it: they said thier team doesn't think it's necessary. Well, I'd rather be hangin' with my friends in the pits than frantically trying to clean it so it isn't gritty kitty.

How did Associated manage to get their B4's steering linkage to be as smooth as it is minus bearings? Compare to xx-4. POOP. XX-4 is awesome right after you've just spent 15 minutes cleaning it. Not awesome after your day of racing.

Looks like we found a hot topic. For a little while I thought this place was deserted!

[Lee]

Can you explain this please? I don't understand it.

G

Ill second this question, i must be thick as well G.


I could of sworn the belts got shafted at the worlds:D

[Stu]

Yes, this is exactly what mine looked like after driving it with an orion 11x2, 13t pinion, 84 spur and 93F heat. POOF!



The 13t pinion will be the problem. That motor probably wants a 20.

I have to say I've never have any problem with dirt ingress. I've done a full seasons racing with no major servicing apart from after Kiddy & Oswestry - for obvious reasons.

[anoolite76]

Can you explain this please? I don't understand it.

G
He meant that it takes less time to change a belt than a driveshaft.

[anoolite76]

The 13t pinion will be the problem. That motor probably wants a 20.


Isn't that backwards? If I ran a 25, more load/more heat. 13t, easy on the motor.

[ashleyb4]

Undergearing is generally just as hard on the motor as its reving its bollocks off about 1 meter down the straight you need to get your gearing right as for getting dirt in i have never had a problem with getting dirt in the belt tunnel.

A

[Lee]

Gearing is a happy medium mate, there is an optimum ratio.

Dropping a tooth or ten in your case will only let the motor run cooler if its over geared, think of it as riding a bike, would you like to pedal along in 1st, with your legs going like hell but going no where fast. Thats what your motor was doing.


And i think changing a shaft is pretty easy, certainly no harder than changing a belt?:wtf:

[Tom3012]

i think people are forgetting though, isnt the xx4 like ancient compared to the new tamiya, B44 etc? yet its still up there with the latest and greates 4wds!

i dont own a xx4 but c'mon give the old timer a break!!:p

[Richard Lowe]

He meant that it takes less time to change a belt than a driveshaft.
I can change a centre CVD bone in my BJ4 Worlds in less than two minutes I bet, oh wait I never have to because they don't break :p

[Lee]

Rich, you dont even change the setup anymore:D

[niggs98]

, oh wait I never have to because they don't break :p

ROFPMSL ;)

[Northy]

He meant that it takes less time to change a belt than a driveshaft.

Nah, I don't think thats what he meant. Fiddybux, what did you mean?

G

[Fiddybux]

I read somewhere that belts were faster than a solid shaft...but it appears that my point was somewhat unfounded.

I have since found information that counter both the pro belt and pro shaft arguments.

Truth is that both have pro's and con's and neither is better than the other overall.

[bender]

I currently run a Tamiya 501x but years ago I ran a XX4 for a season or two.

Now, racing in Australia in very dusty conditions makes maintenace a real pain, but to be honest I found the XX-4, when assembled correctly, could run for months without any maintenance at all :o

All of the drivetrain bearings are sealed, and therefore fairly well protected from dust at least, and I always found the the upper chassis tunnels sealed very well indeed.

I could comfortably run my car in these conditions for a few months at least without any reduced efficiency in the drivetrain. I felt this was one of the best features of the xx-4.

[anoolite76]

Alrighty then, I must have major issues with the belt cover sealing correctly. I changed out the pulleys and the thing still skips. The power from the Novak 6.5 is probably plenty to get the car to do a wheelie, but it never will because the belt will skip before that happens.The bearing surfaces for the front and rear diff are very much exposed, and I am stunned that running it in Australia (a dust bowl) isn't causing major problems for you, bender. Yeah, it was an ebay buy, but that's really not the root of the problem. I have some threads stripped out on the chassis and changing it out might solve the problem (at a $50 expense). I wish there was a good way to repair the threads, but I tried already by filling them with epoxy and tapping them. No dice. All good to hear everyone put thier ideas on the car in here. Awesome! I didn't catch anyone standing up for the crappy flappy rear brace. You know why!

