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G'day,
This is my Kyosho Maxxum FF on a test run.

Proving a buggy can look very cool without a separate wing.
Awesome to have a track like that nearby!

Totally agree, typical Kyosho styled front section with integrated rear wing, it is a separate wing which is attached to the body. Perhaps this inspired the rear half of Tamiya's Thundershot styling.

I always wondnered what an FWD buggy would handle ... from that clip I think it would be fair to say they understeer like bad word - just like Tamiya FWD tourers do straight out of the box.

I don't know if you prefer it like that, but I'd be trying to set it up to make it a lot more tail happy ... I don't know how adjustable the suspension geometry is, or what the front uprights are like, but I'd be looking at things like:

- Moving the steering rod ends forward/inwards on the uprights to get more steering lock/faster response;
- softer suspension on the front to improve traction;
- harder suspension on the back to make it more squirrely;
- neutral toe-in/out on the front, toe-out on the back; and above all,
- a much more brutal driving technique on the tighter bends - keep the power on way past the normal braking point & about halfway from there to the apex, lift off & hit full lock to swing the back out, then opposite lock to stop it swinging too far, then hit full power - you know it's not not going to spin out - It's spectacular and faster when you get it right

Thanks for your suggestions Jonny. The video shows the first test run of this car. I am currently testing the Maxxum FF and original Ultima with an A&L belt drive gearbox in preparation for a 6 hour vintage endurance race we are having in October, one car with four drivers per team. Back to back testing showed virtually same lap times with both cars! The Ultima had better top speed and acceleration due to gearbox efficiency, but the Maxxum was much easier to drive even with worn tyres. I prefer a slight understeer bias as you can control the car with throttle modulation.
I think you are right that an oversteer setup would be faster and more spectacular. That will be my 5 minute race setup.

ozipanda wrote:

Thanks for your suggestions Jonny. The video shows the first test run of this car. I am currently testing the Maxxum FF and original Ultima with an A&L belt drive gearbox in preparation for a 6 hour vintage endurance race we are having in October, one car with four drivers per team. Back to back testing showed virtually same lap times with both cars! The Ultima had better top speed and acceleration due to gearbox efficiency, but the Maxxum was much easier to drive even with worn tyres. I prefer a slight understeer bias as you can control the car with throttle modulation.
I think you are right that an oversteer setup would be faster and more spectacular. That will be my 5 minute race setup.

I can see how an understeer setup would be better for an endurance race; six hours - blimey

Last year it was 5 hours with 4wd and 2wd vintage cars. This year 2wd only and an extra hour! I am leaning towards using the Maxxum at this stage.