Wooders28

Couldn't help but purchase an Avante from Tamico coming in at just shy over £300 (hoping not too much in extra charges..🫣) https://tamico.de/Tamiya-58489-Avante-2011-Kit Is there any upgrades this needs to run modern elecs? (Brushless and lipo)?

If you go 10.5t, and the tamiya esc gets grumpy, you could then go for the 10bl120 G2, add some boost & Turbo timing in the programme settings , and get some more oomph. I tend to use EPA or throttle curve on the throttle, as dual rate alters the brakes too. I tend to just use the dual rate for the steering. That's why even just switching to lipo, you'll feel more 'punch' out of a motor, as it gets all the juice it wants. (When you 'punch' the throttle ,it wheelies and goes).

Don't believe it was named (unless you guys know different) , but a 4WD, TRF prototype, Lee Martin was involved with , before Tamiya pulled the plug...

Yes , yes (with a but..*) and probably... * - more efficient per rpm, but like for like, they have more torque, so generally have more rpm.. Never had any brushless motor issues, sensored or sensorless (well, a bit of cogging with the latter, which is common) . 10bl120 , Reedy M3 - 6.5t

If you fit TT01 outdrives, and DF03 cvd driveshafts, (I'm running yeah racing) you get rid of that problem (tested with a Castle 5700kv on 5s...) https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005007176392675.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.23531b11iE9gcO&browser_id=43abdca15375464dbacbbfc3dddc6c4a&aff_trace_key=fdeac67a85414d1a96aafb19c0045d18-1740337614006-04719-UneMJZVf&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=dbogauzmcaviojvj195343511b623e96f61960840b&gclid=&pdp_ext_f={"order"%3A"20"%2C"eval"%3A"1"}&pdp_npi=4%40dis!GBP!2.70!1.65!!!24.07!14.68!%40!12000039707641438!sea!UK!0!ABX&algo_pvid=ee4af26f-0e79-4947-a219-5a2f99926ba4 The WP and the stock G2 are different escs. The WP is sensorless and will run 4s, the 10bl120 g2 is sensorless/sensored and a 3s limit.

If you've the need for speed , brushless is the only option, plus lipo. If you're sticking with the old batteries, you can goto a 7s (need to check they fit a dt02 right enough..) ,and have a similar run voltage to a 2s lipo, just without the oomph. Just swapping to a 2s lipo, would give you a noticeable jump in performance. Maybe cheaper getting a sensorless brushless combo (motor & esc) rather than spending top money on a tamiya 10.5t, just because you've got the esc. Buying a new combo, will probably have you a programme option too, so you can disable any lipo voltage cut off (nimh run voltage is similar to a flat lipo, especially with a hotter motor, and voltage sag) . As with everything, good quality motors/esc aren't cheap, but the best balance imo, would be the 10bl120 G2 esc, and try and find a named brand (Reedy, hobbywing etc) 2nd hand motor , somewhere around 8.5t would give nice power balance. Tamiya ( molex) connectors where rubbish even back in the 80's, and you needed to swap them out if racing, or they melted with a modified motor pulling power through them. Some will fight you to the death, if you suggest anything other than the XT60 connector, but I run deans, as they're the most common plug in the UK, so more battery options without needing to faff soldering.

It's those 2 piece outdrives that are the major weak point on the DF03, but the fronts are a single piece, and are a direct upgrade (so yeah, front outdrives in the rear) and fling in a set of tungsten carbide diff balls, and you're good to go. Did a vid, as its the most asked about / needed upgrade.

This thread is quite handy - I quite like the dry lube on driveshafts, especially if running in dusty / sandy areas, as debris doesn't stick to the shafts, and turn to grinding paste.

Handy chart, to convert tamiya sizes, to the rest of the world sizes (so you can get them from eBay, rc bearing outlet etc..)

"Runs great"...... HOW 🤦‍♂️🤣🤣

The diff nut on the DF03 is a steel M2 nyloc nut, (tamiya 49350) pressed into the plastic wing (?) housing, which only stops the nut spinning when tightening the diff, and is absolutely nothing to worry about, so doesn't need swapped. (The DF03 rear outdrives and diff balls DO need changed however, and the slipper main shaft gear, if going bonkers brushless, I've done threads on here on how to) I believe the TD cars use a totally plastic nut, so can strip, and need upgraded.

I'm fortunate to have a few too, so a race track I'd take the Schumacher Laydown , L1 or Yokomo YZ2-T, but my goto to take on holiday, where it could be beach running or grass etc, the DT03 takes some beating. Bit of 3s/ Castle 3800kv ,with paddle tyres beach running - To 5s / 5700kv speed running.