[Richard Lowe]

I read somewhere that belts were faster than a solid shaft...but it appears that my point was somewhat unfounded.
On a high grip surface a belt drive car usually gets off the line a bit quicker but I'm only talking the first 3 feet or so, every other situation though a shaft drive car will accelerate quicker ;)
The main advantage of a shaft drive car is the throttle feel, very direct and doesn't feel like there's a slight delay between you accelerating and the car accelerating.

[Gayo]

I didn't catch anyone standing up for the crappy
flappy rear brace. You know why!

This one's easy. Just use shock shafts instead of the stock hinge pins so you have e-clips to hold the brace.

[Slimboyfat]

This one's easy. Just use shock shafts instead of the stock hinge pins so you have e-clips to hold the brace.


and to add to this order the Atomic Carbon rear brace from Jonathan (Mr Atomic Carbon) on here. That coupled with Gayo's suggestion is what i have done and it is sorted.

Try CVD's on the front rather than lcds if they are too expensive.

Smoking motors is something i've never done in the XX4, Burning the comm on brushed motors yes (8,9 and 10 turn) but most is down to preparation and gearing.

The belt issue can only be knacked belts or pulleys. Guys in the UK regularly use 5.5 LRP/Nosram/Novak Brushless on grass and astro which is high bite with no problems so it cannot be the motor in my opinion. Only other thing could be the slipper. If it's too tight you may be putting too much of a strain on the drivetrain hence skipping belts.

[stefke]

I've no idea how long it takes to change a 501X belt - maybe just as long since the top decks etc all need taking off. But it doesn't feel as long since you're not swearing and in tears -and I base that off personal experience :wtf:.

Wait untill you have to change a belt on a TRF501X. You''l be swearing and in tears :p.
Luckely, that's about the only thing that breaks on the entire car, and mostly on high grip astro tracks. I guess it will be better with the long belt-18T-37T conversion.

The eternal belt vs shaft argument !
I'm going to try to explain it one more time :
A shaft car is more efficient and accellerates more directly and thus is generally a bit faster of the line. But the latter is also its weak point. With modern power systems, the power delivery can be very brutal, making the wheels spin initially faster on acelleration compared to a belt drive where the belts first stretch a little, taking a bit away from the power peak. Now this is all on a microsecond scale, but that microsecond makes all the difference. It gives the tyres a bigger chance to grip. Read the interview with the AE TC5 designer on rc-caraction

For all you guys here familiar with MotoGP racing or the old 500cc class racing, it's a bit like "Big-Bang" engines. They lost some horsepower compared to a "screamer" but it made bikes a lot more rideable because the tyre had more time to "settle" between cilinder detonations.

[RogerM]

Geepers .... I thought I was the biggest XX4 hater in the whole world but this thread has made me think again on that score...LOL

I just hated the way it handled, or rather didn't. Absolutely, totally, utterly 100% wrong for my driving style in as much as the pred was 100% right for it.

Belts were a pain in the arse when they broke and as I used to race Standard motor class in Radio Race Car the lack off efficiency hampered me too.

I do know a few people who will miss the car greatly when it's gone though, horses for courses.

[ashleyb4]

Im going to miss it if it goes :(

But im going to keep mine and run it when i make my first 4wd national A final:D:D If that ever happens

A

[Lee Martin]

ashley were setting you a challenge! to repair a belt in 12 mins with no one to help and under pressure...

[Lee]

yeah ash 12 mins before a heat im gonna snip a belt and i expect to see your car on the line :D

[tyreman]

I'd take that challenge:D

[ashleyb4]

GO FOR IT!!!!!:D

A

[anoolite76]

This calls for a youtube experiment! Should we start making rules for the video (i.e. no power tools)?

