RC Car Action - July 2013

PERFORMANCE TEST
WHEN THINGS WORK WELL, GOING FAST IS EASY AND AT
THE HANDS OF A MORE EXPERIENCED DRIVER, THE D812 IS
A DEADLY WEAPON.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

WELL;BALANCED PLATFORM At the heart of the D812’s track manners is its chassis balance. Having everything mounted low and close to the center allows the buggy to keep the wheels on the ground longer, which translates to massive amounts of grip. While it makes things tight to work with inside the buggy, on the track, the weight distribution’s advantage is massive. ;e buggy displays very little chassis roll and is very quick on its feet, transferring weight from side to side and allowing the buggy to steer hard without losing its cool. In the air, the buggy is nothing shy of jumping level and landing without incident.

DYNAMIC DAMPING ;e most obvious addition to the D812 is its massive 16mm shocks. ;ese shocks are not only oversized compared to their predecessors on the D8 buggy, they’re also designed to articulate the 812’s long travel suspension arms and keep the tires stuck to the dirt. Over large jumps, the suspension drops down awaiting

Innovative, race-focused design
Clunk-style fuel tank
As close to a factory ride as most will get
Room to work on things is at a premium
One-piece radio tray is nice but tough to run wires
A lot of disassembly required to remove di ;s

40 RCCar Action.com

its return to Earth with no more than a mere plunge and a light tap of the ground before getting the buggy o; and away again. High-speed corners are controlled and level-headed as the inside arms stretch down to keep the D812 shiny side up. ;rough rough sections, the stock settings from the manual work well at soaking up bumps and keeping the buggy under control and pointing forward.

WARP FAC TOR 5, MR. HARA Topping o; the 125cc fuel tank is the beginning of something very special. From first pull of the trigger, the HB 21XZ-B Hara Edition is a powerhouse of an engine with dirt-tearing torque coupled with F1 pitched screams and blistering top speed. ;e engine is matched very well to the T-2060SC pipe and gets on it quickly, allowing for a very linear feel to the throttle. ;e Goliath-sized acceleration is also due in large part to the D812’s lightweight drivetrain, which keeps things spooled up with ease. Overzealous driving may land the buggy on its lid but not to worry, the tanks clunk-style design allows the pickup to slide down and continue to pick up fuel while you scream for a corner marshal. On about a half a tank and modest carb settings, the D812 is able to stay upside down for a full tank for well over 30 seconds without shutting o;.

Futaba 4PKS-R Radio System

Item no. FU TK4903 Price: $550

Futaba BLS157HV Brushless Servo

Item no. BLS157HV Price: $190

Hot Bodies 21XZ-B Hara

Edition Engine Item no. 106540 Price: $300

O.S. T-2060SC Tuned Pipe

Item no. OSM72106135 Price: $170

TES T GEAR

MaxAmps 1290mAh
LiPo rx pack
Item no. N/A
Price: $35
O’Donnell Speed Blend
30% (gallon)
Item no. ODOP4431
Price: $120
Pro-Line Racing
V2 Pre-Mounted
Blockade M3 Tires
Item no. PRO9039-32,
Price: $31/pair

Final Word

You may not claim to be the hotshot at your local track or know all there is to know about setup, but with the D812 buggy you make the leap from zero to hero in a matter of minutes. Its superior balance and poise make it both easy and quick to drive and it can take even the most intermediate driver and put him on a higher level of driving. When things work well, going fast is easy and at the hands of a more experienced driver, the D812 is a deadly weapon. Its ability to accelerate at will, grab traction, and hold any cornering forces you can throw at it make it easy to see how it has shared such great success over the past year.