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SteveU30

Pilot Cosworth - a (Whale) Tail of a Runner

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This isn't a build thread as such but more of a blog about my TA-01 Pilot Cosworth that I bought a little while ago and have gradually been upgrading and repairing as it gets run/broken.

It will never be a shelf queen but that's not my intention (I have a Tiger Stripe one for the shelf), this is purely to allow me to run a classic the way it was meant to be run and hopefully end up with a car that drives really well (as it leaves a bit to be desired in standard form).

Ok so here is how it came, a little worse for wear I'm sure you'll agree but not a basket case by any means:

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First job was to tidy up the paintwork so I masked it off and painted over the old paint to fill in the gaps:

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After fitting some Fastrax wheels with premounted rally blocks I ended up with this, not bad for a bodged resto if I do say so myself:

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The cockpit wasn't painted to a great standard but as this is a runner I wasn't overly fussed as it's not that easy to tell once it's in the car. Here's some pics anyway:

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So that's the bodywork out of the way (for now) I decided to turn my attention to the chassis.

Now I should warn you, at this point I wasn't approaching this in the most logical way. My thought process was to simply ball race it and fit a 3500kv brushless system and see how it went on 2S. I gave no consideration to the handling or even that these vintage chassis' really weren't built for this kind of setup (not out of the box with no hop-ups anyway).

So I pulled it all apart and set about inspecting the internals as I'd read about the dreaded motor mount that is prone to splitting and also the alloy gears in the rear gearbox that wear into a paste causing damage to the plastic gears.

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Sure enough I found this (note the worn 21T pinion too):

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Only other broken plastic was a front upright so didn't do too badly:

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Next job was to clean it up and put it back together with bearings and the Tamiya 50529 gear set to replace the alloy gears in the rear box (although I left the ball diff in)

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I then fitted a Speed Passion brushless ESC along with a Trackstar Sensored motor, a 17T steel pinion and a GPM alloy motor mount:

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Ok, I have to warn you about the danger to which you are going to meet.

First, you used the wrong grease on the gears. This is very important because you will wear out the gears very quickly with that motor. Probably you used black Molybdenum grease. That grease is very good for metallic parts but no good on plastic parts.

You must use white Ceramic grease.

Second, you must secure the top gear cover. If not probably the torque will bend it and you will break the iddle gear.

Third, if you have the original propeller shaft it will make a lot of vibrations and possibly will bend and will pop out.

My two cents.

Max

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Also, did you grease seal the motor mount? As I discovered when using the same mount on my DF01, the cooling fins provide channels for dust and sand to get past the motor and enter the gearbox - not what you want on a rally car that might see use in dirty conditions.

The issue is easily prevented though, by squeezing a little bit of grease into the channels that lead from the outside world to the middle of the mount where the motor shaft goes through. This traps any dirt and keeps the gears free of contamination.

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Thanks for the tips chaps, to answer in turn.

Max,

I actually did use ceramic grease, however that photo was taken after it had been run and the grease has been stained by the differential. This is due to the previous alloy gears wearing and creating a lot of alloy filings. Before I run it again I'm going to clean them up and regrease.

What is the best method to secure the top gear cover, I'm assuming the standard screws aren't enough?

Regarding the prop, watch this space! ;)

XV,

Thanks for the tip on the mount, I'll be sure to do that.

More updates coming shortly!

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I am finding this thread really interesting. I will be starting my own TA01 cossie refurb in a few weeks so will be keeping my eye on this to pick up a few tips.

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Max,

What is the best method to secure the top gear cover, I'm assuming the standard screws aren't enough?

The first problem with the DF-01 and TA-01/TA-02 is the rear gearbox and gears.

You just did some of the right things to do: alloy motor mount and plastic gears.

The 3th thing to do is the rear ball differential but you already got it. It prevents excessive torque on the gear train.

The next thing to do is to secure the top gearbox cover.

If you note it, when you turns the wheels without the cover one of the top gears (the iddle gear) wants to lift up. If you apply all the motor power on a grippy ground the entire torque of the motor is loaded on this part of the gear train and, over a certain line, the gearbox cover isn't strong enough to keep the gear in place. The result is that you break all together the cover and the gears.

I suppose your gearbox is battered and I can suggest what I would do with a new gearbox.

