Considering getting 1/10 buggy for my next car

[paytonimusrex]

Since winter is coming and my local tracks are switching to indoors 2 are going carpet and ones going to clay. i havent raced at 2 of the tracks for their normal dirt yet though lol. but i was planning to get a second car this fall/winter to get my track time when i do race. i have decided on a truggy for outdoor but when it comers to indoor not sure what to run. It seems the rc10b7 is popular in both 2wd and 4wd but curious on what others think, also 2wd or 4wd for indoor buggy

 

[DavidB1126]

Buggies are basically the most mainstream class now. Most indoor tracks now, don't allow 4wd SCTs or Mini Truggy (how un fair and not fun that is)

I started out with 4wd buggy 2 years ago and won my first a main last month. Planning on sticking with 4wd. Since I am not planning on making my slash raceable since its too time consuming and I won't see any better results, I might consider 2wd buggy in the future. I mainly race on carpet and indoor sealed dirt, or the fancy word "clay".

2wd has the most following though as a whole. Since everyone recommends 2wd for people getting started, but I went the other way with 4wd and saw major improvements in my driving skills.

Also got to figure out what type of class their racing. I run stock. stock classes for 4wd is 13.5T motors and for 2wd is 17.5T motors, and sometimes they might have a 21.5 FTM (Fixed timing) class. and then mod classes which I know some carpet tracks don't like to run as "its unsafe to marshal" (I just had to laugh at that, I'm sorry lol)

Which carpet tracks are you planning to go to?
Maybe we can all meet up together ( @BarnFabRC and @hood52 ? )

Plan on checking out the factory in york pa and first state hobbies somewhere in north Delaware.

 

[paytonimusrex]

the closest i know to me at the moment are rhythm rc (carpet), trains and lanes (carpet), and cripsy critters (clay).

as for classes i gotta wait till they post but for now i know its only buggy at rhythym, whil critters is clay so they allow 4wd sct as well and trains and lanes has yet to announce their first indoor race aint till november. but i think the others are also late october early november

 

[DavidB1126]

Most indoor tracks now, don't allow 4wd SCTs or Mini Truggy (how un fair and not fun that is)

Yea just a little side story on this, back at the old local track, in 2016 era. We had a HUGE following of 4x4 mod sct on carpet, 2wd too, and lots of young gun classes. SCT on carpet, super fun. The owner of that track had a rule of a minimum ride height requirement and I think it was like 20 or 21 mm's so the bumper/skid plates don't jam onto the carpet and ruin it. (understandable to me)

Now these days most carpet tracks ban the use of 4wd sct and mini truggy. But 2wd sct is acceptable?

 

[paytonimusrex]

i just looked up first state and they are about an hour maybe a little more very close to my parents lol

Yea just a little side story on this, back at the old local track, in 2016 era. We had a HUGE following of 4x4 mod sct on carpet, 2wd too, and lots of young gun classes. SCT on carpet, super fun. The owner of that track had a rule of a minimum ride height requirement and I think it was like 20 or 21 mm's so the bumper/skid plates don't jam onto the carpet and ruin it. Now these days most carpet tracks ban the use of 4wd sct and mini truggy. But 2wd sct is acceptable?

thats annoying the et410 from tekno looks fun lol but if i can't race i dont want it right now

 

[DavidB1126]

thats annoying the et410 from tekno looks fun lol but if i can't race i dont want it right now

Yea. Ideally just depends on the track and how cool or lenient the owner/race director is.

@Lukedavis had some beef with his local track over on the west coast. They wouldn't let him run his 2wd slash or even his arrma grom. Even though on their website it said they had a novice class for any 1/10 car. Sheesh.

Now these days. Seems like some carpet track owners are harsh. When I raced carpet last year we had a few SCTs and mini truggies. We are just having fun. No real competition, unless its a bigger race. Some places are all into modern buggies and using protectors on the chassis and shock caps/towers and protect the carpet and be all competitive. Thats what I don't like, especially as a new one in the hobby that just wants to have fun.

 

[paytonimusrex]

thats insane, judging by the poeple at critters they wont care for a novice class lol

 

[BarnFabRC]

Buggies are basically the most mainstream class now. Most indoor tracks now, don't allow 4wd SCTs or Mini Truggy (how un fair and not fun that is)

I started out with 4wd buggy 2 years ago and won my first a main last month. Planning on sticking with 4wd. Since I am not planning on making my slash raceable since its too time consuming and I won't see any better results, I might consider 2wd buggy in the future. I mainly race on carpet and indoor sealed dirt, or the fancy word "clay".

