DB01 best 4wd buggy?

[jsven008]

Is the DB01 the best modern standard Tamiya 4wd buggy? (Excluding race kits like DB01RR and TRF). What else comes close in competition these days?

I own some Df02s, TT02b, Df03, but it seems to me the DB01 stands alone as the best modern standard 4wd buggy.

[Howards]

11 minutes ago, jsven008 said:

Is the DB01 the best modern standard Tamiya 4wd buggy? (Excluding race kits like DB01RR and TRF). What else comes close in competition these days?

I own some Df02s, TT02b, Df03, but it seems to me the DB01 stands alone as the best modern standard 4wd buggy.

Although they both have their weaknesses the TD4 is better modern buggy as it's not designed around a heavy NiMH battery and is readily available (kits and spares). 

I agree that the TD4's design intention is at best confusing however, unlike the DB01 which was sold as a budget 501x (despite being a Losi XXX4 clone).  

[jsven008]

1 hour ago, Howards said:

Although they both have their weaknesses the TD4 is better modern buggy as it's not designed around a heavy NiMH battery and is readily available (kits and spares). 

I agree that the TD4's design intention is at best confusing however, unlike the DB01 which was sold as a budget 501x (despite being a Losi XXX4 clone).  

I had looked at the TD4, but it is quite an odd design requiring you to remove screws to access the battery and with very limited steering. Sure you can remove the steering bump-stops, by why are they there to begin with? It's a half-baked design in some ways. Now, if Tamiya would throw in a Brushless motor and ESC for the price, like the Armma Typhoon, I might change my mind slightly. I will gladly race my DB01 against any TD4. Its really no contest; the TD4 has the steering radius of a semi-truck. My DF03 would crush it as well (breakages excluded). Perhaps unpopular opinion, but the only thing I am convinced the TD4 would be better as is a "shelf-queen".

[GTodd]

Th

 

Equal Drivers the DB01 owns the TD.  The DB01 is an entry level race buggy.  The TDs front suspension geometry let's it down Immensely as well as it's complicated and Inefficient drive train.

[GTodd]

2 hours ago, jsven008 said:

I had looked at the TD4, but it is quite an odd design requiring you to remove screws to access the battery and with very limited steering. Sure you can remove the steering bump-stops, by why are they there to begin with? It's a half-baked design in some ways. Now, if Tamiya would throw in a Brushless motor and ESC for the price, like the Armma Typhoon, I might change my mind slightly. I will gladly race my DB01 against any TD4. Its really no contest; the TD4 has the steering radius of a semi-truck. My DF03 would crush it as well (breakages excluded). Perhaps unpopular opinion, but the only thing I am convinced the TD4 would be better as is a "shelf-queen".

TD4 is a classic Tamiya buggy, a little wierd, cool to look at , and fun for the backyard.  The ONLY thing the TDs have on the DB01 is that the spare parts and hop ups are currently available.  To RCkicks credit the DB01 is a great car but its part support is now $$$$$

[Howards]

10 hours ago, jsven008 said:

I will gladly race my DB01 against any TD4. Its really no contest; the TD4 has the steering radius of a semi-truck. My DF03 would crush it as well (breakages excluded). Perhaps unpopular opinion, but the only thing I am convinced the TD4 would be better as is a "shelf-queen".

Yeah, there's a lot of opinion here. You are welcome to it of course.

[BuggyDad]

11 hours ago, jsven008 said:

I had looked at the TD4, but it is quite an odd design requiring you to remove screws to access the battery and with very limited steering. Sure you can remove the steering bump-stops, by why are they there to begin with? It's a half-baked design. Now, if Tamiya would throw in a Brushless motor and ESC for the price, like the Armma Typhoon, I might change my mind slightly. I will gladly race my DB01 against any TD4. Its really no contest; the TD4 has the steering radius of a semi-truck. My DF03 would crush it as well (breakages excluded).

Interesting. I didn't build it entirely standard (and it's got CVDs but you'd fit those as a meter of course if racing I imagine), but I don't think my TD4 turns in too badly. I will have looked at the parts and sought to maximise (well, get enough) steering, so I'll have adjusted stops, but I don't recall doing anything unusual in that regard. My servo is on the right, doing away with the last steering link but I'm not sure that affects the extent of steering throw. 

That said, I'm no racer. It may not be right up there on the track with the racers of today and some things about it have certainly turned a lot of people off (hence its seemingly poor sales) but there are also a lot of people saying it's competent and it's nice to drive. 

[GTodd]

8 hours ago, BuggyDad said:

Interesting. I didn't build it entirely standard (and it's got CVDs but you'd fit those as a meter of course if racing I imagine), but I don't think my TD4 turns in too badly. I will have looked at the parts and sought to maximise (well, get enough) steering, so I'll have adjusted stops, but I don't recall doing anything unusual in that regard. My servo is on the right, doing away with the last steering link but I'm not sure that affects the extent of steering throw. 

That said, I'm no racer. It may not be right up there on the track with the racers of today and some things about it have certainly turned a lot of people off (hence its seemingly poor sales) but there are also a lot of people saying it's competent and it's nice to drive. 

It's competent for sure, and no one's intent is to poo poo anyones choices.  That said against the DB01 which is based on the highly successful 501 the TD4 with equal equipment and drivers would lose to a DB01. 

[Howards]

I’m curious - what makes you so sure? 

Good in their day, I agree. Their day was more than a decade ago.  the 501 and DB01 are relics now.

 

 

[GTodd]

3 hours ago, Howards said:

I’m curious - what makes you so sure? 

Good in their day, I agree. Their day was more than a decade ago.  the 501 and DB01 are relics now.

 

 

My son has a DB01 and races with me when I bring the 511.  I still place with the 511 in stock class. The DB01 keeps up with me. Someone brought a TD4 to the track. He had the same motor and esc as my 511. He was 1.5 sec slower then me, I took it for a spin and could only get with in 2 sec. TD4 isn't a race buggy, the DB01 is, and in club events the DB01 is still competitive.

[Honza]

On 6/13/2024 at 11:52 PM, jsven008 said:

and with very limited steering. Sure you can remove the steering bump-stops, by why are they there to begin with?

It was the same with DB-01. The limiters are there, because the base version ships with dogbones, which have quite limited steering anglem. Once you get CVDs, you can remove them. Or play with them as a setup feature.