Ofna OB-4 International

[ZoomZoom]

Howdy folks,

I'm new here and to RC in general. I was thinking about gettting the Ofna OB-4 International. This will be my first :D . The RC Car Action review I read seems to have positive things to say about this car except for the motor. Handling and features seems solid. My intention is to race competitively after building up my skillz.

My question for ya'll is can this car take me far in racing. I do not have a mega-buck budget so hop-ups will come at a pretty slow pace :( . First on the list is a motor & appropriate ESC. Does anyone have this car and care to share their experiences? What would you guys hop-up first?

Thanks in advance.

ZZ

[Ray]

Why don't you look at the RTR TC3? I think this would be a much better option. It can grow with you, and the parts are pretty easy to get. You will need to get a stock motor to race in stock class, but that is not a big deal.

[ZoomZoom]

Hey Ray,

I found the OB-4 Int. (RTR) for $159.95 at ultimatehobbies.com. It was $329.99+ everywhere else. The feature set of the OB-4 looks pretty deep - carbon fiber chassis/shock towers/upper plates, aluminum bulk-heads, full ball bearings, delrin ball differentials, threaded aluminum shocks, ESC, front CVA joints, Andy's clear body, Airtronics Blazer Sport radio, etc. Good enough to get started on but a motor and better radio will probably be needed for competition. What do you think?

The TC3 was definitely on my list. As was the HPI RS4 Pro 3. Yokomo, Mugen, XRay and Schumacher were also considered but only briefly. With batteries, radio/electrics, and charger, it would have pushed the price well over my budget.

I take it you have the TC3?

ZZ

[spenzalii]

Yo ZZ,

I had an OB, and it was a great car. You simply can't beat the features for the price in ANY car. Carbon chasis, adjustable aluminum shocks, derlin diffs, pivot ball suspension etc. For a starter car, it's a good deal. You will change the motor and ESC quickly, though. However, the included esc will handle a 19 turn if you wanted to run some spec racing and get some cheap speed. The downside is replacement parts are harder to get since not too many people carry Ofna parts. Not impossible, just that they mostly have to be ordered rather than the hobby shop having them there. I would have bought another one, but I wanted to build one, which is why I got the XXX-S. But for that price, I may get another one anyway.

[ZoomZoom]

Hey spenz,

Is the M Sonic ESC in the OB-4 the ECO 20 or ECO 27 or another one? I looked on M Troniks website and they only listed the 20 and 27 turn ESC's (20 and 27 turn limit resp.). So you're saying the included ESC goes to 19-turn? Kewl if it does. I guess I'm still foggy about turns, winds, ESC's and such :(.

Can you recommend a good 19-turn motor then. Or maybe an even faster motor, say along the lines of a 10-15 turn and a good but inexspensive ESC. I was looking at a Peak Jaguar 12-turn double or a Trinity Speed Gems Diamond 12x2 w/ a DuraTrax Streak or Novak Explorer II ESC's. The Streak goes down to 12 turns and the Exp. II to 15. I've read that for 4wd touring car racing that the recommended motor is a 10-turn. Any proof in that puddin'?

I thought the OB-4 was a good price but being new to RC, I wasn't really sure. So you think it's a good deal?

ZZ

[spenzalii]

Let's see. I don't think the esc is listed on the site if I remember correctly. It is rated at 23 turns if I can remember my instruction manual, but I ran a 19 turn Speed Gems2 with no problem. Good cheap reliable speed. You can also go for the Chameleon 19 turn. Either is plenty fast for a beginner.

I'm not sure if you want reverse or not for this car, so recommending an esc is somewhat hard. Give up some more info and we can find a good motor/esc combo. But if the car is under $200, and I haven't gone online and checked, you can't beat the price.

[ZoomZoom]

Thanks for the motor recommendations spenz. As far as ESC's, I was looking for a forward-only for organized racing. I'll use the included ESC for 'practice' as I'm sure I'll need to develope my skills some. The Duratrax Streak and the Novak Explorer II I mentioned in my previous post seemed like good ones in the RC Car Action article on ESC's. Are these 2 ESC's any good to your knowledge? Any other forward-only ESC's that you've had good experience with? Cost is obviously a factor for me so I will not be able to consider the "high-zoot" stuff.

I'm into my 3rd week of "research" for the right begining kit. I have picked up a lot of info on the equipment and on the sport in general. The internet is great for that :). By the way, I went ahead and bought the OB-4 Int :D. I feel like I've got a good kit to get me rolling and still have room to grow as I improve. Now it's a matter of getting a handle on all the other stuff involved with racing and hopping up my car. I appreciate yours or anyone else's help so keep it coming :).

ZZ

[spenzalii]

I'm glad you decided on the OB4. I checked the site and they do have some killer prices. I'll probably get another in about a month at that price!

The esc really depends on how much racing you're gonna do and how much you want to spend. Both esc's you mentioned are good, reliable. But consider the absolute lowest wind you're planning on running 1st. It may cost more up front, but you may as well get an esc once and know it can handle anything you can throw at it. For instance, you could find a LRP pro sport with no motor limit (I believe) for cheap now that their Quantum line is out. It will beat having to replace it later, unless you're planning on getting another car and using it as a spare.

Check on Ofna's web site for some of the options for the OB. There really aren't that many. You can get the aluminum upper pulley set, or use the ones for the RS4 from Robinson

[ZoomZoom]

Yeah, hopefully it will live up to my expectations performance-wise. I have high hopes for it. I just don't want my equipment to hold me back. The only thing I want to blame my poor racing on is my skills, or lack there of ;) .

You're probably right about the ESC. I would be better off and save up for a good high-end one. Since you say the included ESC will take a 19-turn, that should be plenty for now. That IPC Pro Sprot you mentioned is on the top of my list.

I went to the local hobby shop (Joe's Hobby in Farmington Hills, MI) and picked up some misc. items (Trinity comm drops, Trinity bearing oil, lexan scissors, motor spray, etc.). Man, I can't wait to get started!!!:D

[spenzalii]

I hope you do succeed. The car will do more than you expect, I promise you. It's a good quality, highly adjustable, inexpensive car. Getting a good esc off the bat is a good idea, but it probably isn't the most important thing. Most 'races' are usually with a spec motor limiting winds (stock 27 turn, 19 turn mod) which the included esc will handle. Plus, if you are just starting out, getting a balls-to-the-wall setup will be great for bashing in a parking lot, but will be useless on a track that doesn't race that class motor or if the car is faster than your skill level. If you're mainly going to do sanctioned racing, use the money for a good stock motor (check the hobby shop and see what the hot setup is) AND a 19 turn (Chameleon, Speed Gems2 or Caliber). That way, you can run races and have some speed to impress the neighbors. Also, pick up some gears. I think it comes stock with 128 spur and 35 pinion. Ask the hobby people about gear ratios and get the correct setting for the motor you'll get. Let me know when you get it! You won't be dissapointed.

P.S. The most important thing you can buy, even though it's a RTR, is a good set of tools. You don't need 20 a piece Trinity wrenches, but DO NOT use regular allen hex keys. Trust me on this.

Have Fun

[ZoomZoom]

It should be arriving today or tomorrow :D .

That's some good info and advice on motors and racing. Thanks. I fully intend to buy a 27 turn stock and a 19 turn modified motor. Most likely the Speed Gems for the mod. Not sure about the stock.

I went to Sears the other night to look at dishwashers (ours crapped out on us last week :( ) and they have a Craftsman set of hex drivers and nut drivers that look to be good quality. Does the OB-4 use metric or SAE? And even though it is RTR, I want to fully disassemble and resasemble it just to become more familiar with how it works. Hopefully it will come with good detailed instructions or diagrams to ease this process.

[spenzalii]

HMMMM....

Depends on how well you follow instructions. While the diagrams aren't bad, they aren't the greatest. But you should be able to get the car apart and back togther again with little problem. Pay close attention to the diff building section at the beginning if you must take thise apart (don't). The biggest dissapointment was the tuning and gear ratio section in the back of the manual. They are a little too vague. Hit the board and ask your shop a lot of questions. I'm not sure how far you are from the place, but they are an invaluable source of info and advice, even if their products are overpriced!
As far as the tools go, I honestly can't remember if they are SAE or metric, and if they are hex or phillip head screws. I think they're phillip. Hold off on the tools until it gets there. As long as they are screwdriver type tools, you should be ok. NO HEX KEYS!

I forgot, as your skills progress, get a faster/higher torque servo. You won't need it starting out, so don't make it a pressing issue, as the stock Airtronics one on the kit will work just fine. And you probably won't have to spend 75-100 on a digital servo either. A good HiTec servo, either their ultra torque or ultra speed, will work well and can be had under 40 bucks.

Man, I'm exited for you! I haven't found many people running that car, and I found it was a great buy. I can't remember the two articles on them that RCCA wrote, but if I can find them, I'll let you know.

[ZoomZoom]

I'm quite mechanically inclined so I'm confident that I can tear it down and put it back together. Just helps with good instructions. Still, it'll be a learning process I'm sure. Luckily the guys at the local hobby shop are cool and willing to help.


OK, did a little window shopping:

Servo - Hitec HS-625MGS (94.43 oz-in. @ .15 sec.) $45
ESC - IPC Pro Sport $90
Radio - Airtronics CX2P FM or JR Racing XR3 FM $150-170 (which one is better?)

...damn!!! That's a lotta $$$!!! :( I'll have to get that over time. This hobby is almost as expensive a my PC building/gaming hobby :p !


I'll probably have to get a few wheel/tire sets too, huh? Will the 2 motors (27T stock & 19T mod) be sufficient?

[spenzalii]

Man, you have been doing your research. The servo is a good bet, and probably the first on the list for replacement. For the motors you're running, the esc should be second on your list. I'm not sure if there is a reverse lokout on it, which could be a problem in a sanctioned race. You could just not hit the reverse, but you may have to watch that. For radios, I have the XR3, as do a lot of people at my local track. It's a great FM radio for the price, but not necessary RIGHT NOW. Just get another set of crystals for your Blazer sport for the time being. Admittedly, the radio is probably the weakest point on Ofna's RTR lineup, but they do work. As for the tires, once again, ask your shop people. I live the Pro-Line V-Rage for asphalt and Jaco double purple foams for carpet. The twin motor idea should be good enough for track and fun, and I wouldn't worry about a lower wind until you're more comfortable with the car and get the esc. It's expensive when you add it up, but you don't need to get it all at once.

BTW, which body are you gonna put on that thing? It comes with an Accord which you have to paint, but you could go with some style. I had an Audi TT and a tricked out Eclipse. Too bad I don't have any pic's....

[ZoomZoom]

Oh man!!! The Audi TT and the Mitsu. Eclipse (the older model) are a couple of my favs. from HPI :cool: ! I also like the Protform and HPI Acura RSX, HPI's Toyota Altezza, and Denso Supra. Do you know of anyone that makes the Mazda RX7 body? I know one comes with the Yokomo nitro GT-4 Veilside. The '94+ RX7 is my absolute fav. sports car as far as the body styling goes. Truely a work of art!!!

I'm sure I'll grab a couple bodies along the way. My car will probably be magically drawn to the the walls and other imovable objects starting out :rolleyes: . Is there a significant difference in aerodynamic performance between bodies? I understand some offer more downforce and such but is it really a factor in real world performance?

Yeah, I'll get the things I mentioned in the order I have them listed. The motors I will get as soon as I can. It's good to hear that the included radio will suffice for now.

How long have you been into RC and racing? You seem to know what you are talking about. Which is cool cuz I need all the help I can get.

