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Hotlap Ranking - Tamiya Chassis

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Hello there fellow Tamiya enthusiasts!

Recently I realized that while there are plenty of blogs and Youtube channels dedicated to reviewing Tamiya cars, I haven't been able to find any that systematically ranks them by hotlap timing. Reviews seem very anectodical and subjective, without real hotlap numbers.

After discovering the great LapTrax free laptime app, I decided to take matters into my own hands! To this end, a test track had to be created:

My objective was to have a circuit with:

  • Total laptime around 20 seconds.
  • A long main straight.
  • Both high-speed and low-speed turns.
  • At least one chicane 
  • Fairly balanced tire wear left/right to avoid having to rotate tires too much.

Botanic Gardens Raceway

zTrack-04.jpg.342dc44f0c1f90eb999891c638e1619a.jpg 

Main features (measurements thanks to Google maps):

  • Track surface: tennis hard-court with some wear (minor bumps, high grip)
  • Total track length: 134 m.
  • Main straight length: 32 m.
  • Secondary straight length: 22m.
  • Reference laptime: about 20 seconds.
  • 1 high-speed left turn (2 + 3), 1 high-speed right turn (6)
  • 1 hard braking left turn (4), 1 hard braking right turn (7)
  • 1 right-left chicane (7 + 1) just before the finish line
  • 1 mid-speed right turn (5)

zTrack_03.thumb.jpg.24ae9effac1d45f11435ccbcdbdb6d73.jpg

Laptimes are captured using an old cellphone mounted on a tripod by the finish line. Timing is triggered by motion detection on the LapTrax app. You can find the app free on Google Playstore (you can also search online for the .apk install file):

Protocol Apps – Home of LapTrax – Automatic Lap Timing and Stopwatch (protocol-apps.ca)

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Updated every time a new entry is made (31-Aug-2023)

Hotlap Time Ranking - Botanic Gardens Raceway

  1. 16.54" F104 McLaren MP4/5
  2. 16.71" Group C Mercedes C11
  3. 16.74" TT-02R Nissan R390 GT1
  4. 16.78" F104 ProII Minardi M189
  5. 17.14" TT-02B Plasma Edge II
  6. 17.54" TT-02 Ferrari LaFerrari
  7. 17.84" FF-03 Opel Vectra JTCC
  8. 17.88" TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34
  9. 18.11" TT-02 Ferrari F12 TDR
  10. 18.61" TT-01E RWD Ford Capri Zakspeed Turbo Gr.5
  11. 18.71" FF-03 Toyota Tom's Levin
  12. 19.27" XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four
  13. 19.31" DT-03 Fighter Buggy
  14. 19.37" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach
  15. 19.47" TT-02 Audi Quattro
  16. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  17. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
  18. 20.65" TT-01E FWD Datsun 240Z
  19. 20.84" TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z
  20. 21.63" TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
  21. 22.47" MF-01X VW Hornet Beetle
  22. 26.87" CC-01 Isuzu Mu
  23. 27.76" T3-01 Dual Rider
  24. 38.62" MF-01X Nissan King Cab

All cars start with a freshly-charged 3600 NiMh pack. Cars are run in 10-lap stints, with about 4 stints per battery pack. The best laptime is recorded.

Coming-up next:

  • M-05 Alfa Romeo Giulia
  • M-06 Ford Escort Mk2
  • M-08 Body TBD
  • TT-02SR Opel Calibra DTM
  • XV-02 Lancia Delta
  • TT-02XV Ford Escort
  • TA-02S Lancia 037
  • TA-03RS Porsche 911 GT1
  • TA-05v2 Raybrig HSV
  • TA-06 Toyota 86
  • TC-01 Formula E Gen2
  • F-103GT Toyota Gazoo TS050
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Contenders (ordered by hotlap ranking):

F104 McLaren MP4/5 - Best Time: 16.54"

McLarenMP45.thumb.JPG.3dd197668aea419355b29e4a24c8389b.JPG

  • Chassis: F104 (converted from a F104W)
  • Motor: 23T Sport Tuned
  • FDR: 5.20 (20T pinion + 104T spur)
  • Tires: F1 kit tires (51399 front, 51400 rear)  
  • Shocks: Low-Friction Damper, 400 oil
  • ESC: Yeah Racing Tritonic 1X
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: F104 aluminum differential set, F104 motor plate, diff thrust bearing, F104 clamp wheel stop.
  • Settings: 0deg front camber, max ground clearance, soft diff, high downforce rear wing.

