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Hot Bodies Cyclone D4  
Review, part #2   

 Gentlemen ...
 
Blazing sunshine from a cloudless sky, with temperatures beyond 30 degrees Celsius and the almost dust-free track of RMC-Vienna: this is track-test-day no. 1!
 
The RMC-Vienna offers the perfect track for offroad enthusiats The track layout should be familiar with drivers who participated in the 2006 euros. The track didn't change since then.

EQUIPMENT USED FOR TESTING
RC: Sanwa M11 & RX-211

Steering: Sanwa VX

ESC:
    Nosram Matrix Evolution
    2007 Edition

Motor:
    LRP Vector X11 5.5/6.5

Battery:
    LRP VTEC 4200 HV² FT

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 ... start your engines!
 
I started out calmly, being easy on the throttle as I drove the Cyclone D4 around the track. I wanted to get a feeling for the new racer, and both slipper and diffs needed some time to break in.
After I had dialed in the ESC, I went straight up to the driver’s stand. The outcome after the first battery dumped: quite visible enthusiasm in my face!
 

Click on the pictures to get an enlarged view!
 
It was just fun to drive the buggy around the demanding track. The next runs were dedicated to a photo-shooting to give you an impression of how the Cyclone D4 looks like on a track.
 

Click on the pictures to get an enlarged view!
 
For the rest of the day, I didn’t change anything in the setup department. It was just that the ESC and motor weren’t yet working to my full satisfaction.
 


 
(Click on the picture for an enlarged view!)

  
 The second day at the track
 
Just the next day: same weather conditions, same buggy, same driver, but different track. This time, Hot Bodies Cyclone D4 had to face MAC Traiskirchen’s track. Due to the grip level being comparable to the RMC Vienna track, the D4 performed well with its stock-setup there too, taking the corners with ease.
But the moment of truth became imminent as I was about to equip the Cyclone D4 with a transponder. This not only meant instant feedback for my setup-work, but it would also pit the Cyclone D4 against JConcepts BJ4 Worlds Edition which I drove on the same track earlier this year.
To be honest, the comparison between these two cars wasn’t completely fair yet, since the BJ4 was equipped with a front one-way and the Cyclone D4 still had a front diff.
But the numbers looked promising as I was only 0.3 of a second behind the BJ4’s best time. Compared to the BJ4 equipped with a front diff too, the Cyclone could beat it by about 0.4 seconds.
To further fine tune the D4’s performance, I changed to lighter 25wt oil and relocated the camber links a little. (You can download a setup-sheet towards the end of this review.)

 
 First Race!
 
Towards the end of August, I took the chance to test the Cyclone D4 under racing conditions. Therefore, the 5th round of the Austrian nationals, held at the PSV-Salzburg was the perfect opportunity.
The track was completely new to me, and the participation of many local drivers with their home field advantage made up a very competitive starting grid.
I started out with my setup from Traiskirchen, still featuring the stock front diff. Proline’s Holeshot tires were used front and rear, as the OEFMAV regalement requires.

The less than average grip levels made it difficult to find a working setup for the track. Solely changing over to a front one-way improved things and made the D4 more aggressive at the entrance of the turns.
I wasn’t alone with my setup-difficulties. Basically anybody else had to struggle to keep up with the fierce competition from the local drivers.
So, the reason for my worst performance this year (8th place) was by far not the car’s fault, rather the extremely challenging track conditions for foreign drivers.
On a side note: Maintenance work was absolutely easy to do and the Cyclone D4 reacted predictably to the slightest setup changes. The Cyclone D4 showed its potential and the setup is still workable.
Brushless-excursion: Brushless motors clearly dominated this year’s Austrian nationals. 9 out of the top 10 4wd drivers used brushless systems, mostly from LRP/Nosram. Gone are the days, were brushless systems were associated with bad throttle control and reliability, and hardly anyone can imagine going back to brushed motors.
Gone are the days of tedious motor maintenance, brushless let’s you focus more on the car and its setup.
My recommendation for the Cyclone D4 would be a brushless motor with 5.5 to 6.5 turns, depending on the track layout.

 
After countless runs, no alarming wear on the Cyclone D4 could be noticed. The feared diff screw breakage didn’t happen to me, but it loosened up a bit due to a faulty diff spring. With the spring replaced, and some thread lock on the diff nut, the diff was as good as new again.
Crash damages were also kept at a minimum: A broken front arm and a partially fractured shock tower where all, the Cyclone D4 suffered in a head-on collision at the end of a straight.
 
To give the track test a broader approach, I invited another D4 driver, Rene Levetzow, (overall 6th in the Austrian championships) to give a few statements on the Cyclone D4’s performance:
  • Handling:
    Handling-wise, Hot Bodies Cyclone D4 is very forgiving. A particular advantage compared to my former JConcepts BJ4 WE is the D4’s tremendous rear end grip that comes in handy on slippery tracks.
    The best grip balance is achieved with the front one-way.
     
  • Durability:
    The D4’s durability is good, but there are two shortcomings:
    First, the shock shafts don’t feature an abrasive resistant coating like Associated or Team Losi shock shafts.
    Second, the hinge pins seem to be made of a soft material which bends easily on impact.

 

 The final statement
 
After the build, I was very enthusiastic for Hot Bodies' Cyclone D4 - and at the track, my high expectations were fulfilled. The buggy leaves nothing to be desired, and with its maintenance-friendly construction, working on the D4 is very easy.
The car’s handling is very balanced and for me, the kit setup worked considerably well on most tracks.
Make sure, your pit box doesn’t miss arms, front shock towers and hinge pins!
 

Special thanks to:

LRP-Electronic

The author further wants to thank:
  • LRP electornics - who did not only supply the review sample, but also provided a Vector X11 brushless motor and some nice batteries
  • HOECO – who provided a Nosram Evolution brushless controller
  • Georg Würger – for his perfect airbrush work
  • and Aaron Banovics from offroad-CULT, who invited me to review the Cyclone D4
Written by Florian Klemm
Translation and pictures by Aaron Banovics
This article has been published by www.offroad-cult.org on 9-9-2007.
 

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