Electric 1/8th Buggy....why so heavy?
 

Just wondering, couldn't these buggies be made a pound or 2 lighter? Like a larger 1/10th 4WD setup running on a 11.1v Lipo and 1/10th scale electronics?

Just a thought.....

possibly but then you run into issues of durability, and also perceived durability. The appeal of 1/8 to a lot of people is that they are highly durable compared to the 1/10 counterparts (though, some of the new 1/10 offerings have really improved durability wise).

You could make them lighter. Use carbon and composites for the chassis. Thin down the arms and shock towers. Use something besides steel for the gears. Make the diffs smaller.

The problem in the end is durability. People that drive 1/8th scale cars don't want to break an arm every time they make a bad landing or tag another car. Also, the tracks designed for 1/8th are just plain more brutal on the cars than tracks designed for 1/10th. Bigger jumps, rougher surfaces, longer tracks, and higher speeds all contribute to the need for stronger cars.

batteries also. we have some team guys with fusions that weigh 7 lbs. How much lighter would you really want it?

Also, the heavier chassis makes it feel more planted. Ever driven an electric ST with the suspension collars all the way down? It just bounces around, because its so light (only a little more than a TC). Add some weight, and it handles a load better.

i cant even imagine a 5 pound 8th scale buggy! that would be to light:lol:

If you wanted to spend the money you could get any car to weigh just as much as you wanted to. That new VE8 looks like its probably gonna take the trophy for lightest e-car. Its all plastic except for the tower shocks and toe plates aand of course cvd's and gears ect. An awesome concept I hope it works. But for me I like the set up of the Caster car the best still. Its just balanced and I have seen the car and in never dissapoints me. The H9E is another awesome offering super compact and innovative I am sure its awesome. I have not yet seen the Nitro version let alone the E in person or race so I have no feedback on it. The tiny diffs that it has is appealing enough I am sure that that car comes out of the hole like a bat out of hell.

What, they are not fast enough for you? :lol: Why do they need to be lighter and less durable?

You can run a 1/8 buggy on 3s. I've run my truggy on 3s and no problems with heat or anything. You just have to make sure your setup can handle it and the batteries can provide enough current. Not ideal...just saying it can be done. I think a 1/8 buggy would run fine on 3s...they're a lot lighter than truggies still.

Compare the sizes of the arms, bulkheads, diffs, and shock towers of 1/8 buggies to 1/10 buggies and even truggies, and you'll see where the weight comes from. It all adds up. Durability...well, the more weight there is, the stronger the parts have to be to take the impact of that additional weight coming to a stop. These days, 1/10 trucks are pretty durable. The parts are smaller, but there's also less weight resulting in less energy to absorb.

If you want to see how fast a sub-5lb 1/8 buggy is, wait until I get my project done. I'm converting a 1/10 Kyosho DBX via a modified chassis to 1/8 buggy size. It's already the same width if I use 1/8 buggy wheels/tires (it's actually 1" wider if I use the stock 2.2" wheels/tires). It's 20mm shorter in wheelbase than most 1/8 buggies. I'm resolving that with a new chassis. It will weigh a tad over 4lbs when done, running a 3300kV Medusa 3650 motor on 3s. It's stupid-fast right now. And I expect it to be a bit easier to control with the longer wheelbase when I'm done with it.

Durability, for there size.

i was wondering if it was a good idea to use vxl for my 1/8 buggy i am not racing just around my little track in my backyard

you are dreaming if you think you can make a 4 lb 1/8 size 4wd buggy using 1/8 tires. that is assuming you plan on weighing it track ready with battery body ect. even with the most expensive fancy materials it would be difficult and very expensive to make a reliable sub 7 lb buggy with a reasonable size battery.

All the stuff i love about 1/8th scale.

With the technology that's out there, the weight doesn't seem to be a big issue. I my buggy is as fast if not faster then most of the nitros on the track.

On a side note, maybe less weight would = longer run time? Since the motor doesnt have to pull as many amps to move the car. That would be my biggest Plus for a lighter 1/8th scale.

That should be fun watching your 5lb buggy break into multiple pieces after the hits it will take on the track. Why the need to make it lighter when these rigs are capable of doing 50mph as is?

I was just curious on the weight. I was thinking a 1/8th sized buggy could be made durable, and light, and not require 2 - 7.4v LiPos to get it moving. Maybe just a 11.1v battery at most.

Something like a 4WD Slash Chassis. Shaft driven.