Duratrax Badger Tire Test
Nomad DB8 putting the DuraTrax Badger 1/8 tire to the test.
Powering into a tight corner on the hot asphalt street just moments after mounting a new set of DuraTrax Badger tires, the Nomad DB 8 caught the outside edge of the front tire and went cartwheeling off into the neighbor’s bushes.
Not only did this serve as a reminder that I should get another body on order soon, it was also clear that the Badger tires from DuraTrax are completely different than the OEM General Tire GT-R Grabbers provided with the Nomad DB 8 RTR kit.
Most seasoned RC drivers would have probably taken a more conservative approach when feeling out new wheels and tires, but the Nomad’s explosive acceleration is something of a guilty pleasure and there’s virtually no way for me to not get all over the throttle for the first battery pack of the day.
Not only did this serve as a reminder that I should get another body on order soon, it was also clear that the Badger tires from DuraTrax are completely different than the OEM General Tire GT-R Grabbers provided with the Nomad DB 8 RTR kit.
Most seasoned RC drivers would have probably taken a more conservative approach when feeling out new wheels and tires, but the Nomad’s explosive acceleration is something of a guilty pleasure and there’s virtually no way for me to not get all over the throttle for the first battery pack of the day.
DuraTrax Badger (l) and General GT-R Grabber (r)
The DuraTrax Badger tires come pre-glued on a set of plastic buggy wheels, featuring a 17mm hex hub and a deep 21mm positive off-set.
I marked this in bold because some websites incorrectly list these as a zero-offset. Not correct! It's not even close, and I assume the bad info on their website is just a copy-n-paste error, but I'd be a little bent if I ordered these thinking they were a zero-offset.
The wheel and tire combo comes in at 250 grams, 138mm tall, and 64.5mm wide.
This is a significantly wider and heavier setup than the GT-R wheel and tire, but they do share a nearly identical ride height, with the Badger being just slightly taller.
I marked this in bold because some websites incorrectly list these as a zero-offset. Not correct! It's not even close, and I assume the bad info on their website is just a copy-n-paste error, but I'd be a little bent if I ordered these thinking they were a zero-offset.
The wheel and tire combo comes in at 250 grams, 138mm tall, and 64.5mm wide.
This is a significantly wider and heavier setup than the GT-R wheel and tire, but they do share a nearly identical ride height, with the Badger being just slightly taller.
DuraTrax Badger (l), General GT-R Grabber (r)
For this tire evaluation, the plan was to test on various surfaces including grass, gravel (loose over hard), asphalt, and small sharp rock (nasty loose over hard). With any luck, we will get a good feel for what the Badgers have to offer and take them to their limits.
Team Associated’s Nomad DB-8 is an excellent four-wheel drive desert buggy and would serve as the testing platform. This vehicle was kept in the factory configuration without any changes to the motor, ESC, or gearing. The differentials are all running 10k silicone fluid. Powering the motor is a Spektrum 4s 5000 mAh Lipo battery. The Badgers were balanced prior to testing, and they did require a good bit of putty to get them spinning nicely.
After digging the Nomad out from a tangle of bushes, I packed up and headed to the dirt track. It was later in the day and the temperatures were in the low 90’s with full sun. Looking the Nomad over, the DuraTrax Badger is substantially wider, and with a very pronounced positive offset to the wheel. This moved the contact patch of the tire inwards, reducing the scrub radius and giving the Nomad more of a vintage buggy look than a desert racer.
Team Associated’s Nomad DB-8 is an excellent four-wheel drive desert buggy and would serve as the testing platform. This vehicle was kept in the factory configuration without any changes to the motor, ESC, or gearing. The differentials are all running 10k silicone fluid. Powering the motor is a Spektrum 4s 5000 mAh Lipo battery. The Badgers were balanced prior to testing, and they did require a good bit of putty to get them spinning nicely.