ZZ

[spenzalii]

Actually, only for a year. I know a lot about the car because, as I mentioned, it was my first, so it was special. It's a shame it was stolen, or I would still have it.
The Eclipse I had was the 2001 model. I had it painted orange and purple, with Thunder Designs Eyeball graphix deviding the 2 colors. It was sweet! Currently, I'm running a Ford GT40 and the Stratus shell that came with my XXXS. My favorite is my 69 Ford Mustang painted Candy Apple Red. It's so pretty I will not run it at the track! When you start racing, there is some difference in the downforce of each body. Depending on who sanctions your races, the bodies make a difference. I believe ROAR races require 4 door sedan bodies, with the popular choice being the Accord and the Stratus. It seems thats the only thing the pros run. But if you're track doesn't care, get what you want. Until you get really competetive, you needn't limit yourself to your body. But don't get too attatched to the body if you race it, because as you know, it will get beat up. My poor Audi would make a great basher body, because it's missing a lot of paint. If I get another, that's what I'll use it for.

Things that will help you learn:
1. your LHS. Can't be stresses enough. Either the salesman or those running the races have come up with more experiences than you can think of. Since it's a hobby thing, most are willing to share their knowledge with you.
2. The message boards. 'Nuff said. Even if you don't get a answer immediately, the archives may have the same question.
3. Read. RCCA is a great mag. Get a subscription

And remember. You don't need the most expensive, fastest, newest, most technological everything. You'll drain your wallet and won't have any more fun. Smart, informed decisions will do it.

[ZoomZoom]

How do you like the XXXS? I've read a lot of good things about it. Does it live up to the myth?

Your OB-4 was Swiped!?!?! That's a damn shame! I think I'd probably cry if someone stole $300+ from me :mad: . My budget isn't deep so I have to make things last as long as possible. I have 2 daughters (4 and 5 yrs.) and they are at the top of my priority list. No matter what!

The Andy's body that comes with the kit will surely get the brunt of the abuse. I was thinking of using the Spike mask from XXXmain in bright red-orange for the front. Then a forward angled wide stripe tapering towards the top in bright yellow. And in the rear and roof, black. I was also thinking a steel-blue/orange/silver-pearl combo too. The Stratus body looks kinda cool. Are ROAR leagal bodies only 190mm wide?

So far, my experiences with the "LHS's" in my area has been positive. These guy are great to talk to cuz the really love it. It's more than just business with them. And it shows.

I know for sure that I won't have the fastest, most hopped-up, and exotic car at the tracks. But I'll bet I'll have one of the biggest grins there :D . My goals are to have fun, learn, make new friends and improve. How's that for attainable goals?

[spenzalii]

Nice color scheme! Yeah, losing the car was hard, and expensive (closer to $900. I lost it all: car charger, batteries, tools, motors, radios the whole nine), and if I ever find out who, it won't be pretty. And yeah, I think I did cry. But, what can ya do? I stayed out of it for 6 months, rethought things, saved my money, and started from scratch. I do have an idea who, though. Let me just say, DO NOT HAVE A BABY MOTHER. Trust me, that's an even longer more depressing story. Which is one reason why I'm so into this hobby. Great stress relief.

Yeah, the XXXS is a nice piece of work. You'll probably find a lot of those and the TC3 at the track. It is very stiff and forgiving to drive, but I do more parking lot all out bashing for now, so I probably haven't seen its full potential yet. I don't think it has the high zoot feature the OB4 has, even with the new aluminum parts they have now.

I like the paint scheme idea. Are you painting it yourself? if so, with a paintbrush or a lot of cans? Yeah, it will get beat up a lot, so enjoy it while you can. You seem to have the right mindstate, which is good. It will be hard to maintain, though. The thrill of running your car along 5-10 other people who love it as much as you is an incredible rush that may make you loose your mind (I gotta be as fast as those guys!). Just keep in mind you'll get there. Who knows. Maybe your daughters will join you in the hobby too! I'm planning to build one for my son as soon as he can get his hands around a controller. Of course, he's only 6 months old and I can't see him that often now, but that's not gonna stop me!

[ZoomZoom]

I GOT IT!!! :D :D :D Wow, does it look awesome!!! Very impresive! Beautiful! I can't think of anymore superlatives right now.....

The graphite chassis and top-deck are so cool!

Looks to be metric. Has an M Sonic Digital ECO ESC w/ a recommended 22 turn limit according to the instructions. Speaking of instructions, they seem easy to follow and goes into great detail. The purple anodized threaded shocks just dropped the jaws of my co-workers :). The slick tires are preglued and say "HN 24 Racing" on them. Is that a medium, soft or hard compound? It has a Protoform Accord body, not an Andy's body.

Yeah, I'm gonna paint it myself. I was thinking of using spray cans. Which do you recommend - spray or brush?

$900!!! Oh man! Yeah, I would definitely cry. I won't ask anymore on how/why it happened. Don't wanna make you insane with rage.
Which is one reason why I'm so into this hobby. Great stress relief.
Yep, escapism at its finest. Kinda the reason I like building computers and playing PC games. Good way of just putting your mind in a different place. When I come back to reality, I feel refreshed. Can you guess what kind of PC games I play? Yep, racing games. I especially like the simulation type racing games. Takes a pretty high-end system ro run them in all there graphical beauty, but power is definitely not lacking in my PC :) .

Well, back to my OB4.....damn she's a beauty!

[spenzalii]

Told ya it was a pretty piece of work! The ECO will run down to a 19 without overheating (I ran mine with the SpeedGems 19x2 for months b4 upgrading, so I know), but I'm not sure about the reverse lockout. Try to contact FHA and find out (I believe that's who makes it). Mine came with an Andy's Accord, but since I never used it, it didn't really matter to me. I think the tires are a hard compoound, because mine lasted for quite some time. I swapped them for some HPI treaded somethings when got the HobbyTech Twisted Tuner rims for the Audi. So many people were amazed that the same rims they had on their car they can get for a little RC.

I use spray cans only because I'm too cheap to get a compressor! You can get a good paint job done if you have a good plan and take your timetake your time Use only paint for lexan bodies, as the others may or may not stick really well to the body and they will flake off in a crash, rather than bend as the other paint does. You already know where to go for help! Most shops will paint your body for 30-40 bucks, depending. I had Mustang painted there and it is gorgeous.

As far as the theft goes, I can talk about it now, after lenghthy counseling (LOL). My son's mother and I aren't and will not get along. If a don't agree with something she said, she will fly off the handle and not let me see my son. We had one argurement one night, after which I fumed, had a strong drink, and went to sleep. In the morning, while walkingto my car, I saw my jumper cables on the roof of my Saturn. Further inspection found a broken window, the liberation of my Clarion head unit and changer and the two bags that contained my 2 cars I had run the night before. This would be the second of 3 such breakins, the most recent happening Christmas Eve. Of course, I can't prove anything, the cops won't investigate, and the insurance will only replace the stereo, considering the cars personal property. So, while revenge is an oft-wished for idea, since we're going to court for an ugly custody battle, I can't do anything to jeopardize that. So, I take my 'L' and move on. The price seems about right:

OB4: 399 (at the time)
Dynamite charger: 40
SpeedGems 19x2: 35
Eclipse Body, paint + Stickers: 65
Integy 11x2 motor : 35 (Ebay!)
LRP Pro Reverse ESC: 90
Dynamite 1800 batts : 20x2
Trinity Time Warp: 25x3
Tower Hobbies servos: 35
Kyosho GP Spyder MkII: 200
2 speed trans: 35
Torq 12 motor : 95
Header/Pipe: 35
JR XR2 radio : 110
Assorded tools, pinions, spurs, replacement parts :200+

And I'm probably missing some stuff. But, those are the breaks. You never know how much you've invested in a hobby until you actually stop and see it all at once. But it's worth it.

Racing games are a great escape. Not quite the rush of R/C, bt close. Personally, I'm partial to the Gran Turismo series, having beaten 1 and 2 and only having 10% to go on 3. IMHO, nothing comes close, PS2, PC or otherwise.

[ZoomZoom]

I trust you on the 19 turn and ESC. Gonna give it a go as soon as I can save up some hard-earned-jack for the motors.

I see you raced nitro too. I was debating getting nitro but opted for electric for a 'first' car. I looked at the OFNA Nitro OB4, and Yokoma GT4 Veilside. Both have 2-speeds and hit ~60mph. Maybe next year I'll get one of them.

The wife is gonna be a bit miffed when she sees my new 'distraction'. She always dreads when I bring some new toy or game home cuz she knows that she will not be seeing me much of me after the kids go to bed. She is understanding about it though. Gotta love her for that.

Is Pactra a good paint. I think it says it is for "polycarbonate" bodies. Is that lexan? And, how many coats should I put on? You don't have to worry about me "taking my time". If anything, I am patient.

Gran Turismo was the reason I got thhe Playstation. GT2 was even better. I never finished them completely. Close, but not 100%. My garage was maxxed though. Then I got the PS2 cuz it was rumored the GT3 would be one of the release titles. As you know, it wasn't. So there I had the PS2 and nothing to play on it. I actually recieved delivery of the console before the stores started selling them. Anyways, I sold the PS2 for $600 (cost me $300) the next day. And after GT3 was released, my wife got it for me for a Xmas gift. I'm still only about 20%, but it sure is a beautiful game. I just wish there was damage modeling. So between GT3, Colin McRae Rally 2, Leadfoot, 1nsane, F1 2000, Superbike 2000, SportsCar GT, Viper Racing, Need for Speed: Porsche, NASCAR Racing 4, Rally Masters, Mobil 1 Rally, and ReVolt (and others) I tend live and breathe racing. I guess RC is the next step in the evolution. Hopefully some day i will be able to live my dream of actually racing the real thing.

I guess the monetary loss off you RC stuff pails in comparison to losing your son. Hopefully you will be able to get full or partial custody or at the very least a generous visitation plan. Yeah, sometimes you just gotta swallow your pride and eat the sh1t that life serves up. It sucks but what can you do. I'm sure you'll make the best of a bad situation.

ZZ

[spenzalii]

Yeah, I miss my little man. April 30 can't come soon enough. But, it'll be worth it. While I moved on, she won't. Hopefully, he will never have to know.

Good thing starting electric. Nitro is fun, but is a little more work and a lot messier. Either car will be great to start with. Check the Nitro OB4 thread for info on that. Pactra makes really good paint, and I believe the polycarbonate paint is the one you want. Check B4 u buy. If they just sell R/C products, its the right stuff.

Great deal doubling your money on your PS2. I got mine the same day it went out. In and out in 10 minutes. Preorder is the only way to go, even with ToysRUs. Come to think of it, I got the original PS the day it came out. That was just for Street Fighter Alpha, though. BTW, You can only get 98.6% on GT2. It's a degign glitch. GT3, however, is just heads and sholders above all else. Wait 'till you get the F1 car... The other cool thing you'll notice is a lot of the car bodies you see in the game you can also get for your r/c! You can't beat it.

Now GO RUN THAT CAR! Tell me how it feels

[spenzalii]

OK I've just came from the speedway (Capitol Raceway, where my partner just ran a 11.3 in a '72 Nova) and am high from 108+ racing gas and the smell of hot Mickey Thompson Tires. I believe you've had time to run that bad boy. What did you think?

[ZoomZoom]

Yup. Took it home and it snowed. DOH!!! So I ran it in the basement and damn near smashed into every wall, chair, table and couch. I'm such a hack! Too confining in my house but I really wanted to run the damn thing.

Sunday was better. mid-40's and cloudy and it was threatining to rain but it was dry for a while. So I had my 3 Rocket Pack 2400 NiCd's charged and I went out finally. I ran it without the body as I haven't had a chance to paint it yet. I know I'm new to it and don't know any better, but this thing takes off pretty hard and straight. It's pretty fast too, at least for the first pack. On the next two packs, it didn't seem so fast anymore. Probably cuz I was getting used to how it performs and handles. It handled great! It pushes some under full power turning but everywhere else it stuck like glue.

