4WD OR 2WD?
02-06-2015, 09:31 AM
#1
4WD OR 2WD?
Hello Fellow buggy-ists,
After being out of the Hobby for a couple of years and wanting to get back into it. I have been greatly debating whether to step into the 1/10 4WD or 2WD buggy scene. I have only owned 2WD Stadium trucks and would consider myself still pretty relevent with all the new technology that is hitting the scene.
I just cannot find a reason to lean one way over the other. What I am trying to ask is... Are both types of buggies equal in terms of difficulty or does the powertrain of a 4WD really make things more difficult?
I prefer Team Associated kits which is something to consider as well. I am not sure if this has been spoken about, but was hoping to get some perspective from users of both types of buggies.
Thanks before hand.
After being out of the Hobby for a couple of years and wanting to get back into it. I have been greatly debating whether to step into the 1/10 4WD or 2WD buggy scene. I have only owned 2WD Stadium trucks and would consider myself still pretty relevent with all the new technology that is hitting the scene.
I just cannot find a reason to lean one way over the other. What I am trying to ask is... Are both types of buggies equal in terms of difficulty or does the powertrain of a 4WD really make things more difficult?
I prefer Team Associated kits which is something to consider as well. I am not sure if this has been spoken about, but was hoping to get some perspective from users of both types of buggies.
Thanks before hand.
02-06-2015, 12:50 PM
#3
Further thought:
1/10 4wd are my favorite cars for speed and handling. 2wd buggy will teach you how to give very sensitive input into cars and make you a better driver all around. Almost all good sized tracks have solid 2wd racing. 4wd is picking up speed again, but make sure there's a class to run it in if racing is your thing.
02-06-2015, 12:56 PM
#5
Not sure about your local area, but as mentioned it depends if you intend on racing or not. If you plan to race and want a large number of racers to compete against I would recommend 2WD. 4WD classes tend to be small in number to non-existant if you are in rural areas.
4WD is very fun car to drive and takes more tuning know how to make'm work right. 2WD class is easier to just run and normally more popular. There is a little learning curve (small) when jumping from Stadium Truck to 4WD. When I ran them all 4WD was frustrating for me because it was different than the other classes. I am talking about getting the car setup right. I never could get the set just right and eventually just dropped it from my classes so I could spend more time perfecting the others.
Questions to ask yourself:
1) To race or not to race? If not racing pick one it doesn't matter.
2) If racing, is there enough racers at your local track to make a race every week? If not then maybe 4WD should be a second car to race when there are enough entries.
4WD is very fun car to drive and takes more tuning know how to make'm work right. 2WD class is easier to just run and normally more popular. There is a little learning curve (small) when jumping from Stadium Truck to 4WD. When I ran them all 4WD was frustrating for me because it was different than the other classes. I am talking about getting the car setup right. I never could get the set just right and eventually just dropped it from my classes so I could spend more time perfecting the others.
Questions to ask yourself:
1) To race or not to race? If not racing pick one it doesn't matter.
2) If racing, is there enough racers at your local track to make a race every week? If not then maybe 4WD should be a second car to race when there are enough entries.
02-06-2015, 02:17 PM
#6
If you are a die-hard AE fan and want to race on a track, get a B5M and race 2WD. To be fast with a 4WD, you have to change your driving style a lot compared to your stadium truck, and even a mid-motor 2WD requires you to adjust your driving. If you want to give 4WD a try nonetheless, be aware that you have to maintain/adjust two or three times as many differentials. Also be aware that the B44 series is very fragile compared to others. If I had to choose one of the wheelers that is currently avaliable, I'd get the HB D413 (built like a tank, parts support somewhat iffy) or a Yokomo B-Max4III.
Bottom line: As an AE fan you can't go wrong with a B5M, good price, better quality than the B4 series and very tough. If you still like stadium trucks, the T5M will be available soon.
Bottom line: As an AE fan you can't go wrong with a B5M, good price, better quality than the B4 series and very tough. If you still like stadium trucks, the T5M will be available soon.
02-06-2015, 02:31 PM
#7
IMO both are great experiences..but completely different then each other.