Group C Mercedes C11 - Best Time: 16.71"

MercedesC11.thumb.JPG.970528639459c4634af291f383454f4a.JPG

  • Chassis: Group C
  • Motor: 25T Torque-Tuned
  • FDR: 4.43 (21T pinion + 93T spur)
  • Tires: F1 kit tires (51399 front, 51400 rear)  
  • Shocks: Stock kit CVA, 900 oil
  • ESC: Quicrun 1060 + fan
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Futaba R203GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: F104 aluminum differential set, F104 motor plate, F104 clamp wheel stop, F104 carbon shaft.
  • Settings: max ground clearance, soft diff.
  • Mods: Adapted to fit F104 wheels for rubber tires.

TT-02R Nissan R390 GT1 - Best Time: 16.74"

1661467628_R390-1-Copy.thumb.JPG.49c25a11f02e59b21f346c9db4a85588.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02R
  • Motor: 23T Super Stock TZ
  • FDR: 6.16 (27T pinion + 64T spur)
  • Tires:
    • Narrow Radials (51023). Best time 16.74"
    • Narrow Slicks (51049). Best time 16.98"
    • M2 Slicks (53224). Best time17.64"
    • Racing Radials (50419). Best time 18.31"  
  • Shocks: Yeah Racing 55mm, 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 + fan
  • Servo: JX 5508MG
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler + fan, GPM aluminum steering (junk), adjustable upper arms, hard deck, wide rear.
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: stiff F diff, loose R diff, 2deg camber, 257mm wheelbase, low ground clearance

F104-Pro Minardi M189 - Best Time: 16.78"

Minardi-1.thumb.JPG.a988e67d9edab50970331a2e9b51e3b6.JPG

  • Chassis: F104Pro
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 4.33 (24T pinion + 104T spur)
  • Tires: F1 kit tires (51399 front, 51400 rear)  
  • Shocks: TRF, 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-04S
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Futaba R203GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: F104 motor plate, diff thrust bearing.
  • Settings: 0deg front camber, max ground clearance, soft diff, high downforce rear wing.

TT-02B Plasma Edge II - Best Time: 17.14"

PlasmaEdge-2.thumb.JPG.144092ffb5e47d02b5f2db67bc539c58.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02B
  • Motor: 23T Super Stock BZ
  • FDR: 9.58 (19T pinion + 70T spur)
  • Tires: Dual Block K (54185 and 54186).
  • Shocks: CVA (kit stock), 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old version with 5V BEC) + fan
  • Servo: Yeah Racing YE-0028
  • Radio: Futaba R202GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler + fan
  • Settings: loose diffs, 2deg camber

TT-02 Ferrari LaFerrari - Best Time: 17.54"

LaFerrari-1.thumb.jpg.b335bc137e876b27f6e31c4a80e1b7c0.jpg

  • Chassis: TT-02
  • Motor: 17T Hackmoto V2
  • FDR: 5.12 (32T pinion + 63T spur)
  • Tires: M2 Radial (53227).
  • Shocks: CVA Super-Mini, 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 + fan
  • Servo: JX 5508MG
  • Radio: Futaba R2006SF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, high-speed gear set, hard deck, front universals, almunium motor mount, adjustable upper arms, aluminium prop shaft, motor heatsink + fan, high-torque servo saver.
  • Mods: steering braces
  • Settings: loose diffs, 2deg camber

FF-03 Opel Vectra JTCC - Best Time: 17.84"

