Juggular

That's exactly what the designer of MB-01 said! You read his mind. He mentioned how M-chassis were meant to be body holders, initially. Except that M-07 and M-08 turned out to be really good. That's why I wanted to know how good M-08 is. (Even though he designed MB-01, he didn't say it was as good as M07 or M08. I'll have to see it for myself, but MB01 should be an easy chassis to get people into the hobby. Not anything too serious.) XM-01 looks interesting too, so I'll be looking forward to reviews.

I was hoping that M-08 isn't any better, so I wouldn't have to get it. But it looks like M-08 is on my radar. I suppose there are worse problems in life than having another to-buy chassis.

I thought I had my eyes on BBX, but I got a MB-01. Even before building it, I find myself questioning about M-08. Is there any member who ran both? How is M-08 compare to M-06? I thought M-06 could benefit from a gyro, is M-08 more stable?

I think what skips is the diff gears. Long ago, I have noticed that if I used one kind of bearings, there would be a gap. Another kind wouldn't leave any. If the bearings are 4.01mm thick, it would bind. If the bearings are 3.98mm thick, it would leave 0.04mm gap, for example. If your gear has been skipping a lot, I would get a new set of bevel gears. Those are soft pot metal gears. If worn, there is no saving them. If they haven't been skipping a lot, 5x10mm shims may help. The hole is the same as 1150 bearings. But the outer diameter is 1mm smaller, so it would drag less on outer race. With only the diff set in the gearbox you can shake it to see if it moves sideways. Turn the drive cups to see if they bind, etc. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256801779412369.html?spm=a2g0o.order_detail.order_detail_item.16.3533f19cTdYHbl&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa (You can choose M5x10 and then 0.1mm thickness. Aliexpress takes a couple weeks, but $1.40 for fifty should be plenty for dozens of projects.) Another important thing is using sticky grease for the diff. If the grease is sticky, it could prevent the gears from jumping over. It also adds a bit of padding, so I would grease first and then shim. You wouldn't want sticky grease to touch other gears. So applying sparingly becomes important. I use obscure "bad horsie diff grease" which was designed for T-Maxx. It's so sticky (like caramel), it's perfect for open diffs (Most diff greases out there are designed for closed diffs). But it's seems they are out of stock. If I remember correctly, their postage out of the US was ridiculously expensive too. I haven't tried it, but AW grease might work too, if thinly applied so it wouldn't fling out from those 3 bevel gears. (In the photo, I was only starting to apply the grease.)

I want to finish all the projects. I don't plan on retiring, unless we get a huge project like buying an abandoned house in Portugal, Italy, Costa Rica or in Japan and fix that up. Retirement without a long term goal would be terrible. Finishing all the projects is the least I should do. For that end, I plan on losing several pounds of weight. 7 years ago, I was up to 198 pounds, no muscle, just pure insulation. I lost about 35, and gained back 7 pounds last year when I caught the flu (negative on Covid). After that, my fingers seem to have a very faint tremble occasionally. More salt helped (not less, since I don't eat enough). Even 7 pounds seems to make me feel a bit sluggish. For the sake of RC, I'll lose some weight. It's better than a vague notion of, "well, I should keep fit." I could be fit for RC. If I'm fit, I could do RC. Seems like something I could aim for, for the rest of my life. Keeping track of parts I need is becoming daunting. Hopefully, that could be a brain exercise as well. ========================= I did slow down the buying part of the hobby. Last year was the first year that I didn't buy any RC car since 2017. Last year was strangely lethargic. I have come to think that our bodies go through great changes 2-3 times in life time. Once when you turn "middle age." One more when you get out of "middle age" and into the silver age (my own term). One more time if you are lucky enough to be golden after 80 or so. I think I'm just getting out of the transition that started at 50. I wanted to buy a BBX, but I was afraid that it would just add to the 4 NIB kits. My own goal is having no NIB, but I'll settle for 3, max. When I was in my 20s, I thought, "why do these old people buy things they won't build?" Now I understand. I could afford to buy one more kit, the issue is the energy level. If I sit down at 7PM, I'd watch youtube for 2 hours, brew up a cup of tea, sit for another 2 hours. Occasionally, I'd eat 2 bananas and get a kick of potassium and build something. Then I'd think, "this is how it should be, regardless of age." So, slower buying, faster bodying (that sounds weird) is the plan. I've never been a memo taker or a planner. But I think I'll write down 1 plan for 1 month: This month, I'll build MB-01. (I understand it would sound ridiculous for younger folks, since it takes only 3 hours to build something like MB-01). Backup plan is to rebuild the used Frog I bought years ago. To finish all the projects; I'll 1) keep fit, 2) less NIBs, 3) write down a hobby plan.

