Tamiya Durga DB01 EP Buggy (A cheaper 501X?)

[jimmy]

it's just the CVD's yes - the dogbones (which I run) won't come out. I have 2 o rings inside the shock to act as a limiter, and also running the rod end and spring cup from the durga kit shocks (the short one) which makes the shocks a little shorter.

if your car is slapping you need more pack in the shocks. what's your setup now?

[NitroStar]

Setup:

-501x shocks with the pistons that came with the 501x shocks installed per instructions (#3 - 1.3mm in fronts & #4 - 1.4mm in rears)
-white springs (that come with shocks)
-35 weight oil - front shocks
-30 weight oil - rear shocks
-4mm limiters all around (total shock length from end to end is: 80mm - front & 98mm - rear)

This make them only about 1 or 2mm longer than the stock shocks

[BloodClod]

I have a related but somewhat different question. I ran a similar setup to nitrostar except that I was running 30wt oil all around, medium rate 501X springs (yellow markings). Ride height was set at around 20mm for the front and just a tad higher for the rear. Running Proline Holeshot tires on an outdoor dirt track. I'm also running the front one-way.

Overall I thought the whole setup was a tad soft but decided to give it a shot on the track anyway.

My question is regarding tire wear. I ran the tires for a 2-3 packs and noticed quite significant wear on the rear tires. I swapped to some bowties in the rear and after another 2 packs saw the same pattern wear on the rear bowties.

Could my tire wear be related to my suspension setup? Prior to this I was running a set of DF03 shocks with stock DB01 springs and I don't think the wear was as significant as this. I'm also curious as to why there was such uneven wear as the fronts are still looking rather new.

Any ideas guys? Please share your thoughts.

BTW, I was also experiencing chassis slap on the above setup though handling on the rest of the track was pretty good. Swapped to #3 (1.3mm) pistons on the rear and will give it another go this weekend.

[TRF_AK]

I just wanted to make a note for those of you considering buying the carbon reinforced chassiss: you will also have to buy the optional heat sink 54040. In addition, you will have to pretap all of the holes in the chassis to prevent stripping the screws out. Due to the harder nature of the compound used, this chassis is even more prone to stripping screws. I have just installed a sample one we got today and found this even more true.

[antnee]

woo!, did 2 whole 5min races this evening!! First and last round, middle 2 I had electrical issues.

Seemed to go quite well, put some spacers on the shocks to try to give it more ground clearence. Overall Im happy though

(must be the oOple stickers that make it go better!! )

[bender]

Obviously it depends on what track surface you race on, but I can't believe how many of you guys actually use the Tamiya white type springs - especially the red and yellow ones.

I have found these springs to be ridiculously soft - I run on loose, low grip dirt tracks and consider the red and yellow springs far too soft for even these conditions.

Remember the Durga (with nimh) is quite heavy, as are most modern 4wd's.

Out of Tamiya's white springs, I would only ever run the "blue" ones - and even then I'd be inclined to mount the shocks in the outer hole in the arms to stiffen them up somewhat.

I posted this on rctech but my current dirt-track setup is:

Front: kit 1.3 piston 35w oil with blue springs mounted in the outside hole on the arm. No internal limiters.

Rear: kit 1.4 piston 30w oil with kit Durga rear springs mounted in the outside hole on the arm. No internal limiters. Tamiya Blue swaybar used on rear.

[Toonz]

Originally Posted by bender

I posted this on rctech but my current dirt-track setup is:

Front: kit 1.3 piston 35w oil with blue springs mounted in the outside hole on the arm. No internal limiters.

Rear: kit 1.4 piston 30w oil with kit Durga rear springs mounted in the outside hole on the arm. No internal limiters. Tamiya Blue swaybar used on rear.

what is the color of your rear spring? the DF03 black one? isn't softer than the 501x (white, red)?

[bender]

Yeah the DF03 black ones - they are harder than the tamiya blues. (I've even used the DF03 gold springs on occasion!)

[NitroStar]

1 - Hey Bender, so you have no problem with your universals coming out of the outdrive using no limiters in the shocks?

2 - Is that 3Racing parts on your Durga (your website)?

3 - On your front, you use White spring with Blue dot? Is this a 501x spring part number?

