Tebo teased possible RB6 rear-end updates for IFMAR Worlds

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By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com

Reigning 2WD world champion Jared Tebo posted the following Instagram photo this morning, showing four Kyosho RB6 buggies with the rear ends covered by a towel - with a caption alluding to each being different.

With the upcoming IFMAR Worlds being held on an astroturf track at Yatabe Arena, nearly every major manufacturer is expected to bring some sort of modified version of their existing dirt-spec buggies (except perhaps Yokomo, whose YZ-2 was built for such high-grip surfaces).

Kyosho RB6 drivers have already been toying with different transmission layouts. Team drivers and privateers in the U.S. have been modifying the three-gear, rear-motor transmission to be used mid-motor for several months now. Here's a Short Course World video from all the way back in March showing off the buggy of SoCal Kyosho team driver Jason Dias:

You don't need a machine shop and special engineering classes to make the switch either. Petit RC posted a step-by-step how-to on their website showing the process, and it's fairly straightforward.

Apparently you don't even need a new motor plate to make your own three-gear tranny.

At the Euro Offroad Series race in Slovakia in May, multi-time on-road world champion Naoto Matsukura ran an RB6 with the rear-motor 3-gear transmission flipped, and reversed the rotation of the motor to suit.

Photo: RedRC/EOS

Of course, simply fitting a three-gear transmission might not be enough. Team Associated offers a three-gear tranny for the B5M, but their team drivers were found to be testing the Redworkshop laydown transmission when Ryan Cavalieri competed at the EOS in May and the team went to the Worlds Warm-Up in June.

Here's the stock Team Associated 3-gear transmission included in the Factory Lite B5M.

Here's the Redworkshop laydown transmission

Indeed, while working on this story and asking around on Facebook, I was sent this photo - I don't know where it's from, who took the picture, who is in the picture, or what exactly we're looking at, but it looks like a Kyosho buggy fitted with a three-gear transmission that sits low in the car. I was told that it was taken at Yatabe, but I don't know when and I'm sure as heck not going to identify who sent it to me.

What does this photo show? Your guess is as good as mine.

While three-gear transmissions are popular stateside, many European racers have chosen to run inline, mid-motor setups that use a modified 4WD driveline for even greater performance on high-grip carpet. RudeBits makes a "DB2" conversion for the Kyosho buggy, so there's a chance that one of Tebo's cars looks like this:

Don't be fooled by the red pit mat and Orion electronics - this is the RudeBits photo car, not Tebo's personal buggy.

While it's possible that Tebo could be testing different transmission layouts, it's more likely that changes to the RB6 will include further modifications to the entire rear-end assembly - with suspension geometry changes to suit carpet and astroturf tracks. The champ has been testing at local carpet tracks a lot over the last few months in preparation for his title defense, and while having Naoto and the Japanese squad working on the car will be a huge advantage Tebo has shown his own propensity for trying new things - even releasing an optional front shock tower under his JTP brand in May.

One thing is for sure - the buggy he chooses to take to the Worlds will probably be fitted with a new X-Gear shell.

So what's under the towel? We'll likely find out next week in Japan!