My makeshift track consisted of mine and my neighbors' driveways, the sidewalk and the street. Mostly concrete but the street was asphalt. All high traction. I ran it down my driveway, then right down the sidewalk, left down my neighbors drive, left onto the street, left up my drive, right down the sidewalk to my other neighbors drive, then right down his drive, right onto the street again, right onto and up my drive where I loop to do the circuit again. A lot of sharp 90's and a high-speed turn at the top of my driveway. Plus the shallow curbs and some slightly heaved sidwalk seams made it rough in some areas. After several laps I was really getting the feel for the car. and was running it without hitting anything or running it into the grass. I even luanched it airborn a couple times as I came in from the street up the shallow curb at the foot of my driveway. It landed fine and powered on every time. The suspension soaked up the rough spots without a hint od complaint. This was all with the stock suspension setup.

I am totally stoked with it's handling! I do want a faster motor though and I will get it as soon as I get a chance. A 19 turn double should suffice for now. I hope my ESC can handle it. Also I am better at steering with my left hand than my right. Thats just the way I've become accustomed to doing it with my PC/PS/PS2 games so I had better control that way. Using the included radio was a bit weird. I held it in my right hand horizontally with the wheel pointing up and steered with my left. Any good lefty radios out there?

I did get some glitching whenever I tried to reverse. I don't know what could cause that. Do you? The servo seemed to work OK for now. I'm sure I could take advantage of a faster one. I added Trinity Black Death Comm drops and Royal Oil before and after my 3-pack run. Break-in was a snap. How often should I use my motor cleaner?

Final verdict: The OB4 surpassed my expectations in terms of handling and simply met them in terms of speed. Now I want more speed. The chassis seems like it wants it too. So I'm gonna give it to it. Awesome car!!! Rating: :D :D :D :D :D (out of 5)

[spenzalii]

I'm glad you liked the car. It is nicer than most people would expect.
Some Futaba radios are switchable for left to right hand drivers. Check with Tower Hobbies or the LHS and they can let you know which is which. I'm not sure about the reverse glitching. I know the motor doesn't have any diodes on it, and that may be the case. When you get the 19 turn, make sure you solder the diodes on it, but I wouldn't worry about the 540 can too much. Also try mounting the reciever on top of the servo. You can use the motor cleaner when you put the car awar. A little shot will do ya, but it isn't needed between each run.

[faceman2k]

Hi,

i just wanted to chime in on this thread. the ob-4 is $160 at ultimate hobbies! i just bought one because its too cheap to pass up! i most likely wont even run it, just add it to my collection. Thanks so much for the heads up on the price.

[spenzalii]

You should run it. It's more competetive than the price suggests, at least with the right motor. Just don't bash it up too much! I plan to get another as soon as I have the extra cash.

[ZoomZoom]

Hey there spenz,

Looks like we converted another to the OB4 ;) . At that price, everyone should.

I've been running the hell out of mine. I increased the neg. camber cuz it looks like the wear is primarily on the outside of the tires. I don't have a camber gauge but I used a small carpenters square and a small steel metric rule and measured a ~1.5mm gap in the top. By my calculations, that's about a -1.3 deg. camber. It seems to turn in more crisply now too.

As it runs, it seems to "pogo". I adjusted the spring preload to half-way on the shocks front and rear. Stock setup bottomed out a lot on the bumpy surface I'm running it on. Do I need heavier shock oil? Do you know the weight of the shock oil that's included?

I trimed the body last night except for the wheel cutouts. Painting it tonite.

I'm getting better at controlling this car. I'm infinitely more smooth now (burned thru 6 packs) than when I first ran it. I think I'm ready for that 19-turn :) .

[spenzalii]

Yeah, heavier shock oil will probably do the trick. I think there's standard silicone oil in the shocks now; no real weight. Check the LHS and they should have a good weight. If that doesn't do it, get some stiffer springs.

Yeah, get the motor. What do you have to loose? Check the shop you're at. Sometimes they'll have a motor that someone brought in for a trade. You may get a slightly used motor for cheap. You will notice the speed difference.

And yes, we will have an army of OB4 converts! Ok that's a little wistful but...There are more people that have them than when I bought it.

[ZoomZoom]

I went to the LHS and they didn't have any 19-turn motors in stock. They had a 21-turn for $25 so I got that one. It's a Peak Performance Jaguar and has dual ball-bearings and adjustable timing. The guy there seems to like Peak motors. He highly recommends the Peak Hellfire RS24 Pro for a stock motor. What are your thoughts on this?

I finished painting my body. Not bad for my first if I do say so myself. I'll have to post a pic as soon as I can get my digi. cam. back. There are a couple spots where the paint bled, but overall, I'm quite satisfied. Subsequent ones will be better :) .

I'm still getting some glitching. Plus the effective range of the transmitter is about 100 ft. Is this it? It'll be going straight down my street then when it gets to my neighor's driveway (about 105 ft), it turns left on its own. Will an FM TX yeild a farther effective range?

ZZ

[spenzalii]

A FM radio will cut down some of the glitching, but there are some things you can do for the AM. First, make sure the antenna wire is fully extended. Even if it's sticking out of the top of the tube, have it as stretched and straight as you can. Move the reciever in top of the servo, too. Place it down with servo tape. NEVER CUT THE WIRE! And when you put the motor in, remember the diodes. That will help a bundle. The Jag motor should give you a noticeable bite. Great price for the turns. Remember to change the pinion gear to take advantage of the extra power. I think you came with a standard 35 tooth. But I'm kinda shakey as to you're transmission's ratio to get your FDR. I'll mull it over on my train ride home.

Don't worry too much about the bleed. You will get better. It's always good to use really good masking tape, like 3M and spray many light coats instead of one heavy coat. I learned thatthe hard way trying to tint the windows on my Audi TT.

[ZoomZoom]

I extended the antenna all the way out. There is about 3-4" sticking out of the antenna tube. I also fabricated a reciever cover made out of the bag that PC hard drives come shipped in. I have a ton of those laying around. I have cut-outs for the antenna wire and the harness plugs. Got the idea from RC Car Action.

The motor that comes with it doesn't have a removable end-bell. So installing the diodes (capacitors?) will be next to impossible. Probably will do so with the new Jag motor, if they aren't already installed. Yup, I was lucky enough to catch it on sale :) .

So move the reciever to the top-plate or directly on the servo?

The pinion gear is 35T and the spur gear is 124T. I bought a 120T and a 122T spur gear. Pretty inexpensive stuff. Which one will be better for the 21-turn Jag.

I'm pretty satisfied with the paint job. You really have to look close to see the bleeds. I used red, yellow and black (front to rear) with Parma's barbed-wire mask running along the sides in red and also crowning the red front on the hood. looks BAD-AZZZ!!! :D

[spenzalii]

Yes, directly on top of the servo.

For the spur, try them both. Do the 122 first, then the 120. I think I ran a 120 spur with a 43 pinion. It was decent on run time with my 13 double. See how the motor reacts to them both.

There's nowhere to put diodes on the 540 motor that's on there. But make sure they go on the Jag. You may want to solder the motor leads directly to the motor. It will improve efficeincy on the 21 turn.

[ZoomZoom]

I got an RRP 38T pinion from the LHS. Put it in with the 124T spur and "OH MY GOD!!!", does this thing FLY!!! :D It is a lot harder to control too but I'm getting better. I no can no longer just peg the throttle and turn like I can with the stock motor. Now I actully have to 'drive' it, which is so cool. The speed seems almost double what the stock motor/gear can do. I definitely need to stiffen up the suspension now. Run time dropped significantly but it is still pretty decent. I also tried it with the 120T spur but the speed increase wasn't too noticable from the 124T.

Do you know what the FDR is on the OB4? Also, how can I find the RPM on the Jag? I looked on Peak's website and a couple other sites too but they don't list it.

OK, I moved the reciever on top of the servo but have not run it since I relocated it. I was too eager to see how fast the new motor/gear could go and saved the relocation for after the motor/gear swap. I still need to add 2 more capacitors to the Jag. motor too (one was installed - to +).

I've got a 'parking lot' race with a guy I know and some of his buddies this weekend. I think I'll have the fastest car there but I know that is not all that it takes too win. I will be up against a couple HPI's, a Tamiya TB-01 and a Kyosho Pure Ten. A couple of them have had there rides for a year now but we're all pretty green. I am mucho verde. :)

ZZ

[spenzalii]

Great! I think I had a 43 tooth pinion and a 120 spur on mine. It was ridiculous! I know run time suffered, but I could hang with some Nitro cars like the HIP RS4Pro2. I even had a Mugen MTX2 until it hit 2nd gear...

I would go for the thicker shock oil in the car. It will stiffen it up a lot and make the car flatter in the turns.

Here's how to find the FDR. First, check the manual to find the number of teeth the diff gear is (I think it's 35). Then check the teeth on the layshaft (once again, I think that should be 15, with a 16 and 16 tooth on your parts tree). Divide the diff by the layshaft and get the tranny ratio (using those numbers, it would be 2.33. The gear ratio is the pinion divided by the spur (124/38=3.26). Then, multiply the 2 numbers for the FDR (2.33*3.26=7.59). Take a look at Robinson Racing site for a complete listing on figuring gear ratios and a list of the pinions they have. I'll try to find a link that will compute your gear ratios for a given set of pinions and spurs 2morrow. I have to solder new connectors on my batteries. (2 Peak 2400 paks for $39 at Tower. You just can't beat it) Swapping your connectors is a wise investment. And get the other diodes on. (one from the + to the middle, one from the - to the middle, and one from the + to the -)

[ZoomZoom]

Yeah, I found this gearing app (http://www.arroyoc.com/gear.asp) but I wasn't sure about the diff and layshaft gearing so I was stuck on the FDR. You can even check the max speed based on gear ratio, dia. of wheel/tire, and RPM of the motor. You don't need to 'Pick a Car' if you already know your FDR. This is why I asked about the RPM of my Peak Jag. I am guessing it is around 30,000 RPM. I suppose this is theoretical speed as I'm sure there are other factors involved which contribute to slowing the car down like drag and so forth. But still a usefull tool.

My glitching problem stopped after I relocated the reciever on top of the servo. Turned it 180. Seemed to solve my range problem too. I can hit 150+ ft easy now. Anyways, thanks for the tips.

I was going to get the twin-pack of Peak's 2400mAh batteries but I found Team Orion Rocket Pack 2400mAh NiCd @ Ultimate Hobbies (http://www.ulimatehobbies.com) for $16.95 ea. so I got those instead. They have good prices on 3000mAh batteries too. $39.95 for a 3000mAh Rocket Pack stick pack. Check it out.

I found a place to race my car. It is an electric only, indoor and carpet track. I'm gonna check it out this weekend. I'm still looking for an outdoor asphalt circuit. What carpet tire or compound do you recommend? Is the HPI Advan Carpet tire any good? I should probably check which ones hook from the track guys.

[spenzalii]

HMMMM. That's a good one. Most carpet tracks usually run only foam. TRC is usually a solid bet. Either the single purple or double purple are popular choiced due to their high wear and compatability with carpet and asphalt. They hook up a little differently than rubber, do you may find they have more bite outside. Check with the regulars.

I haven't run the Avent series tires yet. Personally I prefer Pro-Line V-Rage tires. S2 should last longer than the S3 type. Make sure it's moderately warm outside. When the ground heats up, they stick like motorcycle tires! HPI does make some good slicks though.

I'm glad the glitching stopped. It's weird seeing your car jerk like it's having a seizure for no reason. And better range is always good. I still chase cars up the street for fun. The kids seem to love it. Of course, then I have to take it inside before they try to pry the remote from my hands. Speaking of which, any luck finding that leftie controller? Oh, and I wish I say the ad for the batteries B4 I went to Tower. Oh well, live and learn. Tower hasn't done me wrong yet, so I can't complain.