After digging the Nomad out from a tangle of bushes, I packed up and headed to the dirt track. It was later in the day and the temperatures were in the low 90’s with full sun. Looking the Nomad over, the DuraTrax Badger is substantially wider, and with a very pronounced positive offset to the wheel. This moved the contact patch of the tire inwards, reducing the scrub radius and giving the Nomad more of a vintage buggy look than a desert racer.
Slight contact with suspension compressed. Not a deal breaker.
These changes had the Nomad sitting with a narrower stance and slightly higher center of gravity (CG), giving me some concern that this was going to be a cartwheeling machine like my ARRMA Senton 3s. From the Team Associated factory, the Nomad is fitted with an excellent set GT-R tires, making it very easy and forgiving buggy to drive. I had a feeling that the Badger setup would result in quite a different feel.
The first move to compensate for this change in CG was to remove a few of the ride-height spacers from the shocks to lower the chassis, resulting in a lowered center of gravity and hopefully reducing the tendency to flip over when cornering.
Unfortunately, you run into another problem; tire contact with the body. With the spacers removed from the shocks, the rear tires rub against the body panels when the suspension compresses.
The best way to mitigate this would be to put stiffer springs on the shocks and increase the viscosity of the shock fluid to slow the compression speed. The issue here is that you start to change the suspension geometry and run the risk of making the Nomad handle worse.
I stayed with the shock spacers which come with the Nomad RTR kit, compressing the spring and giving the Nomad the feel of having stiffer springs; thus elevating the ride height and keeping the body away from the rear tires as much as possible. I figure that if AE included them, they must be OK to use.
If the Badger tires end up being a tire of choice for your Nomad, then you might want to look into different shock springs for testing. I also think a sway bar would really help with this setup.
The first move to compensate for this change in CG was to remove a few of the ride-height spacers from the shocks to lower the chassis, resulting in a lowered center of gravity and hopefully reducing the tendency to flip over when cornering.
Unfortunately, you run into another problem; tire contact with the body. With the spacers removed from the shocks, the rear tires rub against the body panels when the suspension compresses.
The best way to mitigate this would be to put stiffer springs on the shocks and increase the viscosity of the shock fluid to slow the compression speed. The issue here is that you start to change the suspension geometry and run the risk of making the Nomad handle worse.
I stayed with the shock spacers which come with the Nomad RTR kit, compressing the spring and giving the Nomad the feel of having stiffer springs; thus elevating the ride height and keeping the body away from the rear tires as much as possible. I figure that if AE included them, they must be OK to use.
If the Badger tires end up being a tire of choice for your Nomad, then you might want to look into different shock springs for testing. I also think a sway bar would really help with this setup.
Nomad 17mm Wheel Hex
Changing out to a longer hub also wasn’t possible because they do not exist on the market. The Nomad uses the AE design of hubs which are unique and not standard like ARRMA or Traxxis parts.
I searched around on the net and I could not find anything that would work as an extension to help push the wheels further away from the body, so I pressed on to see how this would shake out.
Personally, I love the Nomad’s factory setup and just accepted the tire contact for the time being. I planned on a little trimming of the inside edge of the rear tire once the testing was complete.
I searched around on the net and I could not find anything that would work as an extension to help push the wheels further away from the body, so I pressed on to see how this would shake out.
Personally, I love the Nomad’s factory setup and just accepted the tire contact for the time being. I planned on a little trimming of the inside edge of the rear tire once the testing was complete.
Go Time with the Nomad DB8
I was antsy to get the testing underway, so I headed out to the track with the spacers removed and fingers crossed that nothing tragic would happen. The “track” for this testing is a large dirt lot rolled flat with an impressively smooth surface, lightly covered in fine dust and small pebbles.
There were no rocks larger than a peanut anywhere on the main course. Around the edges were a few dirt lips and ruts, and then just past those were some larger dirt berms, brimming with angry rock fragments, daring me to miss a turn and come tumbling in.
My last encounter with one of those berms a few weeks earlier found it to be hiding a rock slightly larger than a watermelon, and slamming into that promptly finished off an ailing servo.
