{"id":7691,"date":"2026-01-19T18:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T18:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/?p=7691"},"modified":"2026-01-19T18:20:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T18:20:00","slug":"where-are-the-4wds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/?p=7691","title":{"rendered":"Where are the 4WDS?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">In the late 1980s and early 1990s, 4-wheel steering was a\u00a0<strong>major marketing craze<\/strong>. Brands like Kyosho had flagship models with &#8220;Crab Steering&#8221; or &#8220;4WS.&#8221; Today, it&#8217;s a true niche feature. Here\u2019s why that golden age of 4WS faded.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616818401_892280023386323_8926066211261429233_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7693\" src=\"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616818401_892280023386323_8926066211261429233_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616818401_892280023386323_8926066211261429233_n.jpg 960w, http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616818401_892280023386323_8926066211261429233_n-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616818401_892280023386323_8926066211261429233_n-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616818401_892280023386323_8926066211261429233_n-150x113.jpg 150w, http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616818401_892280023386323_8926066211261429233_n-200x150.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The 1990s: The &#8220;Wow Factor&#8221; Era<\/h3>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">Back then, RC was heavily influenced by real-world automotive concepts and the &#8220;cool factor.&#8221; 4-wheel steering was emerging in production cars (like the Honda Prelude, Mitsubishi 3000GT) and seemed like the pinnacle of high-tech control.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Why it was exciting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Tight Maneuvering:<\/strong>\u00a0The party trick. A 4WS car could turn in its own length, spin like a top, or drive diagonally (&#8220;crab walk&#8221;). It was incredible for showmanship and tight spaces.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>High-Speed Stability:<\/strong>\u00a0In theory, in a high-speed corner, rear wheels turning slightly in the same direction as the fronts could make the car more stable.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>The Novelty:<\/strong>\u00a0It was simply\u00a0<strong>cool<\/strong>. It made an RC car feel incredibly advanced and unique.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>The Reality: Why 4WS Faded from the Mainstream<\/h3>\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Complexity &amp; Cost:<\/strong>\u00a0It doubled the mechanical parts. You needed a second servo, extra linkages, a complex mixing system in the transmitter or a separate electronic mixer, and more things to break and adjust. For the average hobbyist, it was a headache.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>The Racing Reality: It Was Often Slower.<\/strong><br \/>\nThis is the biggest reason. On a\u00a0<strong>racetrack<\/strong>, consistency and predictability are everything.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Unpredictable Handling:<\/strong>\u00a04WS introduced extra variables. The car&#8217;s behavior changed dramatically at different speeds and steering angles. What felt nimble at low speed could make the car &#8220;twitchy&#8221; or unstable at race pace.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Added Weight &amp; Drag:<\/strong>\u00a0The extra servo and mechanism added weight and internal friction (parasitic drag) in the drivetrain, robbing power and acceleration.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Tuning Nightmare:<\/strong>\u00a0Finding the optimal rear steering angle (both in direction and amount) for each track condition was incredibly complex. A standard 2-wheel-steer car was simply easier and faster to set up consistently.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>The Electronics Revolution (That Made It Obsolete):<\/strong><br \/>\nIronically, the technology that\u00a0<em>could<\/em>\u00a0have saved 4WS ended up providing a better solution:\u00a0<strong>Advanced Gyros (Stability Control)<\/strong>. A\u00a0<strong>gyro sensor<\/strong>\u00a0detects rear-end rotation (yaw) and automatically applies tiny steering corrections to keep the car straight or control a slide. It delivers the\u00a0<strong>high-speed stability<\/strong>\u00a0benefit that 4WS promised, but does it more effectively, with fewer moving parts, and without the low-speed weirdness. For most racers and bashers, a simple gyro is a cheaper, lighter, and more effective stability aid.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Shift in Priorities: Scale Realism vs. Extreme Performance<\/strong><br \/>\nThe mainstream market split, and neither major segment truly needed 4WS.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Racers:<\/strong>\u00a0Wanted the simplest, lightest, most predictable platform. 4WS was the opposite.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Bashers &amp; Scalers:<\/strong>\u00a0While scale crawlers\u00a0<em>could<\/em>\u00a0use 4WS for ultra-tight turning&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Dig Units Became the Solution:<\/strong>\u00a0For extreme rock crawlers, the popular solution for tight turns became the\u00a0<strong>&#8220;dig&#8221;<\/strong>\u00a0function\u2014a remote locker that disconnects the rear driveshaft, letting the rear wheels drag while the fronts pull the truck around. It&#8217;s simpler and more reliable than a full 4WS system.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616655491_1530331814715581_6558176073457138797_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7692\" src=\"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616655491_1530331814715581_6558176073457138797_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616655491_1530331814715581_6558176073457138797_n.jpg 960w, http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616655491_1530331814715581_6558176073457138797_n-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616655491_1530331814715581_6558176073457138797_n-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616655491_1530331814715581_6558176073457138797_n-150x113.jpg 150w, http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/616655491_1530331814715581_6558176073457138797_n-200x150.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\n<h3>Where 4WS Lives Today: The Thriving Niches<\/h3>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">It never died. It just retreated to where its unique advantages are irreplaceable.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Competitive Rock Crawling:<\/strong>\u00a0In ultra-scale, technical rock crawling competitions (like USRCCA events),\u00a0<strong>4WS is a standard, almost mandatory feature<\/strong>\u00a0on the most competitive rigs. The ability to &#8220;crab&#8221; across a rock face or pivot around a precise point is a huge competitive advantage on punishing courses. Brands like Axial and Vanquish Products cater to this.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>Scale Trail Trucks:<\/strong>\u00a0For enthusiasts who value ultimate realism and capability on the trail, 4WS is a prized, albeit complex, upgrade. It&#8217;s about the experience, not just speed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>The &#8220;Fun&#8221; Segment:<\/strong>\u00a0Some modern Ready-to-Run models, like the\u00a0<strong>Traxxas TRX-4M<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Axial SCX24<\/strong>\u00a0(tiny 1\/24 scale crawlers), offer 4WS versions. It&#8217;s brought back purely for the\u00a0<strong>fun and novelty factor<\/strong>\u2014exactly why it was popular in the 90s! It&#8217;s a blast in a living room course.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>The Bottom Line<\/h3>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>4-wheel steering moved from a mainstream &#8220;future tech&#8221; gimmick to a specialized tool for a specific job.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">The market learned that for\u00a0<strong>going fast<\/strong>\u00a0(racing), simpler 2WS with a gyro is better. For\u00a0<strong>going anywhere<\/strong>\u00a0(crawling), 4WS is a complex but invaluable tool for experts. The fun, low-stakes novelty of it is now enjoyed most in the mini-crawler segment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the late 1980s and early 1990s, 4-wheel steering was a\u00a0major marketing craze. Brands like Kyosho had flagship models with &#8220;Crab Steering&#8221; or &#8220;4WS.&#8221; Today, it&#8217;s a true niche feature. Here\u2019s why that golden age of 4WS faded. The 1990s: The &#8220;Wow Factor&#8221; Era Back then, RC was heavily influenced by real-world automotive concepts and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7693,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[146],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7691"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7691"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7694,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7691\/revisions\/7694"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}