Head 2 head B4 vs. XXX: Associated RC10 B4 Stealth vs. Team Losi Triple-X Kinwald edition

Radio Control Car Action, Oct 2003

There are lots of RC rivalries, but none as famous or as closely matched as Team Associated versus Team Losi. Both brands do battle on the pavement and in the dirt with trucks and touring cars, but the quintessential category for America's premier carmakers is the 2WD buggy class. Ever since Team Losi dared to pit its JRX2 against the mighty Associated RC10 way back in 1986, it has been nothing but elbows and knuckles for these patriotic players. Fast-forward to today, and both companies are still at it. Team Losi's Triple-X Kinwald-Edition platform is still the "factory works" buggy to beat, and Associated has answered Losi's charge with the B4-our "2003 Car of the Year"-and the new standard-bearer for the storied RC10 series. So, which buggy truly is the best?

Rules of Engagements

Our goal in testing the B4 and Triple-X was to reveal their handling traits "out of the box" with stock equipment (minus tires), identical horsepower and equal rollout. But we didn't feel it would be fair for one car to be at a disadvantage simply because its manual-suggested setup wasn't as well suited to the test track as the other car's. We also didn't want a driver with extensive experience with a particular brand to slap on his well-sorted SoCal setup and unfairly mop up the track. So, if a car was clearly at a disadvantage, we decided that preload, battery position and camber changes should be allowed. These are simple changes that any racer would experiment with first. Changes to stock equipment and the relocation of shocks and camber links were not allowed, simply because the introduction of that many tuning variables would make it impossible to test the cars fairly within a reasonable time.

TEAM ASSOCIATED B4

ALTHOUGH THE RC10 SERIES IS MORE THAN 15 YEARS OLD, ONlY THREE DESIGNS HAVE PRECEDED THE B4: the original RC10, the B2 and the B3. Sure, there were many running changes to the cars, but all of Associated's countless victories have been won using these three platforms. That's a tough act to follow, so Associated's engineers definitely wanted to get the B4 right before springing it on the world. We'd say they succeeded; after all, we did choose the B4 as our "2003 Car of the Year." But don't go looking for wild new features. From its steel turnbuckles and aluminum Team shocks to its ball differential and slipper-clutch-equipped, 3-gear transmission, the B4 is really just a refinement of standard racing buggy stuff. It's the details that matter: the suspension geometry is cutting edge; the ball differential is larger and stronger (in fact, it's from the RC10 GT nitro truck); the slipper clutch is a new, dual-pad design; and the entire chassis has been shaved, trimmed J and tweaked for the lowest possible center of gravity.

TEAM LOSI TRIPLE-X

TEAM LOSI HAS RACKED UP A LOT OF FIRSTS OVER THE YEARS. NOTABLES INCLUDE: FIRST TO USE A PLASTIC chassis in a competition during the tub-and-plate era; first to use molded graphite-composite chassis components; first with a dual-pad slipper clutch; and first to offer a "signature" kit with all the option parts in one box. The Triple-X Kinwald Edition buggy exemplifies all those firsts and more, from its molded-graphite chassis and suspension parts to Its threaded shock bodies, one-piece aluminum top shaft and Lunsford titanium turnbuckles. The Triple-X was also the first buggy to use the "camber links in front, shocks in back" front-suspension design, and it basically set a new standard for electric buggies when it debuted in 1999. Yep, that's right, 1999; it's hard to believe the Triple-X has been around that long! You can credit the Team Losi engineers for getting it so "right" In the first place, but don't count on them to sit around gloating; odds are they're scheming up a new X-buggy as you're reading this.

drivers' notes

TERM ASSOCIATED

RC10 B4 STEALTH

GEORGE GONZALEZ: The B4 was an absolute rocket off the line and out of the corners. It had tons of steering, but the rear end never felt as if it wanted to swing around no matter how hard I mashed on the throttle when exiting the corners. The buggy had a slight nose-down attitude in the jumps, but all it took was a blip of the throttle to get the nose back up again. The B4's box-stock setup was not far off the mark-for my driving style, anyway.

JASON SAMS: The B4 was quick in the corners and felt on edge, which is how I like a 2WD buggy to feel. When in the air, the front end wanted to dive, and that required some serious throttle control. I think changes in the front suspension setup would have helped its in-flight attitude. Considering this was my first time to run a B4, I was impressed!

SHANE WEAVER: I felt that the B4 was a fast car, but at times, it was a little difficult to keep on all four wheels. The B4 shot out of the turns like a bat out of hell, but the minute I ran into a jump, the car would end up on its lid. I feel that the B4 is a great car for the expert racer who can drive a car strapped.

NICK SAVA: The B4 has tons of steering and It was able to rotate and hold a tight line. It seemed to be tossed around more than I liked when in the whoops section, though. Overall, I feel the stock setup worked well for the conditions.