I use liquid masks for static kits. It's like working with candle wax. You can cut dried film, but the cut edge could lift. You can do the same with masking tape. The thickness is consistent, so you know how hard you can press your knife. Personally, I think that's better. But I still use Masking Sol on deeply recessed tail lights, etc. (The blue tint on tail lights are dried liquid mask.)

Piano wires are unyielding and hard to work with. I had tried to use them to make springs for a diecast FJ40. It's bouncy, it doesn't like to get folded, etc. But brass wire would hold shape. It would be conspicuous, though. https://www.amazon.com/MECCANIXITY-0-3mm-Assorted-Jewelry-Making/dp/B0BFR59DYL/ref=sr_1_56?crid=1L5RBX69THBPL&keywords=brass+wire&qid=1706752163&sprefix=brass+wire%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-56 As Alvin mentioned, a very thin fishing line would be almost invisible from the top.

Wise man! Sometimes the solution isn't more, but less.

Does anyone else take months to order parts? I just ordered a bunch of things like XV-01 long damper stays, shims, ball connectors, etc. I add one driver (who is heavy). The shipping goes up from $23 to $29, so I remove one. I add one static kit, the shipping jumps to $39 (from FancyEraser). So I remove that. I add a set of swing arms, then I discover Aliexpress has cheaper ones that I could substitute, so I take that off from the basket. Then I sit around to worry about how many ball connectors I would need. Does fluorine coatings help? Is it worth 80 cents more? And then it comes to 120 USD! Half of them are trivial things like 6 sets of ball connectors, 4 sets of low friction adjusters. By then, it took me 6 weeks to decide, so I go like "oh, f--- it," and order them out of sheer mental exhaustion. And I do it all over again for Aliexpress... 850 shims, 1050 shims, 640 shims, M3 threaded rods, steering arms, rocker arms, etc. And I despair as I sit and think 210 USD total is ridiculous. Granted, they are at least for 7 cars (XV-01, 2 MB-01s, the Frog, cockpits and a driver for 3 others), I could have bought a BBX with that! Is it buyer's remorse? Am I too indecisive? Do I have too many projects? Anyone else suffer under the weight of projects to complete? I really should remind myself that it's all for fun.

Since it says "Project 959," nobody will know...

As mentioned, cut one wire at a time. Solder that wire. Only when you are done with that one, move on to the other one. That reduces the chance of shorting. (High C batteries are strong enough to weld stuff. Behold my stupidity!) When extending, I try to cut in different lengths too. That way, the soldered points can't easily rub on each other, even if the shrink wraps get scraped away.