[ZoomZoom]

I think I pretty much decided on the Airtronics CX2P ($150 @ ultimate). It is left-hand convertable. The guys at the LHS were trying to talk me into the M8, but that's just a bit too rich for my blood. The JR's are not lefty-friendly so they're out.

My body is getting pretty beat up. I let my wife, my neighbor, and a couple co-workers drive it and they just wreaked havoc on the body. I'll tell you one thing, the OB4 can take quite a beating. After the last head-on into a lamp post, I told my self I will never let others drive it again. It's for the better :rolleyes: . My daughters get a kick out of getting the car unstuck from the grass so they are the only ones allowed to touch it. I showed them how to hold it and they are surprisingly gentle.

I think I've hooked my neighbors :) . I know one of them is going to get one for sure. Spreads like a plague, huh? :D

Well, I'm off to the LHS to get some tires. I found one that carries not only Ofna but also OB4 parts :cool: . They have an 8 pk of Ofna rims for $10 (the ones that came on my OB4).

[spenzalii]

I tried to warn you about the body. You should have seen my Lotus Elise body I first painted. I think 1/2 the paint chipped off during the running.
I hear the CX2 isn't half bad. Find out if it has the module with it. If so, good deal. With the frequency module, you can dial in what channel you want to broadcast on, like the spectra module on the Lynx. You'll still need the matching crystal for the transmitter, though. My advice: upgrade the esc first. You'll thank me when you just have to run faster. The radio can hold a little while longer.

True, quite a few stores carry Ofna parts, but few are OB4 Int'l specific. I had to order my front bumper and steering knuckle when I broke them. Then again, the car was new when I bought mine, so there may be more people carrying them. Check out Ofna's site for any upgrade items they may have (which, really you shouldn't need except to look really trick. I had ordered their purple layshaft aluminum pully set and added a HPI purple 120 spur to complete the whole purple look). You can't beat their rim deal, though. You can glue up two sets of tires: slicks and treadz. How cool is that! I just wish they has that style in chrome. Let me know how you make out; if it doesn't rain here in DC, I will be running mine SOMEWHERE! Now where did I leave my tire wrench...

[ZoomZoom]

It's 1:20am and I'm watching BattleBots and wrenching my car. My allergies are acting up so I'm in la-la land after this. There are a couple of 'spinners' goin at it right now. The previous bout was won by a kid that attributed his domination to driving RC cars. Hmmmm....maybe someday I'll be on BattleBots :p .

I got a set of HPI X Pattern Pro Compounds and they are super sticky. I'm actually faster with the stock tires cuz the HPI's scrub my cornering speeds. Maybe I'm cranking the wheel too much. Kinda hops a bit in the high speed turns as it seems to hook in. Need to tune the suspension some I guess. Proline LP Slick H13's are going on the other set of rims. Foams after that.

I broke my first thing. The right diff block. It holds the diff and the shock tower and cracked right by the shock tower. I superglued it and added a tie-wrap for support and it seems to be holding up ok. It must have broke when I hit a joint heave in the sidewalk. I hit it full bore and the ass-end when flying in the air. Stupid on my part cuz I knew it was there but didn't slow up like I usually do. Oh well, it gives me an excuse to get the purple GPM aluminum diff box hop-up from Hobby Etc. :) Or maybe I should save $$ and get a an original replacement.

The CX2P has an FM synthesizer!? Cool! I thought HiTec was the only mfr to use that.

Yeah, the ESC and hotter motor are indeed the next purchases. I'm just lining up the radio decision now.

Hope you had a good weekend. Did you get some racing in?

[spenzalii]

Nah. I got to the hobby shop and bought the pinion I really needed, but it rained on and off all day and I had to fix the brakes on my real car. Slicks will help overall, but treads go well on dusty surfaces.
Hate to hear about the wreck. I didn't know GPM made hop-ups for that car. The aluminum block will be stronger, and look cooler. What's the price and where did you find it?

[ZoomZoom]

Yeah, the PL race that we had set got rained out too. Oh well, maybe next week.

I spent the weekend tuning when I had free time. I think I have it set to where I like it. I still need to get springs and heavier shock oil so my settings will probably change some more. As it stands now: 21 turn double, 120spur/38pinion (7.6:1 FDR), ride ht.=7mm, camber=1deg. F & R, R toe in=1deg., F toe out 1deg., outer most shock tower mount in F, one shock mount in out back, Preload 0.285" F/R. Turns in aggressively and the rear doesn't come around so I guess that would be 'neutral'. It was pretty cold (40-50 deg.) and the pro compound HPI X Patterns were hooking up to my liking finally.

$45 for the GPM rear diff box hop-up from Hobby Etc (http://www.hobbyetc.com). So far the superglued rear diff block has held up. Hopefully it'll hold up until the replacement comes. I'll probably get the OEM.

The local carpet track recommends TRC Plaids (F) & Purple (R). Also 25-30lb. springs (Assoc. if they will fit) and 50 wt. shock oil.

[spenzalii]

Finally fixed the gear ratio in my ride. Balanced between speed, acceleration and run time. Now if I can get those tires, I will be alright...
Have you decided on which esc you plan on upgrading to?

[ZoomZoom]

Been shopping around and so far these ones are being considered: LRP IPC Pro Sport, Duratrax Intellispeed, Novak Dually, Novak Fusion, Tekin Speedstar or HiTec HFX. These are the ones within my budget.

For a servo, I was thinking HiTecs HS-605BB w/ 91oz/in @ .13 sec ($29.99).

For a transmitter, still leaning towards the Airtronics CX2P (later purchase).

I'm getting the Trinity P2K2 Pro Stock motor tomorrow along with TRC Purple foams. Plus they have my rear diff block there for like $4. Gonna race on the local carpet track. Can't wait!

Here's a heads-up on baterries: Team Orion Rocket Pack Sanyo RC3000 NiMH stick pack for $27.99 (http://www.sheldonshobbies.com/).

[spenzalii]

That's a great deal on the servo. Don't tell me, ultimate hobbies. I really got to start checking them out more often. All sound like good esc's, but I would stay away from the Tekin. They may be out of business, so if something goes wrong, it may not be a good thing. You may also consider the Futaba MC3300. It's cheap, has reverse lockout, and runs down to 13 turns. Remember, save up for one that has as high a motor limit as you may want to run, period. Better to spend a little bit more now than to have to spend a lot again later. Of course, if you're getting another car, it wouldn't matter that much.

If you can try the transmitter out first, do so. Make sure it feels good when you hold it. I hope you have fun at the track. That's the whole point! Just a reminder, the car will react MUCH DIFFERENTLY on the carpet, so try not to turn too much. Just trust me. Now it's back to getting my DSL modem working. I had to take a break before I broke something. To the cars!

[ZoomZoom]

I'm actually not going to race tomorrow. My car is all apart for cleaning. That plus the superglue finally broke. Since it's all apart, it'll give me a chance to take a Dremel to the edges of the chassis and CA them too. I'll put some of the graphite lube in the suspension hinges too. So, I'll be getting the replacement tomorrow plus a stock motor and tires. I'll watch the race since I'll be there and 'size up' the competition. I'll pick up some Purple Assoc. springs (30#) and som 50wt. oil too. I'll be there next week for sure w/ a couple practice nights before the race next Fri.

For an ESC, I'm looking for one w/o a motor limit but will settle for a 12 turn limit. I think most of the ones I mentioned were either no limit or 12T. I'll be racing stock for the time being so I some time so I can better see which one will suit my needs. And of course, save for it too. My order of prchases: 1. servo, 2. Tx, 3. ESC. 4. hot mod motor. Thanks for the word on Tekin.

The CX2P Tx feels pretty good. I had the guys @ the LHS change it to lefty for me. I like the wheel and trigger tension. It's pretty comfy. I didn't actually contol a car with it but ergonomically it feels good.

Actually the servo price was from Tower. The batteries are from Sheldons (link above). See, I'm not a total Ulimate phreak :p .

Hey, ever get anything off eBay? A couple of of the TC3's look interesting. New or almost new.

[spenzalii]

Yo ZZ,

Get a chance to get any racing in recently? It's been raining almost every saturday here, and I seem to find too many other things to doonce it stops. I did manage to get a new set of tires with the clear dish rims. Super Sweet!

[ZoomZoom]

I know what you mean about the rain. Puts a damper on stuff here too. I wanted to race today (sunny and 74deg) but I had yard work piling up (cuz of the rain) and I promised a "family fun day" with my kids. I did manage to talk the wife and kids to stop by and watch the races for a while. My daughters loved it. Especially the pink and purple cars. The wife thought it was cool too. We stayed for about an hour and watched. Man, did I ever want to just jump right in. 2 weeks from today, I'll be there for sure.

Racing today was sponsored by or local Riders Hobby and held in the front parking lot of Home Depot. The track is 160' X 80'. It is the usual twisty and turny in the infield with a long back-straight. They race every Sunday, weather permitting.

Tue. this week, I'll be at open practice at Larry's Performance RC's indoor carpet track. I'll try to dial it in for the race this Friday night.

I got some TRC Purple for the rears and TRC Plaids for the front. I also picked up a Trinity P2K2 Pro stock motor. That motor FLIES!!! It's at least as fast as my 21turn double Peak Jag. I geared it lower and it is still as fast. It says 30,721 RPM, 130W, 172Nmm and 69.3% efficiency on the dyno sheet. I was thinking of the 19turn Trinity Chameleon for my mod motor that is until I get a better ESC.

What tires did you get. The Sorex tires are the hot tires around here. The HPI X-pattern tires that I got are really hooking up good now that the temps are warmer. I'll run them in the Riders races.

I just may loosen up my wallet and spring for an Airtronics M8. I keep going back and forth whether I should get it or settle for an CX2P or the older Caliber 3PS. Hmmm.......

[spenzalii]

Ah, decisions, decisions....

I bought a set of HPI X Radial tires myself. Warm, they hook up, and with my 12 dbl, they even squeel a little if I slam the trigger dowm. So cool! The V-Rage or the Sorex are also the hot lick out here. I may try to get some pure rubber tires from RDLogics if I can find them.

Sounds like the P2KPro works for your setup. I'll have to go get one soon. My P-94 is great, but hard on batteries sometimes, which isn't always good for bashing around a little. I also have to get another spoiler for my Stratusfear body. My brother threw it away by accident. Now, coming off a orner I will spin the car with little or no effort. Looks great, but wears the tires and kills youin the races. My GT40 stays planted, but I have to modify the wheel well arches. The guy that painted it for me didn't do a great job, and it tends to get stuck in the wheels.

I can't say too much on Trinity's RPM rating. My P94 is only rated at 32,500 RPM, which wouldn't make it much faster than the P2K, but I KNOW that can't be correct. Maybe mine was a typo. Who knows... Have you chosen an ESC yet? It's more imortant than the transmitter at this point. The M8 is ultra cool, but in all honesty, you may never use half of the options it has. The I could factor is hard to ignore, for sure. I went thru the same thing B4 settling on my XR3, which is great and popular at my LHS. I've gotta start racing soon!

[ZoomZoom]

I've narrowed it down my ESC choices to the 2 Novaks - the Dually or the Fusion. I'm a sucker for orange ;) . They both seem to have low resistance, operate at high frequency, have dual profile (stock or mod), but where they differ is in the motor limit and max current rating. 12 turn/240A on the Fusion, whereas the Dually is no motor limit/400A. Also, the Dually is $20 more. Depending on availablity at the LHS, I may get one of these 2. Got any suggestions for a mod motor. I see you like the P94..

Yeah spenz, my p2K2 is fast! It takes off pretty hard but at around halfway into the RPM band, there seems to be a nice boost, like it had a turbo that just kicked in. You can hear it too which is pretty kewl. I am a bit overgeared right now. My 2400 NiCD's are dumping at 5-6 minutes. I just bough a 37T pinion so I can drop it down a tooth from my 38T. Should be good there. If not I also got a 36T.