[RogerM]

I bet Brian could do it .... the number of years he's run an XX4 with too much power I sure he's done more than a few rapid belt changes!!!


Watched Brian build a Pred once with a power screwdriver (Stoneleigh, about 1999????) .... scary stuff!!!!!!

[tyreman]

Think you will find that was 1996 with my pred international:rolleyes::D

Took just over 1 hour to built that car, and did a set of gears every round.

[Lee Martin]

BOD! hahaahhahaha

[Kopite]

pretty sure Doddy would be the fastest at xx-4 belt changing (he could build that car when pissed and blindfolded). I'm sensing a bet is on the cards here lads...

[ifuonlyknew]

Sorry I just had to post. The XX4 is by far, my favorite car, ever. Here is a pic for a fix for the rear brace. Now the hinge pins are captive and the brace bolts to the chassis. Also the fix for the brittle shock towers (carbon braces). If you look closely, on the right hub, you can see my little braces. I made those braces for the hubs 6 years ago and haven't broken a hub since. Also my custom sway bar setup that I can make so stiff (if I want) that if you move one wheel full up the other moves up about 3-5mm, of coarse I never run it this stiff, I usually have it just stiff enough so it won't move the other wheel. I run CVD's at all corners and have yet to have a problem with them. The front dog bones had two inherent flaws; 1) Very thin bearings (1/4 by 3/8 as apposed to the standard 3/16 by 3/8), and 2) Very small thin plastic yokes. These two things add up to a recipe for disaster. I switched to CVD's on my first XX4, 8 years ago, and haven't ran dog bones since. Now as far as the belt change is concerned, you have to cut the rear/side belt cover. Now this makes the chassis flex more but I also built a brace that goes from the aft motor clamp screw, to the screw right by the servo and the screw at the corner by the motor (see pic 2, not my car but an altered pic to show what I mean). The brace transfered flex to the screw by the servo so, I drilled it out and added another threaded insert set up exactly the same way as the 2 for the motor clamp. I even took a 3/16 nut and put it on a screw, heated it up with a lighter, and melted a hex shaped recess in the chassis cover so the threaded insert sits flush. This seems to have fixed the problem of the chassis flexing. Now as far as efficiency/durability of the drive train, its all about breaking the belts in. First make sure the rear belt adjustment blocks (rear diff outdrive bearing holders) are B with the arrow pointing back, then pop off the camber links and pull the CVD's/dog bones out of the outdrives, then hook a dremel up to the slipper shaft, set it up so its on a stand and nice and stable (dremel too, duct tape works wonders), use the dremel to run the drivetrain for about an hour, at a moderately low speed. Then (if your a prefectionist like me) dis-assemble the car and clean all the belts and pulleys, and the chassis/chassis cover. This is all with brand new belts and pulleys. This is of coarse if you want the best/freest (pronounced free ist) drivetrain possible. On my XX4 if the motor is out and you turn 1 front wheel the drivetrain is free enough to roll, instead of the clicker clicking (and I set my clicker very loose). As far as belt durability, I don't run a slipper, that right Street Weapon direct drive (also cuts down on rotating mass ALOT), with a Mamba Max 6900, and I don't go through belts any faster than anyone else at my track. In fact other than a side belt about 2 months ago, I can't remember the last belt that I broke. This, I think, has more to do with driving style, as I am very smooth on the trigger. I have about 15 other things I have done to my XX4 also, so if anyone has any other problems they need solved with this car let me know (I know just about every one of the solutions), I have been developing and working on XX4's for about 8 years off and on (mostly on), and as of about a 9 months ago, I completed, what I (and everyone at my track) considers to be the perfect XX4. My car is just as durable as by B4, by this I mean, as long as I don't run it into the wall at full tilt, it doesn't break. I can drive the car as hard as I want and not have to worry about something breaking (although I still can't run it into the wall at full speed:D). The only thing I have left to do is to put the car on a diet, so the last two upgrades to my ultimate XX4 will be a titanium screw kit and I want to try Aluminum CVD's (if they don't work out I'll switch back to shiny). The XX4 is a good car, and with a little work it can be made really good, and with a lot of work it can be perfected. Now I do understand that some people want a car that they don't have to do this much work to get it to work really well (BJ4WE, D4, B44, MR-4BX, 501x), but for me, half the fun of this hobby is perfecting my cars to the point that it makes peoples jaws drop and eyes widen when they see my cars. Just because they are the same car they are running, but at the same time sooo different.

