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OnceAGrasshopper

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About OnceAGrasshopper

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  1. He He I guess that rhymes... But anyway I have a TA-O2 chassis- appears to be in excellent condition (but I'm guessing bone stock except for the motor). But needs a motor mount, a body (the ones I like seem hard to find (Escort Cossie, Delta Integrale) but I guess I could just buy the cheapest thing i can find, and an ESC (all missing). Has about 3/4" ground clearance - Would it need longer shocks for off road? My 6-yr old son has a hopped-up Grasshopper. Part of me wants to just finish this TA-O2 into a rally type car so we can run together (in dirt). Part of me says for the money it will take to complete it - I should just sell it and get a new AWD buggy. Thoughts? What are most people doing with TA-O2's? Brandon
  2. Thanks for all the great replies so far! I think I'm leaning towards a 4WD car - it should be easier to control for a young kid. Then as he gets older and if he continues to enjoy RC we can get him a car that is more "rewarding" to drive well. As I sit here I htink $150 is about as high as I'd want to go - so the Dark Impact at $160 seems fine - I have radio stuff I can transfer... That said I will check out the suggestions made - thanks. But here is a thought I had at lunch today. I have a nearly mint TA-02 with new rally block tires at home. I have never run it - it just needs an aluminum motor mount, a body, and an ESC (assuming I don't rob the one from the Grasshopper) to be ready to run. Would it be a bad idea to run that car as a basher? Ground clearance seems to only be about 10-15mm - not sure what current buggies usually run... I was thinking TA-02 are really road cars that some people run rally's with (that is why I got the chassis actually) - and by rally I mean fairly smooth dirt tracks not big bumps n jumps and such like you might do at a buggy track. Problem is, for the money I'd still need to spend to get it going Lancia Delta Integrale body $50, ESC $30 , not inlcuding any mods I'd have to do plus the fact I (well my son) would be wearing out the chassis I actually did buy for me to run as a rally car, I'd be well on my way to a whole new car. All thoughts appreciated. If the TA-02 is actually a decent idea (I'm assuming it's not) - please let me know what the "mandatory" mods would be - besides alum motor mount. It has a stock shaft and don't know which travel setup since I bought it used. Thanks again Brandon
  3. Guys- So my 5-yr old son has been having a ball with his Grasshopper. I have been enjoying my role as Chief Mechanic ;-). We even put the 540 back in it, along with some bigger rear tires and front oil filled shocks and took it to an outdoor dirt RC track. Hilarious! - here was my little guy driving his small, relatively slow, antiquated GH while the older folks were ripping by in their nitro trucks. He was a moving chicane for them but it was all good fun. So anyway I'm thinking about an upgrade for him - especially since his little sister has eyes for the Grasshopper - so maybe this summer I'll paint the body pink for her and get my son a new car... So to my question - a buggy basher for a young kid - I've been eyeing the 2WD Sand Viper and 4WD Dark Impact. Any input appreciated about the pros and cons of each - and 2WD vs 4Wd for a kids basher. Use will primarily be ripping around in dirt fields - but ocassionally, as with the GH, taking it on a "field trip" to a real track for some fun. No real racing plans. Not looking to mod - so want something good, durable, out of the box. thanks! Brandon
  4. How do the SRB cars handle (including speed) compared to, say, a Hornet - (better I'm assuming), The Frog, or a modern buggy like a Sand Viper? Do many people just run them of mostly just collect them? I see the Buggy Champ has been re-re'd so I guess those are good for just running..... Just curious....
  5. I guess I can't add more pics - do we only get 500k total space??? oh well there she is!
  6. Well first a thanks to all who have helped so far. Here is the Grasshopper (really more Hornet underneath) that I have built for my almost 5-yr old son. He LOVES it. She's a runner - but it looks good for now. That's my job as Crew Chief. Hornet rear end with stabilizer bar, alloy shocks (although I think these are junk and have not yet decided if we'll run them til ruined (won't be long - or run stock until he as more finesse and maybe help these last??)), Brat wheels/tires for now - we also have stock 'Hopper wheels/tires, some red alloy wheels, and some yellow rear wheels (CRP? You-G?), alloy nerf bars, uprated tie rods, new uprights, full bearings, and the monster 380 motor for now. Will attach more pics in separate posts due to file size...
