New build TRF201...

[BuggyGuy 1106]

Was hunting for a NIB TRF201 or TRF211XMW for ages - when they came up the prices were absolutely nuts (I've see a listing at £2.5K for a NIB 201!).

So - over many many many moons - I now have 99% of the parts for a TRF201... (the last bits showed up today!) 

Won't quite be stock, will have a TA06 gear diff and steel counter gear in a custom gearbox case from @ThunderDragonCy printed by shapeways. There's a few non Tamiya parts in the mix as well - such as Schumacher titanium turnbuckles (1/3 of the price of Tamiya items) and most of the generic hardware will come from https://www.moodyfools.com/

Got a few things not pictured as well, such as reinforced adjusters to use with the turnbuckles, steel gear diff internals, and alternative counter and idler gears.

Ignore the JazRider bearings, some ABEC 5 ones will be going in instead. Currently missing shocks which I haven't decided on yet - I have set of CVAs I can use as interim dampers - and I'm also short a couple of suspension pins.

As I'm fairly committed at this point, I might also source the vented slipper plate and the alternative motor mount. Also considering a front hex conversion to increase the pool of competition wheels available.

All in all I would rate the experience so far as a little nuts and very frustrating, some parts are incredibly hard to source, but I'd acquired about 95% of the parts before the almost impossibility of getting some of the bits became apparent, so if anyone reads this and feels inspired to try the same, don't do it  Its expensive, you won't end up with a 100% original 201, and some parts are incredibly rare or impossible to find (such as the weighted front bulkheads, and steering posts as 2 of the more painful examples!)

Spares are also rare enough to make it hard to justify running one of these hard (though RC10B4 parts can be made to fit in the some cases as alternatives) - and some tuning parts that would be needed to race one of these are simply impossible to find now, and one last problem - original 201 bodies are no longer available... (but will discuss body situation in a future post).

 

[ThunderDragonCy 7873]

Such a shame they aren't keeping doing short runs of kits to keep spares in circulation. Glad you're using the gear case. It's so much better with a gear diff. 

As for hex front, I went through a bunch of hacks and ended up getting the option imperial front axles and using Schumacher slim flex lite front wheels. That's on my TRF211 laydown though. My 201 used to always run really nice with the stock wide Tamiya fronts and 4wd front tyres. More grip. 

[BloodClod 331]

Wow. Thanks for sharing. That's really some commitment to this project. After reading your post, I'm reminded to treat my old 201 well.

 

Looking forward to your build.

[BuggyGuy 1106]

1 hour ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Such a shame they aren't keeping doing short runs of kits to keep spares in circulation. Glad you're using the gear case. It's so much better with a gear diff. 

As for hex front, I went through a bunch of hacks and ended up getting the option imperial front axles and using Schumacher slim flex lite front wheels. That's on my TRF211 laydown though. My 201 used to always run really nice with the stock wide Tamiya fronts and 4wd front tyres. More grip. 

I missed the last / most recent run of the DN01 unfortunately, or this would have been a lot easier.

I can't really see the logic of them not occasionally pumping out the 201/DN01 and the 201XM - it's still a competitive car and plenty of people would run them if it was an option. I suspect the new TD2 would be a long way behind the older cars on an astro track.

I've got the imperial front axles for the build as I managed to get quite a few sets of new B4 front wheels for less than £20. I've got a pair of stock 201 front wheels, but no front axle to fit... yet.

[Sgt.Speirs 1253]

1 hour ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

…Glad you're using the gear case. It's so much better with a gear diff. …

Is it noticeable? Shall I swap from the ball diff gear case to your gear diff gear case in my King Cab Chassis? 😊

[BuggyGuy 1106]

5 minutes ago, Sgt.Speirs said:

Is it noticeable? Shall I swap from the ball diff gear case to your gear diff gear case in my King Cab Chassis? 😊

If you run on high grip surfaces then gear diffs (oil filled not classic!) can be better. If you run on low grip or loose surfaces then a ball diff can be better (maintenance asside!)

[ThunderDragonCy 7873]

38 minutes ago, Sgt.Speirs said:

Is it noticeable? Shall I swap from the ball diff gear case to your gear diff gear case in my King Cab Chassis? 😊

It's mainly the maintenance. I always seem to melt ball diffs in buggies. 

[Howards 456]

1 hour ago, BuggyGuy said:

I can't really see the logic of them not occasionally pumping out the 201/DN01 and the 201XM

It's a shame. Parts availability has dropped off relatively recently too.