I'm gonna loosen up my death grip on my wallet and just get the stuff I need (or think I need). So the Tx, ESC, servo and mod motor will be bought within the next couple weeks. I may get the M8 or the Caliber 3PS (replaced by the M8). If I decide on the M8, I most likely will get the Tx and Tx module only and a Novak XXL FM reciever. I think your wrong about the feature use on the M8. I'm the type of person that likes to experiment with the myriad of features that the M8 offers. Hell, even if it isn't helpful I'll probably be fiddling with it :) . I'm like the guy in the Best Buy commercials that like to "play with stuff".

I can't race next Sunday. Mother's Day ya' know. But the Sunday after for sure. And a race at Larry's indoor carpet track the Friday before that. It'll be a good weekend win or loose, rain or shine.

[ZoomZoom]

Update for ya spenz,

I picked up a Airtronics Caliber 3PS FM computer radio and a Novak XXL FM reciever. Also picked up some Deans Ultra-Plugs for my batts, ESC, and motors.

I've been trying out different gearing options for my P2K2. In the process, Ive picked up 5 pinions and 3 spurs to dial in run time vs. speed. I'm aiming for 7-8 minutes per charge. That should give me enough buffer w/ a 5 minute race.

Lots of rain here so testing has been slowed. Man, I can't wait for better weather!

[spenzalii]

You may be able to hit that with your P2K2. Try the stock spur with around a 38 tooth pinion. It may do the trick. I had my 14 quad with a 43 tooth. Sure it ran a little hot, but the speed was KILLER!
Good deal on the radio. ILet me know how you like it. I may spring for a KO Propo Mars EX1 one day. I need another esc first. You may want to look at the new line of ESCs from Duratrax. They have a fully adjustable racing esc that, at least specwise, blows the dually and most everything but the LRP Quantam competition. Check their site: Duratrax (http://www.duratrax.com)
No time to race over here, either. I just can't wait until Prince (my son) is old enough to run. I may just give him my XXX-S when he's old enough. I have a killer idea for mine. I plan on making a custom 10 cell pak and run my P94 with that. If it isn't fast enough, I'll step it up 3 turns. Wait'll I run THAT.

[ZoomZoom]

You MADMAN!!! That car will be out of your range before you can think about turning around! Is that the one you are gonna give your son to race with? ;)

Hey, I checked out the DuraTrax ESC's. I was looking at them before and they looked interesting. I'll definitely consider those. Price is competitive.

Ko Propo? Is that the one that can do your taxes and calculate the launch sequence for a intercontinental thermo-nuclear ballistic missle? :p I hear those have every possible feature that you can think of using and even features that you don't think of using.

Well, a 38T pinion with 126T spur (35T diff, 16T layshaft) gives me a bit over 6 minutes of acceptable speed w/ my 2400mAh NiCD's. I might have to get a couple packs of 3000's. Have you heard much on those new Panasonic Ultra Metals?

If the weather holds out, I'll race this coming Sunday at the Riders Hobby PL race. Wish me luck. :)

[kato]

I'm really interested in the Ultimate Hobbies deal $159 for the RTR package is a great price! CAn you help me identify the Car? I'm in Australia where we get it directly from the Taiwan Company that Manufactures (I think).

Their address: http://www.hongnor.com/

I'm sure that OFNA is the US distributor/OEM for them.

I'm trying to determine of the OB4 is the International II, pro, or stock. I've attached a picture of the International II.

Also, is it really a 200 mm track width? If so is it possible to run regulation 190 mm (touring car width)?

Many Thanks in advance!

[kato]

They also have an OB4 Sport - but doesn't have the graphite decking. (Is the lower decking Graphite too or just the top?)

[ZoomZoom]

kato, the first one you pictured is the International and is the one featured in the RTR kit. This is the one I have. Great car! Light and stiff with full adjustability and lots of features. Very "free" drivetrain and very fast with the right motor. The included motor is a dog. I'll be using that motor for a comm lathe when I get one.

The second one you posted is the OB4 Pro. It was the model before the International. Yes, Hong Nor (http://www.hongnor.com/) is the mfr that makes these cars among others (Hyper 7, 9.5 Pro, Monster Pirate, Nitro OB4, etc.) for Ofna. The OB4 Pro is a mid-drive car and is said to have excellent ballance and nuetral handling characteristics due to its mid-drive design. Similar to the RC Labs 7even 6.0. I've been wanting to get one for a second car for myself. But the Assoc. TC3 is screaming loudly to get it instead :) . There is one online store that I know of that carries Hong Nor in Aus. - it is Radio Model Supplies (http://www.radiomodels.com.au/). Plus they have the replacement parts.

My International is 190mm in width so I use the 190mm bodies. I suppose you can make it 200mm if you wanted to. It would be quite easy actually. Just a few twists on the pillow ball hubs and presto. I think the CV's and dogbobes are long enough but I'd check first. The Pro looks to have carbon fibre upper and lower as well. The ones I've seen have anyways. The Stock does not use the carbon fibre.

Anyways, have fun with the car. Just remember to get a faster moter for it.

[kato]

One more question though, did the RTR package come with a 27 mhz or 75 mhz radio? we can run 27 mhz here in Oz - but not 75.

Thanks.

[spenzalii]

27 Mhz. And unless you're doing sanctioned racing, you can still fit a 200 mm body on the car. I've even seen some people put a 190mm on some nitro cars if the body is right.

[chucksolo]

I bought this car over the weekend at Ultimate Hobbies for $159.99 and installed a GM3 Pro motor in it. This thing is so smooth it is amazing and FAST too. One question though. How do I prevent the beautiful chassis from getting scratched up. I hate to put the AE chassis protector on it because the sticky glue always comes off and stays on the chassis when you go to change it out. How about a layer of duct tape? Any suggestions would be appreciated. It just seems a shame to scratch up such a great looking piece of graphite.

[ZoomZoom]

Hey there chucksolo. Welcome to the OB4 club :D . I'm glad you like the car.

As far as the chassis getting all scratched up, Theres not much I could do to prevent it from getting scratched. I put on some Associated 30lb. springs (purple) and 50 wt. shock oil which helped a lot but the rear end of the chassis would still hit once in a while on rough pavement. The stock shock setup was too soft for my liking. It's a shame realy cuz the shiny woven graphite is just a beauty to behold. Oh well, mine is all 'broken in' so the scratches doesn't even bother me anymore.

Be sure to post some of your set-ups that work for you here so we can try them out. I've got a couple myself but just need to gather up the info.

Oh, and try some of that citrus-based cleaner ('Orange Clean' of somthing) to get adhesive off. It works wonders for servo-tape.

[spenzalii]

What'cha know, our little crew is growing:p
Scratches are par for the course buddy. You can use the chasis protector and just clean it off with some good adhesive remover, like the stuff from 3M. Stiffening the chasis will help, but be careful, as it may hurt depending on what surface you're driving on. The car is probably the best value in R/C going; more people should give OFNA a shot. For the car to look really trick, try swapping the diffs with Robinson Racing aluminum diffs for the RS4. They'll fit and match the purple motif they have going already. You should have seen this one guy that spent a rack of dough on his RS4 Pro2 for it to look like my OB4...
Be sure to post some pics too. May as well see the beast:cool:

[ZoomZoom]

Damn!!! I broke my Rear Wheel Axle Shaft :( :mad: . It broke off while I was tightening down the rear wheel. Must've been cracked already because I hardly tightened it and it sheared off. Oh well, I guess I'll pick up some other replacement parts while I'm at Larry's Performance RC. Got any suggestions on what parts are prone to breakage? I was thinking the suspension arms, body posts and front bumper would be obvious choices.

[chucksolo]

Bummer about your broken parts. Is it difficult to get OFNA parts? The parking lot where we race is smooth so I think just adjusting the ride height will help with the scratching problem. It worked on my Nitro 4-Tec. I have run there for a couple of months now and there are very few scratches on the 4-Tec's aluminum chassis. By the way, I am beginning to like this car more than my TC3.;)

[ZoomZoom]

hmmmm...starting to like the OB4 more than your TC3, eh? And I was thinking about the TC3 for my next car :rolleyes: . This is my first car so I have nothing to compare it to. But it is fast and does handle great!

I was concerned about parts when I got it but I found a LHS that stocks OB4 parts. They sell the kit too. I would have bought the kit from them if I knew they were around. But yeah, I've broken my rear diff block and rear axle shaft now and they carry parts in numbers :cool: . I drive far too aggresively for my skill level. I need to take it down a notch :( . I am going to get a bunch of replacement parts for when I start racing. Which by the way, the LHS I mentioned has an indoor carpet track in the back and race every Fri. night :cool: :cool: :cool: .

[spenzalii]

Broken Axle? Sucks! The only thing I broke on mine was the front bumper and the shock tower. Of course, that was because my friend drove it into a parked car... Oh, and I snapped the steering knuckle when I broke a ball stud off. All were easy fixes. If you have a good LHS, he can get parts for your OB4, but most have to order them.

[chucksolo]

One of my main beefs with the TC3 is that changing spur gears is a royal pain in the butt. In order to change it, you have to disassemble the whole back diff housing. Checking gear mesh is pretty much impossible too. You have to rely on the old note paper method to set it up. Also, both my belt drive cars are super quiet and smoother feeling, the TC3 is somewhat mechanically loud. Don't get me wrong, I love the TC3, it's just that the OB4 as well as my 4-Tec seem much smoother.

[spenzalii]

Wow, that's odd. I Always heard the TC3 was one of the smoothest on the block, right next to the XXX-S (which can coast 4ever). Go fig. I gotta save up and get another soon. My project if for a 12 cell OB4, assuming the cells will fit on the chasis

[chucksolo]

I guess I just like the OB4 because just looking at the thing is impressive. I feel like for the first time I have a real "race" type vehicle in the OB4.

[spenzalii]

They just opened up a hobby shop 12 minutes from my house! I am so stoked! :D I went out friday and they ran their cars after the shop closed. As the only electric out there, I still represented. I saw a SNRS4 outrun a MRX-3! Plus, I caught up with some folks that helped me out when I first started. I didn't leave out until 2 in the morning!Good times. On the downside, I did fry my esc. It won't go forward anymore :mad: Oh well, it was only rated for 13 turns, and I ran my 12 in there hard for 6+ months. Can't complain. Now to see what else is out here. How did you guys do?

[ZoomZoom]

Hey spenz, that's kewl about the LHS opening by you :cool: . Sounds like you had a good time. Was it a PL trackb race that the LHS set up?

It rained all day Saturday for me so I didn't get my "chores" done. So I had to do it Sunday which was a perfect and beautiful day for racing. I was pissed that I had to miss out yet again. Oh well. I did pick up a 19X3 motor to ease the pain :D . A peak Thunderbolt. It is a budget mod but it is quite fast with a 39T pinion and 124T spur. I'll use it for my mod class.

I'll need new tires too. The pro-compound X-Patterns are pretty worn. It seems to be wearing a groove on the inside shoulder of all the tires. Is this typical? Camber is small at -1 deg. all around. with a soft suspension setup. I'm think about getting the Team Sorex 32R, HPI B15-40 Slicks or the Pro-Line H13 Slicks. Whachu think?

[spenzalii]

The Pro-Line H13 should give you good wear and decent traction. Their S2 or S3 tread will be even stickier, but they won't last too long. I've only heard good things about the Sorex tires. If you're wearing the tires on the inside all around, try going with 0 degree camber. Most often, camber is set for tire wear more than anything else.

