Rookie Rabbit

I think so, too. Unfortunately I do not - yet - know many Tamiya chassis, but if you could tell us about your chassis and intentions, somebody on here may figure something out. Best, Rookie Rabbit

Good afternoon @Bjoernemann and welcome to our forum, Tamiya's official catalogue (- Storage Share) includes an R/C parts matching list, which could be of help to you. Best, Rookie Rabbit

While browsing through Amazon I found this - photoshop - gem of a ghetto mod: Best, Rookie Rabbit

Thank you all again, @alvinlwh, @Twinfan, @El Gecko, @Wooders28, @chris.alex! Honest, if the Sport Tuned and a fitting heat sink weren't as nearly as expensive as a sensored brushless motor, they would be my choice. But I feel like I could get more value out of a more modern motor - and then obviously upgrade my batteries, and the ESC if needed. Honestly, I am fine with it not doing any wheelies, I prefer higher top speed over crazy acceleration. Best, Rookie Rabbit

Thank you, @Twinfan! Gearing is indeed a fair point, the Quicrun manual suggest a 8,0:1 gearing for the 10,5 turn motor, which is a bit low for many Tamiya models, including the DT-02. An 8,5 turn motor would be more suitable, but absolute overkill for my ESC. So far, I have quite a decent understanding of the current requirements of either a brushed (Carson 17T) or a brushless (Quicrun 10.5T) motor. Both exceed 60 A at high loads, which is in contradiction to Tamiya rating the TBLE-02S for their 10.5T motor (albeit with additional cooling). Using dual rate, I suppose either could work. As for the battery side of things, I am rather lost. The highest discharge rate I found mentioned on the internet was C=15, equally I = 37,5 A for my battery - just about the maximum current draw of my stock 540 motor. Therefore, my battery, and every other NiMH battery for that matter, should be unable to sufficiently power more powerful motors. However, they have done just that for decades! Best, Rookie Rabbit

Thank you all once again, @Eric Bloodsmith, @Wooders28, @Twinfan, @Juggular! The ability of running sensored brushless motors in wet conditions has again skewed me towards them, as well as them running colder. I did indeed grease the gearbox seals when building the car, and so far, the gearbox is running perfectly. As for the tyres, I run stock tyres and continue to do so, as I like the "motorsport look". As 10.5T and 13.5T Hobbywing motors are the same money, are the any adverse effects (other than it being slower, obviously) when limiting the motor with the transmitter's dual rate function? Basically, I think of getting the lower turn motor and limit it to around 3000 kV for the TBLE-02S. Best, Rookie Rabbit

Thank you all very much for your input, @alvinlwh, @Juggular, @Twinfan, @Wooders28, @Eric Bloodsmith, @donfilippo! Right now I am leaning towards a better brushed motor. They seem to be the simplest way to improve performance, perhaps coupled to a 8,4 V NiMh battery. Am I correct in assuming a higher performance brushed motor is louder? Are brushless motors much more efficient, i. e. do I gain run time and eliminate some of the cooling issues? Finally, do sensored brushless motors work in "buggy conditions", i. e. dust, mud or snow? Best, Rookie Rabbit

Tamiyaclub community, I really like my Sand Viper … but … I feel the need! This being said, I do not intend to leave the "cheap and cheerful" route or switch to LiPo batteries. Currently, my car is running its stock 540 motor, a 17 tooth steel Carson pinion, a TBLE-02S and a 2500 mAh 7.2V NimH battery. Speed is ok, run time is around 19 minutes and the motor runs hot. So far, I thought of the following options: 1. Tamiya's Torque Tuned or Sports Tuned motor, perhaps coupled to a 19 tooth steel pinion. 2. Carson's Launcher 2.0 Race 17T motor or a similar open endbell, brushed performance motor. 3. A sensored brushless motor to go with my TBLE-02S. The best offer I found was Hobbywing's QuicRun 3650SD 10,5T or 13,5T G2 motor. 4. A sensorless motor + ESC combination. And formed the following opinion: 1. As the Sport Tuned motor most likely requires a heat sink for 25€, it does not make much financial sense compared to the other options. 2. Very tempting offer for 20€, with plenty of spare money to be spend on batteries. Despite the TBLE-02S' 25 turn limit, I can't see how this motor (P=150W) could exceed its limit of 60 A continuous. 3. The "quality option"? The best offer I found was Hobbywing's Quicrun 3650SD G2 in either 10.5T or 13.5T variant for around 55€. I expect a more efficient motor, with less cooling issues and a longer run time compared to a brushed motor. 4. I am unsure of their quality, and wary of what could be a delay in acceleration. Furthermore, I need an adapter to use my current Tamiya connector battery. However, there are still some questions left: 2. Have I misunderstood something about the current draw of motors? Does the Tamiya connector stand up to that kind of performance? Can I expect better cooling with an open endbell motor? Does it stand up as well to wet conditions as my standard motor? 3. How do I connect the Hobbywing motor to the TBLE-02S? Are there other budget options? Does it make sense to buy a 10.5T motor and use the dual rate to turn it down if necessary, rather than to buy the 13.5T (2870 kV) motor? What happens in wet conditions? Is it quieter than a brushed motor? 4. What are the "safe" options in the no-name field of the market? And is there a noticeable delay in throttle response? In summary, I am a bit lost - and rather thankful for your input. Best, Rookie Rabbit

