Dark Impact DF03

[BigSteve]

Hi just a quick question does anyone here have any experiences with the Dark Impact DF03. Your opinions/experiences would be appreciated.

Steve.

[Gruntfuggly]

Had one a while back - great car apart from one thing - one of the gears is made of alloy and tends to wear out. Mine was never a problem, even running a brushless system in it, but others have had problems. Search for posts by TA Mark - you'll find loads of info...

Had a lot of fun with mine as a basher - very quick and robust. Good looking too...

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp?t=n&id=img32_22052008224523_1.jpg

[qatmix]

Great little car, ran a 5.5t brushless omit and it flies.. My lad still has his 4 years going strong with a 9t brushless.

The alloy gear issue seemed to be more focused with TA mark and the harsh surface he ran it on (Aussie Dirt is tough) on dirt / astro and carpet over here I haven't seen this issue with the ones I friends / I have have used..

[speedy_w_beans]

This was the first kit I bought for my son almost four years ago.

I don't care much for the DF03 chassis. Some of the issues and complaints I had:

- The kingpin screws on one of the front knuckles would loosen regularly. I replaced that knuckle and screws a few times, tried torquing it differently, and it just didn't hold. It was the front left knuckle.

- The front diff outdrives would chip regularly with the stock dogbones, especially after landing jumps.

- The stock front damper stays would tweak easily in an impact.

- It was easy to lose the body clip holding the battery bar in place, since it hangs off the side of the chassis very low.

- The motor is cocooned in the chassis; there is very little airflow or opportunity for heatsinking. There are some optional heat sink bars available, but they are also hidden in the middle of the chassis.

- The Dark Impact motor plate cover (covers the spur and pinion) does not seal against the motor plate very well. Dirt gets in quite easily. The solution is to source the DF03Ra parts tree, because that cover actually has a lip on it.

- This has to be one of the only Tamiya models that uses 0.5 mod pinions and spurs; every other Tamiya model is running 0.8 mod (older models), 0.6 mod, 0.4 mod, or 48 pitch.

- The rear diff needs quite a bit of maintenance and rebuilding. Also, there was a reason (I can't remember now) why it made more sense to run the front diff outdrives in the rear instead of running the rear outdrives. It might have had something to do with dogbone length and falling out of the rear stock outdrives.

- I have also worn the stock layshaft and slipper layshaft gears such that they ended up sawtooth shaped and started eating the nylon gears in the rest of the gearbox.

The DF03 Dark Impact is a fun buggy to drive. I found it to be really responsive to steering inputs on clay surfaces. I prefer shaft drive to belts all the time. I just couldn't make it reliable with the stock kit parts and a few Tamiya hopups.

A month or two after building this with my son, I bought a DB01 Durga. There is a night and day different between these two kits. The plastics in the DB01 kit are glass-filled polyamides (a type of nylon) instead of ABS (a type of styrene) -- much much better. The dampers are the same, but the springs are softer and better matched to the kit damper oil. The belt drivetrain is entirely sealed except for a small hole in the bottom of the chassis and the seams between parts. Normal 48 pitch pinions and spurs are used. Machine screws instead of self-tapping screws are used throughout the chassis -- this makes a huge difference; none of the screws back out on their own. The DB01 is basically a plastic version of the TRF501. If there are any downsides to the DB01, the kit diffs need some care during building to make sure the rings don't slip on the outdrives. Also, one could argue that the plastic suspension hinge pin mounts could be upgraded to aluminum. That said, the drivetrain in the car is much simpler and proven, and the overall kit is durable and reliable.

I still think the DF03 is fun to drive, but I also think the DB01 is much more capable and easier to own.

My $0.02.

[Tamiya1/10]

made no impact on me. is another sea of shingly plastic for entry level, which is find.

[kontemax]

Currently is my racing buggy.

I never drove a Dark Impact in original configuration.

Carbon shock towers.

Alloy Font and rear knuckles.

Alloy dampers.

Slippery clutch.

Steel gear on main shaft.

CVD shafts.

Center one way.

Motor heat sinks.

There are two cars that uses the 0.5 module, the DF03 and DF03RA and the TTC on the Super Astute.

There are enough pinions to have the correct gear ratio in any condition but you can use 48P spur gear.

You can find tons and tons of optional parts for this car, check Asiatees.com for example, they are cheap.

Very nice car, fast on the track and a pleasure to drive.

Max

[lentner3]

How does the DB01 Compare to the DB02?

[qatmix]

Db01 is the better of the two. The DB01 is Tamiya's best 4WD buggy ever made (not including the TRF's)

[GregM]

There's also a Dark Impact review by Blackholesun which might meet your interest:

http://www.blackholesun.fr/RC_DarkImpact_US.php

Beware, there are several clones of the DF-03 chassis with Chinese origin. They were sold as 'Red/Blue Tanga' (sic!) under Conrad's REELY brand in Germany. They usually have cheap materials (plastic and metal parts) and ill-fitting molds. However, I wonder if this clone might had some steel gears, where the original one had the fragile alloy gears in the driveline?

[Boothy]

I have nothing to add other than it does have really cool wheels

[BigSteve]

Thanks for all the info. I think I'll look some a different model as a runner. Any suggestions.

Steve.

[GregM]

Could you please lead us in a direction of what kind of R/C car do you want to drive, and on what surface?

Also helpful would be to know what cars you've already got in your collection.

[BigSteve]

Hi sorry I'm looking for an off road 4WD for running/bashing on a mixture of tarmac and dirt. I don't have a massive budget. I started off looking at an egress/avante re re but have been told that they are weak on the front end. Also looked at the neo scorcher.