Vectra-1.thumb.JPG.517b9eaaf56be70e56237fedbfe41804.JPG

  • Chassis: FF-03
  • Motor: 23T Super Stock TZ
  • FDR: 6.55 (27T pinion + 68T spur)
  • Tires: Narrow Slicks (51049) (kit).
  • Shocks: CVA Super Mini (kit), 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 + fan
  • Servo: PowerHD 3001HB
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, double-cardan joints, 0.75mm wheel spacers R, aluminum motor plate, DF-03 heatsink + fan
  • Settings: fairly loose diff, long wheelbase (257mm)

TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34 - Best Time: 17.88"

SkylineR34.thumb.JPG.f3de71e10ee167cdaa9810c0fc0b529f.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E
  • Motor: 23T Super Stock TZ + Ball Bearings
  • FDR: 5.11 (28T pinion + 55T spur, longest possible without mods)
  • Tires: M2 Slick M-Grip (53224).
  • Shocks: Yeah Racing Aluminum 55mm,, 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old version with 5V BEC) + fan
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler + fan, aluminum propeller shaft
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: loose diffs, long wheelbase (257mm)

TT-02 Ferrari F12 TDF - Best Time: 18.11"

1026487725_F12TDF-1-Copy.thumb.JPG.2d3f76dc1a1b92f3b53a5e65939820d0.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02
  • Motor: 23T Sport Tuned
  • FDR: 6.16 (27T pinion + 64T spur)
  • Tires: Narrow Radials (51023)
  • Shocks: CVA Super-Mini, 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old 5V BEC version) + fan
  • Servo: JX 4409MG
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler + fan, high-speed gear set
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: stiff F diff, loose R diff, 257mm wheelbase, low ground clearance

TT-01E RWD Ford Capri Zakspeed Turbo Gr.5 - Best Time: 18.61"

Capri-1.thumb.JPG.33920b76c04545de0c5f8243c402b31f.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E RWD
  • Motor: 20T Axial
  • FDR: 5.50 (26T pinion + 55T spur)
  • Tires: Front slick (50454), rear wide slick (50547).
  • Shocks: Tamiya aluminium low-friction, 400 oil.
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 + fan
  • Servo: JX DC6015
  • Radio: Futaba R203GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, front one-way (fitted backwards), rear toe uprights, adjustable upper arms, aluminium motor mount, aluminium prop shaft, aluminum front uprights, motor heatsink + fan.
  • Mods: RWD, front one-way fitted backwards (allows 4WD braking), steering braces.
  • Settings: loose diffs, 1deg camber front, 2deg camber rear, wide rear

FF-03 Toyota Tom's Levin - Best Time: 18.71"

TOMS-1.thumb.JPG.b6100fee594b68b31a4d18bd633ede53.JPG

  • Chassis: FF-03
  • Motor: 25T Torque-Tuned
  • FDR: 6.8 (26T pinion + 68T spur)
  • Tires: Narrow Slicks (51049) (kit).
  • Shocks: CVA Super Mini (kit), 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamita TBLE-02S + fan
  • Servo: PowerHD 3001HB
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, universal joints, 0.75mm wheel spacers R, DF-03 heatsink + fan
  • Settings: fairly loose diff, long wheelbase (257mm)

XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four - Best Time: 19.27"

Celica.thumb.JPG.129c7b73d06ddfb72aebaaa0b3fbdc92.JPG

  • Chassis: XV-01
  • Motor: 25T Torque-Tuned
  • FDR: 8.04 (22T pinion + 68T spur)
  • Tires:
    • Racing Semi-Slick (50810). Best time 19.27"
    • Rally Block (50476). Best time 20.04"
  • Shocks: CVA (kit stock), 900 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060
  • Servo: JX 4409MG
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, front double-cardan shafts, stabilizer kit, aluminum suspension mounts F&R, Separate aluminum suspension mounts F&R, aluminum pulley F, aluminum steering assembly, motor heatsink & fan, HT servo saver.
  • Settings: fairly loose diffs (900 oil),

DT-03 Fighter Buggy - Best Time: 19.31"