The RC car to rule them all? While I doubt I will ever spend 500€ (?) on a single RC car, I am intrigued by its packaging, and the possibility of perhaps running it as either a 2WD or a 4WD car. Best, Rookie Rabbit

9805552 tyres (from my Fighter Buggy RX memorial) work on my Sand Viper's rims, although they are slightly too narrow. According to modellbau-seidel (my favourite parts source), the Dyna Storm's 9805617 tyres should work with the Fighter Buggy RX's as well. I extrapolate they should fit on other DT-series cars and their rims as well. As soon as my Sand Viper's rear tyres are worn out, I'll buy those front tyres as well and report back. Best, Rookie Rabbit

This is, in fact, a brilliant idea! One which I read about on the forum a short while ago, I may add. My mind is already wandering to what parts of my Sand Viper I may be able to update, or if I could cheaply (via a kit in a bag?) switch it to the DT-04 chassis in the future. Best, Rookie Rabbit

It's great news to see another Group C rerelease, although I would prefer a Jaguar. Besides, can slick tyres be mounted? I love the idea of a Group C chassis, but shy away from foam tyres for (on road) bashing. EDIT: Thank you, @Superluminal! Best, Rookie Rabbit

Tamiyaclub community, having gained some experience with my second Tamiya kit, I love to report my recent experiences. Incidentally, said "second Tamiya kit" is not a Manta Ray but a Sand Viper. Originally, I had planned to buy the Manta Ray after my holidays. With time, however, I just couldn't bring myself to buy an RC car which styling I dislike and stuck with Fighter Buggy RX Memorial for a while. After an autumnal health scare I treated myself to a Sand Viper, as by then the Fighter Buggy was in need for more repairs, yet its shortfalls couldn't be fixed. For those interested, the Sand Viper kit is still available at Tamico for 100 € - without an electronic speed controller. Building the chassis was a pleasure, and I felt much more proficient than I was building my first kit. I also made sure to take my time and explain the function of each part to my girlfriend. On the technology side I reused my Carson CS-3 servo, TBLE-02S electronic speed controller and the Carson Reflex Wheel Start RC system. Fortunately, bearings are included in the kit, which meant the only upgrade necessary was using a 17 tooth steel Carson pinion, originally an upgrade for my previous car. Additionally, I filled the diff with some of my neighbour's "motorcycle goo" to achieve some locking effect. I was pleasantly surprised by not having to glue the rear tyres to the rims. Work on the body, however, was as displeasing as I had expected. It was a struggle to cut the body's small radius curves cleanly, and only at the end of said process I found a pair of nail scissors to be the tool of my choice. Painting the polycarbonate body turned out to be more difficult than a hard plastic one, as I experienced runs of paint. Furthermore, attaching the decals was more difficult because they were pre-cut. Fashioning my own window mask worked well, however, and clean windows give the buggy a more friendly, realistic look. If this had been my first RC I would have been frustrated, but knowing the damage which it would inevitably incur, I was satisfied with an imperfect look. When first driving the car I was impressed of how much better it felt than my Fighter Buggy. It ran much quieter, the steering precision was much improved, the car was less prone to rolling and better at jumping. Ironically, compared to the Fighter Buggy, driving a Sand Viper can feel less engaging. By now the car has endured three months of rural use, even during winter. Due to its use in wet weather the screw pins have started to corrode. No parts have broken, I merely had to bend a bent threaded shaft, which serves as the upper suspension link, back into shape. Attempting to lock the differential appears to have been successful as the car is less likely to lose all drive as soon as the chassis scrapes the ground. Said chassis protects the battery well, and as no gearbox protrudes from the underbody the car is less likely to get stuck than the Fighter Buggy. Unlike I feared, the exposed but slick metal driveshafts do not tangle with grass. In terms of wheels, the rims do not crack at all and the rear tyres appear to wear at a slower, albeit slightly unequal, rate. Finally, the body protects the electronics well, and the wing seems to damp the occasional roll at the cost of a crack. The Sand Viper's main issue is understeer: increasing negative front camber helps a little, as does mounting the Fighter Buggy's narrow grooved front tyres. In the future, to find a better, more neutral balance, I am going to replace the front tyres with the Dyna Storm's Rib Spike tyres, the worn rear tyres with the Stud Spike ones, and possible fit different springs from a hardware store. Furthermore, I will likely have to replace the Carson CS-3 servo with a metal shaft one, as the servo screw gets increasingly looser, leading the sloppy steering and the inability to properly tune the front wheels' toe angle. A possible hop up could be a high torque servo saver, although I am not sure a bashing car would benefit from its addition. Potentially, and instead of buying a sport tuned motor with a heat sink, I may replace the silver can motor with a cheap, unsensored brushless motor. In terms of looks, I am still thinking of mounting the Fighter Buggy's body to the DT-02 chassis, which requires a taller front body mount and an elongated body to fit the rear body mount. Alternatively, I am thinking about buying a Mad Fighter body. Besides the Sand Viper, I entertain various RC-related thoughts. One is to take a step up from the Sand Viper and buy a more performance-oriented 2WD buggy with classic looks at a reasonable price, e. g. a Super Astute or a Kyosho Dirt Master. As my car struggles to turn, a 4WD buggy would be a reasonable thought, although I fail to find one I like. The more complex packaging of a 4WD buggy, combined with the bulky front differential and the towering rear shock support may be a reason for my reservations. Tamiya's TA02-based stadium trucks, as well as their 2WD stadium trucks, would be a great option, but are no longer available. I even think of buying an on road car, possibly a Mercedes C11 on the Group C chassis for the ultimate classic on road experience, although running sponge tyres may turn out to be a costly endeavour. The more universal solution would a TT-01E- or TT-02-based car with a period DTM or Super GT body, or a WRC body and tyres for some gravel use. Another thought is concerning an indoor car for those wet days of the year. The prime choice is a 2WD Kyosho Mini Z, although it costs more than a Tamiya kit with electronics. A more budget option would be Losi' JRX2, which is a bit too similar to the Sand Viper and possibly too large for use indoors, and Losi's Micro B, which looks are challenging. Unfortunately both use LiPo batteries which I try to avoid for hobby use. To summarize, I love my journey into and with the hobby; thank you all for your input last summer! Best, Rookie Rabbit