I ordered some rubber slicks from RdLogics the other day. I was interested because they were solid rubber, just like the tires on your real car, and required no inserts. They also made colored slicks (blue, yellow, purple, red). Unfortunately, they discontinued the line until further notice. However, they are selling their current stock dirt cheap. I managed to get 6 pair for 35 bucks! Even if they suck, it's a steal for some practuce tires. I'll let you know how they run. Oh, and I went on and ordered the Duratrax 8T pro ESC. Hopefully it will be in B4 Friday.

The lot racing was just for show and bragging rights:no track, no sanctions, Just run what you brung and see who's the fastest. They should have an 'official' race at the community college around the corner in a week or 2.

[ZoomZoom]

Hey spenz, you mentioned previously that you had the ProLine V-Rage tires in the S2 compound. How was that tire? The LHS has the V-Rage in the softer S3 compound. How's the wear on yours or the S3. Compare it to you X-Pattern pro's you have as far as wear and grip. My X-patterns wore pretty quickly.

Others I was considering were the Sorex's I mentioned earlier as well as the Take Off CS.

[ZoomZoom]

OK, after a bit of looking around, I'm gonna try a set of GS Medial Pro IAS tires in soft or medium compound. This tire has a molded in insert made of the actuall tire material so I don't have to pay for inserts. I'll let you know how they run.

Out, for now.

[chucksolo]

This weekend, I relocated my top shock mounts to the hole in the shocktower immediately under where the shock was mounted at the factory. It gave me enough clearance so the chassis doesn't get severly damaged when I run on unprepared surfaces.

When I was doing this, I noticed that the shocks are held on the a-arm by ball cups. This is the first car I have seen with this arrangement. Have you guys had any problems with these things popping off the lower shock mount? This kind of concerns me since all my other cars have screws that mount the shock to the a-arm.

I hope this car doesn't end up being too fragile for the type of parking lot racing that me and my buddies do on the weekends.:confused: Anyway, I love the car. Hopfully it will have been a wise purchase.

[ZoomZoom]

Chuck,

The lower shock mount hasn't been a problem for me yet. And I've taken them of a few times too for rebuilding and testing springs and shock oil. Where I practice it is pretty rough with heaved sidewalks and curbs up driveways. I've broken a couple things already, but if you saw the spills, you would understand why they broke. I've rolled my car numerous times (and I'm talking smultiple revolutions and awkward landings) without damage. The shock mount have never gave way. My body looks like hell but so far, my OB4 has been pretty tough.

I use the lower set of shock mounts on the shocktower myself. The middle one to be exact. I like the way it handles from that location.

[chucksolo]

Great, that's good to hear. My buddies and I usually make a Tri-Oval out of racing cones and corner dots and it gets pretty intense with a lot of paint swapping and sometimes full speed t-boning going on. So far, the only casualty has been my electric 4-Tec that popped a steering nuckle. BTW - When we race it is usually two seriously hopped up Traxxas Street Sports, My AE TC3, My E 4-Tec (my brother drives it) and now my OB4. I know you aren't gonna believe this, but the darn Street Sports kick some royal butt. Those things fly. The downside is, you have to drive those things with finesse since they tend to spin out a lot. I can't wait to take them on with my OB4. I can't believe how light it is compared to the TC3 and 4-Tec. I just wanted to make sure that it's gonna be just as durable as the other cars. Those other guys jaws just dropped when they saw me prepping my OB4. I can't wait till this weekend!!:D

[ZoomZoom]

Sounds like a blast, chuck :cool: . I've been eager to race my OB4 myself. Is it really lighter than your TC3? It felt light to me, but it being my first car and all, I had nothing to compare it to. Yeah, that's the advantage of having direct drive in your Traxxas, efficient and fast.

The OB4 is a sight to behold with all its shiny woven graphite. All my friends, neighbors and the mailman were very impressed. What "goodies" are you puting in your OB4. Be sure to post any setups you find that works for you. Oh, and the Associated springs will fit on the OB4's shocks. It's a bit on the tight side but they do work well.

[chucksolo]

Right now it is pretty much stock except for the Trinity Green Machine Pro 3 and the Robinson Racing pinion gear I installed. I pretty much just discarded the stock "silver" can motor that came with it the first thing after I brought it home. I just ordered a new HPI Ford GT40 body that I'm gonna paint in red and white ala the BTCC car. Yes, it is A LOT lighter than my TC3. It's hard to figure out what to put on the car since it already has a lot of "goodies" on it. After this weekend, I may put in another ESC. I have an XTM Sportsman ESC on my 4-TEC and depending on how the GM Pro3 does against the other cars, I may install another XTM ESC in my OB4 and put the stock OB4 ESC in my electric Rustler. The XTM is rated to handle down to 15 turn mod motors, but one of the guys at my LHS is running one in his TC3 with a 14T Trinity motor. I guess you just have to gear it right. I have had the XTM ESC in my 4-Tec for over a year and it performs flawlessly. I have it running a Trinity 17T Monsters of Touring mod motor.

[ZoomZoom]

Here's a link to Fastener Express (http://www.fastener-express.com). They have all kinds of screws, bolts, nuts in aluminum (anodized in different colors), steel, etc. So if you wanna lighten up you OB4 with some purple anodized 7075 aluminum hex head screws, then click on the link already :D . I'm placing my order right now.

[chucksolo]

Ok, it's confirmed. I went out and ran the OB4 against my 4-Tec and TC3. The 4-Tec is slightly faster than the TC3, but the OB4 is faster than both.

The TC3 has a Peak F1 motor in it and the 4-Tec has a 17 T Trinity Monsters of Touring mod motor in it. The OB4 has a GM Pro 3 All have ESCs and full ball bearings. I really think it is the weight factor. The 4-Tec is the heaviest.

Handling wise, the OB4 is best with the TC3 being second. For some reason, the OB4 has absolutely NO evidence of body roll, although I don't thik it comes with sway bars. The TC3 has minimal body roll. The 4-Tec has extreme body roll and I think with the addition of sway bars, it could be just as good as the other two.

[ZoomZoom]

Sweet! OB4 the fastest!?!? That's encouraging to hear. Since I haven't raced yet I've been wondering how it would stack up. So when I race and lose, it'll be due to my skills, or lack there of :p :D .

The OB4 does have sway bars front and rear. It's one of those 2-piece designs. I took the rears off to make the rear end more active. I have noticed little body roll if any also. You should try one of those "lightweight" Protoform NASCAR bodies on it and see what difference that makes :D .

What version TC3 do you have. The Factory Team TC3 is suppose to be "the sh1t" in touring cars. At least 1/2 the guys around here race them.

I just got back from Larry's Performance RC with some medium compound Medial Pro IAS tires and white HPI 10-Spoke wheels. The IAS's are super tacky to the touch. More so than any other tire I have handled. The guy at Larry's said they have really good wear to them also. Gonna glue 'em and run 'em tonite or tomorrow.

[spenzalii]

Sounds good, gentlemen!
It's shocking that a GM3 can outrun a 17 turn, chuck. were you running for all out speed, or on a track. Remember also, if they weren't geared properly, they can and will be beat. Either way, great for the OB4!

The car should do really well in the races. They have nice balance and reasonable weight. However, in a sanctioned race, it really depends more on the driver than the car, all things being more or less equal. Not many people run the OB4, though. The car is extremely overlooked, probably becayse of its RTR status. But with the proper electronics, it will get out and run down the big boys. Don't know if it's as quick as my XXX-S, though.

I got the pure rubber tires the other day. They're like SuperBalls that you used to get out the candy machine. They should stick something fierce if the track is right! The only downside is they're red, and my car happend to be green/silver. Not the best match, but if they stick, who cares! Let me know how the races go and how those Medial's hold up.

[chucksolo]

It really isn't that hard to understand really, since the Monsters of Touring motors are bushed and are pretty much budget motors. They are only 18 bucks at Hobby People. I have the GM3 Pro that is "dyno tuned" and it costs twice as much as the other motor. I think the whole thing is in the weight though. The drive train on the 4-Tec doesn't seem as silky smooth as on the OB4 either even with the full bearing set. I think the issue is more one of rolling mass. The 4-Tec has those cast metal diffs and the heavy chassis. I am convinced that a premium competition stock motor like the GM3 Pro is heads up better than those cheap mod motors. Now if I was to put in a D4 mod in the 4-Tec, then it would probably be a different story. In any case, the track we set up will definately tell the whole story. I'll let you know how it turns out.

One thing I don't get, with the price of these cars being soooo good, why don't more people buy these things? The OB4 is definately the sweetest electric car I have driven. By the way, I have the TC3 RTR.

[ZoomZoom]

I guess people see that it is RTR and snub their noses at it. But if they just realize that the chassis is a really good one and a few hop ups can make it competitive in any class, then I guess things would be different. Also some people like to build from a kit too. Oh well, their loss. I may just get another one :D . At that price, you could almost get 2 OB4's for the price of a Factory Team TC3. Then factor in the electrics that are still usable in stock class :cool: . You could have one OB4 set up for stock and one for mod :cool: .

[spenzalii]

The 4Tec is a heavy piece of work. I'm glad I didn't get one for my first. And true, the OB4 is qiite smooth. I ran down a TC3 on 7 cells with mine. Needless to say, he wants a rematch. It's still about the gearing, though, regardless of what motor you have in there. But you put it right on the nose ZZ. RTR gets very little respect in the RC world. But we can show 'em! Huzzah!

[dolemite01]

I apologize if this is bad question.

I'm going to also be buying to the OB4 after reading the thread for awhile.

Where can i find what bodies will fit the OB4 so that I can purchase one when purchasing the RTR kit.

Thanks in advance.

[ZoomZoom]

Hey dolomite01, just about any body from like HPI or Protoform will fit. The kit comes with an Andy's Accord body but for some reason mine came with a Protoform Accord. I'm getting an HPI Audi TT body next.

Spenz and chucksolo,

Lost my RC racing virginity today. It was a Michigan 'points series' race that brought out a bunch of racers. Some really good ones too. And it was a beautiful day. I was hoping they had a novice/beginner class but they didn't. Made a good showing though by pulling off a 7th out of 10 in my race. Stripped out a servo right at the end of the Q. I think the boards were magnetized or something :p . The 2nd Q was more disaterous. About 3-4 laps into it, I rounded a fast turn and straightened the wheel out a bit early and caught my right wheel on a seam in the boards. I shattered my steering plate. I was going to try to CA it back together but when carbon fiber breaks, there's no repairing. At least not this time. It just splintered into peices. No other damage though but that was the day for me. Didn't have a spare for that part. Damn!!! I was finally settled down after my first race and was putting down some good laps too. Oh well. Theres always next week. Chalk this one down to the learning curve. Man, was I ever jacked up and grinning ear to ear after my first race. But when I was up there, my hands were like trembling all over. Adrenaline, what a wonderful thing.

The Medial Pro's were hooking up really nice. Even in the 1st Q, where I had my car set up way too stiff, it was geting around fast. It looked cool to 4-wheel drift around turns but it did nothing for my lap times. Still remained pretty neutral in handling though. For the 2nd Q, I put in the stock springs (much softer) and gave it a bit more camber and there was traction-a-plenty. I put in some fast lap times then, at least until my unfortunate demise. I shoulda waited for the Main to be so aggressive. Got caught up in the moment. I was actually haning with the fast guys for a couple laps. I learned a lot today about the racing and about myself. So I guess it was a good day if I take that away from today.

I bought a pack of matched Sanyo 3000HV's for the race. WOW!!!...'nuf said. Built my first saddle pacck too. Easy with the Deans Speed Jig. I'm converting my stick packs into saddle now. Slight improvement in handling too with the saddle's. I could've geared up more but I decided to play it safe. Oh, and if you do get some Medial Pro IAS's, gear up a tooth or two. They are smaller in diameter than the other tires I've used.

Well, that was my day. Hope yours faired better. Peace...out.