Out on the track, the cones were set up to offer a mix of tight hairpin turns with some long straightaways and a pair of sweeping curves. Rear tire contact with the body was still a concern, so I avoided any jumps or drops.
There were no rocks larger than a peanut anywhere on the main course. Around the edges were a few dirt lips and ruts, and then just past those were some larger dirt berms, brimming with angry rock fragments, daring me to miss a turn and come tumbling in.
My last encounter with one of those berms a few weeks earlier found it to be hiding a rock slightly larger than a watermelon, and slamming into that promptly finished off an ailing servo.
Out on the track, the cones were set up to offer a mix of tight hairpin turns with some long straightaways and a pair of sweeping curves. Rear tire contact with the body was still a concern, so I avoided any jumps or drops.
This loose surface can be tricky.
With the 4s battery installed, I worked my way thought the course at 50% speed, making slight adjustments to the cone positions. Right away the steering felt much more precise at the lower speeds, due to both the change in contact patch surface area of the tires, and the lower profile and firmer feel of the sidewall. Where the factory GT-R tires would fold slightly and lean in the corners, the Badgers remained rigid.
As I increase speed and started to push the car, this feeling was magnified. Precise and tight handling was the most pronounced change, with an increase in oversteer upon exiting the corners. If I entered the hairpin turns too fast, the Badgers would break traction and Nomad would understeer, plowing right past the cones and into a berm.
Coming in wide and easier on the throttle, I could get around them without too much difficulty. The GT-R tires had a better grip on this surface in the corners, but were slower to respond to changes.
With the Nomad’s innate explosiveness, if you mashed down on the throttle while exiting the corner, the rear would breakaway and the car would immediately spin out. On the long sweeping corners, excessive throttle pushed the car into understeering and off I’d go into the berms. These tires definitely required more finesse when driving on the fine, loose surface.
As I increase speed and started to push the car, this feeling was magnified. Precise and tight handling was the most pronounced change, with an increase in oversteer upon exiting the corners. If I entered the hairpin turns too fast, the Badgers would break traction and Nomad would understeer, plowing right past the cones and into a berm.
Coming in wide and easier on the throttle, I could get around them without too much difficulty. The GT-R tires had a better grip on this surface in the corners, but were slower to respond to changes.
With the Nomad’s innate explosiveness, if you mashed down on the throttle while exiting the corner, the rear would breakaway and the car would immediately spin out. On the long sweeping corners, excessive throttle pushed the car into understeering and off I’d go into the berms. These tires definitely required more finesse when driving on the fine, loose surface.
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After a dozen laps, I had good feel for the handling, so I started to push the speed and really hang the Nomad out on the edges of the track where broken rock fragments were scattered about. The C2 rubber compound felt soft when I installed them, so I anticipated they wouldn’t hold up very well to this abuse.
With each passing lap, the Badgers became more predictable and I could stay on the power longer in the corners, resulting in faster laps around the course. The wider contact patch of the Badger was able to put more power down to the ground in a shorter distance than the GT-R tire, but once it lost its grip, it took longer to settle back down. With the GT-R tire, a slight tap on the brakes and you’re in control again. With the Badgers, you might be sliding for a bit before they hooked up again, sometimes right into the video camera filming the action. |
Nomad DB8 Gettin' Toasty
After 45 minutes of throwing rocks and dust, I reached the end of the battery and rolled into the pits. A quick motor temp check read 130 degrees, so taking a five-minute cooling break gave me the opportunity to look the tires over and check for damage.
Surprisingly the Badgers were in very good condition. Checking each one carefully, not a scratch or cut, no chips out of the wheels, and just a light haze around the edges.
Checking the body, there were light scuff marks on the rear side panels, but nothing of consequence. A simple tumble on the asphalt results in more damage to the body than this tire contact.
With motor temps back down to 90, I swapped the batteries and headed back out to really push these tires to their limits. I attacked the corners and roared out from the edges, throwing dusty rooster tails of gravel across the track.
I was enjoying the performance of the Badgers, and I also liked the completely different personality they had from the GT-R tires. They felt more playful and nimble, more of a performance tire than an all-terrain desert tire.