2wd has the most following though as a whole. Since everyone recommends 2wd for people getting started, but I went the other way with 4wd and saw major improvements in my driving skills.

Also got to figure out what type of class their racing. I run stock. stock classes for 4wd is 13.5T motors and for 2wd is 17.5T motors, and sometimes they might have a 21.5 FTM (Fixed timing) class. and then mod classes which I know some carpet tracks don't like to run as "its unsafe to marshal" (I just had to laugh at that, I'm sorry lol)

Which carpet tracks are you planning to go to?
Maybe we can all meet up together ( @BarnFabRC and @hood52 ? )

Plan on checking out the factory in york pa and first state hobbies somewhere in north Delaware.

I’m planning to be fairly regular at first state since it’s 30min from where I work. Probably Friday nights which they’re saying will be “buggy night.” Saturdays they are going to run the full race program with multiple classes. I’ll probably do the bigger events out at the factory but it was really a haul for me last winter, in total about 2.5 hours drive. I’ll probably do a few at Trains and Lanes in Easton PA too. That’s the closest one to my workshop in NJ. I’ve been trying to get some of those guys to come try it out but they always have a (lame) excuse why they can’t make it. I’ve been to all three and First State will be far and away the nicest facility of all of them. I think Trains is the largest actual track and the Factory had a great atmosphere. There’s another one in NJ I’m not sure the actual name of, but they go by NJ Racing Promotions on FB. Looks to be about the size of the factory but that’s all I really know about it.

On carpet, 2wd is pretty easy to drive unlike it is at Pit Stop. Not as easy as 4wd is but You need to be really good at 2wd at pit stop to do even remotely well. I struggled so much with the stadium truck there this summer with no real success. Spent a small fortune chasing a setup that actually generated some grip and never really found any. That same truck on carpet with the kit setup was pretty good at the factory. I never got a podium with it at the factory but I was squarely in the middle of the pack and it was down to me being new to racing in general for the most part. I’ve been wanting to try Mimi’s since I found out about it but I just haven’t had the chance.

 

[paytonimusrex]

looked at old results for rhythm looks like they get more 2wd participants so that might have to be the move at least initially and then maybe a 4wd later.

this is turning into a long list of cars to get

so far this hobby I'm sticking to better than others previously though so thats good lol

I’m planning to be fairly regular at first state since it’s 30min from where I work. Probably Friday nights which they’re saying will be “buggy night.” Saturdays they are going to run the full race program with multiple classes. I’ll probably do the bigger events out at the factory but it was really a haul for me last winter, in total about 2.5 hours drive. I’ll probably do a few at Trains and Lanes in Easton PA too. That’s the closest one to my workshop in NJ. I’ve been trying to get some of those guys to come try it out but they always have a (lame) excuse why they can’t make it. I’ve been to all three and First State will be far and away the nicest facility of all of them. I think Trains is the largest actual track and the Factory had a great atmosphere. There’s another one in NJ I’m not sure the actual name of, but they go by NJ Racing Promotions on FB. Looks to be about the size of the factory but that’s all I really know about it.

On carpet, 2wd is pretty easy to drive unlike it is at Pit Stop. Not as easy as 4wd is but You need to be really good at 2wd at pit stop to do even remotely well. I struggled so much with the stadium truck there this summer with no real success. Spent a small fortune chasing a setup that actually generated some grip and never really found any. That same truck on carpet with the kit setup was pretty good at the factory. I never got a podium with it at the factory but I was squarely in the middle of the pack and it was down to me being new to racing in general for the most part. I’ve been wanting to try Mimi’s since I found out about it but I just haven’t had the chance.

you sound like you are in south jersey area not far from me lol, NJ racing promotions seem to only do road racing unfortunately but i’m on there page. but you should check out rhythm rc as well

 

[hood52]

I will be at Mimi's when I'm done with outdoors. I'm considering trying First State, I've never raced on carpet.

 

[Beer_Goggles_RC]

I have very limited 1/10 experience but I’d say 17.5 2wd on dirt

Driving 2wd will make you a great 4wd racer and come outdoor season next year that 1/8 truggy will feel like cake to drive

Would say 13.5 but not sure on your racing experience. Go for it if you really want a challenge

 

[BarnFabRC]

I will be at Mimi's when I'm done with outdoors. I'm considering trying First State, I've never raced on carpet.

I really enjoy carpet. For me I think it’s because it lets you focus on actually driving the car and everything seems to happen so fast it hones your reaction times. I feel like I drove much better at Pit Stop this year because of the winter season at the Factory. I have extra sets of carpet tires you can use when you do come to 1st State.