[spenzalii]

Welcome Dolemite! To chime in on ZZ's point, any body, 190 or 200mm will fit. Before painting and mounting the car, place the body over the chasis and mark where the body posts are and you should be good. I had a Audi TT (blue with a racing stripe, keep it simple ZZ!), Lotus Elise and a 2001 Eclipse.

Didn't get too much done this week. I had my son Sat., so I wanted to spend some time with him. That and my ESC didn't come in until then. It took me most of the evening to get it in, but I have the Duratrax 8t Pro installed in my machine. I haven't got a chance to read the instructions yet, but it should go great. I also had to change the brushes in my P94. So I only got to run it briefly today. Now my allergies are acting up. D'oh! I've got to get some rims for the RDLogics rubber tires I got, so I haven't tried them yet.

[dolemite01]

Thanks!

I had seen the chassis is 200mm so i didn't know if a 190 would fit.
THeres some nice bodies in 190 that i adore.

Hoping to buy the car friday if ultimatehobbies.com has it for that low price if not ill have to save a few weeks

(Wife = banker thing) =/

[ZoomZoom]

Good deal alert!!! - Pro-Match Racing Panasonic Stock Metal Hydrides (@30A discahrge - 350+ sec., 1.130V+, 16-18 IR) (http://www.promatchracing.com/Panasonic3000.htm) - $39.99 for 6 matched cells.

[chucksolo]

Ok, here is the verdict. Set up a great track at a local high school yesterday. All five cars line up. Non racing buddy yells go. I get the holeshot and just pull away from the other cars. I could not believe the speed and handling of this car!!! The two Street Sports could catch me on the straights with their speed, but in the turns, sorry boys, you are outclassed. The OB4 was acting like it was a slot car. I could point it anywhere and it just stuck to the pavement. The TC3 could hang on handling, but on the straights I blew past him and actually bumped him out of the way. The 4-Tec was FAST, but too much body roll in the turns so he had to slow way down. I won 5 out of 6 races and lost one because one of the SS got frustrated and took me out.:D I didn't care though because I finally saw what this car can do. When he took me out, I rolled at least 6 times and did absolutely NO damage. I can't wait for next week.;)

[spenzalii]

Huzzah! The Ob4 wins again!

Dolemite: The OB4 is actually 190mm; the Nitro OB4 is 200mm. Get the body you want, you'll be fine.

Good going at the races Chuck. Maybe fewer people will underestimate this car. It's such a better deal than any Tamiya RTR, and would be better off than the TC3 RTR if it weren't for it's name cache and parts availability.

Any luck with that stereing link ZZ? You could probably jury rig something with a sliver of aluminum for the time being. How tight did you have the servo saver? Sounds like it didn't help at all. Don't fret, I did the same thing with my servo. Swapped it for a HiTec and never looked back.

[chucksolo]

One side note to my tale of racing this weekend. On one hotly contested race, the TC3 was actually giving me a run when he was unable to turn and ran into a curb. At first he thought his radio had glitched as he had no control. After the race, I discovered that the steering mechanism had a pebble in it that caused the steering to stop before it turned full lock. That is one weakness with the TC3 steering system, it is prone to debris falling into it.

In any case, this car, with the right motor is one of the best kept secrets in RC. Especially at the price!! Dolemite, I was assured by Ultimate Hobbies that $159.95 is their price on this car....period. They usually have them in stock, although they do have to re-order often. Consider the fact that my TC3 RTR was bought for $219.99 at Hobby People, my Traxxas 4-Tec was $174.95 bone stock and adding all the hopups make it price out at $220.00 You can see that all I have added is a motor at $30.00 (Green Machine Pro 3) and it still prices out at 40-50 bucks less than the other cars. I may pick up another one!!!

[ZoomZoom]

Spenz,

My LHS has the steering plate in stock. It seems the carry all the parts for the OB4 in good quantity. Too bad it is the LHS that is furthest away from me.

I've been thinking more about the carbon fiber steering plate. I thought that carbon fiber was suppose to be really strong. I had the turnbuckles mounted on the outer holes so that left the inner holes free. Not too much carbon fiber there around the inner hole if you ask me. And that's exactly where it broke. I was thinking of going to the GPM 7075 aluminum steering plate from Hobby Etc. (http://www.hobbyetc.com/cgi-bin/catalog2.cgi?make=OFNA&car_id=28). You think it will be stronger than the carbon fiber? And like I said, not a hint of damage anywhere in the right front corner. I didn't adjust the servo saver. It is set as is from the factory. I did test it and it didn't seen too tight. It didn't take a lot of force as I pushed on the servo saver arms for it to cam. I really don't know though how to check if it is too tight.

I converted all my 2400 NiCD stick packs to saddle packs. It was pretty easy. As I cut the packs open, I noticed that the cells were wrapped in a plactic wrap as well as a cardboard tube. Probably holds in a lot of heat as the pack discharges. I took the cells down to the bare metal case and got some single-cell shrink wrap so I wouldn't short them out. Just by looking at it, it seems I lowered my CG by going to saddles And they should be able to run a bit cooler now.

[spenzalii]

Hmmm. I'll have to give that a shot myself. I plan on building two 7 cells as my standard run packs for my XXX-S and a 10 cell hyper pack for small speed runs. I only hope I don't fry my new esc along the way.

Is the GPM unit for the Nitro or Electric? I saw some of their parts, and while they look good, I would hate to buy them and it be just a bit off. I figure you could shorten the tie rods in that case, though

[ZoomZoom]

Yeah, looks like the mounting hole pattern is slightly different than the carbon fiber one. But like you said, just adjust the tie rods. I was looking on the Ofna website and the Nitro OB4 doesn't use the steering plate. The servo is mounted to the top plate upside-down.

I got a question for ya, how would the 2 different mounting holes on the steering plate affect handling? It is for Ackerman, right?

There's enough room for a 7-cell saddle pack on the chassis. One side is obstructed by the lower belt tensioner but the other side (servo side) is clear.

[spenzalii]

Yeah, it's the Ackerman thing. And there is a way to cram a few more batteries on... Stack them up!

[chucksolo]

About a year ago, I was given a bunch of R/C stuff by a friend who went into the military. Among the stuff were two Peak Performance motors. One was a green colored motor labeled Formula F1 and the other was a hot pink motor labeled Peak Performance on a yellow background. Rick Howart told me on the Peak Performance forum that the Formula F1 motor is very rare as they were specifically made for Tamiya F1 cars and only for a couple of shops. The other motor (pink one) is a 36 degree (timing) stock motor now illegal for racing. After reading the posts about motor timing on these forums, I gather that the 36 degree stock motor is pretty fast due to the timing. I also gather that it will run hotter than standard 24 degree stock motors. My question is: Should I put this motor in my OB4 to replace my GM3? I would then put the GM3 into my TC3 RTR and save the Formula F1 motor (now in the TC3) as a collector's item. Give me your opinions. Since I race my cars in unsactioned racing with my buddies on parking lots, it wouldn't matter that the 36 degree stock motor is non ROAR legal.

[spenzalii]

Is it a stock motor? Or a mod moto with a good degree of timing advance? The best suggestion I have would be to put it in and try it out: see how it runs thru some packs, check the brushes, etc and then make the choice. It sounds like your track is 'run-what-u-brung', so if it seems to make a difference, swap'em. It makes it easier to have matching connectors so you can change the motor as the need arises. I would also make sure your LHS has the correct brushes for it (some motors, like older Kyosho models, use propriety brushes!) or go to Peak's web site and see if they can give you any heads-up:cool:

[chucksolo]

Yes, it is a stock motor. Rick Howart from Peak Perfomance told me up on their forum that it will definately be faster than a normal 24 degree stock motor. This will be at the expense of runtime though. I'm gonna install it and see what happens.

[spenzalii]

Chuck,
They stole the OB4 almost a year ago. I'm currently running a XXX-S, but when ZZ started the thread, I had to help him out, since I loved the car so much and still remembered what I had done to it.

[ZoomZoom]

...and I appreciate all your help too spenz. Thanks again :D .

BTW, I'm doing something really crazy with my OB4...stay tuned...

[spenzalii]

No Problem ZZ, just glad to help the cause. If i weren't saving for a nitro setup, I'd get another right now. Bu I will soon enough. Just out of curiosity, what are you planning to do?

[ZoomZoom]

Peaked your interest , eh? MuHahahahaaa :D :D :D .

Actually, it ain't all that I'm building it up to be. Kinda stupid really. I'll tell ya soon enough.

Hey, I bought a Novak Millenium charger. These any good? I bought it off one of the local racers. Actually, he builds motors for a few of the LHS's. More of a tuner. I think he does his own winds. His Motors are called BigBlockStocks and BigBlockMods. Quite a few of the racers use his motors, especially the off-roaders. Finding a BigBlock around here is rare as he only builds in small numbers. Anyways, he got 2 Milleniums for his racing but ended up using only 1. It is in perfect condition. I'd swear it's new. I bought a Deans bulb discharger w/ Black Box II off of him a while back. Again, in excellent condition.

[spenzalii]

Yeah, that's a great charger! you may notice your packs have a bit more snap once yoy tweak the settings. Check the manual

[ZoomZoom]

Yeah, I'm pretty excited about the Millenium. I have a MRC Super Brain 959 right now and it seems to false peak often. Still a decent charger for the price I guess, but I can't have false peaking on race day. That just won't cut it.

It's Father's Day this Sunday. My wife is being awfully secretive about what she got me. I think it's a canopy for race days
:cool: . Man, it pisses her off to no end when I guess my gifts. I,ve been eyeing a buggy (Losi XXX), but I seriously doubt she got me that.

Will your son be with you Sunday? Hopefully you and he can be together for Father's Day. I treasure the time I spend with my 2 daughters, so for you, it must be even more special. Anyways, if I don't catch ya between now and then, from one dad to another, have a good Father's Day.

[spenzalii]

Probably not. My son's mother is having a hissy fir for one reason or another and suspended my visits with him for the last week and a half. It may be her manic depression acting up acain (I wish I were making that up). While it saddens me, we go before the judje one more time Monday, so hopefully her unkind actions will not go unnoticed and unpunished.

In the interim, I think I'll need to upgrade my charger as well. My Vision Peak Plus has a bad habit of false peaking. One charge will go the normal time on a pak, the next time it will only charge for 8 minutes and shut off! Definately not good. Oh well, when I get the change, I'll probably get the Reedy charger and see how that works.

[spenzalii]

Happy Father's Day All!

I finally got the pic's of my bodies up. I need to get the files smaller so I can post them here. Until then, here's the site:
Digital Fridge (http://www.digitalfridge.com/dfPersonalFridge.asp?iDFFridgeID=45661&iDFPageID=1)

If the link doesn't work, let me know...

[spenzalii]

Here's some smaller pics of my body
Stratus:

[spenzalii]

...And the Mustang

[spenzalii]

...and finally
The GT40

[ZoomZoom]

Sweet spenz!!! Do you race these? Nice job on the paint.

I bought a buggy. A Losi XXX Kinwald. So now I just gotta get the electrics for it :p . I figured I might as well give off-road a go considering that there is an indoor off-road track + LHS 5 min. from my house. Awesome track layout. Looks like a blast too.

OK, now for the 'crazy' thing I was doing...

