Tamiya and other R/C vehicles (not just for Christmas)

I see a lot of these come with Rx included but what Tx kit do you need? I assume it’s on modern frequencies and my 1979 Fleet Control Systems 2 channel 27mhz Tx would be no good 😀

Last used with a 1/8 Mardave stock car with OPS 21 motor.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FTX-Vantage-1-10-4WD-Brushed-Buggy-RTR-RC-Car-with-Batt-Chgr-2-4ghz-Radio/391447404467?epid=1717670088&hash=item5b24155fb3:g:YY4AAOSwkV5aXikF

Bought!

Extra battery?

Just been browsing again having built up a Dash 3 mini 4wd for my lad.

Missed the boat on the £350 Egress haven’t I. Terra Scorcher is interesting but had one in the past and never warmed to it like the Thunder Shot or Boomerang. Lunchbox possible, Blackfoot or Monster Beetle? Modelsport saying the Bigwig should be back in stock soon…….

I have some pennies saved for a HT frame but lockdown and too much boozing could push the button!

Good work!you will have great fun with that. A 5000mah nimh battery will be a big improvement, around 30 quid, I think it needs a Tamiya type connector. The FTX instruction manuals are online

I’m slowly working my way through the Kyosho Legendary series. Tomahawk just about done. Optima next.

They are stunning builds, mostly metal. A bit like the Tamiya SRB’s, except these actually have performance and handling :)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FTX-Carnage-1-10-4WD-Brushless-RTR-RC-Car-with-LiPO-Batt-Chgr-2-4ghz-Radio/401114853232?hash=item5d644eef70:g:Yv4AAOSwjIVaXkVN

Should I go nuts and buy this instead?

Or this with premium bundle

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamiya-RC-Assembly-Kit-Bundles-Includes-Everything-Kit-Radio-Battery-Charger/392715674115?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item5b6fada203:m:mLQry8Brbjpz7t4cjaIBh5g&enc=AQAEAAACQBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qUCMyJsoCHmBZuB9UH15bBp6%2BSPccOkvByENyzfQR6%2F%2BYJuOBkuYKc4XeMBqEXWXC7e0onRgjtpKsjV9wuAKAH5LU5CoMXcQTrDt5tq0eJSnhrDgn30kuKLGYXC2RADO3mJePiSICnDTM2qv4RzKu9DWEJTeD%2F5PhI9OyKSFuu5L5fMLwSYOa6mJVkxCLuktMBC7dmra6TAe0%2FBUUV3z9Jju6Gq9%2BMHeV9HULLpr83dnfKkWLq%2BH%2FGZzG5Pfb8kncvZNBeagx0KnM52SsI%2FZArGKCdF91hGuLJPmfUI7uV4l61bPGdDGfxpt%2B5ReH4Alfyr2elw7evdQXBbm%2Fdj84Vv%2FlCEphqAtomOv%2BaYjPuLCyC5v9cCYmFzx2AP63UcqqH58Jm7UdCt7vfyKMgJTiT9yuXC4mOkPlsyBf5MdWzyuGSAnqUuDbyRsm6sU7qsMC1hYOYBq4M5n%2BElgFbdgOxiRXK%2FvJMtpeP7uMh2ni2G8yC9BNVpHCErTGH0Hxa0W%2FI%2BBMeM7AeD2lWmdwF5UtJE3gaALA3A8uY08OlbOjiyVRe%2FWGzbjVHsMpEbT87lZgY6hvf%2BOVquGcpTlG%2FUolPYebGwqMOZck%2FbWrQbxrdBCRSJvp3o6rC086WFB4FxyiMSPPnqcxn%2B%2F3SHq0UBZv0dmxKEG48UhRi9412K7iFo6M%2FsL3iFlORSlOosLrbK6K2BiN150NNTZX9ugSyam8Gl1bHI5i9UC4c39YK3S%2FSYsw%3D%3D&checksum=392715674115797f21dc737f482fb7b935afd2cf4a07

The carnage will be considerably faster as it has a brushless motor and more powerful battery. Still good value but a good step up from a brushed motor. More scope for damage if you hit something faster but they are fairly tough.

Sod it, you were too slow, I got the Tamiya Premium bundle instead

I had the Lunchbox many years ago and loved it. Always wanted the Clodbuster tho. Thinking of dabbling in this world again. Would anybody recommend the Clodbuster or should I just stick with the Lunchbox?

Ps or are rock crawler type cars good fun?

Any idea why my Neo Fighter won’t move? The steering works, but when I pull the trigger to get it move nothing happens…

Things I’ve tried:

* Change the transmitter batteries + make sure the main battery is fully charged.

* Recouple the transmitter + receiver

* It’s a Tamiya TBLE-02S ESC, which can be set to brushed or brushless – I’ve tried both settings.

* All the cables are fine + fully plugged in.

I don’t have a spare ESC or receiver lying around to see either of them is playing up, but I suspect that’s it’s one of them… before buying a new ESC, anything else I could do to check? Could be an excuse to buy a multimeter I suppose…

2020-04-10_08-41-46[/url] by Steve Weeks[/url] – Flickr2BBcode
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Premium Wheel – Our Premium package offers faster charging and 2 batteries for longer/more flexible running.
1 x 2.4ghz Transmitter & Receiver (Radio Set)
1 x High Strength Servo (operate steering)
2 x Overlander 3300mah 7.2v Batteries (3.3x more run time compared to the Standard bundle)
1 x Overlander FAST Charger. (2000mah charging output – charges battery in approx 1.5hrs)
1 x AA Batteries for the Radio Set.

Arriving early next week

Thats the kit I got Weeksy, have fun building it.

I find the battery cover falls off quite a bit though, dragging the battery if you aren’t keeping an eye. Apparently quite common, so get a bit of gaffa or velcro on it.

Got my 9yr old son a Ripmax Husky. Cheap, repairable, 4wd, pretty quick. It is ready made, so dont get the fun of a build – but all round an excellent little car. Takes me back to when I used to race ‘em. Had a Kyosho Optima Mid Custom Special…

@Weeksy, that’s the one I’m going for too once the credit card bill has been paid. Are you getting the wheel bearings? They are about £7 on eBay.

Going to paint the driver up like Ayrton Senna!

That Kyosho Optima looks amazing

Linky to Modelsport

Are you getting the wheel bearings? They are about £7 on eBay.

Dunno, am i ?? :)

building ??? its not pre built ?? lol

mogrim

Any idea why my Neo Fighter won’t move? The steering works, but when I pull the trigger to get it move nothing happens…

Things I’ve tried:

* Change the transmitter batteries + make sure the main battery is fully charged.

* Recouple the transmitter + receiver

* It’s a Tamiya TBLE-02S ESC, which can be set to brushed or brushless – I’ve tried both settings.

* All the cables are fine + fully plugged in.

I don’t have a spare ESC or receiver lying around to see either of them is playing up, but I suspect that’s it’s one of them… before buying a new ESC, anything else I could do to check? Could be an excuse to buy a multimeter I suppose…

You could try take the motor out of the car and try run it direct from a battery. Maybe a little lower voltage than the normal so it doesn’t go at full chat.

If the motor doesn’t run, check the condition of the brushes and make sure they are coupled to the motor windings properly – not worn or springs missing etc. If it still doesn’t work, I’d try another as they are relatively inexpensive.

If the motor works you can either plug it back into the speed controller and try again with no drive-train fitted. If it still works, have a closer look at the gearbox and diffs etc to see if there is anything damaged or stuck.

It’s probably the motor or the speed controller.

Cheers @twonks, I’ll have a go plugging the motor into the battery – pretty sure the gearbox is OK as the differential works. Still, I’ll check it. Haven’t really used the car much, bought it off the back of this thread as I fancied building one again (and it was great :) ), then drove it maybe 10 times or so… The motor shouldn’t be worn out.

Good man Weeksy.
Started looking at similar kits, but things started to escalated. Wanted bearings and oil shocks plus a more complicated build.
Currently sitting with a Sand Scorcher in my basket.
Also want spare wheels with dirt tyres so I don’t burn out the paddle treason an afternoon.
These things are worse than bikes.

@Weeksy Nope not prebuilt, but will take an evening or two to build it. Doesn’t need painting, just putting the stickers on the shell

The ball bearings will help the batteries to last, the plastic bushings that come with it are a bit crap.

These are the bearings you’d need

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TAMIYA-Car-Upgrade-Bearing-Set-Steel-Ball-Race-Bearings-for-Lunch-Box-Hornet-etc/233070702835

they can be fitted later though, but it would mean taking the gearbox off and taking it apart.

Ok, bought. Wheel bearings ? Or something else?

Replying to my own post: the motor’s fine, as is the gearbox. Plugged the former directly into the battery and the wheels spun fine. Guess I need a new ESC then. So next question, are all brushed 540 motor compatible ESCs much of a muchness? (I realise that some 380 rated ESCs won’t work with a 540). I don’t need anything hugely state of the art, I’m not going to do any racing or anything.

Ok, bought. Wheel bearings ? Or something else?

they are wheel bearings and gearbox bearings, same size used through out

they are wheel bearings and gearbox bearings, same size used through out

Thank you for the info. I promise to learn more

“540 motor compatible ESCs much of a muchness?” Well, no – some of them won’t handle the faster ones. But if you’re just after a basic ESC then you can get cheap knock-offs from eBay for about £12, or I’d recommend a Hobbywing 1060 like this:

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/hobbywing-quicrun-1060-brushed-waterproof-esc-sbec/rc-car-products/404964

Been watching Youtube and found this on replacing the bearing/bushes.

I’m guessing it’s easiest to do it before hand ? I don’t know what state of build the thing arrives in, but it doesn’t look particularly hard to do as a job.. The only downside is the bearings may not arrive when the car does, so my lad may get over excited and want to play ASAP.

I’m guessing as with many bush/bearing things, it just makes things a bit better, not 100% better, so we could run it with bushings for a week or two so he gets to use it for a while at least ?

The car will arrive like a big Airfix kit. Bushings rather than bearings will shorten the run time on the batteries from what I’ve read. Don’t know if they will reduce the life of the wearing parts.

I’m hoping to get mine ordered next week! Excited etc.

Here’s my recently restored original Optima.

Any particular reason I shouldn’t get a Tamiya Racing Fighter from here?

I don’t live in the UK but will be back over the summer to buy. With this in mind what extra stuff should I bring back to the desert? I was thinking the “power bundle 2”, ball race kit and a couple of spare battery packs.

Am I missing or would the hive mind change anything?

Cheers!

I had an optima back in the day but took out the chain and made it 2wd after I stopped racing it to make the battery last longer. Moved on the a PB Maxima and after reading this thread I’ve unearthed my Schumacher Cat Cls from the loft. Pity the batteries are more than likely buggered.

This thread has me looking now, first proper RC was the Tamiya Grasshopper, which was immediately upgraded with the ball race kit and 540 motor, then moved on to the Tamiya Toyota Celica, which I tried racing (at Basingstoke RC Club), it wasn’t much good off road though, so that was changed to a Kyoshyo Optima Mid Custom, then a Schumacher Pro Cat, with various motors.
I sold that in 2004 for £50😢.
Looking at the equivalent Schumacher now, it’s over £400 for the kit, plus electronics, I think the one I had was nearer £200 plus electronics (though pre brushless).

I do not need…I do not need.

@clubby the sand scorcher is a lovely kit to build and look at let alone run, I’m sure you wouldn’t be disappointed if you go for one. I currently have one that’s half built and a grasshopper that’s having a sand scorcher body fitted (I should finish one project before starting another).

On the subject of bearings I normally get mine from http://www.rcbearings.co.uk they are great quality and delivery is always very fast.

Running a kit on bushings won’t damage anything but I would only use the kit motor with them, if running a low turn brushed motor or a brushless motor they might melt.

Here’s my sand scorcher how it currently sits

Everybody has had a Grass Hopper at some point surely ?

Grass Hopper…

Lunchbox…

Never had a RC car

This is my first

Hugo, if you are returning to quite a remote site, you might want to spend a bit of time trawling the fora to see what any common collision/wear fail points may be, and pre-purchase spares as appropriate. make sure you get any paint etc at the same time.

Wow a lunchbox! Blast from the past! I used my Tamiya Madcap up until recently, a jump killed the chassis.

Hooooold on a second. I’ve just been googling, it comes in about a million pieces!!!! I’m shocked, I was thinking it would be easy lol

Gave in an ordered over the weekend. Eventually decided on a Racing Fighter. Sand Scorcher looked lovely but the kit was three times price of the one I went for. Also a lot more upgrade parts available for the dt-03 chassis. Expect I’ll spend more time fiddling than driving, so it looks like a better choice for me.