Surprisingly the Badgers were in very good condition. Checking each one carefully, not a scratch or cut, no chips out of the wheels, and just a light haze around the edges.
Checking the body, there were light scuff marks on the rear side panels, but nothing of consequence. A simple tumble on the asphalt results in more damage to the body than this tire contact.
With motor temps back down to 90, I swapped the batteries and headed back out to really push these tires to their limits. I attacked the corners and roared out from the edges, throwing dusty rooster tails of gravel across the track.
I was enjoying the performance of the Badgers, and I also liked the completely different personality they had from the GT-R tires. They felt more playful and nimble, more of a performance tire than an all-terrain desert tire.
Nomad DB8 Mowing the Lawn
Taking advantage of a cool temperatures on Saturday morning, I headed to the local soccer field to run the Nomad and Badger combo on the short grass.
This particular soccer field is actually a series of connected soccer fields laid out side by side, with a sidewalk separating every other field. Where the fields are not separated by the sidewalks, there is a wide buffer area of grass for the side lines, adding another 20 yards of width to the grass fields, resulting in very large areas to run the Nomad’s throttle wide open.
Grassy public areas in Las Vegas are uncommon due to water restrictions, making them quite popular with not only soccer players, but people out walking their dogs around the fields. Usually by 10 am, these fields are busy with activity.
Arriving just past 6 am, I had two fields completely to myself. The automatic sprinklers were just finishing up on their last section, leaving a short wet grass surface for the Nomad.
This particular soccer field is actually a series of connected soccer fields laid out side by side, with a sidewalk separating every other field. Where the fields are not separated by the sidewalks, there is a wide buffer area of grass for the side lines, adding another 20 yards of width to the grass fields, resulting in very large areas to run the Nomad’s throttle wide open.
Grassy public areas in Las Vegas are uncommon due to water restrictions, making them quite popular with not only soccer players, but people out walking their dogs around the fields. Usually by 10 am, these fields are busy with activity.
Arriving just past 6 am, I had two fields completely to myself. The automatic sprinklers were just finishing up on their last section, leaving a short wet grass surface for the Nomad.
Nomad DB8 kicking up rooster tails during testing.
With a battery fully charged, I powered up the Nomad, secured the body and started cruising out into the field. Walking close behind it, I kept an eye out for any doggie landmines or other debris in the field.
The staff at the park do an excellent job in keeping the soccer fields neat and orderly, and everything looked great. I added one spacer to the front shocks to get the ride height a bit higher so the Nomad wouldn’t drag its chassis along the freshly mowed grass.
With the driving area figured out, I opened up the Nomad to see how it would do. With water spraying off the tires, the Nomad ripped across the field with a controlled and predictable amount of understeer when I powered into the corners, and plenty of traction when I eased off the throttle.
The temperature was in the low 60’s with sunny skies. The grass was bright green and mostly filled in with just a few dry areas in front of the soccer goals. I picked lines that would take the Nomad through all the different section of grass, with plenty of corners and long straightaways.
My initial impression was quite favorable, with the plenty of wheel spin when launching from a dead stop, but good traction once the Nomad started going. On wet grass, just about any tire will spin with this kind of motor torque, but this slick surface also allowed me to dive deep into the corners at speed with very little risk of catching a tire edge and flipping over.
The staff at the park do an excellent job in keeping the soccer fields neat and orderly, and everything looked great. I added one spacer to the front shocks to get the ride height a bit higher so the Nomad wouldn’t drag its chassis along the freshly mowed grass.
With the driving area figured out, I opened up the Nomad to see how it would do. With water spraying off the tires, the Nomad ripped across the field with a controlled and predictable amount of understeer when I powered into the corners, and plenty of traction when I eased off the throttle.
The temperature was in the low 60’s with sunny skies. The grass was bright green and mostly filled in with just a few dry areas in front of the soccer goals. I picked lines that would take the Nomad through all the different section of grass, with plenty of corners and long straightaways.