[ashleyb4]

I really like the rear brace. I think me is going to have to get oen of them made.

A

[MattW]

seriously liking that rear brace...........that would have saved me a few chassis.

[ryan]

That rear brace looks ace, must strengthen it up quite a bit:)

[Stu]

Sorry I just had to post. The XX4 is by far, my favorite car, ever. Here is a pic for a fix for the rear brace. Now the hinge pins are captive and the brace bolts to the chassis. Also the fix for the brittle shock towers (carbon braces). If you look .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .............. can be perfected. Now I do understand that some people want a car that they don't have to do this much work to get it to work really well (BJ4WE, D4, B44, MR-4BX, 501x), but for me, half the fun of this hobby is perfecting my cars to the point that it makes peoples jaws drop and eyes widen when they see my cars. Just because they are the same car they are running, but at the same time sooo different.

Blimey dude, is your carrage-return key bust?

Nice stuff though - but not sure about the blue wheels.

[super__dan]

Nice stuff though - but not sure about the blue wheels.


HAHAHAHAHAHA

After some of the wheels you've run?

Captain yellow spoke ;)

[Stu]

:mad:

[Northy]

They're cheap (or free if he begs them off of Damo) Danneth :D:D:D

G

[ashleyb4]

yea they go round thats all you need. Who cares about looks.

A
HAHAHAHAHAHA

After some of the wheels you've run?

Captain yellow spoke ;)

[super__dan]

Ash,

You dont HAVE to reply to every post you know! I'm just having a bit of banter with a mate, that's all!

Dan

[ashleyb4]

Well im just joining in the banter with my mates.

A:p

[Lee]

I would love to see an average posts per day chart, i reckon ash would be at the top by a mile:o but then if you took out all the useless info i think he would cease to exist:D

[Gayo]

Ifu, what are those front arms ? I am soooooo tired of breaking those stupid Losi arms !

[josh_smaxx]

He's on 3.80 post per day on average, on another forum i was on nearly 5 :p

[ashleyb4]

That about average i think grahams on 3.66 your on 3.06 josh so hardly high. Jimmy is on 5.86.

A

[PaulRotheram]

compare them to the few thousand people we have registered here and youl find it isnt average ;)

[anoolite76]

ifuonlyknew; you said:

that right Street Weapon direct drive

Can you please elaborate on this? I can use this in the xx-4? Is it a direct bolt in?

ifuonlyknew: Thank you for sharing all that info. I started this thread not just to complain, but to find out what to do about it. It's very much appreciated.

I also agree that messing with the car is what makes the sport fun. But I've just been frustrated because it has been so very high maintenance for me since day 1. My car, probably through my own fault, hasn't gone without breaking or doing something out of the ordinary on an outing since I bought it. Coming from a background of rc tunnel boat racing, making mods is the norm. I am obsessed with the X-5 and X-6 because they are the culmination of that brand of thinking.

Developing the car for 8+ years? Is your last name Losi, by any chance?:)

Any more pics you can post are a big help too. They are worth 1000 words...

