For the past several weeks, I've been assembling a Team Durango DEX210 2WD buggy for my son. I have built quite a few RC cars in the past but I must say that this kit has been a real challenge. Although the parts fit together quite well, both the kit's organization and mislabeled instructions have made construction pretty rough.
Finding Parts
So far I've spent more time trying to find the parts than actually putting them together. I'll openly admit my complaint is rather petty but this really is annoying. Most manufacturers label parts trees alphabetically (i.e., A, B, C) but Team Durango uses a non-sequential 6 digit code. I had no idea that such a small thing like this could be so frustrating. Since there is no diagram of the trees within the manual (Tamiya's kits have clearly spoiled me), it can take several minutes to find each part. Bagging plastic and metal parts together (like Team Associated) would have also made things so much easier. If you have a lot of space to lay out the trees - like a dining room table - take advantage of it.
Poor Manual
Perhaps even more frustrating is the poor manual. On several occasions I found incorrect part numbers. While I'd much rather have a paper manual to guide construction, you can download an updated file from Team Durango. I would've appreciated a list of errors so folks like me could update the manual - well, manually!
Even with the updated file, you'll still be at a loss to find any meaningful description of the numerous choices you must make during assembly. One of the biggest selling points of the DEX210 is the amazing amount of adjustments you can make to suit your driving style and track conditions. However, some of the ways Team Durango offers these adjustments are unique and difficult to figure out on your own. I found myself spending a lot of time in online forums and various web sites to learn what I believe should be in the manual.
Aftermarket Shock Caps
Stay away! I learned my lesson the hard way on this. I bought a set of STRC Aluminum Upper Shock Caps but quickly learned that they did not fit the stock plastic pivot balls in the kit. After scratching me head, I realized that the pivot balls on the base of the rear shocks would fit. But this is a metal-on-metal connection and there's a lot of play in the joint; a properly sized bushing would be a better choice. I found some others online have tried the metal pivot ball solution with mixed results. After all that time I spent loading the shock oil, I decided to go back to the stock plastic parts.
Steering Plate
It sure didn't take much force to break the stock part. While I was connecting the steering turnbuckles, I snapped the plastic steering plate. I guess I should be happy this occurred during construction rather than seeing my son break the part while driving on the track. As soon as I did a search for a new part, I discovered Team Durango makes a metal replacement. Gee, I guess even the manufacturer realized this was a weak point.
Links
If you've stumbled across my blog looking for tips to build the DEX210, here are a few of the places I visited to help during construction. Good luck!
