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tamiya3speed

How Best to Enjoy TT-02

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So my LHS has talked me into one of the TT02 Senna kits.  After committing I proceeded to price desirable (to me at least) hop-ups (aluminum steering, universals, oil filled diffs, driveshaft/joints, oil shocks, high speed gear set, etc) and when it was all said and done I was well over $200.  Now I enjoy Tamiya option parts as much as the next guy but all told I am more than a TA08 and I just can’t justify the spend.  So what is the best course of action here? Build kit stock, limit to certain option parts, go all out?

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What do you want to do with it?  Race?  Bash?  Shelf?  Build and sell?

Why do you want the hop-ups?  I like building kits with hop-ups too, but sometimes it's important to remember that the improvement you get over stock can be marginal, for the additional price you pay.  It's all about what you want to achieve.

If you want to own a really nice-looking TT02 that's fully hopped-up just because that's what you want, then that's a perfectly valid reason to do so.  The fact that it may still be inferior to a TA08 or other race-spec touring car on track is beside the point, if you're not going to race it.  Depending on how you value the model, a hopped-up TT02 may be worth more to you than a bone-stock TA08.  And remember that if you buy a TA08 instead then it will be bone stock, unless you throw some hop-ups at it, which will take your price up beyond the hopped-up TT02.  So it's all relative.

I personally feel there's nothing wrong with owning a bare-bones TT02.  I'd always add bearings at the build stage, and if I was going to run it then I'd install a half-decent servo and some Tamiya CVAs (do TT02s still come with friction shocks..?), but otherwise, I personally don't feel the need to add anything else for a basher.  But that's just me, and if you want to add more bits, that's totally fine too.

If you want to race, then what class are you entering?  A skilled racer with the right hop-ups will keep up with more advanced cars on a small local track if there aren't many top-flight competitors, but really it doesn't matter how many hop-ups you throw at it, a TT02 is never going to be in the same league as a proper race chassis.  IMO, t's only really worth doing if you want to a) see how far you can go with a non-race chassis, 2) add an extra challenge if you're consistently winning every week or iii) want a good ready-baked excuse for always finishing last.

A lot of clubs are now running spec TT02 classes, but hop-ups may be limited, so it's not worth buying everything unless you're sure it's eligible to race.  In some cases, hop-ups are limited to bearings and oil shocks.

I hope that gives you some food for thought :)

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Stock + bearings and CVA shocks is my vote. The TT as a fun to drive platform for beautiful Tamiya body sets is about perfect, low cost, reliable, and sporty enough. Start throwing money and parts at it, and you’ll have a bunch of dough tied up in a chassis that doesn’t perform as well as stock TA, TB, XV, or whatever chassis.

Because I can’t leave well enough alone, my TT doesn’t have a stock part left on it and still drives like a TT-02. While I’ve certainly enjoyed the process, a stock mid-level chassis would be faster.

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20 minutes ago, tamiya3speed said:

So my LHS has talked me into one of the TT02 Senna kits.  After committing I proceeded to price desirable (to me at least) hop-ups (aluminum steering, universals, oil filled diffs, driveshaft/joints, oil shocks, high speed gear set, etc) and when it was all said and done I was well over $200.  Now I enjoy Tamiya option parts as much as the next guy but all told I am more than a TA08 and I just can’t justify the spend.  So what is the best course of action here? Build kit stock, limit to certain option parts, go all out?

I would keep the hopups to the bare minimum (essentials) and enjoy!  

That said, if your plan is to drive around the house and drive over uneven pavement, I'd suggest the TT02B into the mix (ie. NeoScorcher).

GL with your choice whatever you decide!  

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Oh yeah, how will I use it!  Likely no racing, light bash out front here and there.  Not much racing around me.  The rational me says CVAs, bearings, maybe the aluminum prop shaft, sport tuned.  

BUT the siren sound of that blue aluminum goodness…

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The best way to enjoy a TT-02 is to fully realize that it is a low-cost, cannon-fodder chassis. It will lend itself to do stuff with it that you wouldn't risk to do on a more expensive chassis. Once you realize this, you will drive it with a more care-free attitude which is what this chassis is all about. I really enjoy my cannon-fodder TT-02 (and TT-01E) that I use to do gymkhana-type maneuvers which I would never attempt with my FF-03. The chassis is tough, hard to break, and when it does it will be cheap/easy to get parts.

As far as hop-ups:

  • For parking-lot (level ground) bashing I would only consider CVA Super-Mini shocks (to avoid bounce), steel or hard-coated pinion (reliability) and bearings (reliability). Everything else I think is money not well spent on a TT-02 and better saved towards a different chassis. The kits do not come with foam inserts for the tires, which is a low-cost upgrade I would also add.
  • If you want increased speed, then add a Sport-Tuned or Super-Stock TZ, plus heat-sink (and potentially a fan).
  • For some dirt bashing, then I would add the TT-02 cover 22023 for reliability.
  • For rougher bashing, perhaps upgrade the front shock tower and front uprights to aluminum, as these are the parts that generally break.
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Buy a body set instead of a complete kit.  Then buy whatever chassis you like, anything from a low-level 3Racing to a mid-range TA/TB to a high level TRF (insert other brands or chassis codes as desired).  You'll get a body without pre-punched holes and the chassis will be equipped to whatever level you like.  Use magnetic body mounts to move the body to another chassis later.

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i had a TT-01D when i was 15, and i had good fun bashing around on car parks. it had ball bearings, CVA dampers and Sport Tuned motor in the kit as standard. i would imagine  the TT-02 with same upgrades would be same story.  you could consider getting the TT-02D, then you would get those upgrades with the kit.