My initial impression was quite favorable, with the plenty of wheel spin when launching from a dead stop, but good traction once the Nomad started going. On wet grass, just about any tire will spin with this kind of motor torque, but this slick surface also allowed me to dive deep into the corners at speed with very little risk of catching a tire edge and flipping over.
Badgers surprisingly solid feel on wet grass keeps the Nomad DB8 cookin'
Another key detail about the Badger tire is the curve from the top of the tire down to the rim.
Unlike street tires which tend to be more flat in the middle with a slightly squared edge, or the basher tires which tend to be just a collection of knobs and spikes, the Badgers have a pronounced radius to the tire, much like a racing motorcycle tire.
As I went into the corners, the tire’s edge did not catch, but rather slid across the grass and continued to put a solid contact patch of tread to the ground. It was actually quite easy to control.
Diving into the tight corners, I could hear the outside rear tire chirp and whine as the inside edge came into contact with the Nomad’s rear quarter panel due to suspension compression. With the Nomad running in a straight line, the Badger tires clear the body, but when taking a corner, the outside suspension compresses and the tire moves up in relation to the body, coming into light contact with a small area of the rear body panel. If you were jumping the Nomad, this might be an issue to work on, but for this kind of terrain, I really didn't mind.
Unlike street tires which tend to be more flat in the middle with a slightly squared edge, or the basher tires which tend to be just a collection of knobs and spikes, the Badgers have a pronounced radius to the tire, much like a racing motorcycle tire.
As I went into the corners, the tire’s edge did not catch, but rather slid across the grass and continued to put a solid contact patch of tread to the ground. It was actually quite easy to control.
Diving into the tight corners, I could hear the outside rear tire chirp and whine as the inside edge came into contact with the Nomad’s rear quarter panel due to suspension compression. With the Nomad running in a straight line, the Badger tires clear the body, but when taking a corner, the outside suspension compresses and the tire moves up in relation to the body, coming into light contact with a small area of the rear body panel. If you were jumping the Nomad, this might be an issue to work on, but for this kind of terrain, I really didn't mind.
Taste the Rainbow
Once the first battery drained out, I headed back to the truck to pull the Nomad’s body and check temperatures, and install a fresh battery. With the outside temps at 68 degrees, the motor measured 105 degrees and the surrounding chassis at 58 degrees.
Obviously the wet grass and high speed of the Nomad was doing an excellent job keeping the motor temps down. The ESC was at 70 degrees, and the battery at 75 degrees. I check the tires and they were at 58 degrees as well.
With motor temperatures well under control, I attacked the course at full speed, sweeping the corners wide and pushing the Nomad into large drifts. The wet surface prevented me from flipping over all but a few times, and by the time the Nomad tipped up on two wheels, I had scrubbed off enough speed that the Nomad would just sort of roll over like an upended turtle.
Obviously the wet grass and high speed of the Nomad was doing an excellent job keeping the motor temps down. The ESC was at 70 degrees, and the battery at 75 degrees. I check the tires and they were at 58 degrees as well.
With motor temperatures well under control, I attacked the course at full speed, sweeping the corners wide and pushing the Nomad into large drifts. The wet surface prevented me from flipping over all but a few times, and by the time the Nomad tipped up on two wheels, I had scrubbed off enough speed that the Nomad would just sort of roll over like an upended turtle.
This surface is tough on tires, quickly scrubbing off the white lettering on the Badgers.
Heading back out for a third day of testing, the first stop was an open gravel parking lot which had been rolled smooth, then covered in a thick layer of small rock.
This lot was intended to be used for extra parking near a new sports area, but it had yet to be put into use. Other than a smattering of weeds around the edges, the center of the large lot was evenly covered in a smooth layer of 12mm to 25mm white and grey rock. This rock sat on a hard-packed bed of sun-baked dirt, making the surface feel somewhat like walking on marbles.
I had driven this lot before with a Senton 3s, and even with the suspension properly tuned, it was challenging surface to do much other than slide wildly around. It’s difficult to put any power down without losing traction, and at full speed, the rocks cause a “floating” surface for the tires to skim across with very loose handling. The other downside is that these larger rocks chew up body panels, lower A arms, and shock springs.
