Thinking of C4.1

Skelbo · #1 06-06-2012

Hi fellas. I have struggled to get to grips with my SV2 and am considering a C4.1. Running mainly on Astro, are there any hot tips or considerations I should be aware of? Are there any generally accepted options that you have all ended up using from the 'standard' conversion? Any tips gratefully received. Cheers, Nick.

Wacker 2 · #2 06-06-2012

My biggest tip to you is don't get a C4.1 until CML have sorted out the quality issues - which will probably be never as they make a fortune of the necassary extras that u need to buy to make it a reliable car!

Instead, wait a short while and get your hands on one of the atomic carbon S2 Evo kits that will be being released shortly - check out the atomic carbon forum on oOple for updates!

paulc · #3 07-06-2012

Hi ye would agree with the quaility not the greatest but the car seems to go round the track well as for upgrades i would recommed the chassis strenghtener things i've only run mine for 2 meetings and the chassis was bent quite badly so i've bought the braces to try and stop this problem (not run it yet). TBH though i think they should come with the conversion kit in the first place

As for other upgrades abit of brass wieght in the front and thats all i've got in mine

Jay Smith · #4 07-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wacker 2

My biggest tip to you is don't get a C4.1 until CML have sorted out the quality issues - which will probably be never as they make a fortune of the necassary extras that u need to buy to make it a reliable car!

Instead, wait a short while and get your hands on one of the atomic carbon S2 Evo kits that will be being released shortly - check out the atomic carbon forum on oOple for updates!

I disagree, I've been running my C4.1 from when they were first released and couldn't be more pleased. The most important thing for me is that the car is easy to setup and consistant on different tracks. It is also one of the simplest designs, making it quick and easy to work on. I've had a couple of heavy crashes where I've had to straighten the chassis which takes about 30 seconds, but in the same time last year I broke two B4.1 chassis's!! I hear the carbon rails solve this problem anyway and add a bit of carbon bling. The conversion not a bad price in relation to the competition (DB1 / Vega) even with the addition of a couple of brass weights and the carbon rails.

Overall, I think CML have done a great job with excellent support

Big G · #5 07-06-2012

any car you crash heavily will break or bend something. It goes without saying that an alloy chassis will bend rather than break. If anything this is a major plus as it will most likely allow you to finish a race at least!

If you don't want to spend extra money on braces then no one is stopping you from knocking some up yourself. I'm pretty sure it's not rocket science to bolt some fibreglass onto the side of the chassis and mark it up and shape it to fit nicely.

At the end of the day the Centro is an amazing car which has achieved some amazing results in a short space of time. I see a hell of a lot of the cars in the Mid-West region and again competing in the National series. Given the B4 was such a popular car pre-Mid motor band wagon and a lot of people have X6's there was only the £169.99 cost to obtain a Centro. Pretty cheap considering alternative cars out there costing £500+ to build. Granted you could argue people will already have both Kyosho cars so could build their 2wd from those, but you are gutting 2 cars to build 1 rather than replacing your B4/X6 with a Centro.

At the end of the day if you want to go slow and survive crashes then use a slower car. If you want to go faster with a car that might not drive away from smacking a un-movable object then the Centro is a great car at a great price.

gazhillAE · #6 07-06-2012

Carbon side supports
A few spare wings and mounts
A few pairs of spare castor blocks
Ghea Delrin front bulkhead
Blue/silver front springs
Silver/green rear springs
Carbon lipo strap
Chassis protectors for chassis rather than using undertrays
A few brass weights ideally to tune front end in yöu can mount these on chassis in front of servo and under Ackerman mount
Plastic 0 degree rear hubs
Vented slipper plates
Hi torque pads
78 spur
Carbon b4 arms all round

Probsbly more but I've forgotten!!

Big G · #7 07-06-2012

what's that? your shopping list?

wezzer · #8 07-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by gazhillAE

Carbon side supports
A few spare wings and mounts
A few pairs of spare castor blocks
Ghea Delrin front bulkhead
Blue/silver front springs
Silver/green rear springs
Carbon lipo strap
Chassis protectors for chassis rather than using undertrays
A few brass weights ideally to tune front end in yöu can mount these on chassis in front of servo and under Ackerman mount
Plastic 0 degree rear hubs
Vented slipper plates
Hi torque pads
78 spur
Carbon b4 arms all round

Probsbly more but I've forgotten!!

this is obviously for 12 months racing :-) i have raced mine loads and not bent or broken anything , its even been a loaner at nats and regionals and is still in good condition, running without chassis braces ( my choice, i prefer the handling without) and just the optional brass bulkhead! thats it, car is awesome.

Big G · #9 07-06-2012

surely the carbon battery brace is just bling?

Wacker 2 · #10 07-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Smith

I disagree, I've been running my C4.1 from when they were first released and couldn't be more pleased. The most important thing for me is that the car is easy to setup and consistant on different tracks. It is also one of the simplest designs, making it quick and easy to work on. I've had a couple of heavy crashes where I've had to straighten the chassis which takes about 30 seconds, but in the same time last year I broke two B4.1 chassis's!! I hear the carbon rails solve this problem anyway and add a bit of carbon bling. The conversion not a bad price in relation to the competition (DB1 / Vega) even with the addition of a couple of brass weights and the carbon rails.

Overall, I think CML have done a great job with excellent support

Lets run through my past history of cars: Losi xxx, losi xxx cr, B4, B4.1, S2, CR2, Losi 22 and Centro C4.1...

