Easiest 4WD Buggy out of the Box

[4times]

I posted this in another forum, but you folks on this side of the water seem to run a wider range of buggies, so I thought I would ask here too.

Interested to hear what 4wd buggies you all found easiest to drive right out of the box.

Any modern 4wd is good with time and tuning...my question is, what do you all think is the easiest and quickest around the track out of the box without a lot of wrenching or tons of set up advice.

Hopefully, this doesn't turn into another parts availability, durability, or "drive what other local drivers are driving" type of discussion.

I remember Car Action did a shoot out where all the cars were equipped with Team Losi Blockheads (silver compound) up front and Team Losi BK Bars (red compound) in the rear. Pros were allowed to take the cars around the track and make final setup adjustments.

At the time, there was no Associated B44, Kyosho ZX5, Tamiya 501, or Hot Bodies D4, but they tested the following:

1. XXX-4 graphite plus (Mike Truhe's)
2. XX-4 W.E. (Travis Amezcua's)
3. X-5 (Greg Hodapp's)
4. Yokomo MR4-BX (Masami's)
5. Durango (Joe Pillars)
6. BJ4 W.E. (Ryan Cavalieri's)

Interesting article, they had 3 different driver's (one novice, and two expert level) drive these factory rides and each gave their opinions....

It's a 10 page article so too much info to include here...but here are some quotes from the article:

a) fastest lap times were recorded with the Durango, XX-4, and XXX-4;

b) the BJ4 and XX-4 were pegged as "most aggressive cars, so they were tougher to drive...had loads of steering...",;

c) the X-5 and Durango were "the easiest to drive,...had very nuetral setups, and neither were overpowered rockets";

d) the two advance drivers "prefer the feel of the Yokomo or XXX-4, they were fast, yet not too much to handle"

It seemed from all the comments (not just those above) that the driver's really liked the XXX-4 and the Yokomo MR-4BX.... as being easy to drive fast and balanced... they all agreed that the BJ4 W.E. was difficult to drive.

Pretty interesting, just wondering what similar experiences you all have with buggies that you just put down (whether a friend's or out of the box) and immediately liked without any real set up headaches or wrenching.

Again, let's leave the parts availability and durability issues to the other 4WD threads.

[Nolan BJ4WE]

The easiest 4WD buggy 'out the box' was the old Yokomo YZ-10

[Alfonzo]

Good thread, but I think you have most of the answers in your 10 page write up! Opinions are going to vary on this one, but speaking from first hand experience I'd say the XX4 has to be pretty high on the list. My own ride, Predator X10 (which I like very much) would not be

[RogerM]

Most people, who run one, on your side of the pond seem to be taking the ZX5-SP out of the box, building it to kit set-up and running it that way ...... I would say that tells a story.

I think the ZX5-SP is a fantastic car out of the box on this side of the pond too, although the kit springs are a little too soft for most of our tracks.

When I last ran a Predator it was straight from the box too with the addition one extra washer on outer end of the front camber link and some 40wt AE shock oil, rest kit. Hardly changed it at all anywhere ... if I did it was just rear roll centre of front springs by one grade.

[HVAC25000]

*disclaimer* do me a favor guys, these are my opinions, don't get all offended if my experiences differ from yours, this is the stuff that I have seen with my own eyes.


Well I've had a XXX-4, XX-4, X10, and BJ4.

The XXX-4 was my favourite, it was easy to set up, jumped like a dream, turned on rails, but broke like clay, and because it always broke, I sold it.

Got the X10, which was almost as good as the xxx-4, I think I didn't like the shaft drive bit (I'm a big fan of the XXX-4's single belt, sealed drive train), and it was also crumbly like the XXX-4 (but the new X11 isn't that way, and I'm very interested in getting one). The car was ran on big, rough, 1/8 buggy American tracks, and handled all that stuff very wincluding beating the 1/8ths. It was actually quite easy to work on, and despite what everyone who hasn't owned one thinks, very easy to set up. I just used the rough track setup from the instructions and couldn't have been happier.

The XX-4 is probably the best rough track handling/driving/jumping car out there, but the most difficult car to setup I've come across. It does rough stuff amazingly well. It's not as crumbly as the XXX-4, but compared to some other cars, it breaks easy. The shock towers, arms, hubs, and carriers are a bit weak. If you're running on a track with huge jumps, it will be an issue. Unfortunately, though, the kit is no longer made because the chassis mold was ruined, so you'd have to get a used one, and if you broke the chassis, you'd have to buy another used car. Simple answer to that is to get an X-5 if you've got the money and are running a rough track.

The BJ4 is bullet proof, but out of all the cars I've had, I like it's driving/handling the least. It also takes 30-45minutes to change a spur gear, which on my pebbly (tiny rocks) tracks get torn up very quickly. If you used some lexan to seal up the spur area, it wouldn't be an issue. The gearboxes are amazing, I never do anything to my diffs, they just keep going and going. The original BJ4 is very left side heavy if you're running NIMH, but with LIPO it's well balanced. The WE is balanced fine with NIMH.

Don't let anyone talk you into a B44, they break easier than anything else ever made.


Also keep in mind what batteries you're going to run. If NIMH, then car choice isn't an issue, but if LIPO, then you need to worry about whether you're going to run stick packs, or the new trak power saddle packs.


If i could find a way to make the XXX-4 stop breaking, I'd get another in a heartbeat just because it was so fun and simple. If I got a good deal on an X11, I'd get one of those, but I run stick LIPOs so I'd have to spend a ton of money on new batteries.


