Pure Six – Mugen MBX-6
Track test
Although not easy due to the current weather situation here in Germany (its unusually cold and rainy at the moment) we managed to run the new RB engine in before the actual test of the new buggy. The S5 L2G behaved very good so far. Whatever temperature you’d like to start it from it fires up very reliable and carburetor setting is not an issue thanks to the moderate timing. It also offers very good performance for money, making it a recommended buy for cost-conscious racers. But back to the MBX-6 …
Our track test was not in the best condition with lots of weeds, loose dirt and other difficulties like large bomb holes etc. The Tourex X-300 tyres offered lots of traction on the hard packed parts of the track as well as over the grass/weeds parts so we left them on as we felt they did their job very well. Handling-wise the MBX-6 was very forgiving with a slight push mid-turn. To get rid of this we increased the castor by sliding the upper wishbones all the way back. We also decreased the amount of anti-squat at the rear of the car as we found that rear end tended to buck/spring over the rough parts of the track. For a second test we also used lighter 350 cps oil in the rear shocks to further assist rough track handling.
The front of the car was pretty much planted now with very good rough track handling and nice controllable grip, both coming in and going out of the corner. For those who want more off-power steering it would make sense to use lighter front differential oil in the 5000 cps range rather than the stiffer 7000 cps one used for the kit set-up. Traction was very good so we left the 5000 cps oil in the centre differential was it was. The stock anti-roll bar set-up with 2.3 and 2.8 Millimetre wires seems very good too as chassis roll even on the higher grip grass/weed parts of the track was reasonable, direction changes in the chicane showed an agile handling. Despite the rear axle we are very pleased with the kit set-up but this is more of a weather issue (it was below 5 degrees Celsius on both test days) as silicone oils tend to thicken up in cold weather (although some manufacturers state they do not!).
Conclusion
The new Mugen MBX-6 is a successful evolution of the long line of Mugen MBX kits. It offers valuable changes to its predecessor like big-bore shocks, a slimmer/more centralized chassis layout and a new weight distribution. Parts quality is, as usual with Mugen, second to none and on-track performance is without a doubt, one of the best around.
The MBX-6 buggy, RB S5 engine and Tourex tyres are kindly supplied by RMV Deutschland.
Specifications
Scale: 1/8
Chassis: 3 mm aluminium
Drivetrain: 4WD
Differentials: sealed geared differentials
Suspension – front: independent wishbones
Suspension – rear: independent wishbones
Shocks – front: alloy/oil filled/coil over spring
Shocks – rear: alloy/oil filled/coil over spring
Dimensions
Length: 483 mm
Width: 309 mm
Wheelbase: 315-320 mm
Track – front: 266 mm
Track – rear: 266 mm
Weight: 3380 grams
Equipment
Car: Mugen MBX-6 [mugen.eu]
Engine: RB Concepts C5 L2G [rmv-deutschland.de]
Pipe: RB Concepts EFRA 2045 [rmv-deutschland.de]
Steering servo: KO Propo PDS-2368 [ansmann-racing.de]
Throttle/brake servo: KO Propo PDS-2367 [ansmann-racing.de]
Receiver: Spektrum-RC SR-3500 [spektrumrc.com]
Tyres: Tourex X-300 [rmv-deutschland.de]
Fuel: RB Concept Fuel 25% [rmv-deutschland.de]
Performance Tips
>To grease the CVD joints and the crown wheel and pinion we used Tamiya’s own ‘Anti-Wear Grease’. Only a small amount of lubricant is needed to achieve a noticeable anti-wear effect. You can also use chain lubricant on the gears but we use the Tamiya stuff with good effect and wanted to stick with it.
> We also recommend to use Team Associated Green Slime on the shock seals. This makes for silky smooth up and down travel and prevents the seals become affected by the silicone damper oil over time.
Review by Sebastian Suerstedt
