Introduction
Truggies and Buggies compete in the same race class despite being two different vehicles. They also have a lot of similarities as well as dissimilarities. So, it can easily become confusing.
So, which one is the best for you, Truggy vs Buggy?
A Truggy is a combination of a buggy and a truck. As a result, it’s named Tru-ggy. A Truggy offers better handling at the cost of speed while a Buggy is agile and relies on acceleration. Also, Buggies can turn corners faster than Truggies because of their high speed. Driving buggy is more challenging for their relatively poor handling and smaller size.
Anyway, these are not the only differences. That’s why we’ve explained this matter in easy words for you.
Let’s get to the details –
What Is A Truggy?
A Truggy is a high-performance off-road RC that’s a combination of a stadium truck and buggy as it shares features from the two car types. The name originates from off-road racing and is fairly new. The word “Truggy” got famous in 1995. Terrible Herbst Motorsport used a truck’s body to make an unlimited class 1 Buggy. They also used truck-like rear axles and truck-sized wheels.
Truggies are big in size. What makes a Truggy stand out is its wide wheels that are somewhat similar to truck wheels. You can easily customize your Buggy into a Truggy with a few simple additions.
What Is A Buggy?
Buggies are a more traditional form of car. They’ve been used in racing for a longer time. It’s extremely light and small in size. Buggies have narrower tires and can be a bit difficult to control.
Most buggies in the market come as “Ready-to-run” buggies. This means that you can bring your buggy home, charge it up, and start driving it without any hassle.
A Truggy is an unlimited Buggy with higher suspension and larger wheels.
Now, these don’t cover the whole Truggy vs Buggy argument. Therefore, we have discussed this in detail.
Truggy vs Buggy: Key Differences
Before going into the detailed comparison, we must know the basic differences first. For instance, if you don’t know about Futaba and Spektrum, you can’t decide which to get.
That’s why we’ve made a chart for you. Now, let’s look at some of the differences –
| Features | Truggy | Buggy |
| Design | The combined structure of a Buggy and a stadium truck | Traditional Buggy body |
| Suspension | Higher | Lower |
| Wheels | Larger | Smaller |
| Stance | Wider | Narrower |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
| Acceleration | Slower | Faster |
| Top Speed | Lesser | Higher |
| Handling | Easier | Harder |
| Stability | Extremely stable | Can flip very easily |
| Availability | Less available. High-end models are expensive. | Higher availability. Offers more budget options. |
| Upgrading | More expensive | Cheaper |
So, which one do you prefer after reading the key differences?
Truggy vs Buggy: Detailed Comparison
We went through a quick look at how the two RC types differ from one another. It’s about time we dig in a little to understand a bit better.
Suspension and Wheels
In easy words, suspension ensures how many bumps a car can absorb.
Since a Truggy mostly depends on stability, it benefits from having a high suspension. Also, Truggies have a wider stance and larger wheels. These make them super reliable in extreme off-roads and terrains.
However, Buggies use the lower suspension which means a reduced weight transfer. This makes the Buggy accelerate easily. Besides, Buggies perform better on tracks since they have smaller wheels.
By the way, a good RC shock dampens the spring movements which improves suspension. So, you may want to get these RC shocks for your Truggy.
Top Speed and Acceleration
Driving a fast car always feels nice. We understand that. That’s why a lot of people prefer top speed over other aspects.
Unfortunately, the Truggy has a slower acceleration due to being heavy. It also can’t achieve the top speed of a Buggy.
On the contrary, a Buggy offers really high acceleration. Because of this, you can reach max speed very easily. If you’re skilled, it can turn corners faster than a Truggy.
Handling
If that’s not enough to change your mind, this might do. A lot of people prefer handling over speed so let’s talk about this as well.
Truggies have better handling in 99.9% of cases due to their superior length and width. For 1/8 racing, Truggy is preferable due to providing better control over the speed than a buggy.
Simply put, Truggies have more torque in their wheels. That’s why they are very easy to handle.
Nevertheless, skilled racers can easily outperform a Truggy with a Buggy. It does take a couple of months to learn though.
Bashing
A common question a lot of beginners ask is,
Which one to go for? Buggy or Truggy for bashing?
When it comes to bashing, a Truggy is a way better option than a buggy.
This comes down solely to the size of the Truggy which plays as an advantage during bashing. The higher suspension and wider wheels and also ensure that your car will have a lot of balance. So you can enjoy a proper bashing experience with your Truggy.
Moreover, having better stability means that the Truggies won’t easily flip over, making it a great option for bashing play.
Buggies don’t do well when it comes to Bashing. It’s easy to flip over a buggy. And their small size makes them visually unappealing to bash against each other.
Availability and Upgrading
Availability and upgrading your car can be a huge issue depending on where you live.
Unfortunately, getting a Truggy can be hard at times. Also, its tires have high upgrading costs. They go through a lot of terrains and rough roads, so it often gets damaged.
On the contrary, Buggies are very easy to manage and upgrade. Their tires will also last longer if you don’t drive your Buggy on extreme off-roads.
In addition, you may want to maintain your tires properly. In that case, you certainly would need the best glue for your RC tires.
Which One Suits You the Most?
So, have you decided which one you are going to get?
Still not convinced? How about we give you a bit more insight? Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages you get with Truggy and Buggy!
| RC Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Truggy | Great handling and stability | Slow to get to top speed |
| Good for Extreme Off-Road Driving | Not ideal for traditional racing due to low acceleration and top speed | |
| Highly suitable for Bashing | Upgrades can be very costly | |
| Buggy | Great acceleration and top speed | Harder to control and can easily flip due to poor handling |
| Good for racing | Struggle with Extreme Off-Road driving | |
| Can be upgraded to a Truggy | Not suitable for bashing |
Well, if you ask us, we’re going to pick Buggies. Because they’re cheap, available, and easy to upgrade.
Also, a Buggy is the best choice for you if you want to be good at racing. There’s a lot to learn, especially handling. You can also get an electric buggy for an extra fun experience.
Nonetheless, you may want to bash with friends or casually take it out for a ride. In that case, definitely consider a Truggy. It’ll be fun to build a Truggy by yourself too!
FAQs
What is RC bashing?
In RC terms, bashing in general means casual racing. It doesn’t have any sort of rules. Tracks can be focused on jumps and not on landing.
Why are RC bodies so expensive?
RC bodies are made from plugs and molds. Also, these bodies are made by other people which also costs money. It’s an expensive production.
Is Truggy Good For Racing?
No, a Truggy is not good for traditional racing due to having poor acceleration and top speed. Their heavy body and higher suspension give them better handling and stability at the expense of speed.
Conclusion
This is everything we could provide on Truggy vs Buggy. We hope this assisted you even if it’s a tiny bit.
So, which one are you getting? Let us know in the comment section below.
Last but not least, good luck and happy racing!
