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

Hi All

Off the back of the cheap Amazon truck, I’ve ordered the same thing branded FTX

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/ftx-tracer-1-16-rtr-truggy-orange-1332661

I’m a complete newbie so would appreciate some advice – I’ve ordered two of the above for my two boys. This may be a stupid question and one I should have thought about but…. will they operate on the same frequency?! I’ve looked at the online manual and can’t see any way of switching channels etc.

thanks

@ropeyreignrider they will work fine together. 2.4ghz doesn’t require different crystals and problems with interference like in the old days 👍🏻

Thanks stumpy01 , that’s a relief!

Another newb question… the site lists a LIPO battery as compatiable with the brushless-ly upgraded versions of the cars.

Does this mean it wouldn’t work with the box standard one?

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/ftx-tracer-lipo-7.4v-1000mah-25c-t-plug–1333706

Vs “normal”

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/ftx-tracer-li-ion-7.4v-800mah-battery-1332709

thanks in advance

Pass on that one. My Tamiya is brushed and runs on Li-Ion I think. I’ve never looked into Lipo batteries.

having spent the best part of 3-4 hours today trying to figure out if the newlwy purchased boys (dads) toy can take LiPo i know you’re pain.

All i can figure out so far is

If going from NiMH to LiPO or LiIon – don;t get a “C” rating too high as you could kill the motor (higher c = quicker allowable discharge rate) – fo newbs like my <cough me> son, don’t go above 30-50C even though loads of batteries are 80C+!!

And then there is the ESC’s – some wont take LiPo batteries i think, and then they are limited to the number of cells in a LiPO, but not number of cells in NiMH – why is that – i cant figure it out..

im quite sure there are some geeks on here who can just tell us what to do….. ?

Get these from amazon, and flip the switch on the ESC to lipo, and off you go!

DrP

And then there is the ESC’s – some wont take LiPo batteries i think, and then they are limited to the number of cells in a LiPO, but not number of cells in NiMH – why is that – i cant figure it out..

Supporting LiPos generally just means a low-voltage cut out. To avoid over-discharging the battery, which is bad for the battery and potentially dangerous, the ESC will detect the number of LiPo cells and then cut out if it reaches a minimum voltage per cell. e.g if the cut-off is 3V/cell, it’ll cut off a 3S LiPo at 9V, and a 2S LiPo at 6V. So there will be specific numbers of LiPo cells that a given ESC can detect and work with.

The ESC will have a maximum voltage that it can handle, regardless of whether it’s LiPo or NiMH. A LiPo cell is about 2.5 times the voltage of a NiMH cell, so the max number of NiMH cells will be about 2.5 times that of the LiPo limit. Most ESCs do quote a maximum number of NiMH cells.

I’m curious as to why you’re already thinking LiPO?

NiMH is perhaps a better bet for initial playing around. I don’t have LiPO but my local hobby shop warned me about the perils of charging etc and the basic NiMH is more than enough for Sweajnr.

Thanks @pdw i was tempted to give smudge a call to see if he could enlighten me and maybe even supply something.! Only reason I was looking at this was for run time reasons of having higher capacity in a lipo Vs NiMH..

Nearly there.

pdw
Free Member

Supporting LiPos generally just means a low-voltage cut out.

Well, usually. But sometimes with more basic or older electronics they basically rely on the relatively low max current delivery of a nimh pack, so they burn up if you fit a typical lipo and you have a decent draw on your motors. Especially with crawlers since you’re way more likely to stall a motor

@ropeyreignrider
Which truck did you get on Amazon?
Cheers

@bobodaclown

It was the one that DrP mentioned for £45 (at the time)

Someone else mentioned that it’s very similar to the FTX trucks but that you can get a full range of spares for them.

So I bought two of the below for my boys on the basis that when they destroy them I can fix them fairly easily and cheaply!

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/ftx-tracer-1-16-rtr-truggy-orange-1332661

@Merak, brilliant that.

@ropeyreignrider cheers will take a look

@merak love the heinz logo and the one wonky spot. Attention to detail and steadiness of hand is spectacular, how the hell do you do it?

@rockhopper70 and @luket

That’s very kind. I find a straight single malt helps with any shakes.

I don’t ever actually use them, I sell them on. The challenge/satisfaction for me is the bodyshell.

I’m having a go at this livery next.

Do any other body shells fit on a MK1 Grasshopper?

Mine is in a right mess.

Picking up some bits for the kids the other day seem to have accidentally walked out of the shop having got an FTX Kanyon as well. Will be painting it up as my Landy in due course. Any upgrades I need to be thinking of?

I could use some advice, my lovely girlfriend bought me Tamiya Escort MK2 for Christmas. The build has commenced but she didn’t buy a controller etc. as she didn’t know what I wanted. So I’ve taken a look but I’m unsure what the best options are, any advice or recommendations gratefully received. Cheers.

@BigM my first build came with a cheap and cheerful wheel and TBH, it drives exactly the same as the posher one that I went for next. This is what my bundle came with and it’s been ideal.