The new (?🙄) fad of 2.2" wheels just look wrong on a 1/10, so even if the design looks good, they still look wrong as a big Donk wheel... JC racing Hotshot wheels?...🙊🤣

This might help -

I've yet to meet a racer, who's hasn't in the past, or doesn't currently own, a tamiya!!

The kit price seemed cheap enough, but it also needs a slipper , and diff mods (?) to make it capable? It also requires a low profile servo (and I've got a few decent full size servos sat on the shelf...🤦‍♂️) The df03 is old enough (2006?) that there's loads of info out there, but parts are started to dry up, the TD4 could be the daddy, but still a bit new for all the mod avenues to be explored (I'm sure a shorty lipo will fit etc), so you could be the person to take the lead 😁💪

As above, the DF03 needs parts to handle modern power, but once you've done those, they're pretty bulletproof!! I ran a Castle 5700kv on 3s for years with those gearbox mods, and it was fine. Did a vid for the rear diff mod (as it was the most asked question on a DF03 FB I'm on) At that kind of power level, the gear on the slipper main shaft wears (one of tamiyas finest cheese pinion material), I used a hardened steel Helicopter pinion as replacement , a company was making the gear (link in the thread), but looks like they're put of stock atm (shoot them a message though). You could always just check the wear every so often, and replace the shaft as and when. That castle 5700kv motor ran 5s lipo in that car (well, 2s on top..), and still the gearbox was fine. But of extra mods. I've kind of retured the car now, and gone tall on the gearing (DF03ra gearing, the on-road version of the chassis), with a 7700kv on 3s , just for speedrun fun. With the motor being out of its comfort zone, it's getting toasty, so fitted a motor cooling fan - I'd probably go for the yeah racing spring steel drive shafts down the line, again at that power level, things wear Also, to run 3s, you need to cut away some of the chassis, for the battery cable. This means you need to remove one of the front body posts. I've done away with all the body posts completely (rear one is in the way for the cooling fan anyway ) and just gone with velcro around the chassis & body, works for pretty much every modern off road racer, so only the antenna hole is in the body, make it look a but cleaner imo..

Urm, guessing you might be able to, not Tamiyas intention though, just cheaper to give you a part you don't need, than make new moulds.

Parts B tree is from the DT02/03, where the Evo shares parts , B3

12mm rear hex. Pin goes through the drive shaft, the cross part slides over the pin, 12mm hex wheel goes on.

Not having either, I can't give 1st hand view, but from what I've read, it's the rear end that some aren't liking on the Evo? So from a pure marketing point, and full rear end conversion could well be a great seller ? For me, the only thing I don't like, is the lack of a slipper for modern power. I'm needing to download the DT04 manual, and see how much is actually different, and if a can just convert one of my current DT03's.

100w iron I always use, but had to swap to my smaller iron, to stop the case melting 🤷‍♂️. I've a good few 'T Plug' I got out of Hobbyking, and the caps make it look a factory job (once you remember to slide the cover over the wires BEFORE soldering..🙄🤦‍♂️), even if the soldering isn't pretty. They're probably not high a current rating as the genuine plugs, but they're not pulling anywhere near their limits, anything high current i have, is running 5mm plugs (liHv). There's a reason the BRCA brought out their ruling. Too many genuine looking fakes about from lots of unknown sellers, (Amazon just had to recall a load of chargers..), the Imax B6 was notorious for it (think hobbyking sold genuine and 'copy' at one point?). Charge bags are another, aye you can get them for a quid on ebay, but you only find out they're only actually as good as a Tesco bag, when its too late. (Can't find the YouTube bag test vid atm..) Modelsport have been around for half a century, and just don't sell rubbish, so a newbie knows it's genuine, and if there happens to be a manufacturing fault, it's effortless to contact them, and change (I had a bad servo a few years back, and the new replacement one arrived the morning after I phoned, before I'd had chance to send the old back!). So for a newbie, 100% keep to a decent modelshop, then like I say ,once you've cut your teeth 🤷‍♂️

Brushless ,and oil the bearings every now and then.

This is probably the best page for lipo advice (although looks to be full of adverts now...🤦‍♂️), long read but everything is there. https://www.rogershobbycenter.com/lipoguide/ As long as you buy your charger and lipos from a (if i can remember the BRCA wording), 'reputable outlet to the model industry' (ie, NO eBay / Amazon rubbish), you'll be fine, (eg Modelsport), as they don't sell junk. Once you've cut your teeth, and fancy a gamble, that's upto you (unless your racing, as then the BRCA rule applies).

After keep getting told this, I tried , and once I got them not to melt, found them too bulky, and wasn't worth the effort to swap my fleet. On the modelsport site for 2s lipo , 47 deans options, 17 for XT60 https://www.modelsport.co.uk/electric/batteries/74v-2s/76v-2s-lihv? I've run deans upto 5s, and that's when they got a bit troubled, where i really needed an anti spark.