X5 Newbie help please

[dentmaster]

Just bought an X5 complete kit plus the X5 squared upgrade Lesro.

I'm enjoying the build (mmmmm, the smell of dremelled plastic....) but I have some questions as I've not got experience of the XX4 base car.

For some reason my kit has rear suspension wishbones that look quite different from the pictures in the instructions. Instead of having just one set of holes for the outboard upright to be hinge-pinned into (as per the kit photos) it has two sets! If I use the outer set of holes the drive shafts are too short and the car is illegally wide! If I use the inner set then the drive shafts are the right length and the car width is legal. So I'm guessing I need to use the inner pair but by pulling the upright inboard and using these holes the end of the suspension arm fouls inside the wheel. I'm tempted just to dremel-off the end of the wishbone but just wanted to double check I wasnt doing anything too dim...


...Also, my rear suspension arms have L & R written on them as well as the words GRAPHITE. The kit instructions say I need to have the word GRAPHITE facing forwards, if I do this then I'll have the the wishbone marked L on the right hand side of the car, is this right...

Finally, the kit came with2 deg caster & 3deg toe-in suspension pivot blocks (A2213), do people really run 3deg of toe-in, it looks huge? And, do I need to run the wedges under the fronts as standard or only if it's really bumpy?

Hope someone out there can help.

Mark

[bigred5765]

if you look at the car from the rear instead of the front left becomes left and right becomes right
yes bremmel cut of the out side hole on the wishbones
3 degress is pretty much stc on most cars
but we run o degree anti squat and 3 toe in

[DCM]

they are the VLA (variable Length Arms) off the XXX-CR kits, and the wishbones need to be mounted L left and R right, I assume the instructions are out of date.

Try the website of XFactory for new manual.

[dentmaster]

Thanks guys, just logged back on and seen your replies. All sorted now and looking forward to seeing what this machine can do.

[dentmaster]

Guy's,

I bought the schumacher battery strap for the 2 cells on the left hand side, I've seen them fitted to other cars (Ellis Stafford etc) but when I fit it using the predrilled chassis holes the strap seems to be either too long or too short, there is no cross-piece at just the right point.

What do people do? Do they drill a new hole further back in the chassis to hold it?

Cheers,
Mark

[Cockerill]

I use these battery straps on both sides. I used the original holes and they fit fine. Not sure why yours don't seem right. They can be fairly tight when new, or is it quite a bit out?

[dentmaster]

Hi Tom,

There a way out, they look more likely to fit 3 cells in a saddle pack arrangement... Maybe there's more than one type of Schumacher strap...

Is the barbed fitting supposed to be straight-up or wrapped around the cells as it grabs onto the long strap?

Mark

[Cockerill]

http://4wdrc.com/images/MeetTheTeam/Dan/Dan_2big.jpg

That's how they should look. The two cell strap has been cut down and the four cell strap is still full length.

Hope this helps.

[Big E]

I have mine spaced up a little so they are basically flush with the rear holder. I think the spacers are about 3mm both front and back. But they are also mega tight to start with.

E.

[dentmaster]

Guy's, thanks again, all sorted now, have put the schumacher straps on both sides of the car and all is well!

Onto the next questions...

I've just run the car for the first time in the back garden, I've used the set-ups posted here, (which seem to be very similar for a variety of surfaces). The car felt great! I'm using a 5.5 motor, Lesro front one way, Lesro machined pulleys, x-factory dual pulley tensioner, CVD's front & rear and metal outdrives on the rear diff. The rear diff has been made up with a Losi diff spring instead of the belville washers and I've noticed that it tightens up considerably after running. I've dissassembled it and reassembled it, nothing visibly wrong but again, on the next run it tightens up. Any ideas?

Finally, I notice that the car has unequal sag left to right, i.e. it seems to sag more to the motor (left) side of the car than the right, by 2-3mm. It doesnt seem to affect handling and I have checked the car over and can't find a build problem. I was wondering if it was because the motor sticks out a fair bit and this pushes more weight out that way? Is this normal and if so, do people live with it or compensate with different spring tension side to side?

Thanks for your help,
Mark

[Big E]

Do you have the diff in so the adjuster screw is on the left hand side when viewed from behind??? If not then that will be the problem.

As to the sag??? Sure your collar heights are the same left to right??

E.

[dentmaster]

Ellis, thanks for your reply. I have the diff screw head on the LHS of the car when viewed from behind. When I say tighten up I mean it get's very notchy, I can still make the diff 'slip' by holding the front wheels fixed and turning the back wheels by hand in the same direction so I don't think it had physically tightened...any thoughts?

As for the sag, I have the same spring pre-load side to side but if this is something you've not come across before then I'll triple check all my settings before wasting your time trying to guess what's different.

Thanks,
Mark

[Big E]

Oh ok, sounds like the balls or something have gone then. We have found some diff balls seem to be a little below standard recently and the diff goes off very quickly, but leave it a few hours and it feels fine again. Maybe try a rebuild with new balls/washers and thrust race and I would suggest ceramic balls, I have switched to these recently and instead of having to rebuild my diff at least every meeting I can just leave it...which suits me fine

Can't say I have noticed it on mine for the side to side. Have you flipped the rear hangers at all??? if you have you need to shave the pips level with the main block. I know a long time ago the rear towers used to be out on the xx4 and we ran a washer under one side to correct it. Best way to check that is to check the droop is correct side to side front to rear, just put the front on the table and keep it level and raise the rear, if one wheel leaves the ground before the other something is out. Then do it for the front. If it is out check the shock lengths then all other parts to make sure they are seated correctly, especially where you screw up through the rear hangers in to the tower, it is possible the screw has tightened on to the hanger and not pulled the tower right down flush.

E.

[super__dan]

Just to elaborate on what Ellis says above, the rear toe in block threads need to essentially be stripped out, else when you try to bolt the tower on the screw will bite when the block gets down tight before the tower is all the way down. I use the Losi tapping screw and just over tighten it so the hole strips.

Is it a new diff? Are you 100% sure it's all right? I have to ask after checking someone who swore blind it was all correct and when I took it to bits it was all wrong.

[dentmaster]

Guy's,

Thanks for all the helpful hints. I'll go away and do as you suggest.

Cheers,
Mark

[dentmaster]

Ok, the diff problem was a knackered diff ballrace, the one that sits inside the metal outdrive. Don't know whether I damaged it in building the kit or when I ran the car, either way i've fitted a new one and all seems well. I'll know for sure when I run it next.

What do you mean by 'flipped rear hangers', I've noticed this comment on the set-up sheets, is this something you guy's run, if so why and how?!

I have noticed that my rear hinge pin metal brace is slightly angled down right to left. It is 0.5mm higher on the rhs of the car. Not sure why yet, could be the rear hangers are not sitting square to the chassis...

Back to more detective work...

Cheers,
Mark

[Big E]

The rear wishbone hangers can be flipped to make the car better through the bumps. Most people run them flipped most of the time. It's easy to do though, just swap them over, cut the pips off them and then just give them a little dreml action so the drivecups/shafts clear and you are in business.

[dentmaster]

Ellis,

Thanks for the explanation, if I flip the hangers though the rear arms will be pointing down instead of up wont they? I thought this made them less happy to go over bumps.

Mark

[bigred5765]

right on left and left on right upside down only the brackets
leaving wishbones on there side they should be on

[dentmaster]

I'm sure I'm being dim but if I swap the rear hangers (2deg antisquat) left to right, (not the wishbones of course) then the antisquat will be pointing down instead of up... is this not the case?

Or perhaps you use the 0deg antisquat blocks in which case it doesnt matter...

Mark