my truck was from the first shipment...everything was there...everything fit perfectly. Personally..i liked not having text in the manual, but ive also built more associated cars in the 14 yrs ive been in the hobby than a lot of people can even imagine.

thanks for all your help here...my hats off to Associated for puttin together a smooth kit..all the parts were there and very little trimming to do now all i have to work on is getting the shocks smooth without using bladders..............thanks guys :thumbsup:

I purchased my T4 on Saturday... This is the first 'off road' vehicle I have built since my last RC10 back in the mid 80s.

I was surprized by the lack of text in the instructions, however it wasn't much of a problem for me, but I could see where it might be for a novice.

I've got my T4 abut 90% complete, and the only problems I've had was putting the caps on the shocks, I think I put a couple on crooked and cross threaded them... My mistake basicly.

The pins in the rear hub carrier were a little tricky, and probably were the most difficult of all tasks. However there was NO problem getting all the washers and such in place, but when they are in place ther is basicly no slop left and the pin just barely clears all the stuff.

All in all, I am quite impressed with the T4 kit.

Is it just me or does having a dust cover over your gears with an open hole in the middle not make much sense? Any thoughts?

I tried a RPM one that was labeled for the B4, which since that has the same motor plate as the T4, I thought it would fit. Doesn't fit the T4 or the B4. RPM's answer was something like 94% fit. What a crock. Screws holes don't line up on the T4/B4 so when you get the second screw in it pulls the top of the dust cover away from the motor plate.

Oh well, it still works a little bit better than the stock one. I got bored and mad a RPM T3 front bumper fit as an add-on over the flimsy stock bumber. Was gonna just run the RPM bumper, but it isnt as wide and leaves the bottom of the arm/hinge pin/ mounting bracket open for dirt to get in. Functionality wise it's a whole lot stiffer. Gotsta be different, now that there is a second T4 at the local track.

Ok guys,

I got one of these T4s about three weeks ago, built the first day and still haven't ran it. Here is my question, Any advice on a basic starting set-up for carpet flat track oval racing?

Yeah - here's an idea...
Go to ebay and search for a Traxxas Blue Eagle LS. Now there's a carpet truck.
It would be a shame to just use your T4 on carpet oval. I'm thinking of all the hours of engineering and design work that went into the T4. I'm guessing that 99.9% of their efforts were towards improving dirt, off-road handling. I doubt that carpet oval was ever discussed during development.
I'm sure there is a good setup for it. It just seems like a waste to me.

My $.02

Don't be so hard on the guy. Some of us have to move indoors during the winter and carpet oval is where it's at. Maybe he just won't be able to run it off road till next summer now? :)

On a side note however. Trucks at our track are the most popular carpet oval class. We have one guy that doesn't run his T3 on off road because it "ruins" the truck. Get that if you will. :rolleyes:

Yeah, I guess I came off a little rude - my apologies. We go indoors for carpet racing in the winter around here too. Most guys use last years equipment indoors. Carpet racing is very hard on transmissions, rod ends, etc. as you well know. It just didn't make sense to me to buy a brand new truck and "ruin" it on carpet when you can use older stuff and be just as fast.

Well Kevin,

Here is the story, the only "old stuff" I had was a rustler. I wanted a race truck, was going to buy a xxx-T but on ebay they were going for almost what I paid for the T4. I paid $170.00 + tax. So I bought a new one. As OvalmanPA said, outdoor around here is over. Never really got started with all of the rain this summer. But at our local track, two wheel drive tracks running an oval with jumps is the biggest class, next to 4-cell nascar. So I'm just looking for a little set-up help, as everyone at my track runs xxx-ts. They thing I'm wrong buying a T4, I hope to prove them wrong.......

OK then,
At the front bulkhead (upper / inner tie rod mount) use 3 washer/spacers under the ballstud on the Drivers side, use none on the pass side. Do the same at the rear. use the stock springs with 50-60 wt oil on the passenger side and 30-40 wt on the drivers. If you use shock limiters make sure all 4 are limited the same amount. That's how I'd start. You may want to consider the sway bar kit for the rear as well. Let us know how you do.

try this
stock castor
0 camber L
2 neg right
80 w oil # 2 piston
rf blue all the rest green(tires)
if you have too much RF bite use a stiffer spring there like a blue
stock springs with the RF exception
about .020 toe in
and of course modify a ft large bumper to save those a arms
good luck

p.s. keep track of the tire wear and adjust camber accordingly
this is the carpet setup i've been using for 10 years

Anybody broke one? Last weekend one of the guys out at the track had his break right where the top of the shock mounts. The top half of the mounting holes just broke off. Well, mine did it yesterday on a double double that's only about 10 inches tall. It broke exactly the same way the other guys broke, in the exact same spot. Seems to be a weakness. Anybody heard anything on this??? :(


Just an update, We have now had 4 broken front shocktowers.

