B4.1 - Still Competitive

Tycho · #1 13-03-2012

Hi Guys,

As a relative newbie to offroad racing I was wondering what your thoughts are on the B4.1 in 2012

With everyone (it seems) running to race the C4.1 is there still a place for the trusty old B4.1?

Will it still be a competitive chassis at regional level in 2012 or has it had its day and should I be looking to upgrade to the Centro?

Look forward to your opinions

cmgreen · #2 13-03-2012

Yes very much so!

Tycho · #3 13-03-2012

Thanks for the reponse - is that "yes the B4.1 is still competitive" or "yes you need to upgrade to the Centro"?

arransmith27 · #4 13-03-2012

B4.1 is still a great car

blue_pinky · #5 13-03-2012

B4.1 is still a great car...

The whole mid motor thing is born out of our high grip tracks, which that layout and weight balance suits, so probably is slightly better for that ultimately or we wouldn't all be doing it.

But, when I first made the switch to mid motor with an x6 a few years ago I found that my quick laps were no quicker than with the B4, it was just that I could hold those faster laps more consistently with the x6! Now have a Centro myself which I love...more nimble and balanced than the x6 for me so far.

If your on astro or carpet, the mid motor thing is possibly ultimately better suited, but on dirt or even grass maybe, the rear motor thing is still very much the layout of choice, and the B4 still totally competitive.

But I wouldn't worry about your trusty B4....great car either way, IMO best car to start out with and progress from, as it could still win the worlds in the right hands! Still found and run successfully in just about every offroad club in the country, with great parts and setup support!

Fear not

Isaac Peel · #6 14-03-2012

B4.1 still really good won a final with it just last week

lardy37 · #7 14-03-2012

yep still a great car i dont think a big company like associated would keep making the same car if it was not competitive anymore in fact just ordered another one for me so my son can race my old one

Si Coe · #8 14-03-2012

Its still competitive in the US on dirt tracks, so Associated won't be changing it any time soon, but UK based AE drivers tend to run Centro's now.
The whole business behind the Rear/Mid flexibility of the 22 and DEX210 is that the US market wants rear motor (as does Japan) but Europe mostly favors mid motor.
When RHR's dirt track is finished I expect rear motors will be the order of the day there.

racingdwarf · #9 15-03-2012

Hmm, well I read all these comments about rear motor being better on low grip, and I'm not so sure! At our club we run on a very very low grip dirt track,so I broke my trusty old B4 out,and after many set up changes I still couldn't keep up with the mid cars,so pulled the mid car out, with a grass set up on it, changed to the dirt tyres we run and was instantly right up with the other mid cars I was unable to stay with before

.
Now the one and only place the B4 was a little quicker was the fast open corners, and the same could be said of the losi rear motor cars, but as soon as it came to the infield the turn in was better,I was able to get the power down mutch better without the back end wanting to step out all over the place, and the mid motor was far better under breaking, all in all it was streakes ahead of the rear motor.
now bear in mind I'm not running the longer chassis, but that 8mm would need to make one hell of a diffrence.
But the thing is, from what I have read most US tracks are not low grip, they run quite a good grip level, and then they blue groove and the grip comes right up, I think the rear motor works best on fast clay tracks were flow and speed trough the corners is important.
As for rear motor on low grip loose dirt.....Hmmmm not so sure

fredswain · #10 15-03-2012

Most Americans don't understand how to setup a mid motor car. It is true that there are some concerns gaining forward traction with mid motor on looser tracks but this comes down to the driver/tuner understanding what to do to the car. I've been a rear motor person for 25 years but got my first mid motor car this past year. I'm hooked. It's so much more forgiving. The ultimate setup is very different.

Too often people over here, specifically the 22 and 210 guys, will go from their rear motor setup directly to mid motor but not change any other aspects of the car such as roll centers, shock dampening/spring rates, or camber link adjustments. They'll hate it, add some weight here and there, and still have problems. Then they'll switch back to rear motor and proclaim mid a failure on our tracks.

I think at some point in the future Americans are going to slowly figure mid motor out. We are a people that are resistant to change. It's why our #1 most popular racing series has cars that use carburetors, solid rear axles, and only turn left and why the iconic American sports car the Ford Mustang still has a solid rear axle as well.

JamieMcC · #11 17-03-2012

I used to see people racing their b4.1's and they have now upgraded to c4.1's and schumachers etc. and they all seem to have alot more bother with them than what they did with their b4.1's, and I have still hung onto my b4.1 , and I still manage to beat reasonably good experienced people with their schumachers and c4.1's, so I think there is still space for the b4.1 out there.

Miggers · #12 18-03-2012

Sorry boys,the B4/B4.1 will still be competative against other rear motored cars,but against mid motored?.

One of the most succesful ever Group B rally cars:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n7A_crhkOE

I can remember seeing these things being used in anger,they went like a
barstud whether on tarmac,dirt,gravel or in the forests.
Have a look where the engine is and then think whether the B.4/4.1 will be competative against a well set-up mid motor.

As someone will say"But that was 4WD",this is true but this thing wasn't and in the hands of Ragnotti,also went like a
barstud on any surface:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVEm...eature=related