Current runners include grasshopper, re re boomerang, re re wild one One and an nova fox. I have a nice condition bigwig and a restored hotshot that only see light tarmac duties. What I'm looking for is a robust runner that I can run really hard off road.

Hope this helps.

Steve.

[CoolJetta3]

I have a DF03MS and its been nothing but awesome to use any time I take it out.

Novak Ballistic brushless and Novak Havoc 3S ESC

Acer Ceramic Nitride diff balls

3R graphite shock towers

3R alloy gearbox brace and rear suspension brace

Tamiya Dual Block C tires

[GregM]

I must admit I'm clearly no expert on 4WD buggies, there'll be others who might help you better than me.

So all I can do is give you an idea of the budget range to club level range offerings from Tamiya:

Do you need a buggy with a relatively high ground clearance? In that case you may better stay away from the DF-03, DF-02 and maybe the TT-02B, too. But keep in mind that parts support for the DF-02 and TT-02B is extensive and will live on for many years to go.

DF-02 review by Blackholesun

DF-02 review by Jang

DF-03 review by Blackholesun (as posted further above)

DF-03 review by Jang

The TL-01B has bad front arm mounts, bad damper mounts and insufficient pinion choices. Allright for budget touring and rally cars, not that well for a buggy.

TL-01B review by Blackholesun

The DB-01 seems to be the 4WD buggy of choice for most club racers on Tamiyaclub.

DB-01 review by Jang

The DF-01 is a vintage 4WD buggy and was well loved even until the early '00s. As far as I can see, it has a good amount of ground clearance and still a good aftermarket support of today. However, it may need some hop-up parts right from the start. A slice of Tamiya's parts support lives on in the releases of the TA-02T trophy trucks and DF-01 rally cars from the recent years.

DF-01 review by Blackholesun

DF-01 review by Jang

[speedy_w_beans]

Hi sorry I'm looking for an off road 4WD for running/bashing on a mixture of tarmac and dirt. I don't have a massive budget. I started off looking at an egress/avante re re but have been told that they are weak on the front end. Also looked at the neo scorcher.

Current runners include grasshopper, re re boomerang, re re wild one One and an nova fox. I have a nice condition bigwig and a restored hotshot that only see light tarmac duties. What I'm looking for is a robust runner that I can run really hard off road.

Hope this helps.

Steve.

DF02 is my recommendation for cheap and robust. Add eight 1050 ball bearings and an aluminum center prop shaft, and you're good to go for anything from a silver can all the way to 3800kV to 4600kV brushless systems. The DF02 has a lot of metal in the drivetrain and can take some abuse. The front damper stay is weak but can be reinforced. It doesn't have the ground clearance of some of the other buggies, but it's just a fun runner in the street and in the dirt.

[qatmix]

The TT02B (neo scorcher) would be a good basher. The steering is much better than my old df02, it also doesn't need the aluminium prop like the df02.

[BigSteve]

The TT02B (neo scorcher) would be a good basher. The steering is much better than my old df02, it also doesn't need the aluminium prop like the df02.

Hi if you don't mind me asking why doesn't it need an aluminium prop.

Steve.

[XV Pilot]

I have a DF-02, and I like it. It handles well, doesn't break often, and looks quite stylish with its Rising Storm bodyshell.

I also have a TT-02B, and I like that too. Handling is on a par with the DF-02, the lower suspension arm mounts are tougher, and the styling is also pleasing to the eye. However the plastic diffs are weak - I ended up replacing the rear one with a DF-02 metal diff.

However for hard offroad running, I prefer a WR-01 or WT-01 truck. Bigger tyres, better ground clearance, tough as nails - well up to the job irrespective of the terrain.

As for the propshaft question, the stock DF-02 propshaft is the same thin and wobbly plastic affair as used in the TT-01, prone to flexing under load, especially if you upgrade from the stock silver can motor. It really benefits from the TT-01 alloy propshaft upgrade.

[BigSteve]

Anyone with any experiences with the df03 ms chassis.

Steve.

[GregM]

The DF-03MS is a factory hopped up DF-03. However it still shares the same fragile gear in the driveline which Gruntfuggly mentioned.

[Percymon]

In a cleanish environment and with sensible powertrain I'm sure you'd be OK wear wise. Drop a 5.5T in, run it int he dirt and you may have problems.

At the price the DF-03MS are currently its worth just stocking up on spares and running the heck out of it

[twisted]

We at RCSOUP are doing a series of articles on the DF-03 ms.

http://www.rcsoup.com/2014/01/tamiya-df03-ms-can-it-compete-part-1-the-build/

if linking to another site is not allowed I will remove this.(note Tamiya has shared this article also)

Thanks, Geo

[80sBasher]

If you can I'd probably go for the DB01 or DB01 RRR, better vehicle all around, bit more cash though.

[Dojo Dave]

Thanks for all the info. I think I'll look some a different model as a runner. Any suggestions.

Steve.

Steve I wouldnt dismiss the Dark impact, its a fun not too expensive buggy, I built one about a year ago as my first nib build, I ran a traxxas xl5 esc woth 12t 550 traxxas titan motor. It went like a bat out of badword. The turnbuckles popped of every so often in collision. I recently traded it with my cousin only because he was having no fun with his ta06. Other than that I would have kept it.

there are lots of hop ups and shiny bits for it . Just get on and judge for yourself. Oh and buy a front bumper for it ...lol