This lot was intended to be used for extra parking near a new sports area, but it had yet to be put into use. Other than a smattering of weeds around the edges, the center of the large lot was evenly covered in a smooth layer of 12mm to 25mm white and grey rock. This rock sat on a hard-packed bed of sun-baked dirt, making the surface feel somewhat like walking on marbles.
I had driven this lot before with a Senton 3s, and even with the suspension properly tuned, it was challenging surface to do much other than slide wildly around. It’s difficult to put any power down without losing traction, and at full speed, the rocks cause a “floating” surface for the tires to skim across with very loose handling. The other downside is that these larger rocks chew up body panels, lower A arms, and shock springs.
Get some gravel in your craw!
Starting again early with the temps in high 60’s, I dropped a few cones to set up a very basic figure-eight course and carefully looked for any larger rocks which always seem to pop up during a run and promptly end the day.
Driving with an abundance of caution, I worked the Nomad through the course gingerly, feeling the rocks shift and slide as I entered the corners.
The Nomad’s suspension did surprisingly well, eating up the larger rocks and bumps without losing the line, but it was not nearly as smooth as with the GT-R tires. The moment I got on the throttle, the Badger tires would break free and the buggy would start to drift. The best approach proved to be a more gradual building of speed, and then lightly feathering the throttle to get around the corners without spinning out.
As I made more passes, the top layer of loose rock was being pushed to the side and the lower layer felt a bit more stable, allowing for an increase in speed. With the higher speeds around the course, rocks were a constant spray from the tires and I could hear them gnawing at the body and tire sidewalls.
Driving with an abundance of caution, I worked the Nomad through the course gingerly, feeling the rocks shift and slide as I entered the corners.
The Nomad’s suspension did surprisingly well, eating up the larger rocks and bumps without losing the line, but it was not nearly as smooth as with the GT-R tires. The moment I got on the throttle, the Badger tires would break free and the buggy would start to drift. The best approach proved to be a more gradual building of speed, and then lightly feathering the throttle to get around the corners without spinning out.
As I made more passes, the top layer of loose rock was being pushed to the side and the lower layer felt a bit more stable, allowing for an increase in speed. With the higher speeds around the course, rocks were a constant spray from the tires and I could hear them gnawing at the body and tire sidewalls.
By the time the first battery ran out, most of the white lettering was worn off the tire sidewalls. There was a light wearing of the rubber in some spots, but for the most part the Badgers were holding up very well. Checking motor temps, I was running in the low 120’s, so I let it drop down to 100 before heading back out.
Staying in the same course, I pushed the speed much more and allowed the Nomad to drift into the corners and launch down the straightaways. Keep an eye on the tires, I wondered if they would start to break down around the glue line and separate from the wheels. Bringing it back in after another 15 minutes for a quick inspection, all four tires were holding strong. Rolling back out for the final series of laps, I ran the course at full-speed looking to get these tires to fail.
With big, heavy power slides back to back, and then blistering full-speed runs, I exited the track and just held the throttle back sending the Nomad roaring across the rock strewn lot until it became a small speck in the distance. With a measured U-turn ( I didn’t feel like walking a few hundred yards to flip it back over from a roll ), I came full-blast in a straight line back to my spot, watching to see if the tires would lose traction and drift the Nomad off into a roll.
Staying in the same course, I pushed the speed much more and allowed the Nomad to drift into the corners and launch down the straightaways. Keep an eye on the tires, I wondered if they would start to break down around the glue line and separate from the wheels. Bringing it back in after another 15 minutes for a quick inspection, all four tires were holding strong. Rolling back out for the final series of laps, I ran the course at full-speed looking to get these tires to fail.
With big, heavy power slides back to back, and then blistering full-speed runs, I exited the track and just held the throttle back sending the Nomad roaring across the rock strewn lot until it became a small speck in the distance. With a measured U-turn ( I didn’t feel like walking a few hundred yards to flip it back over from a roll ), I came full-blast in a straight line back to my spot, watching to see if the tires would lose traction and drift the Nomad off into a roll.