Hey, got my T4. Building it this week. I have front and rear suspension put together. I just assembled the shocks. No problems yet. One thing I wanted to note for anybody considering buying this truck is the quality of the part seems to me to be remarkable. The molding is great. As you may notice by my log name, I came into RC world by buying an Evader two years ago. The part quality between the two is night and day. I've got a serious itch to scratch to get this thing on the track. What I am doing however, because of fundage, is switch the electronics over from the Evader. The steering servo I have is not original. I stripped enough plastic gears to the point I upgraded to metal last winter. I hope all of this transfer is smooth. My question to everyone is does anybody have any set up recommendations for a tight smooth off road coarse? I'm putting this thing together dead set in the middle of all the settings. All the spacers, shock mountings, and ball joints are centrally set until I run the truck and get an idea of what needs to be adjusted. I think we've had enough talk in this thread on what the T4 is all about... not let's get the tech talk going!!! :)

I assume when you say "in the middle" you mean as per instructions..... If you set everything as the instructions say you should have a great starting point. The only thing a "tight & Smooth" track might need different may be a stiffer shock oil and/or spring.

Yes, per instructions... although I felt the urge to locate the rear hub in the middle.. the instructions show the two spacers stacked together to one side of the hub. Don't know why.

It puts more weight on the rear, for more rear traction. The stock setup is biased to transition into the turn very quick and then push through it. That's why it's set up so stiff in front and has all the traction tricks in the rear. This makes it feel pretty responsive and yet forgiving.

So in your opinion the stock setting locations on those spacers is better? I discovered the first thing that has bummed me about the T4. They cheaped out on the front wheel shafts. I really liked how on the Evader you had the same diameter shafts and nuts front to rear. The T4 uses plastic locking nuts on the front? Come on... that's crappy. I'll be looking for a metal replacement soon. I guess that finding was piled on the fact the tires and wheels I have for my Evader won't fit on the front of the T4. The rears are okay though. I'll be doing the steering tonight. That ball stud being on angle has me worried a little. I hope it all lines up okay...

The Evader cops - er, uses - the tire offset from the Losi trucks, which is different from the Associated trucks. You should discover that the width is different with your Evader wheels than with your T4 wheels.

They've always had the nylon nut in front. There's nothing the matter with it. One thing you will want to do if you put on a proper locknut is to put spacers between the bearings in the wheels (like the ones in the rear hub) so you don't crimp down on them.

Hey Dan, have you put together the T4 yet? How'd the steering go together for you? Any hangups? Oh yeah, you didn't answer my question on the spacers in the rear hub.... suggestions?

Tires/Wheels done. Steering installed. All smooth. Almost done. Anybody have a clue to what pinion I should start with?

what motor are you using? I have run either the suggested in the manual or 1 tooth less. Had great results. When I ran my 15x2 the manual stops at 14. they are sequential in the pinion numbers but I got better results with the suggested for the 14. HTH

T4 is an excellent vehicle, I run mine on a carpet track with offroad jumps, tight with one long sweeper and it flat out handles. No changes, bone stock setup other than the tires ( road hawgs ). We run a spec class ( street spec motors, batteries under 1800 mah, unmatched ) and the vehicle is just a blast to drive.

Only thing broken so far is the steering block ( arm? ). seems to be less material there than on the T3 design. I hit pretty good, but I think that could be beefed up a little.

Hey Dan, have you put together the T4 yet? How'd the steering go together for you? Any hangups? Oh yeah, you didn't answer my question on the spacers in the rear hub.... suggestions?
I've been racing my T4 for a coupla months now. The thing I don't like is the variety of screw sizes. I liked the TC3 where *everything* was 4-40 and only two Allen wrench sizes. The T4 has 2-56, 4-40 and 5-40 screws and four Allen wrench sizes. It's forced me to finally go buy .050 and 5/64 drivers. I also really hate the servo saver screw.

Put the spacers where the instructions tell you.

WOW, Thats all I can say about this truck. Last night was the first time mine has got run. (Iran into a back injury) My son raced it on a carpet oval with three jumps last night, and was 5 laps off the fastest pace. This is running a complete stock "middle" set-up. I can't wait to see what this thing will do after a little tweeking.....

yeah, I had the integy hex driver set ( best set I think ), but I still had to buy a 2mm hex driver for the diff nut. But, all in all, I can live with that :)

Only thing I wish associated would do when they make a factory team kit is ditch the aluminum screws that go into the bottom of the chassis, those just seem to strip out way too easily, especially if a piece of dirt gets in there and prevents you from getting the driver properly seated. I always used to blow out the hole,but still stripped some. Switched them over to the stock screws ( this was in a B3 ), was happier :) Maybe Titanium?