When i drive my 1/10 4wd on the tracks I go to..traction is not an issue. I feel you can just pin it and look like a hero on the track. Maintaince.. set-up and durability on my D413 is pretty spot on. I can drive that thing like my 1/8 scale even when set up is a tad off...it just goes and is really fun.
In 2wd buggy...it gets way more tech. Breaking..acceleration and control is harder and requires a good set of developing skills to get around the track quick. Corner speed on a MM buggy is just amazing. IMO set up is much more critical in 2wd buggy. When my 2wd is not working on the track...you dont have the extra traction an 4wd gives yea to get around smooth....so it can get sometimes frustrating.
Put it this way...if you can rail a 2wd the 4wd is almost too easy to drive.
When i drive my 1/10 4wd on the tracks I go to..traction is not an issue. I feel you can just pin it and look like a hero on the track. Maintaince.. set-up and durability on my D413 is pretty spot on. I can drive that thing like my 1/8 scale even when set up is a tad off...it just goes and is really fun.
In 2wd buggy...it gets way more tech. Breaking..acceleration and control is harder and requires a good set of developing skills to get around the track quick. Corner speed on a MM buggy is just amazing. IMO set up is much more critical in 2wd buggy. When my 2wd is not working on the track...you dont have the extra traction an 4wd gives yea to get around smooth....so it can get sometimes frustrating.
Put it this way...if you can rail a 2wd the 4wd is almost too easy to drive.
02-06-2015, 03:59 PM
#8
Not sure about your local area, but as mentioned it depends if you intend on racing or not. If you plan to race and want a large number of racers to compete against I would recommend 2WD. 4WD classes tend to be small in number to non-existant if you are in rural areas.
Thanks for all of your guys input. It is interesting to hear your perspectives.
4WD is very fun car to drive and takes more tuning know how to make'm work right. 2WD class is easier to just run and normally more popular. There is a little learning curve (small) when jumping from Stadium Truck to 4WD. When I ran them all 4WD was frustrating for me because it was different than the other classes. I am talking about getting the car setup right. I never could get the set just right and eventually just dropped it from my classes so I could spend more time perfecting the others.
Questions to ask yourself:
1) To race or not to race? If not racing pick one it doesn't matter.
2) If racing, is there enough racers at your local track to make a race every week? If not then maybe 4WD should be a second car to race when there are enough entries.
Thanks for all of your guys input. It is interesting to hear your perspectives.
4WD is very fun car to drive and takes more tuning know how to make'm work right. 2WD class is easier to just run and normally more popular. There is a little learning curve (small) when jumping from Stadium Truck to 4WD. When I ran them all 4WD was frustrating for me because it was different than the other classes. I am talking about getting the car setup right. I never could get the set just right and eventually just dropped it from my classes so I could spend more time perfecting the others.
Questions to ask yourself:
1) To race or not to race? If not racing pick one it doesn't matter.
2) If racing, is there enough racers at your local track to make a race every week? If not then maybe 4WD should be a second car to race when there are enough entries.
As far as what i intend on doing, I just want to race locally and not so much get caught up in the racing scene. I have always enjoyed a simple practice day at the track. I am from the southern California area which means finding either class to race in an easy search.
Another thing im curious is can a 4WD buggy handle a moderately sized 1/8th scale track? I have tracks around me that are meant for 8th scale but i know the cost of 8th scale over 10th scale is a lot.
02-07-2015, 06:07 AM
#11
Tech Apprentice
I always enjoyed driving my 4wd more than my 2wd, but the class was almost non-existent. Where 2wd would have both stock and mod with 4 or 5 mains in each, 4wd would just end up with 1 main that may not even be full.
02-07-2015, 06:41 AM
#12
Doesn't matter which you get, you'll probably end up getting the other anyway. Even if you're racing at your local club, if you're only racing one class, it's a looooong time between heats.
02-07-2015, 09:30 AM
#14
The HB D413 seems to have plenty of suspension travel and probably can, but maybe a stadium truck or 4WD SCT would be a better choice for that kind of track.
02-07-2015, 09:45 AM
#15
2wd will teach you to be a better driver and teach you how to setup a car. My B5M is dialed and durable as heck. I would suggest getting the 2wd since they are normally way more popular and then if you have the money get a 4wd to bring along to the track and run it when there is enough guys.