  7. Well sheesh. Between this manual above - and browsing around the site ( I found a clone to the chassis I bought) I guess I _actually_ have You-G shocks (I think!). Yeah I feel a little silly -oh well not first - or last time. I did take a pic but left the camera at home - will post tomorrow. I'm very curious if either my shocks are missing parts or the You-G shocks are very very primitive. I have another set coming on another chassis I recently bought off ebay so it will be interesting to see how they compare...Hopefully I can make 1 good pair from the 4 shocks Thanks again for the help. Brandon
  8. What are the best USA online stores for parts and such (batteries, charges, hop-ups (seems like you need to hit the Hong Kong guys for some older hop-up parts - like for TA-02 stuff))? I've always gone to Tower Hobbies by default and wonder if there are better places..... And by better I will say price, selection, timeliness in shipping, and maybe ability to give good advice for a purchase?? Thanks in advance
  9. Thanks for the great info, guys. Exactly what I needed. Now I know my NiCd batteries do suck and I need a new charger than can handle NiMH - thanks Until next time....
  10. I've down some searching - and I'm sure it's here somewhere - just haven't been able to come across the right thread. Please help me with batteries. Batteries for a Grasshopper, a TA-02 rally car - and likely a Sand Viper. Not real racing just messing around. But hopefully some "racing" with friends at some point. I'd like to get long(er) run times. Let's skip LiPo - don't know much about it but it seems to complicate things. Let's stick with NiCd and NiMH - what's the difference? Is one better? I see 1500mAh - 1900mAh - and some even higher - what is this? Does more mAh mean longer run time? My old batteries are 1200mAh - antiquated I'm sure... Motor on the Grasshopper is a 380. Other cars will have RS540 or similar. Thanks again guys-
  11. OK this helps very much thanks! Apparently I have CRP shocks. I had seen both kinds and thought I had Parma. Now I know. And this diagram really answers my question about the rebuild kit I have - it just did not make sense to me looking at my shcoks and comparing to the seals in the kit. Now it's all coming together Is there a way to edit the title of this thread? So I can change it from Parma to CRP? That said any info on the CRP shocks would be great. They do seem different - I'll have to look at them again and take a pic but my recollection is it has brass plunger on the end of the shaft and I don't recall any sealing o-rings....we'll see. Thanks again Brandon
  12. Hi Guys- I want to "rebuild" the front Parma oil shocks for our Grasshopper. There really doesn't seem to be much you can do - clean em up and put new oil in. I don't even see replaceable seals or o-rings (maybe my set is missing them???). I do have a Parma "rebuild kit" but by looking at it me thinks it is for the rears. Anybody know for sure - I can post a P/N later.... Lacking a manual for the shocks - some advice would be appreciated. What weight oil? I have the package of the 3 middle-weight oils from Tamiya. Was thinking I'd go lightest of the middle set. Do I fill the shock tube full? Half full? Is there a "proper" procedure? Thanks much! Brandon
  13. Thanks TA-Mark. So what mods would you consider "necessary" for a TA-02 rally "basher" car? (that's my biggest question I guess) I don't want to get too crazy if I don't _have_ to... I don't even know what lower eyes my car has on it - my chassis looks to be in great shape but I did buy it used. What is standard ground clearance vs rally? Will a Ford Escort or Lancia Delta or Audi quatro fit the standard TA-02 chassis? I guess I need to determine if mine really is 100% standard tho.... More questions will come - thanks in advance. Brandon
  14. OK thanks a ton guys. I am at a loss as to how things happened - but it is all staightened out - thanks to you guys. Apparently the throttle was reversed when I originally set the car up - which explains why when I hooked up the wires how I thought they should go the motor went in reverse. So I just swapped them - not even thinking about checking for a reverse switch... And then I guess while flailing away with the ESC I engaged "no reverse". Still don't understand the hows and whys (seemingly working fine with the throttle reverse cancelling the backwards wires and then going to $hi# during a single 15-minute session) but I've set throttle to normal, swapped the motor wires back and re-engaged reverse and reset the ESC. Seems to be working like it should. Phew that was weird. Ahh lessons for re-newb.... Thanks a ton guys - my little guy will be so happy tomorrow when he learns he can drive his car again. Thanks! Brandon
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