The RS4 RB revisted...HPI Pro4B - RC-Monster Forums

**The RS4 RB revisted...HPI Pro4B -** 02.10.2006, 12:19 AM

For those of you that are too young to remember, Dabid came up with the revolutionary idea of turning a HPI RS4 rally into a freakish looking truggy thing, the RS4 Type "X". Then, Jack Myers refined the design by turning his RS4 MT into a true 1/10 scale 4wd buggy and creating the HPI RS4 RB. So, dabid used a slightly different design and turned his Type "X" into a RS4 MT with buggy wheels, body, wing, and a few graphite parts here and there and made his own version of the RB.

Dabid's RB and my T3 at Hot Rod Hobbies:

After the success of Dabid's RB, I decided to take it one step further by taking a MT and buying every graphite/carbon fiber/titanium part I could make fit on it:

Well, now Jack's RB is with decline1, dabid's is somewhere in Texas, and mine is somewhere between San Diego and Frankfurt. So, about 3 months ago, I traded my HPI MT2 for a Pro 4 and a few other things. It was fun (and really really fast), but onroad isn't for me. So, I got the idea to try the RB again.

Presenting, the HPI Pro4B:

crazyjr · 02.10.2006, 12:37 AM

cool I'm working on a similar project. I have a tc3-o, which is a touring car converted to a buggy. my plan is to convert it further and make it into a stadium truck

02.10.2006, 03:23 AM

crazyjr, that may be, but no one's converted a Pro 4 into a buggy before, and he didn't even use a conversion kit!

crazyjr · 02.10.2006, 09:06 AM

I know, i wasn't putting it down. it is a great idea and a solid platform to attempt off of. If it works i might try it. The tc3-o I have was one of the prototypes before they actually started to produce kits and has a lot of problems to sort out but i like a challenge.

Back on topic. I hope it works and if it sounded like i was putting it down, that was far from the statement i wanted to make and i apoligize

02.10.2006, 04:35 PM

nice!! it looks like it is pretty fast

02.10.2006, 04:44 PM

It is pretty fast. The cool thing is, it drives just like a Pro 4! I wonder why? :D

Alright, so here's how I did it. I first had to find some arms that would work on it. So, I ordered B4 arms, but when I got them, they had to be cut down to size then I had to space them correctly. For CVD's I used MIP CVD bones for the B4 and installed them on the Pro4's stock axles...gotta love MIP. Next, I had to make the turnbuckles long enough to reach to the arms. To do this, I just used RPM long shank ball cups. The front shocks and shock tower were just the right size, but I changed the oil to 35wt and put on AE brown front buggy springs. The rear shocks needed to be longer, so I found a pair of Losi BK2 rear shocks on eBay for about 10 bucks, so I got those. With the longer shocks, I would need a larger shock tower. I was looking through my parts box and found a carbon fiber rear shock tower for the RS4. It had to be re-drilled and I spaced a 1/8" aluminum rectangle behind it to make the shocks line up with the back of the arms. When I first got the car, it had 3* camber built into the pivot blocks, but the B4 arms already have 1.5* camber built into them, so I had to get 0* pivot blocks to make it work right.

Next, I had to find a working body on it. I wasn't about to put a fugly XXX-4, so my choice was between the Kyosho Lazer ZX5 and the JConcepts BJ4. Naturally, I went with the BJ4 body and underbody to protect the precious carbon fiber. Now I had to come up with a way to mount it. I used the supplied screws for the underbody and use velcro to mount the main body to the underbody (just like I do on my B4). To mount the wing I "modified" a pair of B4 wing mounts with my trusty Dremel. Now, I didn't want the bare carbon fiber just sticking out in the front to be a bumber, so I got a RPM mini bumper for the B4 and flattend the bumps on it and re-drilled holes to make it fit.

Finally, with everything almost set to go, I needed to figure out what wheels and tires I was going to use. The wheels are discontinued Hot Bodies made for the Super RS4. I left the rear ones alone, but I had to narrow the front ones to accommodate the narrower front tires of a buggy. For tires, I went with Losi taper pins in the front and Lose BK bar's in the rear, which, as I've been told, is the ideal setup for Hot Rod's track.

02.10.2006, 04:51 PM

cool you have a lot of time in that and it shows nice work

02.10.2006, 10:55 PM

crazyjr, don't worry about it, I was just pointing it out for those that didn't know. I've always wanted a TC3 "O", the V2 is even sweeter and I wouldn't mind having one of those for sure.

crazyjr · 02.11.2006, 02:03 AM

Cool no problem. the one i have is the alumnium version without all the nice plastic and CF