You could plaster AW grease on the BA15 pin (or on the side of NN4 that's facing the gear). That will make NN4 stick to the BG1 gear and prevent the pin from rotating into NN4 (because they are stuck together). No grease should be on NN4 that's facing the bearing. My guess is that people put grease on the bearing side. NN4 gets stuck to the outer race of the bearing, so NN4 rubs against BA15. Or you could put a 0.1mm thin shim (M4x6mm) on the pin side. I haven't built mine, but usually Tamiya would have 0.1mm play. If not, you can lightly sand NN4 to make room for a shim. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256801779412369.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller.2.7abakNqukNquva&gps-id=pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40000.327270.0&scm_id=1007.40000.327270.0&scm-url=1007.40000.327270.0&pvid=1be50cc2-40c7-4b17-805d-5f63afe76f92&_t=gps-id:pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40000.327270.0,pvid:1be50cc2-40c7-4b17-805d-5f63afe76f92,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238114%231999&pdp_npi=4%40dis!USD!0.89!0.78!!!0.89!0.78!%402103011117065594420253221e9ad9!12000030476232444!rec!US!2630314545!&utparam-url=scene%3ApcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller|query_from%3A&search_p4p_id=202401291217220943691546850211035858_1 Above seller doesn't have 0.5mm thick washers, but You could also get 0.5mm thick washers and put 4 of them, instead of NN4. It costs only $2.05 for fifty. Again, you'd need M4x6mm. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805462576939.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.11.2a166078mN8dXY&algo_pvid=143b4642-007f-4395-9299-af84bc8286c1&aem_p4p_detail=20240129130808511304012945280004766758&algo_exp_id=143b4642-007f-4395-9299-af84bc8286c1-5&pdp_npi=4%40dis!USD!1.20!1.03!!!1.20!1.03!%402101e9d217065624885551024e35a1!12000033880093177!sea!US!2630314545!&curPageLogUid=wHWNJ4yMtP7O&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch|query_from%3A&search_p4p_id=20240129130808511304012945280004766758_6 (edit: took me days, but I found the same sized piece as NN4: ) https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805776299657.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.115e38daSjMwZb&mp=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa Choose D6xM4 and then Length 2mm TA02 should should be able to handle a 17T brushless, even though it has no slipper clutch. TA-02 is very similar to Humvee (DF-01). The Manta has longer arms and the suspension works much better than short-armed Humvee. But TA02 should be nearly identical (my Humvee came with a ball diff, so it should be called TA02, maybe? I don't exactly know the difference, is it the wheelbase?). Even with a hard shell, they are not heavy enough. On a hard start, they'll spin tires rather than getting anything damaged. Especially on gravel. Pointy edges of bricks could be very grabby, though. If the surface is grippy or if you mounted a hotter motor, "soft start" functions could help prevent damage. Some fancy programmable ESCs can have soft start. If not, many $70+ digital transmitters would have a throttle expo function. You can set it so the first quarter or half the pull would get the car moving slowly. The motor wouldn't go from 0 RPM to 40,000 RPM in 0.1 second. By the time 40,000 RPM signal was given, the motor could already be turning at 100 RPM, reducing the impact on the drivetrain. (If your motor goes up to 40,000 RPM, the first quarter pull would be 10,000 RPM. But if you do expo, first quarter pull would only give a few hundred RPM. In this graph, even 1/2 pull wouldn't hit 10,000 RPM. Soft start = less strain on the drivetrain = software slipper clutch of a sort.)

If you liked the quality of M-08, I would say you might want to lower your expectations if you go for simpler/cheaper/older chassis like TT02, TA02(DF-01), MB01, MF-01X, etc. From the chassis mentioned, XV chassis would be on par with M08 in build quality. DF-03 would be on par too, but that's a full buggy. I like M06, but that should be quite similar to M08 (which is why I'm hesitant to get an M08). If you want to go on a rougher surface than touring, but not quite a buggy? A rally chassis would fit that niche, and that'd be XV. Unfortunately, I haven't built XV-01, so here is only a photo of the chassis. XV-01 should be 3cm longer than M06 mid and 2cm wider than M06, but it's not going to be as wide as a buggy. Despite the name "rally," my impression of TT-02R is that it's like M-chassis but 4WD. I don't know if it would be good for brick roads. Here is MF-01X to give you some idea as to the size of rally chassis (since MF-01X is a taller off-road M-ish chassis with simpler components). My MF-01X has narrower tires, so it's same width as M06. But with stock tires, it should be 172mm. (Fisheye lens + 3/4 view makes the left and right chassis look wider. But the center one is nearly identical to the left one.) XV-01 should be wider, at 185mm. The front motor of XV-01 would be the opposite of M-08. So that should be interesting if you happen to choose an XV chassis. Nothing's seriously wrong with other chassis. If you happened to know only M-08? Driving a silly chassis like the Lunchbox would be very disappointing. No chassis mentioned so far would be that bad, however. When in doubt, you can buy one and try it. If you don't like it, you have a happy excuse to buy another. Next Christmas is only 11 months away!