[RichieRich 685]

Well, this looks exciting! I have a TRF201 and due to the low amount of spares available, it's been a shelf queen for a while now. The 54504 and 54505 shocks can still be found.

[Kol__ 3377]

Looks great mate, some real dedication and hard work so far. Hopefully you can start the fun bit soon!

[BuggyGuy 1106]

Started assembly, needless to say this will be hopped up a bit from a standard 201, have the RF and RR mounts for 3 degrees rear toe.

Found out I had a few bits missing already, didn't have any 46mm suspension pins in stock for the inner rear suspension mount, and I didn't have enough of the tiny M2 screws needed to retain the hinge pins on the outside of the arms, pretty sure I'm not missing anything else though having been through the parts list at the back of the manual a couple of times to check!

Also found out the swing shafts I've got are the right length but not the same as the stock 201 shafts as they have the groove to allow the wire retaining clips to be used rather than the older style cross joints with a grub screw - so have a TRF419 cross joint set on the way so I can use the more recent clips for retaining the pin in the axle joint.

 

More interestingly I've got a NIB XR conversion kit, and an XM conversion kit on the way from Japan after a bit of shopping during the worlds longest meeting at work on Friday, though I will try and run the car a bit before doing the conversions. I believe the alloy gearbox included with the XM conversion kit is not wide enough for the TA06 gear diff, so have ordered a couple of bits so I can complete a ball diff as well.

Still not found the TRF racing steering set anywhere, but have a lot of photos of the parts now so might speak very nicely to a friend to see if I can get a set machined once I've completed a CAD drawing

[frameskip 63]

10 hours ago, BuggyGuy said:

I believe the alloy gearbox included with the XM conversion kit is not wide enough for the TA06 gear diff

I don’t believe the XM manual mentions it, but the alloy gearbox is compatible with the TA06 gear diff (parts 51462, etc.). Take a look at the TRF201 XMW manual available from the Tamiya site. 

[BuggyGuy 1106]

1 hour ago, frameskip said:

I don’t believe the XM manual mentions it, but the alloy gearbox is compatible with the TA06 gear diff (parts 51462, etc.). Take a look at the TRF201 XMW manual available from the Tamiya site. 

I think the 201 XMW comes with a slightly different black alloy gearbox rather than the blue alloy that comes with the XM conversion - will test fit when it arrives.

Been reading all the old threads on Oople and at least reads like the XMW kit has a few other differences to the car you end up with if you do the XR and then XM conversions - there's a comment from Lee Martin (or at least someone saying he said it!) on there where he says that he thinks Tamiya should have waited and not released the XM before the world champs as it was very much a work in progress at at the time.

Been going through the archives on rctech.net as well, but Its hard to make out the TRF2WD thread there as TamiyaUSA really mixed things up with their own bundles of various kits and conversion kits with shocks thrown in etc.

[frameskip 63]

Thanks for the clarification. Looks like the gear diff conversion I never got around to doing on my XM may no longer need to be done! 

Looking forward to hearing what you find once you have parts in hand. 

[Mahjik 197]

I didn't see it in your parts above.  I would recommend getting:

• RC TRF201 ALUM REAR UPRIGHT - 54246

Also, depending on what gearing you use, you may need to use a different gear cover (as you might need to widen the standard motor opening).  When you do that, the Tamiya cover won't fit.  You can use:

• Team Associated 7460 B4/T4 Molded Gear Cover

 

[BuggyGuy 1106]

50 minutes ago, Mahjik said:

I didn't see it in your parts above.  I would recommend getting:

• RC TRF201 ALUM REAR UPRIGHT - 54246

Also, depending on what gearing you use, you may need to use a different gear cover (as you might need to widen the standard motor opening).  When you do that, the Tamiya cover won't fit.  You can use:

• Team Associated 7460 B4/T4 Molded Gear Cover

 

Thanks! I hadn't realised I might potentially need an alternative gear cover, I have a brand new B4 sat on the shelf so have one to try if needed.

For rear uprights I've looked at the alloy ones - but they are very experiensive everywhere I've found them. For now I will be using the XV01 Carbon Reinforced rear uprights as I've seen these on lots of 201's and they are very cheap and widely available. I do have #54405 to combine them with as well (they are intended for the alloy upright but think they will work with the XV01 upright as well)

[Mahjik 197]

42 minutes ago, BuggyGuy said:

Thanks! I hadn't realised I might potentially need an alternative gear cover, I have a brand new B4 sat on the shelf so have one to try if needed.