The Nomad sticking the tire and making a tight corner.
Whether it be the Badger tires or the excellent engineering of the Nomad, the buggy easily held its line and came coasting to a stop near my feet. Pulling the body, the motor measured 134 degrees and the battery at 94 degrees; a good time to stop and head back over to the soccer fields.
By the time I settled in at the soccer fields, the Nomad had cooled to 76 degrees and ready for another run. This time I worked between the cool wet grass and the quickly warming black asphalt. On the grass, the Nomad performed the same as it did the day before, with the Badgers moving smoothly and predictably across the green surface.
Heading to the field’s edge, I launched the Nomad off a sidewalk and into the asphalt parking lot for a series of figure eight turns, long straightway runs, and high-speed cornering around the curved edges of the lot. On asphalt, the Badger tires were very precise and reacted immediately to any steering input. It was quite easy to get the Nomad up on two wheels in the tight corners, and more than a few times I needed to walk over and flip the buggy back over.
By the time I settled in at the soccer fields, the Nomad had cooled to 76 degrees and ready for another run. This time I worked between the cool wet grass and the quickly warming black asphalt. On the grass, the Nomad performed the same as it did the day before, with the Badgers moving smoothly and predictably across the green surface.
Heading to the field’s edge, I launched the Nomad off a sidewalk and into the asphalt parking lot for a series of figure eight turns, long straightway runs, and high-speed cornering around the curved edges of the lot. On asphalt, the Badger tires were very precise and reacted immediately to any steering input. It was quite easy to get the Nomad up on two wheels in the tight corners, and more than a few times I needed to walk over and flip the buggy back over.
Getting heavy on the brakes...
With the off-road suspension setup, there was a tremendous amount of body roll in the corners, forcing me to come off the throttle at the turn’s entrance. A sway bar would really help reduce this.
The Badgers had an excellent grip on the asphalt surface, and repeated full-speed brake checks could not induce any skid from the tire.
During the brake-checks, the Nomad’s nose would slam down and the tires would groan at the abrupt deceleration, but they never gave up into a skid. The only way I could get the Badgers to break free on the asphalt was to get heavy on the brakes in the corners. More times than not, this technique had me walking over to upright the Nomad. When it comes to asphalt, the Badgers have plenty of grip for the Nomad’s off-road suspension.
The Badgers had an excellent grip on the asphalt surface, and repeated full-speed brake checks could not induce any skid from the tire.
During the brake-checks, the Nomad’s nose would slam down and the tires would groan at the abrupt deceleration, but they never gave up into a skid. The only way I could get the Badgers to break free on the asphalt was to get heavy on the brakes in the corners. More times than not, this technique had me walking over to upright the Nomad. When it comes to asphalt, the Badgers have plenty of grip for the Nomad’s off-road suspension.
The Nomad getting tight on the corners.
Conclusion
Should you add the DuraTrax Badger tires to your collection? Yes, I believe so. They really shine on hard dirt surfaces and nearly as much so on asphalt. On grass and loose rock, they are a little out of their element. They will run fine and feel forgiving, but you won't get anywhere in a hurry with them; they need time to hook up.
In mud or sand, they just don't have the tread pattern to do well. I don't drive in sand or mud often, so it's a non-issue for me. I can't wait to try them out again this winter on short dead grass; I think they will be good fun.
If you’re using them to a Nomad DB 8, they don’t fit perfectly. Then again, there are very few wheel and tire combinations which do fit the Nomad, so with a slight trimming of the inside rear tire tread, they will just kiss the side of the body and are well worth the effort.
From the Nomad perspective, the overall performance of the Badgers is very different from the GT-R stock tires, adding a new element to the Nomad’s abilities. I feel they run faster and handle more precisely than the GT-R tires, but they do give up a forgiving and softer off-road handling characteristic that’s quite noticeable. They should not be seen as a replacement to the GT-R, but rather a tire offering a different type of performance. With the Badger, what you gain in one area, you lose in another.