I've never broken a chassis before on any of my cars apart from my C4.1 which bent after only a few knocks.

I certainly am not happy about buying a conversion kit at £170 and having to remove the chassis and bend it straight every week or two. Once bent the allow will become softer and will bend more easily, and will not act / flex in the same way as a brand new unbent chassis.

To say that its not a bad price would be correct if you bought the standard conversion kit at £170 and then didn't have to buy anything else: Vega RB5 Version 2 conversion kit retail at £175 - Vega B4.1 Conversion retail at £165/170 - X6 squared kit retail around £150/160 - Losi 22 full car kit retail around £200 - durango full car kit retail at around £200 ----- Centro C4.1 £170 + Carbon Fibre side peices £30/35 meaning total cost of basic C4.1 is £200+ (then get ready to get another £35 out ur wallet to replace the 2 pivot blocks as they'll wear out after only a month or so). Only the Kyosho DB1 is more expensive as you need to have 2 cars as donor cars.

These are all issues of the C4.1 but will not be issues with the new Atomic Carbon S2 Evo - which brings me back to my first post... Better to wait and buy the S2 Evo as the handling of the car will still be awesome and fast and consistant on all tracks - but will have none of the bad quality that comes with the C4.1. With the S2 Evo you get the best of a great car and great quality.

I was not happy with my C4.1 so I went back to my old faithful CR2 and have never looked back - and I might add that I am just as quick with the CR2 than I was with the C4.1!

tellor · #11 07-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wacker 2

Lets run through my past history of cars: Losi xxx, losi xxx cr, B4, B4.1, S2, CR2, Losi 22 and Centro C4.1...

so it looks like you've bought 6 cars since the b4.1 and that's only been out for about 2 years

It looks like no car will suit you

just one point, how did you know the chassis was bent? as mine is bent and the only way i knew was reading posts on here and then looking to see myself, i never knew by the handling

SHY · #12 07-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by tellor

so it looks like you've bought 6 cars since the b4.1 and that's only been out for about 2 years

It looks like no car will suit you

just one point, how did you know the chassis was bent? as mine is bent and the only way i knew was reading posts on here and then looking to see myself, i never knew by the handling

C'mon that's uncalled for. Some of us like to test new cars, and maybe also keep all of them in our collection. It's for some of us part of the RC fun!

For instance the B4 is a very good car, but how some guys can just stick to one car and race it for years on end is beyond my comprehension (and self control)

wezzer · #13 07-06-2012

mines had more than a few knocks in the 7 months I’ve had it and its straight, the chassis does not need straightening every week or so, at least mine doesn’t! its run on grass, astro, indoor carpet with big wooden jumps etc. and is fine , also the pin blocks don’t need replacing after a month, mine are still the originals and are probably due for replacement now, after 7 months of weekly use, sometimes twice a week.

chassis stiffeners are an option and produced as a tuning aid more than a resolve to some people bending chassis. so there for do NOT need to be purchased.

these are MY findings, and i am, just as Wacker 2 and everyone else in this thread, offering my opinion.

at the end of the day the choice is yours, my only suggestion is, go with whatever you feel you will get the most support from! see what the other guys at your club are using! see how they get on with whatever it is they are using. ask them about the support they get from the manufacturer/distributor.

that’s the advice i would give and hopefully his thread won’t turn into a product/manufacturer slanging match

good luck with your choice

Skelbo · #14 07-06-2012

Thanks guys, all valuable comments. I just have a feeling that I may find a more consistent set up with a C4.1 than I have managed with the Cougar. I dont like swapping cars, but sometimes we just suit one better than another. Money wise, I have tried a few options on the Cougar so its all pretty similiar money when all is said and done.

Of course, I may just sell a child and get a DB1!!!!

gazhillAE · #15 07-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by wezzer

mines had more than a few knocks in the 7 months I’ve had it and its straight, the chassis does not need straightening every week or so, at least mine doesn’t! its run on grass, astro, indoor carpet with big wooden jumps etc. and is fine , also the pin blocks don’t need replacing after a month, mine are still the originals and are probably due for replacement now, after 7 months of weekly use, sometimes twice a week.

chassis stiffeners are an option and produced as a tuning aid more than a resolve to some people bending chassis. so there for do NOT need to be purchased.

these are MY findings, and am, just as Wacker 2 and everyone else in this thread, offering my opinion.

at the end of the day the choice is yours, my only suggestion is, go with whatever you feel you will get the most support from! see what the other guys at your club are using! see how they get on with whatever it is they are using. as them about the support they get from the manufacturer/distributor.

that’s the advice i would give and hopefully his thread won’t turn into a product/manufacturer slanging match

good luck with your choice

Ditto agreed well said!
Mine wasn't a shopping list mine was a list of useful things you will need to tune and to aid on track
There's more on my car but I won't bother mentioning these if those are the sort of replies il get

Each to there own Im the same with anything I buy !
If anyone needs help with there c4.1 in the north west area give me a shout whether it's it's tuning or setup wise il help

jmke · #16 07-06-2012

Quote:

also the pin blocks don’t need replacing after a month, mine are still the originals and are probably due for replacement now,

what was the trick to making them last, ready it somewhere here; something to do with applying threadlock to hinge pin somewhere... ?

thanks in advance for your help

gazhillAE · #17 07-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmke

what was the trick to making them last, ready it somewhere here; something to do with applying threadlock to hinge pin somewhere... ?

thanks in advance for your help

Fill all 4 holes with thread lock and then stick pin in before it sets