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Competition DB01 - By Andrew Kuntze

Intro:

Since its release, Tamiya's TRF501X has enjoyed many competition successes, including winning a recent European Championship in Finland. The experience gained through the development of the TRF501X is now available to club racers around the world in the form of the much-anticipated R/C off-road buggy, the Durga (58395) & Baldre (58404) which are both built on the DB-01 Chassis.

The most unique feature of the DB-01 is its sealed drive-train. With the drive-train completely enclosed, the belts are well protected from dirt and rocks unlike a traditional 4wd belt buggy. This allows for the drive-train to last much longer between rebuild periods, and virtually eliminates the chance of drive-train problems during a race.

The DB-01 chassis shares the same suspension system and drive-train as the TRF501X which makes its tuning possibilities limitless. Because of this, most of the parts for the 501x are compatible with the DB-01 chassis. This allows for a competitive chassis in any class.

Hop-ups:

DB-01 users have many hop-up options at their disposal to tailor their vehicle for their racing needs. While there are limitless combinations of hop ups you can install on your DB-01, here are a few that are believed to be the most important to enhance performance for racing.

5mm Suspension Balls - 50994

Aluminum Suspension Blocks - 54039

The optional aluminum suspension blocks that are offered are much more durable and precise than the stock plastic parts they replace. Combining them with the fluorine coated 5mm suspension balls will make for a much more efficient, and durable suspension.

Differential Joint - 51286

Differential Rings - 51287

One of the most important parts you can buy for your DB-01 are differential rings and the 501x differential joint. The diff joints on the 501x are made of a one piece alloy that are more durable and efficient than the two piece plastic parts that come standard with the DB-01.

Slipper Clutch - 54018

The slipper clutch allows for adjustment on how the power is transferred to the wheels. By loosening or tightening the nut on the clutch, you can control how slowly or suddenly the power comes on when you pull the throttle. This is also a very good item to have when considering higher end motors in order to control the increased power output.

Front Universal Shafts - 54015

Rear Universal Shafts - 54016

Universal shafts offer better efficiency than the stock dog bones transmitting power to the wheels. These units are made from tempered steel as well to ensure they are durable for racing purposes.

Front Setting Springs - 53974

Rear Setting Springs - 53975

TRF Buggy Dampers - 54028

While the stock dampers are more than adequate for backyard bashing and some club races, the serious competitor will find the TRF dampers are better suited for racing. The TRF dampers are much more precise and offer more accurate tuning than the stock dampers. The diameter of these dampers is consistent with those used by other companies meaning you will have many options when selecting your springs. You can also pair these with a set of front and rear Tamiya setting springs (come with hard, medium, and soft) to give more tuning options to match the track conditions.

Aluminum Steering Bridge - 53972

Aluminum Steering Post - 54148

Aluminum Racing Steering Set - 54149

Adding these pieces to your chassis is a good way to allow the steering to operate more efficiently and therefore put less stress on your servo. The steering bridge offers 3 linkage positions to help tune the chassis even more.

Stabilizer Set - 53963

The stabilizer set allows you to fine tune your chassis for any track. These are the same stabilizers found standard in the 501x kits. They come with hard, medium, and soft thicknesses. The stabilizers are a good way to further improve the cornering ability of the chassis.

Aluminum Motor Mount - 54079

This optional motor mount is much lighter than the stock piece and offer better motor cooling. The blue anodizing also looks great!

Aluminum Caster Block - 53961

Aluminum Rear Upright - 53962

Replacing the front caster blocks and rear uprights with aluminum pieces will offer more strength to your buggy as well as more tuning options. Each piece offers 3 upper link attachments to help get that perfect setup.

Servo Saver - 51000

A servo saver is always a useful option to have in order to increase the life of your steering servo, and to help protect it in case of an impact.

Baldre Bodyset - 51338

The DB01 chassis comes with a choice of either the Durga or Baldre body. While the decision to buy either kit has a lot to do with personal preference, the Baldre body handles better on the track. In addition, there is more space between the motor and body, which allows the motor to run cooler.

Building Tips:

When building the DB01 it is a good idea to pre-tap the hole before you start screwing the kit together. Doing this will help prevent stripping the heads of screws and saves your arms a little work. The most important areas to do this to are the chassis since everything mounts to it, and the suspension blocks in the first step.

If you plan to race your buggy, it is also a good idea to take the time to clean out the bearings to get maximum performance out of them. To do this, simply take the bearings, and put them in a cup or other container of some sort. Take motor spray and spray the bearings until they are submerged in the motor spray. Let them sit like this and periodically agitate them to help remove the bearing grease. You should see the motor spray start to have some white in it; this is the bearing grease coming out. Change the motor spray and repeat as necessary until there is no more grease coming from the bearings. Once this is done, set them on a paper towel and let them dry, then apply a light bearing oil to them. While this will reduce the life of the bearings, it will also greatly increase their performance for racing.

In step 15, when you assemble the steering knuckles, it is a good idea to screw the king pin into the knuckle at an angle. It is a good idea to do this because of the way the parts are molded. Typically, there is some warp in them. If you simply assemble the steering per the instructions, there can be a bit of binding at different points in the steering.

When assembling the chassis, there are many areas that you are recommended to apply grease to including the gears and the universals. While this can help the parts last longer for the average user, those who intend to race their kits will find that omitting the grease from these areas will improve the efficiency of the drive-train.

The universal shafts deal with a lot of stress from the constant rotation while driving, and the impact from jumps and bumps in the track. It is a good idea to put a small amount of thread lock on the grub screws that hold the shaft to the axle to help prevent them from possibly coming apart during a race.

The TRF buggy dampers are a great addition to the kit that will make a dramatic difference in handling. When you build these dampers for your DB-01, it is a good idea to add 2-3mm of limiters in the form of o-rings inside the rear damper to achieve the proper ride height.

In addition, it is also recommended to remove the blue damper collar if you still cannot get your ride height correct.

Conclusion

The Tamiya engineers have taken the race proven platform of the 501x and turned it into a vehicle that is good for both novice and expert drivers alike. With the variety of parts available for the DB-01 chassis, you can easily tune the chassis for any layout and any surface.