Monster Truck Madness – Updated Tamiya Clod Buster? Maybe one day

Me being me, I’ve gone back and forth over the last couple months on whether to pull the trigger on one of those “new” limited edition black Tamiya Clod Busters. Daddy needs to build another retro monster truck!

With the kit coming in under $300, the price is appealing. However, I’ve managed to resist thus far though and probably won’t be buying one. I just don’t feel like shelling out money for a full kit, only to have to immediately spend more money on it to get it to work right.

Hey, I criticize because I love it. The Clod is #1 on my favorite r/c vehicles of all time list. I’ve built multiple “box stock” Clods and even a Bullhead! Even in stock trim it’s a cool truck. The thing is though, with a few tweaks, it could be REALLY awesome right from the factory.

So what does the Big T need to do to update their Big C? Not much, really.

The biggest issue is the steering. The stock Clod Buster is setup to have a single servo in the bottom of the chassis tub, which connects to a horn with two hook-ups- one for the front and rear. The steering rods that are attached to the servo go to the steering assemblies, which themselves are made up of various links. Links with slop, that is.

So not only is a single servo tasked with the job of handling 4 wheel steering with giant tires, but there is significant play as well. It’s a recipe for a truck that has major issues going straight.

Tamiya needs to update the kit to have axle mounted steering. There have been a ton of aftermarket options that have come and gone over the years, so why not just offer it out of the box and eliminate the need to go hunt something else down?

The time has also come for the gearbox to feature adjustable motor mounts so something besides the stock gearing can be used. Thanks to the big tires, a geared up stock Clod can move pretty good with the stock silver can motors and a decent Lipo. Again, the aftermarket has options so why not just make it factory?

The last item on my wish list would be to update the stock friction dampers. It’s 2020 folks, better solutions are available! Seeing some actual scale-style oil dampers would go a long way to helping the truck nail that retro look right out of the box.

That’s really it! Yes, the aftermarket does offer all of the above, but Clod Buster aftermarket parts are still a bit tricky to get. Most of them are done by small batch builders, and it can very much be a “who do you know” thing. Besides, a vehicle should work out of the box and the stock steering is pretty ridiculous. Seriously, even with a good servo it’s bump steer for days.

Here’s to hoping that one day the Clod finally gets a “real” update!