Wltoys 104001: Review and Maintenance Before the First Drive

I bought another Wltoys 104001 to document the project from the beginning. I had already owned a brushless conversion, but wanted to show the stock car first and the checks worth making before more power.

What I Found on Opening

It is a brushed 1/10 four-wheel-drive buggy with front and rear differentials. My package included a 2200mAh 2S battery, USB charger, transmitter and wing to fit.

I like it as a workshop starting point. Metal transmission and adjustments do not make it equivalent to a higher-end car merely through shared design ideas. Nor does a similar-looking part necessarily fit.

The stock transmitter is comfortable. Phillips screws and familiar difficulty releasing some metal joints are less appealing.

Suspension Needed Attention

Compressing the car revealed excessive bounce. I dismantled all four shocks, keeping front and rear separate, and inspected their contents. The lack of damping warranted correction before driving.

I filled, bled and closed them while checking operation, then fitted springs and spacers and verified free mounting movement. The feel changed clearly.

This describes my received car. I cannot establish transport fluid loss or that every 104001 arrives this way; earlier examples I bought were better prepared. The recording does not clearly identify an oil viscosity, so I give none.

Stock Differentials for This Test

I explain housing access and a cover-removal difficulty: pulling is insufficient while the top plate blocks movement. Release the assembly rather than forcing plastic.

I did not change internal differential settings before driving in this video. I wanted the initial configuration after correcting the shocks. Differential servicing belongs to later modifications.

Driving Behaviour

Stock, I found it easy to drive and slower than I wanted. The 144001 alongside was faster, a visual/impression comparison without GPS establishing top speed.

I would also choose different tyres for that ground. Even so, I could drive confidently and control its reactions more easily than the smaller reference car.

The Start of a Project

I wanted to change screws, add a centre differential and convert to brushless. This review covers the starting car; separate guides cover:

• 104001 centre differential.
• Brushless conversion.
• Repainting the original body.

The Wltoys 104001 page collects the journey. It makes sense to me as a workshop base; anyone avoiding dismantling should consider this car’s initial maintenance needs.

Purchase Links from the Video