Your T4 truck tech support questions answered!

2 If I lowered my T4 and put street tires on it, would it be decently competitive against some touring cars such as the TC3, assuming they all have similar motors?

Absolutely not! The touring cars will have the advantage of lower center of gravity, body aerodynamics, etc.

3 What advantage does the B4 have over the T4 as a buggy, speed, handling, jumping, acceleration...etc.

The B4 will be better over smooth terrain. The T4 will be better over rougher terrain. The B4 would be faster because it is more aerodynamic and lighter. They both jump well. All these observations are based on gearing the B4 and T4 separately according to their optimum gearing, and assuming the drivers are of equal skill level.

4 What are some FT options a Basher might want to consider?

Stick with the stock material parts as they will allow more flex in an accident.

5 I built a T4 kit and when I turn one of the rear wheels, the other wheel turns in the same direction.

Your diff is working correctly if the wheels turn in opposite directions when you turn it as you did.

6 How do I lower the T4 about a quarter of an inch?

Raising and lowering the car is known as changing the ride height. This adjustment is made by adding or removing preload spacers, those black clips just above the springs on your shocks.

7 What do you recommend as the best method to clean out the bearings if you don't want to remove the seals?

Put the bearing in a plastic bag with some motor spray, and shake the bag gently to get the dirt out. Cheap and simple!

8 Can you put t4 front axles on the b4 so that you can put on truck wheels?

The T4 axles will go onto a B4.

9 I just got a KR 12x2 and all I have to say is WOW! This motor has more power than I know what to do with. I think I will stick to stock racing--my lap times are better, I can keep it on the track.

We get a lot of questions on how to go faster. Most people don't want to admit their car is too fast to control and they must step down! We have cautioned racers that going faster is not always a good idea, because the extra speed makes the car more difficult to control. Your story corroborates this.

10 I have a stock t4 kit, and would like to raise the ground clearance.

To clear the ground more, read the section called Ride Height. You will add spacers to the top of the springs. Push the springs down and push the preload spacers onto the shock body.

11 The RTR T4 always wants to nose down off of a jump

Possible causes, according to the Complete Tuning Guide: T4--
Rear springs too stiff
Front springs too soft
Applying too much brake in flight
Not enough acceleration off jump
Rear ride height too high
Also foam tires are heavier then rubber, but I would look more into setup or throttle control while its in the air.

12 Foam tires for the T3 will fit the T4 just fine. Here are some tips.

Several companies make them. TRC sells them in several compounds. If you're really into foam tires you can shave the beads off the standard rims and make your own the old-fashioned way.

13 What a the top speeds of the B4 and T4 with A 14x2 KR?

You can’t come by that number scientifically. You’ll need to test it with a speed gun.

14 How is changing the roll center of my truck going to affect the handling?

Changing the roll center changes, for the most part, how much you car rolls, which will affect your traction. More roll, more traction; less roll, less traction.

15 Why is it better if your parts have "Zero flex"?

Flex is bad if you want the car to react instantly. Example: If you push a balloon hard to get it going, it will first absorb your finger (flex) before popping away. If you push a ping-pong ball in the same way, it will respond immediately, having less flex. Now imagine the same force against your a-arm, shock tower, and shock combination. With much flex in all three, it would be what the racers call “less responsive.” With carbon parts, the setup would be “more responsive.” Don’t get carbon parts until you are a good driver and have good control (that is, you don’t crash so much), because carbon parts are not stronger than stock composite, but more rigid.

16 Is there a bearing set for the T4 steering rack?

There are bearings for the two bellcranks. The part number is 3971, they fit the T4, B4 and TC3 kits.

17 Do you think that if the B4 and T4 both have the same motor and stuff, will the T4 have a chance on winning?

Not when the drivers have equal skill. The T4 is larger and heavier, and the B4 body is more aerodynamic. If the track was too rough for the buggy, though, then the truck might win.

18 On page 4, step 1 of the instruction manual it lists part #4187 as an .030 washer. Part #4187 is a nylon washer. Why would you use this under the ball stud? Shouldn't part #9630 go there? Also, can the clear nylon shock limiters be used in place of part #4187 for steering block spacers

No, the nylon is just to elevate the height. If it were an area of stress, then it might be best to be metal.

19 Is a buggy better than a truck? I mean is a truck only for beginners or do professionals race trucks?

Read this and decide: http://www.teamassociated.com/questions/2003/q15.electric.or.buggy.htm

20 How do u set the servo saver?

Run the standard kit spring and try upgrading to a metal gear servo. Please understand that there is no guarantee on servos just because you run a servo savor. Servo savers are there to help but if the hit is hard enough you can break the gears.

21 Will a t4 body fit on a t3?

A T4 body will not fit on the T3.

22 Part number: 7802B, black rear truck wheels, do not fit on the T4 axles.

The store sold you the ¼ axle rims instead of the 3/16 axle rims. You will need the #7464 rim.

23 what is a good way to improve slow tight entering and exiting corner steering?
vYou could start with the inline steering blocks and axles. That will make the steering more aggressive going into the corners. The steering block #9577 retail $5.50 pr, and the axle #7459 retail $7.50 pr.

24 What will The inline front axles do for my truck?

You will have a more aggressive steering truck.

25 t3/t4. Is the top shaft the same on the t4 as the t3?

The T4/B4 is different than the T3/B3.

26 Do you make a sway bar for the front T4?

No front sway bar is available.

27 How do I make my large ESC fit?

Try mounting the controller to the rear shock tower.

28 When bolting down the servo saver spring, it doesn't specify how much to tighten this bolt down.

You will tighten the nut down until the shoulder on the nut hits the bellcrank, then you will stop.

29 My truck keeps nose diving when it's in the air.

Give the car more throttle in the air as it will bring the nose of the vehicle up. Using brakes drops the nose of the car in the air. Try moving the battery back, laying in the rear shock locations, or softer rear springs.

30 Are the Pro-Line tires (front and rear) that come with the T4 M3 or M2?

The tires are the M3 compound.

31 Should I apply lube to the tranny gears?
Don’t apply lube to the gears. They are made of a self-lubricating material.

32 What is the best way to adjust the diff?

Go to the back of the manual where it says “Maintenance.” Look at the paragraph for the Diff.

33 What is your suggestion for pieces that seem to break too much?

Some believe that switching to carbon parts will limit breakage. Actually, the molded composite parts have a bit more flex to them.

34 I keep stripping out the servo saver bolt that holds the spring
on my T4.

Try threading the bolt on first without the spring. The screw needs to go in straight. With the spring attached it makes it hard to accomplish this.

35 The rear green springs constantly rub against the T4 shock bodies.

Make sure the shock retainers are on and fully seated. Normally the springs do not rub on the shock body.

36 How do I increase the speed the RTR T4 SE has with its stock 15 turn motor?

The RTRs are usually in the 25 mph range. To increase the speed you can change the gearing by getting a pinion gear with one or two more teeth.