1st - I will replace all screws with threaded M3 screws, better if made of steel (they are more precise).

2nd - I will drill with 2.5 millimeter drilling tools the gearbox hole near the spur gear and the rear shock tower. In this way I will convert a blind hole to a through hole.

3th - I will thread all three top gearbox holes with a thread cutter to better fit the threaded screws. This third passage is not obbligatory because the M3 threaded screws anyway can be used directly on plastic. I would do this operation with screws for just one reason. This will avoid the tipical breakages and failures you always find near the screw holes in the TA-01/TA-02 gearboxes.

4th - I will thread the rear shock tower holes with a M3 thread cutter.

5th - I will screw now the gearbox cover with the M3 steel screw but I will use longer screws on the right side (the spur gear side) of the gearbox. These longer screws must exit from the other side where I will add and screw a 3 millimeters nylon lock nut for each one. This will secure the side screws without over tight them.

6th - I will screw the rear shock tower with two M3 steel screws. The right screw can be of original lenght. The left screw must be longer because I will add a 3 millimeter nylon lock nut in the other side. This lock nuts doesn't serve to firm the shock tower but serves to keep the top gearbox cover down.

You can also built a brace for the left side of the gearbox cover, as Rc-Dutch did, but this is more difficult to do. The Lock nut should be enough.

Keep in mind that you could avoid all things I said except the passage number six. The lock nut on the gearcover is a "must to do" to save the geartrain.

I apologize for my low skill English, I hope I explained well.

Max

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Thanks Max, I had no idea this area was such a weakness. I'll be sure to make some modifications to the gearbox covers along the way although I do think I'll be swapping out the brushless system for a tamer brushed system as the car is too quick for its own good so I probably won't go the hole hog with all the mods.

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The gearbox mods are a good idea even with tame systems.

When restoring my DF01, I found the typical damage to the stock gearbox case even though the car had never seen anything more than a silver can! With the new gearbox case modded as described above, I am running a torquey GT-tuned and oversize wheels/tyres with no breakages.

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Hmm just inspected the gearbox more closely and noticed the following, does this warrant a new gear casing or do you think I'll get away with drilling right through and nut/bolting?

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Mine cracked like that too. I glued the cracks, drilled through and used nuts and bolts, and it lasted well enough to keep my buggy operational for the two weeks or so that it took to get a new gearbox moulding.

It would probably have lasted a good while longer, as once you have fitted a nut and bolt, relatively little stress is placed on the crack. However I didn't want to risk the thing falling apart during the A1 Revival vintage meet, so I put on a new 'box for the event.

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Thanks matey, I'll probably do the same repair and just see how long it lasts, hopefully it'll be pretty strong.

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Hmm just inspected the gearbox more closely and noticed the following, does this warrant a new gear casing or do you think I'll get away with drilling right through and nut/bolting?

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These cracks are bad, specially near the spur gear.

You absolutely need the modification I wrote some post before, especially if you are using a more torquey motor than silver can now.

If you note, also the gearbox cover is a little bit cracked. If you have a close look it had already lifted up where there are the two gears.

With the gearbox in this bad condition you can go on but only if you will make the modifications.

And use a couple of washers to the motor screws.

Max

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Thanks Max, I've got two other TA-01s which are both shelf queens so I may look at swapping the gearbox out of one of those if they are in better condition (I will still do your bracing mods though).

Anyway, for now I've been busy with some upgrades, first off was to replace the plastic wheel hexes which are known to bind on the bearings with some alloy ones. These were meant to be the clamp type however they don't actually clamp the axle but nevertheless they do the job intended so am not too bothered:

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Next up is to replace the ropey coat hanger props haft which flaps about due to it's shape being akin to a banana. Now I can't remember which thread it was in but I'm sure it was XV Pilot who mentioned to avoid getting the dog bone type upgrade prop and if at all possible get the genuine Tamiya one, part number 53079. So after a quick search I managed to secure one on eBay and soon after it landed on the door mat (pictured next to the original):

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The original prop is to be repurposed elsewhere on the car but more on that in a future update. The genuine upgrade is a very well engineered item and very simple to fit taking only a few minutes from start to finish:

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I forgot to say that if you want to run the car with the high and soft rally dampers set up you absolutely need the rear sway bar or the car will be more on the roof than on the wheels.