I realized that I didn't get any RC car in 2023. That's a very improper way to live. I got this -01 because of the shell. I liked red accent better, so I may have to do some major masking work. Unless they make repro stickers for red?

When it comes to Plaza Japan, we all know which part is the most important one.

Lol... DF-02 sounds terrible. My opinion is a bit different. It definitely is a buggy just like TT02B. I haven't thought to compare it to TT-01, but I did look up just now. The center shaft box opens up to the top, where as DF-02 opens to the bottom. But you are correct, they are similar. Learning something everyday! It's a cousin to TT-02B. Unlike TT-02b, it's got metal diffs to handle a bit more power, and a stiffer tub. But the battery tray is not really good. I agree DF-01 is better balanced, and DF-03 is a class above (sadly, I don't have DF03). The chassis has a bolted coffin as the spine. That makes it very stiff like a truss bridge. I'd say Tamiya didn't future-proof the tray. (Tamiya has been slow in accepting LiPo batteries). And the diff cases are horizontal, presumably to better handle vertical shocks. If TT-02B can do just fine without super stiff spine, DF-02's chassis is probably an overkill. But I appreciate it nonetheless. DF-03 is a bit more advanced. It's comes with ball diffs and more adjustable when compared to entry buggies like DF01, DF02, or TT02B. The battery box forms the truss. If I remember correctly (because I can't find my Manta Ray), you can flex the chassis of DF-01 and make the center shaft bind a bit. (or was it the Big Wig? Or both? Those wire shafts can also flex. So it's no big deal, I suppose.) I just flexed my Boomerang chassis and it does bind a bit. If you look at the weight distribution, DF-01 is very similar to M-08. I think that's the secret sauce that people like about DF-01. Anyway, with DF02 definitely no flex that could bind. I assume the same for DF-03. XV-01 should be better if someone is looking to go a bit rougher than onroad, but not as rough as a buggy, at the same level as M-08. I don't know much about XV-02. Newer is often better, but some times it isn't. An inexpensive one to get your toe into the rally water could be MF-01X. The motor is in the back. So it does drive like an old VW bug. I don't have M08, but compared to my M-06, MF-01X is a step or two down. (Both M-06 and MF-01X have the motor hanging behind the rear wheels). But as a basher? Put some sticky grease on the diffs and it will go places where M-06 can't. It's nothing luxurious. It's a basher. (Is Fiat 131 Abarth Rally out yet?)

DF01, DF02, or DF03 are decent buggies. As old as it is, DF-01 is still very capable. Parts should be available since Manta Ray was reissued several years ago.

I didn't know I needed this in my life, but I definitely need this now.

Thank you, guys! Fortunately, as I was looking for a cheaper alternative, the seller had 8-balls as an option (no pun intended). Only then I figured that I'd need 8. https://www.ebay.com/itm/335212194698 I may have low friction adjusters (53601) in my box of extras. Just in case I don't, I've put them in the shopping cart. I have over two hundred 1150 bearings. But MB01 uses none of the standard bearings! I do have twenty 1050 bearings in my box of bearings, but I ordered 40 more for $12. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832761005864.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.26.7f011802y36O0S&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa 1510 bearings: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2252799818615173.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.16.f31d1802lno1rH&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa And 1280 also: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800903639880.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.11.7f011802y36O0S&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa I have plenty of 850 bearings and 630 bearings (if steering linkages happen to use them). Friction is an interesting point! I drained oil from the front shocks of my M-06. The nose was so light, having any oil made them too stiff. O-rings' friction on the shaft was just about right. I did order a $10 shocks already, though. I'm expecting it to be useless toy grade shocks. If I can't use them on MB-01, I'm sure I can use them as shock-absorbing door stoppers. (At least cats won't find it as amusing as this thing.)

