New Kyosho Lazer SB Dirt Cross (4WD Dirt Master-ish)

[matisse 1607]

ooooohh, the ZX5 was one of my fave 4wd cars so this is very apealing.

slap an Optima Pro body on...... delightful.

[Howards 586]

I find these centre shaft rear-offset motor 4wds really boring tbh. It's like the most generic design, just cheaper and less sympathetic to modern electrics than a contemporary racing buggy. Might as well get a TT02BR. 

[Twinfan 1798]

I'd like to think the Kyosho is made of better plastics and has less slop in the components than a TT-02.

[Kowalski86 3983]

1 hour ago, Twinfan said:

I'd like to think the Kyosho is made of better plastics and has less slop in the components than a TT-02.

The Kyosho looks like it has a slipper clutch, and a much sturdier steering setup over the TT02. The design itself isn't far off from the standard shaft driven, 4wd setup that's used across the industry.

[JimBear 805]

29 minutes ago, Kowalski86 said:

The Kyosho looks like it has a slipper clutch ...

Tamico info says that it has an "updated slipper clutch" (whatever that means).

 

[RichieRich 771]

I like it. Will I get one? I don't know. 

[matisse 1607]

8 hours ago, Howards said:

I find these centre shaft rear-offset motor 4wds really boring tbh. It's like the most generic design, just cheaper and less sympathetic to modern electrics than a contemporary racing buggy. Might as well get a TT02BR. 

I think I like the layout so much from my 1/18th racing days. All the cars were this layout. 

[matisse 1607]

5 hours ago, JimBear said:

Tamico info says that it has an "updated slipper clutch" (whatever that means).

 

I’d imagine better plastics, pads and maybe even a better coating on the slipper plates.

[BattleTrak 63]

It’s cool to see the H-pin tires again.  Those will make a Lazer ZX-R rere a bit easier..

 

[BuggyGuy 1138]

10 hours ago, Howards said:

I find these centre shaft rear-offset motor 4wds really boring tbh. It's like the most generic design, just cheaper and less sympathetic to modern electrics than a contemporary racing buggy. Might as well get a TT02BR. 

Yeah they might look kind of similar - but if this really a ZX5 it will absolutely wipe the floor with even the most maxed out TT02B* from a handling point of view

[FromageTheDog 72]

Showed up on Amain today: https://www.amainhobbies.com/kyosho-lazer-sb-dirt-cross-1-10-4wd-electric-buggy-kit-kyo34321/p1559398

[SlideWRX 882]

I love how they got a bit of body trim over the front diff - so many ignore that.

I'm not a fan of the wheels being on this chassis. They feel like classic steel wheels that would look good on an old style pickup truck or 60's hotrod though.

[Andreas W 2175]

19 minutes ago, SlideWRX said:

I love how they got a bit of body trim over the front diff - so many ignore that.

I'm not a fan of the wheels being on this chassis. They feel like classic steel wheels that would look good on an old style pickup truck or 60's hotrod though.

I follow you on the rims, but they are OK. Change them for a set of JC Racing Pepper Pots and it's there. I like it a lot (but ended up with a 60th anniversary Optima Mid).

[JimBear 805]

Here is a quick unboxing video of sorts (in japanese):

No oil for the dampers, ball bearings in there (hello Tamiya) but the sprues doesn't seem to have any markings. I guess someone more familiar with the Dirtmaster or the earlier Kyoshos may have more in-depth comments.

[JimBear 805]

@Kai City RC has dropped a nice video on the DirtCross over at YT.

 

Edited July 8 by JimBear
Put the video link in

[Kowalski86 3983]

I like the look of it, with some extra bits you could make a nice "modern" Hotshot looking buggy.

[toyolien 5491]

I think this is more like what the TD4 should have been. 

[Howards 586]

3 hours ago, toyolien said:

I think this is more like what the TD4 should have been. 

Dunno, slapping a faux vintage body on an old racing chassis and calling it done could be seen as phoning it in.

At least that means it can be cheap, I guess.

[JimBear 805]

3 hours ago, toyolien said:

I think this is more like what the TD4 should have been. 

But (tongue in cheek and all due respect) - wouldn't that be a Top Force all over again then?

(How does one remix a formula that is so stagnant, really?)

[toyolien 5491]

1 minute ago, JimBear said:

But (tongue in cheek and all due respect) - wouldn't that be a Top Force all over again then?

(How does one remix a formula that is so stagnant, really?)

I didn't mean to just copy an old buggy, I kinda meant if Tamiya had created a brand new buggy, but stuck to a more conventional layout. It was a bold risk to have lay down front dampers, but then to have to remove them just to get the battery out just killed it for a lot of people, including me.

However, Imagine a 2024 Top Force with carbon reinforced plastics, big bore dampers, gear diffs, slipper clutch and a slightly tweaked body... I'd be up for that one.

[JimBear 805]

9 hours ago, toyolien said:

However, Imagine a 2024 Top Force with carbon reinforced plastics, big bore dampers, gear diffs, slipper clutch and a slightly tweaked body... I'd be up for that one.

I know Tamiya is almost always "keep it as it was" but I think they miss an opportunity somehow. I like what Kyosho has done with the Legendary series and Yokomo with their 870c - retain the original spirit but update where it's needed to keep with the times. But it's a complex issue; without the nostalgia angle every new car has to stand on its own, retro body or not.  As in the case of the TD2/4.

[BuggyDad 5329]

I quite like the look of the Dirt Cross in principle if not so enamoured with the body, and it'd be nice to run one and very practical, but personally I think the TD4 adds another angle to life. In a world of many chassis of this layout, of the new ones that appear I'm likely to go for the one that's fundamentally different. Even though that might be to its disadvantage round a track. Variety is the spice of life and all that. 

But then, the idea of a 2024 buggy that's not a Top Force but is of the same layout is very appealing. The TFE would be very high on my list if I didn't already have too many RC cars! 

[Howards 586]

52 minutes ago, BuggyDad said:

the idea of a 2024 buggy that's not a Top Force but is of the same layout

This is just a modernised DF03, right? It was probably on Tamiya's option list when it was designing the TD platform. Imagine what prevented them going down this route was that conventional buggies are two a penny, really boring and Tamiya literally had them already (DB01).
 

The interesting angles are i) win races, or ii) go wild or iii) both. Given they have ruled themselves out of doing the former it's shouldn't be a surprise that the TD platform has funky design choices. What else can you do?

Personally I think the fundamental product decisions of the TD platform are great - it's  execution details they bungled, but not so much that it couldn't be a viable ten year platform like the DF03. I can't get excited at all about the Dirtmaster stuff at all - it's literally taking an old chassis, dusting it off, slapping a retro body on it and pricing it right.