Latest from www.teamassociated.com. A four-wheel from the AE guys at last!
The Factory Team B44 project came to life in 2003 as a cooperative effort between Team Associated and J Concepts’ Jason Ruona and Brad Reelfs.
After Team Associated’s Ryan Cavalieri won the 2005 IFMAR World Championships in Collegno, Italy with the BJ4 Worlds Edition, Area 51 shifted into overdrive to produce a true ‘Associated’ inspired 4WD buggy that would continue to dominate the 4WD off road racing class. The B44 is the result of this two-year development effort.
During the design and development stages Associated used their extensive and well-proven skills to make a 4WD competition buggy that is better suited to production. The results of this optimization are realized by you, the customer, in a more cost-effective vehicle with more readily available spare parts.
The B44 is built on a 2.5mm woven carbon fiber main chassis and top plate. What’s new is the composite front bulkhead and rear chassis plate. These new features greatly improve overall durability and increase the ground clearance, further enhancing the B44's performance.
Area 51 designers also improved the BJ4’s slipper clutch. The result is the B44’s new externally adjustable, dual pad slipper clutch, which transfers power to the ground more efficiently and effectively.
The B44 employs a hardened steel CVA drivetrain with lightened ball differentials for unparalleled acceleration. The B44 soaks up the bumps using Factory Team hard anodized aluminum threaded shocks with gold shock shafts. The shocks mount to durable 3mm woven carbon fiber shock towers, making the B44 more responsive and giving quicker handling.
The B44 gets the full Factory Team treatment with blue titanium turnbuckles, blue aluminum shock bushings and blue aluminum servo mounts for a car that looks as good as it is fast!
Many Team Associated fans from all over the world have asked us when we are going to build a 4WD buggy. Team Associated is proud to say that day has come with the B44, the only 4WD electric race buggy that comes from a racing heritage with 20 IFMAR World Championships behind it
Features of the Factory Team B44:
• Composite front bulkhead and rear chassis plate for improved durability and more ground clearance
• Externally adjustable, dual pad slipper clutch
• 3mm woven carbon fiber shock towers
• 2.5mm woven carbon fiber main chassis and top plate
• Rear hubs use large .187 x .500 bearing for more durability
• Lightened ball differentials front and rear
• Shaft drive for unparalleled acceleration
• Slotted motor mount for quick and easy installation
• Blue aluminum center bulkhead cap with molded bearing inserts
• Ball bearing steering with adjustable servo save
• Hardened steel CVAs with cross pin retaining clips for ultimate reliability
• Front wheels and hexes are optimized to prevent hex stripping
• Hard anodized aluminum threaded shock bodies with Factory Team gold shock shafts
• Blue Factory Team titanium turnbuckles
• Blue Factory Team aluminum shock bushings
• Blue Factory Team aluminum servo mounts
• Blue Factory Team thumb screws and molded battery straps
This just in from Matt Higgins:
The B44 features a new steering system, hubs, slipper, bumper, gear cases, motor mount and a bunch of other new parts I'm probably forgetting. It looks dialed in person. Here are some "spy" shots I took.
I was going to sell my B4 to get an RB5 to match my ZX5. Now I need to consider selling th ZX5 to match my B4 to this!
Which way should I go???
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