As for quality, the DuraTrax Badgers are quite a good tire and wheel combination, exceeding my expectations with their solid performance off-road and durability.
The DuraTrax Badgers retail for $35.00 per pair, and that is the tire with foam, mounted and glued from the factory. The wheels use a 17mm hex and are a positive offset of approximately 21mm. If you are using these on a different platform than the Nomad, double check to make sure they will fit your vehicle.
Should you add the DuraTrax Badger tires to your collection? Yes, I believe so. They really shine on hard dirt surfaces and nearly as much so on asphalt. On grass and loose rock, they are a little out of their element. They will run fine and feel forgiving, but you won't get anywhere in a hurry with them; they need time to hook up.
In mud or sand, they just don't have the tread pattern to do well. I don't drive in sand or mud often, so it's a non-issue for me. I can't wait to try them out again this winter on short dead grass; I think they will be good fun.
If you’re using them to a Nomad DB 8, they don’t fit perfectly. Then again, there are very few wheel and tire combinations which do fit the Nomad, so with a slight trimming of the inside rear tire tread, they will just kiss the side of the body and are well worth the effort.
From the Nomad perspective, the overall performance of the Badgers is very different from the GT-R stock tires, adding a new element to the Nomad’s abilities. I feel they run faster and handle more precisely than the GT-R tires, but they do give up a forgiving and softer off-road handling characteristic that’s quite noticeable. They should not be seen as a replacement to the GT-R, but rather a tire offering a different type of performance. With the Badger, what you gain in one area, you lose in another.
As for quality, the DuraTrax Badgers are quite a good tire and wheel combination, exceeding my expectations with their solid performance off-road and durability.
The DuraTrax Badgers retail for $35.00 per pair, and that is the tire with foam, mounted and glued from the factory. The wheels use a 17mm hex and are a positive offset of approximately 21mm. If you are using these on a different platform than the Nomad, double check to make sure they will fit your vehicle.
Hold on....!!!
Team Associated Nomad DB-8 with DuraTrax Badger tires.
Tech Notes
DuraTrax Badger – Part # DTXC5572
Weight: 250 grams
Height: 138mm tall
Width ( OD ): 64.5mm wide
Width ( ID ): 93mm tapering to 86mm
Offset: 21mm Positive Offset
Hub: 17mm Hex Hub
Hub Pass-through Hole ID: 12.3 mm
Tire Compound: C2
Wheel Material: Plastic One Piece
Color: Black
Venting: Single 2mm hole in wheel
Directional: Yes
Test Gear
Note: All items in this article were purchased at full retail; DuraTrax, Team Associated, Reedy, and Spektrum were not involved in any financial or technical aspect.
Note: I was unable to make contact with Horizon Hobbies for further information about the DuraTrax Badger line of tires. As of 7/10/2020 these tires are back in stock and listed for sale.
DuraTrax Badger – Part # DTXC5572
Weight: 250 grams
Height: 138mm tall
Width ( OD ): 64.5mm wide
Width ( ID ): 93mm tapering to 86mm
Offset: 21mm Positive Offset
Hub: 17mm Hex Hub
Hub Pass-through Hole ID: 12.3 mm
Tire Compound: C2
Wheel Material: Plastic One Piece
Color: Black
Venting: Single 2mm hole in wheel
Directional: Yes
Test Gear
- Team Associated Engineering Nomad DB 8 Desert Buggy 1/8 scale, Four Wheel Drive, 2000kV Reedy motor.
- Spektrum 4s 5000 mAh / 14.8 volt / 100 C battery
- XP120 Transmitter
Note: All items in this article were purchased at full retail; DuraTrax, Team Associated, Reedy, and Spektrum were not involved in any financial or technical aspect.
Note: I was unable to make contact with Horizon Hobbies for further information about the DuraTrax Badger line of tires. As of 7/10/2020 these tires are back in stock and listed for sale.
July 20th, 2020