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/core-rc-code-24g-fhss-3-channel-steerwheel-combo-388536

If it was just the Escort kit you got then take a look here

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/tamiya-escort-mk.ii-rally-mf-01x-1334538

Look under the bundle tabs and it will show you all the electronics you need.
Do you have the bearing kit or are you building it with original bushings? If so, stop! Order the bearing kit for MF01X. Much easier to do it now during the build stage.

@clubby cheers.

@harry_the_spider a hornet body would fit or with a little effort, a cut here and a body post there you could fit a sand scorcher body (link to mine below). Polycarbonate sand scorcher copy’s are available too.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ry70sgCIX/?utm_medium=share_sheet

BigM
Free Member

I could use some advice, my lovely girlfriend bought me Tamiya Escort MK2 for Christmas. The build has commenced but she didn’t buy a controller etc. as she didn’t know what I wanted. So I’ve taken a look but I’m unsure what the best options are, any advice or recommendations gratefully received. Cheers.

Flysky GT3C is very hard to beat- inexpensive but high quality and loaded with features. Also has a lunatic modding scene adding extra switches and suchlike should you ever want them.

Yip, it’s another Escort.

Fin.

@merek that looks amazing! Well done
Just like the real ones.

Cheers @bobodaclown🙌

Busy modeling day yesterday.

Thought there might have been more Christmas postings of new RC stuff!?

@Merak Your work looks stunning 🙂

Do you do requests by any chance?

I have an older 3.3 Revo that I converted to brushless and not touched it again since the conversion a good few years ago. It has the original Revo body but would love to change it for something else.

Don’t really know what would suit it tbh, but if it is something you can do I’d have a look.
Not looking for mates rates, although an indication of what you’d charge would be nice if possible.

Son received his FTX Outback to much joy over christmas (dad equally). Hoever after about 10-12 goes/play around the motor appears to have burnt out. Im sending it back (Amazon), but i have expect the next one to have the same issue. I appreciate motors are relatively cheap, so in anticipation of it happening again brand motor will last longer than the stock 550 that’s in it? Or do i get a brushless??

cheers all.

I have an older 3.3 Revo that I converted to brushless and not touched it again since the conversion a good few years ago. It has the original Revo body but would love to change it for something else.

INTERESTED….. how did you convert? did you lose all the middle gearbox etc?

DrP

Oh man this thread is dangerous! Some amazing looking cars and the detail on those bodyworks @Merak is amazing great work!
I got given these old Tamiya cars given to me, be good to return them to looking decent like the ones above!
Any tips??

https://www.pinkbike.com/u/baggyshorts/album/RC-Cars/

Those are old, I’m not up to speed on how much vintage Tamiya stuff is worth but there’s a big market for it. I’d just clean them up as best you can using a brush and compressed air.

“Sui
Free Member
Son received his FTX Outback to much joy over christmas (dad equally). Hoever after about 10-12 goes/play around the motor appears to have burnt out. Im sending it back (Amazon), but i have expect the next one to have the same issue. I appreciate motors are relatively cheap, so in anticipation of it happening again brand motor will last longer than the stock 550 that’s in it? Or do i get a brushless??”

2nd time out with son’s FTX Outlaw and clipped a tree breaking the suspension holder and bending the pin. 1st time out had to sort the front left shock as it was stuck solid (easy fix though) and the spare wheel flew off the back. Not sure if any of the parts are checked before leaving the factory 🙂

The spare bits are really cheap though, but I expect to be upgrading plastic for aluminum spares regularly. 11 year olds and brushless may have been a bad idea.

Not a Christmas build but started in this just before. It’s a TRX4 kit with a carisma prairie wolf body on top and is still waiting on me printing out a few custom parts for sorting the body mounting and for the shell to get some paint.

So far it’s only been briefly driven round the house but I’m looking forward to getting it finished enough to take out and get it dirty.

@alexandersupertramp you must have got the upgraded brushless version – i did debate this, but it was another £70 more (son has the outlaw, not Outback -my bad).. What’s the motor in yours? And yep seen that spares are quite cheap, but would prefer it if they didn’t break in the first place..

It’s the Blue shell version, can’t remember the price paid though. It was Black Friday deal. No idea what the difference is in the two versions. With the large travel on the shocks it twists a lot when accelerating on the rear wheels. Brushed may do also.

It is bad that your’s broke so soon, ours was driver error, like a dog with a broken leg when he picked it up with one corner hanging down. He was so upset, practice on the football pitch for a bit when fixed.

I have ordered this card that plugs into the ESC and can limit the power a bit until he is safer in the woods.

https://www.etronix-rc.com/etronix-photon-sbs-led-programming-card

I got given these old Tamiya cars given to me, be good to return them to looking decent like the ones above!

Look like a Holiday Buggy, Sand Scorcher shell, and a Rough Rider. Quick look on EBay suggests you could probably get a bit for them, not a huge amount but certainly enough to buy a newer model if you fancied that as an option.

have been lurking on this thread – great work Merak!

this and luket of this parish getting a car with his boy recently has had me looking and learning a lot more than i probably wanted to know about RC cars over this holiday. i never had one as a kid and it was always a scratch i wanted to itch. going to see if it’s still itchy when the TD2 astute comes to these shores…