Given a choice of any car, money no object, I'd get one of the new breed of cars in a heartbeat and just copy someone else's setup. Either an Atomic Carbon S4, Aero A-one, X11, Serpent S500, or the Schumacher CAT SX. I really can't decide, other than the fact that the CAT is the only one that runs stick packs, so I'd probably go with it. Plus I have a Schumacher Mi-3 and LOVE how easy it is to work on, the CAT will be almost as easy.

[mattym0310]

I have found that a lot of cars in this hobby arent great "out of the box". A lot of cars need many hopups or tuning parts to make it quicker or more reliable but the pred x11 is different. Pretty much everything needed for the car to be strong and competitive is in the box.

[HVAC25000]

Originally Posted by mattym0310

the pred x11 is different. Pretty much everything needed for the car to be strong and competitive is in the box.

Good to know!

[Scouser]

I don't have an extensive knowledge of cars having only owned a few but I have to say, the easiest car for me was the Hotbodies D4. When I turned up at the track, I hadn't even finished building it but as soon as I laid it down on the track, I found it an absolute joy to drive and was confidence inspiring with its solidity. I was running the kit suggested set ups and turned in some of my most consistent lap times of the season.

[ashleyb4]

well IMO The xx4 is very easy to drive tis nice and safe to drive this was the main reason i bought it i was told by ahell of alot of peopel that it was easy to drive and it would help me learn how to drive and well it has. I ran my xx4 box stock for 12 months only setup change was oil and springs i didnt do any mods just left it and ran it and it went well. Personally i havent broken that much i broke more on my b4. So my choice of easy to drive good cars out of the box is the xx4.

A

[mark christopher]

d4 for me with the addition of losi silver front and red rear springs.

[losixxx]

Originally Posted by HVAC25000

*disclaimer* do me a favor guys, these are my opinions, don't get all offended if my experiences differ from yours, this is the stuff that I have seen with my own eyes.



The XX-4 is probably the best rough track handling/driving/jumping car out there, but the most difficult car to setup I've come across. jumps, it will be an issue. Unfortunately, though, the kit is no longer made because the chassis mold was ruined, so you'd have to get a used one, and if you broke the chassis, you'd have to buy another used car. .

2 points, xx4 only really need's 1 setup so how you can say's its the most difficult to setup??
point 2, the chassis mold has been replaced, new chassis's are currently available and will continue to be!!

[ashleyb4]

wow ace news chris maybe losi do care.

A

[HVAC25000]

Originally Posted by losixxx

2 points, xx4 only really need's 1 setup so how you can say's its the most difficult to setup??

One setup? What setup is that? I have like 12 different sets of springs, plenty of different shock mount holes, infinite weights of oil, lots of different combinations to choose from.

In case you didn't notice, the car performs different on EU tracks compared to U.S. ones... All cars do... The guy who started the thread is probably running on an American track, could be completely different from some indoor gym with wrestling mats or some outdoor grass/turf track with wooden jumps.

So, what one magical setup works on asphalt, brick, carpet, turf, dirt, clay, sand, concrete, and foam mats, with and without jumps, with and without banked turns, high speed, low speed, dry, and wet?

Man, I gotta get that setup!

Originally Posted by losixxx

point 2, the chassis mold has been replaced, new chassis's are currently available and will continue to be!!

Hadn't heard that. I wonder why they discontinued the kit then if they planned on continuing to make chassis. Clearly it's a better and more popular car than the XXX-4...

Oh, and fyi, "chassis" is plural for "chassis" At least in the English language it is...

[losixxx]

and what would you lot over the pond know about the english language, you usually slaughter it!!!!!!!!!

just because you have that many springs/shock positions/oils doesnt mean you have to use them....the majority of driver's in the uk use the same base setup and usually change very little between different tracks..

kit was only ever going to be re-launched as a limited run...never as a full-time product!
i have never had any problem getting parts for the car inluding CHASSIS for the past 5 years ive be running a xx4

[ashleyb4]

most people start with the simple setup of red rear springs silver front 30wtrear 35wt front i wont go any intodetail here as its going off topic.

A

[Lee]

Originally Posted by RogerM

Most people, who run one, on your side of the pond seem to be taking the ZX5-SP out of the box, building it to kit set-up and running it that way ...... I would say that tells a story.

I think the ZX5-SP is a fantastic car out of the box on this side of the pond too, although the kit springs are a little too soft for most of our tracks.

.

Im shocked Roger



The aero was really good out the box, i just tipped it upside down and out it came

[ashleyb4]

that made me laugh lee i choked on my orange juice

A

[RogerM]

Lee, why do you think I like the car so much ... I get no more assistance to run a Lazer than I would any other car .... I run it because, for my driving style at least, it's the best chassis out there at the moment that I have tried. Now I've not run an X5 (but I really didn't like the XX4 on both occassions I owned one and if it is as similar as people tell me ....) and I've not run the Areo as it wasn't around when I had to change cars.
Other than that I think I've driven them all (as in current available kits .... making the assumption that the X11 isn't too different than the X10 in terms of geometry).


I guess what we all should be telling him is to try as many cars as he can and go for the car that suits his style best!!!!

[Agent Smith]

Originally Posted by RogerM

Lee, why do you think I like the car so much

We all keep asking ourselves that

[RogerM]

Originally Posted by Agent Smith

We all keep asking ourselves that

I take it you've not driven a ZX5-SP or else you wouldn't be asking!!!