Max

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Personally, I wouldn't swap out the gearbox with one from a shelf queen. To me, a shelf queen is like a showroom exhibit, in which you try to show off the best examples of every aspect of the car, and it would be a pity to fit a tatty, broken gearbox to one.

A runner on the other hand can wear its battle scars and breakages with pride, having earned them on the road or track. A damaged but neatly-repaired gearbox would not look out of place.

On the subject of neat repairs, I was looking at your photos and thinking about my own example, and I have a couple of ideas to make it both strong and attractive once more:

The cracked screw hole on the RHS closest to the propshaft is basically a plastic tube. If you get a piece of aluminium tube of the right internal diameter, and file a deep notch in it to clear the area where the tube adjoins the side of the 'box, you could slide this over the damaged portion, reinforcing it and hiding the crack.

A similar approach could be taken with the other screw hole on the RHS, if you split the aluminium tube in half, and bond a piece of it over the crack with strong glue. Again this would reinforce and conceal the damage.

The crack on the left is a bit trickier, but also not impossible to conceal. I was thinking of perhaps utilising a piece of flat aluminium or carbon sheet, cut to shape and glued to the side of the gearbox, running front to rear across the broken section.

...or perhaps just source another gearbox moulding! :)

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Me too!

Max

Personally, I wouldn't swap out the gearbox with one from a shelf queen.

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You make a fair point, I'll repair it with some epoxy for now and see how it goes.

Max, I am part way through fitting the sway bar kit as I've seen you recommend it before (I think it may have been in my other thread about TA-01 handling). I'm just in the middle of making a longer bar as the TA-02 one is way too short. Will post updates on this in due course!

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OK, next job was to sort out the ridiculous amount of steering slop, now I know you want some slop on a basher but come on!

http://youtu.be/ToafcrMvVII

Now there are various upgrade kits for the TA-01 but most of them require the FRP chassis and as this is a rally car I don't want an open chassis so that narrows the choice down to one that I could identify. This bring the Yeah Racing #TA01-042BU and here it is:

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So off came the front end to allow me to remove the original steering setup.

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The kit comes with bushes so that was quickly upgraded with the help of some 850 bearings

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The main link rod must be reused as there is no room in the chassis for anything more solid but to be honest I'm fine with this as it helps keep a moderate amount of slop to keep any twitchiness at bay.

Assembled

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And fitted to the car

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Done, much better!

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On my DF01 and FF01 (that share the same steering components as your chassis) most of the steering slop came from where the drag link rod fitted into the plastic steering arms. Does the Yeah Racing upgrade improve this area, or is it much the same as the stock parts in this regard?

Reason I ask is that I used the GPM upgrade on my DF01, which comes with an alloy drag link that rides on bushings, and has virtually no slop. However I am having great difficulty sourcing another for my FF01, and was wondering if the Yeah Racing option was a viable alternative.

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I did see the GPM one on Asiatees but the reviews all said the alloy drag link only works with the FRP chassis due to the lack of clearance. The Yeah Racing one does improve it by about 50% I'd say, the main reason being that the holes for the drag link rod are a better fit than the standard plastic ones (which elongate with use so I've read).

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Thanks for the feedback. GPM make two versions of their steering upgrade, one for the FRP and one for the plastic chassis. The one with part number DF1048# fits the plastic chassis perfectly, but is reportedly currently out of production. If I can't find one in the next few weeks, I think I may give the Yeah Racing set a try.

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The most of the slop comes from the servo, the servo saver and the ball connectors.

If you use a ball beared servo with an Hi Torque servo saver and some good ball connectors you will solve 70% of the problem.

Tamiya doesn't offer good quality ball connectors in my opinion, maybe only with TRF touring cars, but I really don't know it for sure.

I used GS Racing (General Silicon Racing), the connectors were made in nylon, the balls where smaller (4 mm), with a long 3 mm metric screw and made with steel. They were near perfection, no slop and they were really durable. I never worn out them on the off road track. The only defect were the dayglow yellow that I don't like. I know GS made also them in blue, dayglow red/pink, black, purple and other colors but my local hobby shop had only the yellow ones.

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Actually I don't know where I can find them, my LHS is now closed. Do you know other similar quality ball connectors made in metric measures please?

Max

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