All this talk about the OB4 having no body roll got me to thinking of why. So I found this site called RC Car Handling (http://home.tiscali.be/heremanss/)where they talk about suspension alignments, roll centers, center-of-gravity and so forth. Then I took a pic of my car with a digi-cam from directly rear and in front of the car. At work, I traced the pic into CAD, scaled it, and proceeded to calculate the roll centers and roll moments. I estimated the CG but I should be pretty close on that. I found out that the roll center of the car is actually below the ground level (about 1/4"). This may explain the minimal body roll while turning but it also should increase the roll monment (distance between roll center and CG, hopefully you've read the guide by now) and thus increase the body roll. I'm a bit puzzled by my findings so maybe y'all can help out on an explaination. Every other TC I've seen has tons of body roll in cornering compared to the OB4 even with a soft setup. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Iknow, I know...I got too much time on my hands... :p

[chucksolo]

Zoom, if I'm not mistaken, the OB4 comes with anti sway bars stock. At least mine did. Both my 4-Tec and TC3 have body roll although the TC3 has less than the 4-Tec. It is uncanny how the OB4 doesn't seem to have any body roll at all.:D

[spenzalii]

MUCH too much time on your hands ZZ! The anti roll bars do have an effect, but I believe the way the geometry is set has more to do with it than anything. I would suppose some roll is good, depending on the track, tires, etc. Too much roll, however, will 'push' the car off its line in a corner, thus slowing reaction time.

I hope you like the pics. The Stratus is my daily driver. I did that myself with 2 spray cans and some Team Orion stickers (the fastest way to go!). I lot of people like that. The GT40 I took ti the indoor track. I let my buddy drive, and found out he has VERY bad hand-eye coordination. It has a few scratches, and unfortunately I managed to rub the paint off a spot or two on the hood, but it looks OK. I don't run that one too often because I need to fix the wheel arches. One of them keeps getting stuck for some reason. The Boss 302 does not get any play time. I had that done at a shop, and he mixed the paint I wanted perfectly. That will not get scratched.

I'm not sure if the DF link worked. I'll try to fix that sometime this weekend.

[ZoomZoom]

I took both roll bars off at one point but the put the fronts back on. I keep the rears off for asphalt. The rear end seems to stick better that way. I do believe it is the geometry though. And I think the fact it corners so flat is the reason that I'm putting a grove on the inside of the tires. "...uncanny..." is right chuck. I have minimal camber (-1 deg. max.) and ran it without camber for a while. But then the outside was wearing too fast.

Yeah spenz, the DF link was broken. Good thing you posted them afterwards. All three are stellar paintjobs. I wouldn't run the 'stang either. It's too cool to run! :cool:

My next body is going to be an Audi TT from HPI. So far, that is my fav. I'll just do a simple one-color paintjob for that cuz I will be racing it.

[chucksolo]

Nice paint jobs Spenz. I too got a GT40 body and put it on my TC3 RTR painted in the blue and white factory colors. I really want to put a different body on my OB4 and am thinking about the BTCC Ford Mondeo painted in the red and white team colors instead of the blue and yellow. I did notice my OB4 tires grooving on ther inside. I guess that's the price for zero body roll.

Last week I got into a head on collision with my nephew's Street Sport with both of us going full throttle. No damage other than my right shock was pushed in on the pin/bolt that connects it to the shock tower. This is one durable car. My fears about the ball cups on the bottom shock mounts are now gone. Those things do stay put.

What do you guys think about HPI X pattern radials as replacement tires once the original tires wear out? They are on sale at Hobby People for 9.95 a pair. I am beginning to like this car more and more as I drive it.

[spenzalii]

Keep an eye on your camber settings. Most drivers try to adjust the camber to match tire wear, regardless of degree. Also, depending on how the track is set up, the camber will change. More left hand turns will put cornering forces on the outside tire and so forth. Unless you're needing 5 deg. toe, in which case something is seriously out of wack, you should be alright.

Great ideas for the bod's. As I mentiones, I had a Audi TT. Wait, I still do have the body! It's a little banged up, though, but it has the holes cut for the OB4. Metallic Blue w/ double Silver racing stripe. If you want it, I can send it to you to bash around with ZZ. The Modeno/Contour is a great alternative to all the Accord/Stratus bodies they have out. And it's a Ford! Huzzah! I only wish I still had my Eclipse. Wait 'till I paint another one of those...

The X radials are a pretty good all around tire. I lean toward the V rage myself (the same ones on the TC3), but they tend to wear quickly. Can't beat the price. I still have to get those rubber tires on the track. The yellor ones will go so well with the GT40...

[ZoomZoom]

Spenz and I both have the X-Patterns and we are in agreement that it is a great tire when it is warm out. Right spenz? :) The surface needs to be warm/hot for them to hook up. Here in Michigan and in the cool Spring, they were not the ideal choice. But now that it has warmed up, I have no problems using them. I'm speaking of the Pro-Compound tires of course. The wear on them is not the best but what can you expect from a soft compound.

The tire of choice for me though is the Medial Pro IAS tires. They have a molded in insert so you won't need to buy foam inserts or settle for sub-standard foams that are included with many tires. They come in 3 compounds (soft, medium, hard). I have the mediums and let me tell you, they HOOK UP!!! They are inexpensive too. I got them for $11.88/pr. from my LHS. I highly recommend them!!! I'll be racing them again this weekend, weather permitting.

I bought HPI 10-Spoke wheels for them but they seem to be a bit to flexible for my taste. Whack a board good and they will give (which in a way is good) but then ya gotta run them with a wiggle until you can bend them back. I found some wheels from SpeedMind (http://www.magmarc.com/pages/catalog/magma.htm) that are suppose to be ultra stiff and strong. So I'll give those a try when I get a chance. I'll update ya then.

I bought a pack of B & T matched Panasonic Ultra Metals 3000mAh cells. They are suppose to have the punch of NiCD's and the runtime of Sanyo 3000HV's. I know you can get the punch out of HV's if you charge them at or above 7 amps but the Ultra Metals are said to have the same punch while charged at 5 amps. Much better for cell life. They recommend not to charge them above 5 anyways as they are more sensitive to over-charging. I've run them back to back with my B & T matched Sanyo 3000HV's and the runtime is identical. They did seem to have a bit more punch, but in all honesty, I couldn't tell you for sure. They are very close.

I'm looking at trading one of the local racers one of my old computers ($250) for a used Hudy Tech Lathe w/ V-blocks, a Tekin 411-G2 ESC, and a JR digital servo (forgot the model but it is fast and hi-torque). He's askin about $250 for those things. What ya think? I know my comm's need cutting bad and I need electrics for my Kinwald buggy.

Wow, got carried away there on the post... :p Catcha on the flip-side.

[spenzalii]

when did you get the buggy ZZ? Good choice, though.

I still think 3000's are overkill for stock class racing. Most people around here prefer the 2400s. Cheaper overall (though not necessarily) and more overall punch no matter what (1.2 vs 1.15-17). Unless you guys run 8 minute mains like they do 1/12 cars, they should be fine. However, as they said in Spaceballs, 'Smoke if you got 'em...'. Good price for the items you were going to trade for. I would be careful with the esc, though. Word is Tekin is out of business, so if you break/fry that thing, it may not be able to be repaited. Of course, you could rewire it if you are so technically inclined, but most of us are not. You could start charging $1 per comm cut if you really wanted to. Nice to have, but somewhat overkill, especially if you aren't running foams. I'd still take them off his hands, though, especially if the computer is just sitting for spare parts, as I imagine it's doing.

[ZoomZoom]

Yeah spenz, I got the buggy about 7 posts ago :D . Seems everyone recommends a Losi for off-road. So when the opportunity presented itself for sale, I jumped all over it. $100 and it is in excellent condition. Every time I go to the LHS 5 min. from my house, I always stay and watch the practices and races (on race days). I marshall on practice days and the guys really appreciate it so they don't have to keep coming down off the stands. It's the least I can do. I figure I'm gonna be pumping these guys for setups and other info soon so I might as well make a good 1st impression :) .

I got the 3000's in prep. for the mod class I'll start running soon. I'll be getting a couple more mod motors as well as stock motors so I think I'll put the lathe to good use. Yep, and the PC WAS just sitting there taking up space. Actually, the parts were. I just slapped it together. And like you said, I can charge a small fee to cut comms at the track. It'll build a good repoir with the racers that don't have a lathe too. Ah...but I am running foams. At both the asphalt PL track and the carpet track. The carpet track is almost exclusively foams and the asphalt track runs a foam mod class and a spec tire (Sorex) class too.

One of the locals offered me a trade for the computer for a Clod monster truck. MT's looks like a blast but it's not in my agenda right now. And from what I've noticed around here, most of the racers (purists) look down their noses at them. Sad really as they look like fun to race.

Anyways, hopefully the rain will hold off for tomorrow. It's God-awful hot and humid here right now. Gotta get me a canopy! Well, have a good weekend.

BTW, how'd your custody hearing go. Well, I hope.

[gringoloco]

Greetings all! I just ordered my OB-4 from Ultimate It was a toss up. I decided to save a little cash and pass on the TC-3. I also purchased a Green Machine 3 Pro to put in on arrival. I have seen other users with this motor. What is the pitch of the pinion and what are some starting gearings? I'll be driving in a very competitive novice sport and novice stock class. Thanks for the help.

[spenzalii]

64 pitch gears. The stock setup if 35 tooth pinion, 124 tooth spur. Not a bad start for stock. Try swapping to a 120 spur for a little more pickup.

BTW, welcome to our world! There aren't many of us, but if you peruse the thread, you should get all the help you need. We're quite friendly here. Well, most of the time...

[chucksolo]

Good choice gringo! You're gonna see that the car is gonna be plenty fast even without the gear change. I know mine is. I like this car better than my TC3. You won't be disappointed. Make sure you have the right setscrew driver for the pinion on the stock OB4 motor as the motor mount slot is too small for the pinion to pass through when changing the motor. Enjoy!!

[ZoomZoom]

Congrats and welcome to the "club" :D

I'll have to concur with our esteemed OB4 'members'. The stock gearing for the OB4 is most likely about perfect for the GM3. As you may know, the GM3 is an 'RPM' motor so you should be geared fairly low. For my P2K2, which is in between the GM3 (rpm) and the P2K (torque), I use the 36T or 37T pinion and 124T spur (note - I went a tooth up on the layshaft). I was using a 38T pinion but the motor was a bit too 'warm' at that gear. A 35T pinion would be a good place to start and if it gets too 'warm' then drop a tooth or 2 on the pinion. Or if it seems like it can handle more, give her a tooth.

Hey Guys, I bought Big Jim's RC Motor Black Book. Good info on motors, tuning, theory, etc. I recommend you pick a copy up if ya wanna learn more about motors. Get it here (http://www.trafford.com/4dcgi/robotentry) and do a search on "Big Jim's RC Motor Black Book". Or check out Team RCV (http://teamrcv.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=listarticles&secid=3).

[gringoloco]

Thank you all for the advice. I'll be back after the car arrives in the next day or two. I'm going to do some tests with the stock motor to have a reference point and to ensure all is running well. Then I swap the ESC and motor for the race July 6- ought to be a busy week.

[spenzalii]

Just remember to save the stock esc. It will work well in a micro RS4 if you choose to get one. As for the 540 motor, I wouldn't even wait to ditch it.

[chucksolo]

If you're gonna use a competition 27 turn stock motor, the ESC is a very good one for that type of power plant. My GM3 Pro runs great with it. It will handle down to a 19 turn mod, but if you are just gonna race Stock, there would really be no reason to ditch the ESC. It is one of the easiest to set up with the large push button. The motor is definately a dog though.

[spenzalii]

Hi diddley ho neighbors!

It's Sat. And I'm about to hit the LHS after spending all day on my real car. It wasn't hard cleaning my Saturn, but working on my bro's Grand National was a pain. Now time to ge tworking on my esc. I need to change the wiring on my Duratrax 8t Pro. Great value for the money, by the way. I've been running my RDLogics pure rubber tires, and when it's warm, they HOOK! The guy at the hobby shop said the other 2 sets I have will need hard inserts or they will traction roll the tires are so grippy. Can't beat that for the price!

ZZ, the court thing went par for the course. The judge didn't really change his ruling but to lower the child support, so I still won't be able to see Prince unless she lets me. In a surprise move, she brought him over the house yesterday. I was so happy I could cry. It's a beautiful thing being a father.