From threads and vids, it seems I could use TT-02 kingpin balls (Part #54559) for the A-arms. I just ordered some. Aside from the usual suspects like bearings, shims and sticky diff grease, what else would I need?

..... ....... .........! You guys made me jump rope in the middle of the night. Better late than never when it comes to shaping up, right? (did that rhyme?)

I'm simply elaborating what Jonathon said. You could switch the yellow and blue wires (assuming it's a brushed motor). If the blue one wire from ESC was connected to the yellow wire from the motor, and yellow ESC to blue Motor, switch them. So you'd have blue to blue, yellow to yellow. (Sometimes the motor wires might not be blue and yellow.) And then, the transmitter should have a "reverse" switch. Old radios had a physical switch on top, or in the back or even inside the battery compartment. The below photo shows the reverse switches on the left side (please ignore the yellow circle, this photo was once used in discussing end-point-adjustment). ST "steering" has N (normal) and R (reverse). TH (throttle) also has N and R. All newer radios have a reverse function (Flysky GT3 definitely has it). Just that it's hidden within the menu, so you'd have to look for "servo reverse" on the transmitter. So the solution has two steps. 1) Switch the wires to the motor. 2) reverse the throttle (if you don't, the car will go backward when the throttle is pulled). Hope this helps.

My wife's friend's friend flipped her SUV in a corner. She said, "if it weren't a big SUV, I could have died! I'm buying another SUV!" Me: "if it weren't a top-heavy SUV, she probably couldn't have rolled it as easily." lol... People don't seem to understand momentum, let alone driving dynamics. In Tamiya lingo, SUVs are like the Lunch Box. You can't drive it like you are driving an M-05 chassis. Then again, such references would mean nothing to most drivers. The auto manufacturers keep pushing us to buy $80,000 pickups. For the most part, there is no reason why a pickup should weigh 5,600 pounds and the hood come up 5 feet (aside from our tiny masculinity wanting something gigantic --- ironically, we look smaller coming out of a big truck). Besides, these senselessly big SUVs make children invisible. As far as utilitarian engineering is concerned, this is a very low-IQ design. Sadly, there are twice more parents running over their own children with them. The driver can't see 10 children sitting in line. But Toyota seems to have gotten clever with their $10,000 imv-0. (Probably it's going to be like $16,000 when it comes to USA.) 20% of the price and half the weight! I hope Tamiya builds this in modular configuration, just like the real imv-0. I wouldn't mind this ambulance version on a front-motored MF-01 chassis (maybe MF-02?)

I always liked miniature stuff, so RC cars might not be a stretch. But I flew a cheap RC plane and a heli (only briefly). I have a couple of cheap RC tanks too. I do love tanks as static kits, as most of my static kits are tanks. Almost no static cars. For some reason I don't seem to enjoy RC tanks, planes or helis. No trains, no boats either. I like to tinker with a bicycle. But I hardly ride. I might like a motorcycle, but that desire is as distant as wanting a moon lander. I don't have much interest in 1:1 cars either. To me, they are practical tools like mud boots. They get me from point A to point B in a metal box without getting me wet. Out of all the things, why do I like only cars/trucks when it comes to RC? I wonder if it's because it was my first "moving toy?" How is it for you guys?

I take it back. I was going for the Boomerang, but Saito 2 explained it better. 4 springs are better than 3. (You have 2 Foxes, so you'd know).