All that being said I get a bigger rise out of doing well (for me) at PS. It’s just so unique. I really hope the new owners don’t mess it up. But I doubt Don and Tom and Brent will let that happen lol.

looked at old results for rhythm looks like they get more 2wd participants so that might have to be the move at least initially and then maybe a 4wd later.

this is turning into a long list of cars to get

so far this hobby I'm sticking to better than others previously though so thats good lol

you sound like you are in south jersey area not far from me lol, NJ racing promotions seem to only do road racing unfortunately but i’m on there page. but you should check out rhythm rc as well

There’s also a new 1/10 off road track called Ultimate RC Pit Stop (entirely separate from Pit Stop Hobbies). I haven’t been yet but I’ve only seen positive reactions about it online.

 

[Beer_Goggles_RC]

I really enjoy carpet. For me I think it’s because it lets you focus on actually driving the car and everything seems to happen so fast it hones your reaction times.

Man that's exactly why I couldn't get into carpet lol coming from 1/8 off-road where the track changes every hour. Carpet felt so fast and predictable, just felt like I was doing the same thing for hours.

Definitely not bashing on carpet guys though. Being that fast and consistent is not at all easy. We had some 1/10 carpet guys come out to the 1/8 track and they were absolutely ripping. Pretty impressive drivers.

 

[paytonimusrex]

I have very limited 1/10 experience but I’d say 17.5 2wd on dirt

Driving 2wd will make you a great 4wd racer and come outdoor season next year that 1/8 truggy will feel like cake to drive

Would say 13.5 but not sure on your racing experience. Go for it if you really want a challenge

my race experience is 2 weekends worth lol I think for a 2wd buggy ill get stuff to be able to race dirt and carpet with it seems like a good idea. will probably get the rc10b7d and just go ae for 1/10th scale buggy

There’s also a new 1/10 off road track called Ultimate RC Pit Stop (entirely separate from Pit Stop Hobbies). I haven’t been yet but I’ve only seen positive reactions about it online.

seems like I got a few tracks to look up now lol

 

[Lumikko]

curious on what others think, also 2wd or 4wd for indoor buggy

2WD is the default answer. Only choose something else if there’s a specific reason for it.

Whether or not to go with a 4WD depends primarily on one thing: do you want one? If you do, you know it.

The cost of buying a 4WD is higher to begin with, the running expenses are higher, and you have more maintenance work to do. Also, it may or may not be a popular class at your local track. Driving alone can be boring.

That being said, my primary race car is the B74.2. An itch for a wheeler can’t be scratched with a 2WD.

——

It used to be the case that rear wheel drive cars had rear motors, and they could spin out of control easily if you weren’t careful. The tracks were loose compared to the grip levels of today, and a wheeler was much more forgiving to driver errors. With modern buggies, a novice can pick either one and the kit setups are easy enough to drive.

People will tell you that a 2WD car ”teaches” you how to drive better because they are more difficult. It’s an old belief I first heard in the early ’90s and it has stuck as a phrase that people repeat without thinking. Making things harder for a beginner is not a good strategy. If it was, we’d recommend low-turn modified motors and difficult setups for the newcomers. For some reason, we don’t.

Fundamental driving skills develop more quickly when the car is easy and forgiving to drive. Of course, if you exploit this and bash your buggy around the track instead of practicing with a purpose, you can develop poor habits. In the end, it’s not the car that teaches you but the way you drive it.

 

[paytonimusrex]

thank you for this, i’m considering both but i’m starting to lean 2wd to begin with for 1/10 buggy and i’ll have to see how popular 4wd is at the tracks i’ll eventually race it at and then get if there’s racing to be had.

my collection is now looking to be going up to 5 cars planned now and i’m only at 1

 

[Lumikko]

If your primary motivation is to get good and have some success at races, you’ll be better off maintaining one vehicle (or two of the same, i.e. two B7 kits) and putting your efforts and resources into that.

With one vehicle, you’ll have a lower threshold to buying the often overlooked things such as several pairs of springs, sway bars, a selection of shock and diff oils, and at least three pairs of wheels for the front and back. Spending money on setup tools & literature and learning how to use them will also make a difference to your lap times. Each car should have a dedicated transponder so that’s another hundred bucks.

People are quick to talk about performance upgrades like lightweight parts, but the above things are basics that should come first.

With two similar vehicles, it becomes much easier to test setup options back to back, and you’ll also have an immediate backup vehicle in case one breaks. You don’t need all the options for the second one, just the ones you end up using with the primary car.

The driving style between 2WD and 4WD is different. Switching back and forth slows down your development as a driver.

If you have money and time to spare after this, or you don’t mind spreading things thin and want to dip your toes into different things, then another type of vehicle is not a bad idea.