Good morning BackITG, as for 2S, it means "two [lipo batterie cells in] serial". 2S translates to a voltage of 2 x 3,7 V = 7,4 V, and 3S to 3 x 3,7 V, etc. This should mainly determine the maximum speed of your vehicle (assuming your other components, ESC, motor and battery allow for sufficient current). mAh is a unit of measurement for electric charge. To be precise, how many 1/1000s of an Ampere (which is 1 Coulomb, the SI unit of charge, flowing through any point in your wire per 1 second) can flow for one hour ("h"), therefore giving you a measurement of charge again. All other things (motor, gearing) being equal, a higher mAh value should translate into longer running times. Unfortunately I cannot help you with your other questions, as I decided to run NiMH batteries. Just for reference, my six cell NiMH battery has a maximum voltage of 7,2 V and a capacity of 2500 mAh. With Tamiyas stock 540 motor at its rated power, I calculated the run time to be around 19 minutes. Real run times are higher, as the motor is not always running at its rated power. Best, Rookie Rabbit

Tamiyaclub community, my second Tamiya kit is going to be a Manta Ray. It being a 4WD buggy, it will feel different, both to build and drive. Even when installing the necessary upgrades (bearings, steel pinion, plastic gears) to fix its damaging weaknesses, it is cheaper than any other 4WD buggy, discounting the TT-02B. Furthermore, spare parts, hop up parts and tyres should be readily available. Unfortunately, and just like every other 4WD buggy, its looks are somewhat challenging, and it lacks the scale aspect. In summary, a Fighter Buggy RX and Manta Ray will hopefully offer me two similar, yet very different cars. Both capable on off road terrain, both "high performance off road cars", both from the 1990s (a time I am nostalgic for), both on the cheap side, but with "the" main difference, 2WD vs 4WD. However, this discussion has far gone beyond the scope of buying my second Tamiya kit. Therefore, these two cars offer me a great base if (let's be honest: when) I think of buying my third Tamiya kit, depending on what I look for. It could be a DT-02, or a TD4, or something entirely different. I like to thank all of you once again for your thoughts and answers; this has been as thoroughly enjoyable! Best, Rookie Rabbit