I'm going to run Stock Truck. Not sure about what motor yet. I currently have last years P2K2pro. I haven't been to the track yet to see what this years "hot motor" is. And I'm not sure where to start for pinion size yet. Any suggestions? Our tracks tend to be very torque happy. Big jumps... only one long straight (start/finish line).

Just finished my new T4. I am going to practice with it for the first time tomorrow night. I have never been a fan of AE, but the trucks around here are awesome. They look so smooth thru turns,in the bumps,and over jumps. I am going with the Novak brushless system. No more comm cutting!!YES!! I just finished programming it. Easy setup and very nice product. We mainly run stock so, I have it in the limited mode. It is pretty cool, motors revs to a set RPM and then it has a built in rev limiter. I will see tomorrow if it is comparable to a stock or not.
I also put in the heavy bellcrank spring. The ones around here tend to push on real high bite tracks with the stock spring.
I still kept my XXX-TMFE just in case I don't like the T4. But from what I have seen and I drove one, with the radio system I am used to, I should love this truck. We'll see?


Randy :thumbsup:

XXX... hey, brushless? What's that? School me please... and if possible attach some links on articles or whatever. I don't maintain my motors (brushes) the way I should. So I'd be interested in what you're talking about. Thanks!!

Okay, I found stuff on the web. Wow, expensive. But I wouldn't buy one unless I knew for sure it is legal to run it in Stock Truck class. I would think it would not be legal. Anybody know for sure?

At this point the brushless systems are not ROAR approved in any class. Local tracks might let you run them but usually only in mod class since it is hard to tech what program you’re running. I would highly doubt most tracks will let you use one in stock class.

With that said the track I race at did have one in stock class in a custom built monster truck. It worked out well but if there were more it would run in its own class. The truck was too top heavy to keep up with the stadium trucks running brushed motors.

I know it is not ROAR legal. I don't run any big races in electric offroad.
Actually it is not that hard to tech it. In the "limited mode" a blue LED is lit up along with the red one. Beleive me, I have not even put it on the track yet and you will be able to tell the difference if it is in the "unlimited" or the "limited" mode.

Yea, they are expensive. But look at what it costs to buy a good ESC, a couple of good motors,brushes, and a comm lathe with a diamond bit. All of which I have. I will run it tonight and see how it is in the "limited mode" compared to a regular brushed stock motor.

I still have my Losi to run stock if I have to. There are a couple tracks that are letting them run around here. Which is good enough for me. I think the brushless in mod class with the T4 should be awesome!!! I like to run mod anyways.


Randy :wave:

What are the best battery packs out there for purchase? The ones that are reasonably priced with the connectors already on them. I can't afford the fancy matched solder in type. I've seen the Racers Edge, Shark, etc... what's your opinion?

I have seen some matched 3300s on Ebay lately, as low as $25.00 - $27.00 per pack. Thats what I would be looking at. If you are really into stick packs I have had great luck with the Tower Hobbies brand stick packs. The seem to last longer (run time), and they seem to last a long time age wise.

I just got mine last Friday, and ran it Saturday at Planet RC for the 1st time. I hate to say it, but the Losi is going to my kids. The XXX-t's tend to push on there surface. I had no problems with the set-up out of the box from ASC.
This thing is smooth in the turns and it sails over the jumps. I never thought I would own one, but I'm glad I bought it.

So what is everyone's opinion of the T4 vs the T3, I am finally thinking of hanging up my trusty ole T3.

WOW. Way to bring back an old thread from the dead. The T4 is all-around better than the T3 but more fragile. Get yourself a full set of spare steering parts and spare arms and you'll be set.

Well rcgugu sold me a used T4 last night so I shall see.

I really liked my T3....

I broke the steering servo gears in my T4. I loosened up the servo saver 3"flats" and applied grease on the servo saver ramp with a toothpick. I haven't had a problem since...

I'm really liking the captured hinge pins. I also didn't think it was possible but its even simpler than the T3 to take apart and put back together.

The only dislike is the use of 4-40 and 5-40 screws its a little hard to tell the difference between the two sometimes but thats minor.

WOW. Way to bring back an old thread from the dead. The T4 is all-around better than the T3 but more fragile. Get yourself a full set of spare steering parts and spare arms and you'll be set.
I Raced mine all last winter in the mod class with a 5800 brushless. Any body notice how un-stable it is in the air?To fix the problem remove both washers under the inner front ballstuds on the shock tower. Took almost the whole indoor season to figure out why when you hit a jump a little crooked the truck was allover and mostly tumbling down the track.Watch the tires go out then in then remove them and the tires only go in. What a diffrence. Also a RPM wide front bumper helps the pocket book on replacing front end parts. :thumbsup: