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

Here’s mine with a fresh paint job:-

@Reign_Man that’s a nice looking Sand Scorcher!

Check your screws people!

I gave my Neo Fighter a quick once over a couple of days ago and the pin holding one of the rear wishbones in was almost completely out.

Screw for the servo saver is completely missing. Annoying as there’s a hole in the bottom of the chassis to access it that I meant to tape over with duck tape & never got round to it.

Was looking at hop-up parts the other day & realised I can comfortably spend more than the kit cost on carbon fibre damper towers, better shocks, new tyres, a turnbuckle kit & anti-roll bars.

realised I can comfortably spend more than the kit cost on…..

You’re not wrong.
I can also suggest you never have a look on the DT03 section of the GPM Racing site. I’ll do you the courtesy of not posting the link 😉

@stumpy01 check this guy out for inspiration is you half an hour spare.

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/82220-grasshopper-dt03-adventures-in-getting-back-into-rc-now-with-proline-truck-shell/&

Can only imagine what he’s spent!

Anyone tried a maverick strada?
they look to be a good price for a bigger car than my colt.
Not after anything high performance just fun to play with around the £100-130 price

2CV Raid Afrique update.

Canvas roof..

That 2CV is looking lovely merak!

I’ve been inspired to have a bit of a play with a Grasshopper that I’ve had sitting for a while and this is today’s progress …

Built up with some wheels borrowed from another project.

New front bumper.

Same treatment for the rear.

Fitted to the hopper chassis.

Different choice of body for this one!

Spent half an hour doing jumps in the pub car park and the car looks absolutely knackered! Never mind eh.

Going to have to mod the battery cover as it fell off numerous times, once dragging the battery for quite a distance. So the battery looks knackered too.

We’re just using 2 pieces of insulation tape from side to side on battery cover, it’s basic I admit, but works fine

There are a few fixes for the battery cover popping off online. It is a universal issue on Grasshoppers.

Self tapping screw through the tab to stop it sliding back. Let’s see if it survives.

Nice^.

I’d be scared of destroying it.

Ha, it’s already had two runs and showing a few battle scars. Surprising how enjoyable the build process is, was slightly disappointed it was over when I finished it.

@demonracer

Loving the Baja body on that chassis.

(V jealous of your scale workshop)

@v55drw

Nice to see another one on here. Really stylish change from boxart. Might try something similar.

I went traditional with mine.

@weeksy

Motor is in the post, should be with you early next week.

@demonracer Does that VW shell fit the Grasshopper Chassis without modification? Where did you get it from?

Thank you lots!!!

@Weeksy. What are you getting?

Rusty has posted me a 540 and I’ve ordered the 18T pinion so that my daughter can destroy the car even faster.

@ Merak Thanks, the garage was one of my most enjoyable R/C related projects to date, I’d highly recommend building one if you have the space, your work looks great and it would really show it off. Mine has a large shelf above and below to doubles as storage for cars/parts.

@Harry_The_Spider the body is a Tamiya Sand Scorcher body, (part number 51406) they are normally available on eBay for around £35-£40 but they seem scarce at the moment on there. You could try time tunnel models or fusion hobbies, both are normally good on prices. A cheaper option would be a Kamtec Lexan or ABS body but they aren’t quite as nice.

The chassis hasn’t had any modifications to the wheelbase, track width or ride height. The very front has been trimmed from the chassis, this can be seen in the first picture … it’s then just a case of working out how you want to mount the body.

Harry, same.

Why the pinion?

18T

6 quid off eBay.

@demonracer

What are you doing paint/decal wise on your Baja bug?

@Merak I’m not 100% decided on this one yet, probably a single colour with some of the “sponsor” decals in the rear windows maybe.

Got the 540 motor. Thanks !!!

I dont think my pinion gear comes off my standard motor so think I need a new gear, but how many teeth do I want guys?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2060353.m570.l1313.TR4.TRC1.A0.H0.X540+tamiya+gear.TRS0&_nkw=540+tamiya+gear&_sacat=0

I dont think my pinion gear comes off my standard motor so think I need a new gear, but how many teeth do I want guys?

18.

Page 6 of the manual.

Just took mine for a quick spin in the woods that turned into a 4km walk around the farm tracks. Was impressed that a) the battery lasted and b) my battery cover mod also lasted.

After the bouncy hit-and-hope antics of the other day me and my lad are getting better at controlling it with a ight touch on the throttle and easing off into the turns. My daughter is still reckless though.

We’re getting it to go roughly where we want it to now. A bit of speed modulation can really change the handling characteristics from donuts to big arcing understeer slides.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamiya-18T-Pinion-Gear-Set-9805997/264287598039?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

That fella ?

Battle damage after three days of being thrashed. Not bothered about the body, but could have done without dragging the battery for 20 yards.

Battery case cover mod that seems to have worked.

clubby

You’re not wrong.
I can also suggest you never have a look on the DT03 section of the GPM Racing site.

Yeah, I’ve spent quite a lot of time looking at the GPM bits!

clubby

@stumpy01 check this guy out for inspiration is you half an hour spare.

A few good ideas but blimey that bloke it’s bonkers. No way I could be arsed doing quite so much fiddling about.
I have considered getting Mad Bull or Aqroshot wheels for it to help out over grass with a bit more clearance.

grahamt1980

Anyone tried a maverick strada?
they look to be a good price for a bigger car than my colt.

My nephew has the Strada MT. It’s good for the money and spares are readily available. There are certain weak points and the bumper mount on the chassis seems particularly vulnerable. If the bumper takes a significant whack then it shears off the mounting hole which is directly on the chassis, so it’s a whole new chassis to replace (or bigger repair).
But he’s quite young and tends to smash it into things at full pelt.

Only other issue he had was the radio just completely died. A new one from Amazon for about £30 sorted it.

@weeksy

Aye that’s the one.

Would have given you one but no spares.

Thank you stumpy.
have decided that until I get proper control of the colt anything bigger or faster is probably going to get destroyed.
Will def keep an eye on that for the next stage I think

Wife wanted peace to tidy today, so I gallantly offered to take the boy out in the bike trailer. Coincidentally the bike trailer has a luggage compartment big enough for a 1:10 buggy and handset as well as the boys usual necessities.
We’ve an army firing range close by, so after a nice 30 minute pedal I’d miles of mainly deserted road, gravel car parks and grass ranges to play on. Perfect place for a proper first bash about.
Grass was a bit long and the car bounced about a lot although there were plenty of verges to practice some sweet jumps.
Moved round to the next zone and found a rough tarmac car park with plenty of loose gravel and sand to muck about in.

First attempt at a wee video resulted in some nice donuts but the phone slipped downwards and focus switched to the grass in front of it. Second attempt was better but driving wasn’t as good.

As with a lot of 2wd, it’s quite understeery on the power. The ribs worked ok in deeper gravel and I bet they’ll be great on the beach, but on grass and hardpack the front just pushes.
Stock springs also quite soft, car bouncing about a lot. Bottom of chassis all scratched up already.
Been browsing and ordered some replacement parts to tweak set up. The DF03 spring kit comes up a lot on the Tamiyaclub site. Designed for 4wd buggies, so a good bit stiffer.
Might tweak the steering arms to give a bit more toe in, see if this helps initial bite.
Also ordered a set of blue star dish Tamiya wheels. Still looking at tyres but think I’ll go for Schumacher Cut Stagger front and maybe a sand paddle for the rear. The kit rear tyre was actually ok, so this would give me a sand set up and one for everything else. Not a good enough driver or going to be racing, so that’s as far as I want to go for now.
Does the Grasshopper rear fit a DT02/03 wheel?

Aye that’s the one.

Ace, cheers.

Killed the ftx colt again crashing. Front suspension arm today ftx6184 it seems none in stock anywhere on planet

Quite fancy changing the wheels and body on my Neo Fighter, something a bit more trucklike. Any suggestions for where I can get some less buggy-like wheels and a body?

mogrim

Quite fancy changing the wheels and body on my Neo Fighter, something a bit more trucklike. Any suggestions for where I can get some less buggy-like wheels and a body?

Not sure about the body, but Tamiya Mad Bull or Aqroshot wheels will fit if you but the longer uprights for the front.

I keep considering it to give a bit more ground clearance.

clubby

As with a lot of 2wd, it’s quite understeery on the power. The ribs worked ok in deeper gravel and I bet they’ll be great on the beach, but on grass and hardpack the front just pushes.
Stock springs also quite soft, car bouncing about a lot. Bottom of chassis all scratched up already.

Interesting findings. Did you see what I said on page 1 about 6 or 7 posts down? Virtually the same thing, so good to hear there is some correlation!

I wanna try some spiked tyres on the front and tinker with the steering geometry. Some people put some weights over the front end which I am also tempted to try.

I was a bit disappointed that it sits so low to the ground, to be honest. Tamiya used to do a truggy model called the Nissan King Cab. Much better handling than something like The Blackfoot but with the ground clearance and (almost) agility of a buggy. It’s a shame they don’t do anything like that. The Aqroshot is kinda there, but not quite.

Guy I linked to earlier was using Beetle Blitzer uprights to fit the truck wheels.