[ifuonlyknew]

Yes it is essentially a "direct bolt in" you also need a special non-slipper spur gear. It greatly reduces the rotating mass of the whole assembly, but I must warn you it's not for everyone. I sold one to a friend of mine and he sold the car it was in and the guy that bought it didn't like it, at all. You have to be smoooooth on the throttle, other wise you will skip belts like there's tomorrow. Which will eventually, as you can expect, lead to their inevitable failure (probably about 1 min. before the end of a3 at a national while your in the lead, and you have to win because you got second in a1 and won a2 but the guy who won a1 got second in a2 and whoever places highest in a3 wins). Funny how parts always fail at the worst possible time. Anyway, the spur gears are not to hard to find, I myself just buy three or so at a time, make sure my gear mesh is PERFECT(one time after some maintainence I had gone back and re-set it three times just to make sure it was perfect, afterall I can't just walk into my LHS and grab one of these off the wall), and use the aluminum motor clamp (who doesn't), so the gear mesh doesn't change. Good news for all of you (myself included) who don't like the front a arms. I have found someone who makes DELRIN ones and very soon he should have a batch available for us. More to come on this later. Keep the ?'s coming.

[AmiSMB]

Wow reading through this post I have found the car that I purchased from E-Bay which was Ben Jemisons old ride.

http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/4wdbatleyregional2007/bigimages/OOP_4169.jpg (http://www.oople.com/forums/../rc/photos/4wdbatleyregional2007/bigimages/OOP_4169.jpg)

I have since converted it to an X-5 squared and am liking the philosophy of modding as I enjoy modelling just as much as the racing.

ifuonlyknew: I am really interested in those new front delrin wishbones keep us posted.

I am still getting to grips with setting the belt tension correct but am liking the handling of the car over anything else that I have driven.

[super__dan]

Lol, if the conversion kit had come before the F2s Bens car was going to become an X5 squared.

If you like the modding have a look here http://www.4wdrc.com/tech.htm

And especially at this http://www.4wdrc.com/tech_belt_adjuster.htm , Id taken this idea a little further http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/super__dan/23062007132.jpg
The difference is the ball end I use on the tensioner is a Losi TI one with a hex head in the top, so by drilling a small hole in the ball cup I can instantly tighten/slacken the ball end and instantley adjust the tension in small increments.

Also after swapping the centre pulley for the xx4 one, the easiest way to massivley reduce belt skip and allow lower belt tension is to mount a roller bearing just in front of the drive pulley so if the belt tried to lift over the teeth, the roller stops it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/super__dan/23062007130.jpg

There is loads of other stuff in the X Factory section

[xx4-nutter]

thats a well good idea that

[super__dan]

Neither idea was mine, but both work very well indeed. I did both the same day, well once Ash sent me the tensioner turnbuckle (thanks again) it took about 20 mins for both.

[AmiSMB]

Thanks for the link Dan. I have been considering doing the mod since I saw it down at Lesro a couple of weeks ago. I have just found a turn buckle in my spares box so just need to find a couple of balljoints and I should be able to do the mod. I have ordered the X-5 squared dual pulley upgrade with wider belt.

[tyreman]

Dan

Surely you should be posting you Xfactory mods, in the Xfactory section???

[super__dan]

Was just replying to someone who mentioned points after converting to an X5. It's no big deal is it.

[Al3xis007]

fair enough its a problem changing a belt but if you get it right it'll last ages with out any maintenance.

i run a 5.5 lrp vector in mine no probs

also belt driven cars didn't do very well at the worlds (flat track??) but different tracks suit different cars. on the uk's bumpy rutted tracks, i need the xx4 to be fast and so do a few others.

if we had the worlds in the uk there would be so many uk drivers in the top finals it would be awesone.

are we getting a worlds in the uk???? how cool

[losidriver70]

Chris (IFYOUONLYKNEW) Clemson. Whats up bud how is things going well be running lipos in the losi tomorrow (SUPER BOWL SUNDAY) AND RACING YEAH THAT ALL GOOD ANYWAYS QUIT TELLING THESE MATES ABOUT YOUR TIPS YOU'LLL HAVE TO START CHARGING THEM FOR THE ADVICE! LOL:D