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Thanks all.  I think that settles it.  Going with oil dampers and the aluminum prop shaft and joints for a little blue goodness.  Appreciate the feedback!

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1 hour ago, tamiya3speed said:

Thanks all.  I think that settles it.  Going with oil dampers and the aluminum prop shaft and joints for a little blue goodness.  Appreciate the feedback!

Which oil dampers are you getting?

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Well, the plastic ones were on backorder so LHS offered $60 on a set of TRF dampers.  Figured if I don’t get on with car they will always be useful elsewhere!!  Also as stated earlier, I am a sucker for blue!

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Huh.. Mini CVA’s are usually readily available on Amazon.. for cheap too.  $20 if in the USA.  

Anyway, GL with the build! :D 

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Oh yeah Willy, probably would have been easy to find elsewhere.  They were only backordered through Horizon, who my LHS uses. All just an excuse to overspec a basic car though!

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The appealing thing (to me) is the variation allowed with the TT02.  It may not be the best in any specific class, but is there another modern chassis that can do it all for so cheap???  Figure out what kind of car/truck you want and build towards that.  When you get bored, buy another body set.  I have several for each of my 3 cars and swap them out depending on my mood.

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Buy the Senna + TA08

Put the Senna body and wheels on the TA08, then sell the bare TT02 chassis.

TA08 has plenty of goodies out of the box (SSBBs, oil filled TRF420 Diffs, Universal's, etc)

 

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On 9/18/2022 at 3:51 AM, BuggyGuy said:

Buy the Senna + TA08

Put the Senna body and wheels on the TA08, then sell the bare TT02 chassis.

TA08 has plenty of goodies out of the box (SSBBs, oil filled TRF420 Diffs, Universal's, etc)

 

Agree. Even a barely hopped up TT will cost more than a TA08 pro which needs nothing out of the box and is an order of magnitude better. Now, realistically, you will be hard pressed to get even 60$ in your pockets for selling a TT-02 chassis with no wheels.

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Keep it simple. The trinity + a hot brushed or 13.5t brushless and the just rag it around!!!

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Here in my country a TA08 Pro costs about 2-2.5x times the price of a basic TT-02. If by "barely hopped TT" means basic upgrade like ball bearings, oil damper, and drive shaft then no, it'd still much cheaper than a TA08, at least in my situation. But still, while for competitive purpose getting a more expensive chassis is better option (totally agree with the argument), it depends on each person's goal here, no? Because not everyone is into competition, or even have access to track nearby. Sometimes, people upgrade and bling'd up their car because they can. Like in 1:1 car modding scene where some people mod and tune-up cheap family sedan for the fun of it, not for competing in pro circuit race or something. Maybe they can afford proper sports car but they decided not to because it's more exciting, or the whole "journey, not destination" thing.

In the end it's a hobby, sometimes what makes us happy is not always the most sensible thing :rolleyes:

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The TT02 is best as a slow burn, start with the basics before blinging it up. You a correct that pricing up option parts from the start is eye watering but that is definitely not the optimum way to enjoy a TT02 in my opinion.

As you are going the Senna body, get the base kit and electrics and enjoy the body build. Add bearings and maybe CVA shocks. Perfect for driving around the parking lot and for display. Then if you play with the TT02 more, add stuff like aluminium steering, drive shaft etc.

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My TT02's are kept pretty basic as like others have said, they'll never compete with a higher end car no matter what you spend on them.

Oil shocks, bearings and I've found the high torque servo saver removes much of the slop in the steering.  Ideally find a kit that has those already.  I like the TT02D kits, they come with bearings and oil shocks but you need to buy grip tyres.  Given tyres are a huge tuning part and consumable, buying those as extras isn't a bad way to go anyway.  And then you get the drift tyres to muck around with that too.

If you're going to go to town on hopups then definitely start with a TA or TB car, at least you'll get to TRF performance for about 1.5x the cost, unlike a TT car where you'll never get near the performance and could easily be 1.5x the cost.

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All of the above holds true for a standard TT-02 in my opinion, however if you are lucky enough to be able to start off with a Type S, all it needs is the sloppy steering sorted and you have something that is every bit as good as a TB-03.

( I actually get better times with my TT-02 Type S these days compared to my TB-03, as I can drive it harder without worrying about spares availability, which is always on the back of my mind when driving anything higher end.)

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This thread made me realize that TT-02 kits don't come with oil shocks.  I guess I've been having too much fun in TT-02B land where oil shocks are stock. 

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3 hours ago, DTSCB said:

TT-02 kits don't come with oil shocks

Yah, I was considering a TT-02 a while back and after working through the required items list, I ended up with a 3R S64. Comes with bearings, CVA, CVD, turnbuckles, belt drive and freely adjustable gear ratio OOB for same price as a basic TT-02 chassis only kit. 

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3 hours ago, alvinlwh said:

Yah, I was considering a TT-02 a while back and after working through the required items list, I ended up with a 3R S64. Comes with bearings, CVA, CVD, turnbuckles, belt drive and freely adjustable gear ratio OOB for same price as a basic TT-02 chassis only kit. 

Does the 3R come with tyres and a body? No doubt the 3R car is better value with all those extras, but the TT02 will work out of the box with no upgrades so is probably a better christmas present for someone just wanting a complete car. 

TT02 kits are about the only ones that come with everything (except rc gear), all others seem to be a basic chassis kit which needs another $100 added

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The tt02-D, tt02-S, TT02R etc all cons with oil shocks and bearings. The TT02-SR comes with double cardans etc it’s a great chassis and handles really well. 
 

I love the TT02 as it’s so cheap to start off with, but just so expandable. You can pretty much tailor them to do anything. 

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