1/10th Buggy or Truck for new racer
 

I tried to search for this and went though about 20 pages and couldn't find quiet what I was looking for..
I want to start racing soon at a clay indoor track. I'm new to racing and the track I will be racing at mainly runs 1/10th SC , Buggy , and Truck. I'm not really interested in short coarse. I rather go with a buggy or truck. That being said Buggy is the most popular with usually 2 heats on race nights and truck having one heat. For major races their Buggy class usually goes down to about F-main while Truck class goes to about C-main.

For a beginner I was just wondering which you guys would recommend a Truck or buggy. Either way I would be running in the Super Stock class (they don't have regular stock class). I have heard that the Trucks are more stable and easier to drive so they could be good for a beginner. But I'm not sure since I have heard the buggies will improve my driving (which as a beginner improving my driving would be major concentration point) and since they are much more popular at my track...they seem like they could also be a good choice. But I'm afraid it could be a rough/frustrating place to start out at.

So what do you guys think? For a beginner buggy or truck?

Thanks,
Ethan

I cant really argue with anything you said. It does seem to me that you answered your own question. Yes Trucks are easier to drive and they are heavier and more stable, but if you dont want in to that class then I would go with a buggy. Find out what tires the fast guys are running. Find out what shock springs and oil they are running and write it all down for your own experiments. Make sure you have a legal motor and speed control, and battery. At some tracks it all matters. At others, not so much. Ask other racers how they are geared. If you dont understand what they are saying ask them what it means. Remember everybody was new once.

Remember if you spend any time with your car on its roof and it was your own fault, then practice is your best investment. Not motor or battery or the latest coolest part.

Good luck.

Do you have a preference?

if so, do that one :D

Otherwise I'd say buggy.


But thats just my preference so its quite worthless:rolleyes:

Best idea I can give is to see if someone will let you drive each one for a little bit and see which one feel best and go with that one.

Doesn't really matter which one you start with anyways, you'll proably end up have both. It's like a potato chip: you just can't have one.:D:nod:::weird:

2wd truck will still teach you alot.

Personally I enjoyed truck alot.

A tip I can offer, if you're new and your track only offers a super stock class don't think that it means you must run a 10.5 or 13.5, whatever they run. These are really fast with modern Lipo batteries, by any standard (I run a 10.5 in modified mostly). If you find it difficult, put a 17.5 motor in whichever vehicle you choose. The lower speed will be less discouraging and help you learn to drive around the track and you can move up to the faster motor when you're ready.

Buggy/truck, same difference on a high bite track.Trucks are easier if grip is low or the track is really rough, neither of which is the case at your track.

are you going to be racing at MHOR?

The 1/10 truck isn't very popular on Wednesday nights, and on a typical Saturday there's only enough trucks to fill one class. The buggy however, always has a full class and for the most part has A and B mains every week.

The truck class has been taken over by SC.

I am certainly a beginner -- I race so infrequently that every time I do it's like the first time. I've been around R/C a long time before actually driving, so I've got some perspective. I agree with both Snoopy and Davidka. Right on.

I drive an X - 60 truck with a Speed Passion 17.5. Our driver and 2-time World Champion Brian Kinwald suggests starting with a buggy. Pay your money and take your pick.

Our X - 6 Squared buggy is easier to drive than a rear motor buggy, so that may be your answer.

I would pick buggy over truck because there is more people so probably people closer to your ability, which will encurage you more, being a lap behind the guy in front of you and a lap ahead of the guy behind you is no fun, so go with the biggest class, in this case buggy. I must agree with youngchazz about mid motored buggies, either a x6 squared or a losi with a PSI racing LMX conversion, all depending on local part support and what every one runs.

Buggys can be a bit harder to drive than a truck, but starting with a buggy will teach more about how to drive and will make a better driver out of you. Once you get the hang of it any thing else you drive will be cake. In addition whatever track you go to you are almost guaranteed to have a race as it is one of the most popular classes. Stadium truck, unfortunately, is hit or miss for how many turn up. Indoor clay offers alot of grip as long as you are on the right tire and will make learning easier as well. I am Biased but have to agree with Chazz, The X6 Squared is an easier buggy to drive than the rear motored cars and is also easy to work on. Get a Buggy!:)

Brad

I would go with whatever is popular, you want to get good and race the big boys don't you? If truck is dwindling at the track than learn with the buggy. Here is an analogy I heard from a fast guy one time. "Two wheel drive truck is like a two wheel drive buggy on training wheels." I think it's so true, truck is wider, has bigger tires and is more stable. It's much more forgiving through the rough. Overall you have to be less careful when driving 2wd truck. You have to pick your lines and be smarter with the buggy. I got a good deal on a Losi buggy but I will tell you this, that same fast guy I quoted got faster when he went from a B4 to an X-Factory X6. It was like .5 seconds faster! I didn't think he could go much faster at that indoor track but he did...

My recommendation would be to go with a buggy. If you can wheel a 2wd buggy, you'll be able to wheel just about anything. So if down the road you decide you want to try something else, it will likely be easier to drive. Not to mention that the buggy classes are generally more competitive. All of this being said, stock up on front a-arms.

Personally, I would go with whatever has the most entries of the class that you like.

If you find you are up in the air between a truck and a buggy, go buggy. Part of me feels that trucks are getting pushed aside by SCTs.

As for what to start with, go to the track and see if anyone will lend you there vehicle to try out or if the track has a rent a wreck.

The Mid motor stuff is nice, I drive for SCT a PSI Racing Mid motor conversion of an Academy GV2T and I love how it handles. Have the buggy conversion too, just need to convert it.

Basically nobody races 1/10 buggy around here.. we had a handfull of us during the indoor season racing, but it gets old w/ only 4-5 people, not much fun. It sounds like in your area it's more popular but that is not the trend anywhere around here.. that is a shrinking class. 1/10 truck is a nice middle class and typically always available everywhere I've ever been, but if you want to be in the class that is the most fun and has the most new drivers I'd bite the bullet and go w/ the short course. They are super fun and pretty cheap to run overall, you can even compete with a RTR in this class which is not possible in buggy and 1/10 truck as they are typically all 10.5 these days. Even w/ short course eventially you will want a 17.5 or 13.5 sensored system depending what your track allows as the stock motors just don't last all that long, even if you clean them well. The blitz ese is now at HS's all over as well as online.. that is just one option.

my 2c

I absolutely LOVE buggys. There more pleasing to me astheticly. I always hated SC's and Stadium Trucks. After racing for two years I can deffinately say go for the SC or Truck.

I just got myself an SC and while I've always been at the back of the pack with the buggy Im in the front with the SC. I can be competitive because its forcing me to keep my cool and run a good line because the speeds are easier to learn with. I have enough time to compensate for jerking the wheel of the radio to hard where as with the buggy I would have been on my roof. I know you said you have no intrest in the SC I think you should consider it.

If you decide you still dont want the SC I'd say go with the truck, you'll have a lot more fun with it where I think you'll be fighting the buggy. I see it all the time at our track with more than one racer that has both a buggy and an SC. They swear up and down how much better they like the buggy and how much they hate the SC but the only time they ever look like there having any genuine fun at the track is when there running there SC because there always frustraited and fighting the buggy.

For what its worth we have a good turnout for Buggy, our best turnout is generaly SC, and we only have 1 or 2 people in the area with a stadium truck