For rear uprights I've looked at the alloy ones - but they are very experiensive everywhere I've found them. For now I will be using the XV01 Carbon Reinforced rear uprights as I've seen these on lots of 201's and they are very cheap and widely available. I do have #54405 to combine them with as well (they are intended for the alloy upright but think they will work with the XV01 upright as well)

XV01 should be fine.  Actually, anything but stock should be fine.    That was one of the few things that broke on me at the track.

[BuggyGuy 1106]

Finally managed to get this moving again so will be able continue the build!

My plan to use the BMax 4 steering posts would only have worked if I was willing to severely hack about with the stock plastics - which I wasn't... was also questioning if I should continue the project without a decent set of spares as I intend to race this car - but it's unrealistic to travel to a big event with zero spares (well zero front shock towers and wishbones). I could run Associated B5/B6 arms/hubs - but it's not very "Tamiya" and kind of defeats the point of trying to race this car again in my mind.

After a lot of poking about online and chasing randoms on Facebook and various forums I've managed to source the following:

- 2 sets of reinforced F parts (front arms)

- An extra set of reinforced B parts (wing mounts, bumpers, etc) so will leave my NIP stock parts as spares

- 2 sets of L parts (steering plus front & rear chassis braces)

- 2 sets of M parts (front and rear shock towers)

- 2 sets of J parts (front bulkhead and rear chassis plate)

- BB31 steering posts, so I don't need to find the impossible to get TRF201 racing steering set

- Stock gearbox case (only had the shapeways geardiff version until now)

- Exotek slipper eliminator (for 17.5 stock)

And ParcelFarce have finally delivered my XR conversion kit and the XM conversion kit as well!

Pretty sure I will have enough bits to have 2 complete cars now - so will finish the stock 201 build, and then do a new build XM (rear driveshafts permitting...)

Curious if anyone knows if the blue alloy XM gearbox fits on the white stamped resin chassis of the 211XMW? If not I might need to find another XR conversion kit from somewhere...

 

Have definitely passed the point of no return now! 

 

[matisse 1581]

Where did you find a body and wings for the stock build?

[BuggyGuy 1106]

1 minute ago, matisse said:

Where did you find a body and wings for the stock build?

I couldn't source the Tamiya body - I've used a shell by Azarashi for the RB5.

I do have a Tamiya Sand Viper body as well which will definitely fit a stock 201.

Any RC10B4 or Kyosho RB5 should fit a regular 201 as well though.

I've got some of the Lee Martin wings as felt appropriate for the 201

[BuggyGuy 1106]

10 minutes ago, matisse said:

Where did you find a body and wings for the stock build?

Worth noting that both the XM and XR conversions come with a body as well (but won't fit the stock 201

[matisse 1581]

5 minutes ago, BuggyGuy said:

I couldn't source the Tamiya body - I've used a shell by Azarashi for the RB5.

I do have a Tamiya Sand Viper body as well which will definitely fit a stock 201.

Any RC10B4 or Kyosho RB5 should fit a regular 201 as well though.

I've got some of the Lee Martin wings as felt appropriate for the 201

Sweet. I shall look at B4 and RB5 options. 
 

ta

[BuggyGuy 1106]

Dampers arrived - £67 in the end, these will be going on the 201 unless I find a great deal on the big bores, in which case they will go on the TD4 - at the current price of £75 per PAIR though it's probably not going to happen!

 

[Room335 738]

On 3/31/2022 at 12:15 PM, BuggyGuy said:

I couldn't source the Tamiya body - I've used a shell by Azarashi for the RB5.

I do have a Tamiya Sand Viper body as well which will definitely fit a stock 201.

Any RC10B4 or Kyosho RB5 should fit a regular 201 as well though.

I've got some of the Lee Martin wings as felt appropriate for the 201

What is your plan for paint @BuggyGuy? I have a DN01 Zahhak waiting for paint and I'm looking for some inspiration!

[BuggyGuy 1106]

1 hour ago, Room335 said:

What is your plan for paint @BuggyGuy? I have a DN01 Zahhak waiting for paint and I'm looking for some inspiration!

When I was younger my racing colours were white with silver, trimed with a bit of blue so I'm planning on the same colour scheme for this one.

I don't have a Zahhak shell but it reminds me a lot of classics like the RC10, something like the RC10 rere box art might suit it: https://www.associatedelectrics.com/teamassociated/cars_and_trucks/RC10_Classic/RC10_Classic_Kit/