4 - Do you use 501x diff halves & rings. How do you get the front blue rings (that beef up the outdrive slot)?
Thanks

[bender]

Originally Posted by NitroStar

1 - Hey Bender, so you have no problem with your universals coming out of the outdrive using no limiters in the shocks?

I mount the shocks in the outside hole in the suspension arm so I don't need limiters. If you use the middle hole in the suspension arm then you need 2.5mm+ of limiters.

2 - Is that 3Racing parts on your Durga (your website)?

Yes.

3 - On your front, you use White spring with Blue dot? Is this a 501x spring part number?

Yes, part # 53974

4 - Do you use 501x diff halves & rings. How do you get the front blue rings (that beef up the outdrive slot)?

I use the plastic TA05 diff halves for the front diff, that's why you can see the blue rings. You can only use these with the smaller 36t pulley which gives the car overdrive like on the original 501.

[Toonz]

it seems to me that the 501x springs are not that friendly to the durga even if the 501x shocks or the hop-up shocks are being used.

[DCM]

I ran mine on a bumpy(ish) track with a decent jump on it, with the limited front shocks, and rear droop same as kit and it handles really well, I don't think I got the oil and shock combo there right, but shock length is there. This car feels like it suffers when run with BIG droop.

[Toonz]

some magazines said that the 501/db01 is a on-road inspired buggy, maybe that explains the minimum droop for ultimate performance.....

[DCM]

I don't think I have ever owned a buggy that really works with massive droop though, and the DB-01 in kit form got enough.

[jimmy]

The cars are unarguably inspired by the best in off road - hence the Associated shocks, the bj4we suspension, the losi wheels and steering knuckles. etc.

I left my 501X shocks at full length at the front but with the rear limited with 2 orings (about 3mm) and using the short durga spring cups and rod end on the bottom to give a slightly shorter shock - there isn't really enough droop on the rear now.

I raced my new db01 at southport yesterday, with carbon upper covers and shock towers - I think these parts are probably a good investment and go toward making the car more consistent as they take some flex away, especially in the shock towers.
I don't think I've ever broken a shock shaft before, but I managed to bend a rear one at nearly 90 degrees, and in another heat I broke a front one by hitting the track marker with the shock - which is fair enough really.
I qualified 5th, got tagged on the first jump and went to last, got back up to third but had a roll and finished 5th.

[A.J. Gee]

I was wondering: Do any of you guys plan on installing the soon to be released center one-way? I was just curious what purpose or benefits it will provide and if it has anything to do with the slipper clutch that most of us have on there? Will it replace the slipper? Kind of a noob like question, but just wondering what the deal is?

[jimmy]

it won't replace the slipper but will use some different parts - maybe different layshaft and I would assume it's compatible with both the slipper and standard non-slipper gear (but just a guess).
the centre one way is just like a normal 4wd buggy on-power, but off-power the front diff is free to spin and this helps the car rotate round the corners. I'm not sure I'll get one - spent enough , but I'd not refuse one if it was thrown at me. I'd like to try it.

[A.J. Gee]

Thanks once again Jimmy. I am gonna follow in your foot steps and not order the center one way when it comes out. Just like you said, i to have already spent enough on the so called "budget buggy" lol. I am thinking about selling my Keen Hawk so that i can finance some money for a new project which i have not decided on yet. I would like to give the new Hot Bodies 4wd budget D4 a try. I am itching to build another kit very badly. Half the fun in this hobby after all is building what you drive. If i ever buy a RTR vehicle please somebody shoot me!!!!!!

[outspaced]

Hi guys
I've been slowly but surely ordering and fitting ugrades to my Durga, so far I've installed front one-way, slipper and shocks plus I have a BL and LiPo setup waiting in the wings. The battery has arrived but still waiting on the charger and motor/esc combo. It's lucky I had that promotion at work recently
(also need things to do whilst my girlfriend is abroad for 4 months)

Few questions though, excuse the noobishness.

How much ground clearance should this buggy have for general offroad driving?

Are there any off-road tracks in south London? The closest I can find is Eden Park, which looks great but would take me about an hour and a half to get to by train and foot.

Is there a general 4WD buggy set-up guide anywhere? Just so I have a reference for tweaking the shocks etc.

Cheers

[A.J. Gee]

Do the shock limiters/spacers come with the Tamiya dampers(54028) I dont recall putting them in mine when i built them.