FighterBuggy-2.thumb.JPG.6beeaf743641cd64178756624be6c85c.JPG

  • Chassis: DT-03
  • Motor: 25T Torque-Tuned
  • FDR: 9.29 (19T pinion)
  • Tires: Dual Block K (54185 and 54186).
  • Shocks: CVA (kit stock), 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-02S (electronics sealed with liquid tape)
  • Servo: PowerHD LF-13MG
  • Radio: Futaba R202GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, stabilizer set, 0.75mm wheel spacers rear
  • Settings: fairly loose diff, soft front stabilizer, hard rear stabilizer

TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach - Best Time: 19.37"

Countach.thumb.JPG.3fabcd1a4c4ceac7a9d026068014b6b8.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E converted to RWD
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 6.85 (22T pinion + 58T spur)
  • Tires:
    • M2 Slick M-Grip (53224). Best time 19.37"
    • Racing Slicks (50454). Best time 20.27"
  • Shocks: CVA Mini with kit springs, 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old version with 5V BEC) + fan
  • Servo: JX 5508MG
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, HT servo saver, motor cooler
  • Mods: Steering bracers, RWD conversion
  • Settings: Locked front diff, loose rear diff, short wheelbase (251mm), wide rear wheel axles

TT-02 Audi Quattro - Best Time: 19.47"

Audi-1.thumb.JPG.d50c3e810e2a5ebe640fc24550783fb3.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 7.28 (25T pinion + 70T spur)
  • Tires:
    • Racing Semi-Slick (50810). Best time 19.47"
    • MST LTX Realistic Rally (831003). Best time 20.01"
  • Shocks: Tamiya Low-Friction Aluminum Dampers (53155), 900 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060
  • Servo: JX DC6015
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler +fan
  • Mods: Steering bracers, dirt guards
  • Settings: fairly loose diffs, long wheelbase (257mm), high ground clearance

M-06Ra* Mazda Miata - Best Time: 20.31"

Miata.thumb.JPG.f2bde492ad7d0472b97fa91b064ca517.JPG

  • Chassis: Modified M-06 with increased right height (M-05Ra uprights)
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 5.79 (20T pinion)
  • Tires: 60D Radial Front (50683), 60D Radial M-Grip Rear (50684)
  • Shocks: CVA Mini with kit springs, 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TEU-105BK
  • Servo: JX 5508MG + Gyro
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, rear 90deg universals, 0.5mm wheel spacers (rear), full turnbuckles, HT servo saver, motor cooler + fan
  • Mods: Rally conversion with increased ground clearance (M-05Ra uprights), dirt guards
  • Settings: loose rear diff

M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600 - Best Time: 20.61"

Swift.thumb.JPG.08e94ba17eccff71e3e0e8691c62a51b.JPG

  • Chassis: M-05Ra
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 6.43 (18T pinion)
  • Tires: 60D Radial Front & Rear (50683)
  • Shocks: CVA Super-Mini with kit springs, 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TEU-104BK + BEC
  • Servo: JX DC6015
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, aluminum steering, posts, double-cardan joints, full turnbuckles, HT servo saver, 0.5mm wheel spacers, motor cooler
  • Settings: Loose front diff

TT-01E FWD Datsun 240Z - Best Time: 20.65"

Datsun-FWD-1.thumb.JPG.b872a6ef79d3b65597b95f26be8d7719.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E converted to FWD
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 7.21 (22T pinion + 61T spur)
  • Tires: Racing Semi-Slick (50810)
  • Shocks: CVA Mini with kit springs, 900 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-04S + fan
  • Servo: JX DC6015
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler, aluminum uprights F, aluminum propeller shaft, universal drives F
  • Mods: Steering bracers, FWD conversion, weighted front, increased ground clearance
  • Settings: Loose diffs, short wheelbase (251mm)

TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z - Best Time: 20.84"

Datsun-RWD.thumb.JPG.0cb6290d25aed6d6e3e4bb20703534aa.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02D converted to RWD
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 8.27 (22T pinion + 70T spur)
  • Tires:
    • Road Racing Truck (51589).  Best time 20.84"
    • Racing Semi-Slick (50810). Best time 21.17"
  • Shocks: CVA Mini with kit springs, 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-04S + fan
  • Servo: JX 5508MG
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler, aluminum uprights F, aluminum damper stay F, TT-02 chassis cover, gyro
  • Mods: Steering bracers, RWD conversion
  • Settings: Putty-locked front diff, loose rear diff, short wheelbase (251mm), high ground clearance

TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI - Best Time: 21.63"

Alfa155.thumb.JPG.8c452eb59bd78731dcdd9fe7ccb4e02a.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 8.35 (19T pinion + 61T spur)
  • Tires: Racing Slicks (50454)
  • Shocks: CVA Super-Mini with kit springs, 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old version with 5V BEC) + fan
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler, aluminum propeller shaft
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: Loose diffs, long wheelbase (257mm)

MF-01X VW Hornet Beetle - Best Time: 22.47"

VW-1.thumb.JPG.832e7964a5b5d9285b89161dce069b8d.JPG

  • Chassis: MF-01X
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 7.54 (20T pinion)
  • Tires: 60D Radial Front & Rear (50683)
  • Shocks: CVA Super-Mini with kit springs, 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-02S
  • Servo: JX 5508MG
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, 90deg universals front, gyro, motor cooler.
  • Settings: Loose diffs.

CC-01 Isuzu Mu - Best Time: 26.87"

IsuzuMu-1.thumb.JPG.5a1ec9faaae4c7dff75c5d977141b73c.JPG

  • Chassis: CC-01
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 14.66 (16T pinion)
  • Tires: Tamiya CR-V (19805543)
  • Shocks: Kit CVA, 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-02S
  • Servo: JX DC6015
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, motor heatsink, aluminium steering, hi-torque servo saver,
  • Mods: Boxed servo & electronics, rear diff spacer, front aluminium skid plate.
  • Settings: Loose diffs.

T3-01 Dual Rider - Best Time: 27.76"

DualRider-1.JPG.c64080130926b85b5e2249e1de7c170b.JPG

  • Chassis: T3-01
  • Motor: 370 Sport Tuned
  • FDR: 10.71 (26T pinion)
  • Tires: Kit 60D Radials (50683) rear, kit front
  • Shocks: Kit stock
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-04S
  • Servo: Futaba S3010HT
  • Radio: Futaba R202GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Hard steering spring, ball bearings.
  • Mods: 7.2V 6xAAA NiMH battery pack
  • Settings: Loose diff

MF-01X Nissan King Cab - Best Time: 38.62"

NissanKingCab-1.JPG.a948c924acda5ae89ef72bcf9b3f7328.JPG

  • Chassis: MF-01X
  • Motor: 80T Team Rafee
  • FDR: 8.87 (17T pinion)
  • Tires: Sandpaddle (19805081)
  • Shocks: CVA Super-Mini with kit springs, 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TEU-101BK + BEC
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, motor cooler.
  • Mods: Shortened wheelbase to 186mm
  • Settings: Loose front diff, locked rear diff.

Notes:

  • Unless otherwise noted, tires are fitted the following sponges. 60D: hard 60D (53255), Touring & Rally: hard (53156), Racing Truck: DN-01 (51448), Buggies: front (51448) and rear (84201).
  • All cars have shimmed suspension and steering (using 53585, 53586, 53587).
  • Most bodies are heavier than normal with reinforcements, have cockpits and some have LEDs.

will be updated every time a new car makes an entry.

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FWD or RWD?

On the first round of this ranking, two cars were taken for a spin:

  • M-05Ra Suzuki Swift: The car could run almost flatout, with maximum throttle almost throughout the track. The amount of grip the standard tires provided was very high. Driving was very consistent, and given the FWD configuration, it was virtually impossible to spin-out.
  • M-06Ra Mazda Miata: Very different beast compared to the M-05Ra. Even with M-Grip rear tires, which provided massive grip, hard-braking was difficult and resulted in frequent spinouts. Grip was so high that the tires would squeal loudly on spinouts (awesome to hear!). The best approach to the hard-braking corners 4 and 7 was to brake just a little bit, then approach the corner off-throttle. It was then possible to punch full-throttle on corner exit. High-speed corners 2+3 and 6 could be taken full throttle. The chicane 7+1 could be taken mid-throttle before punching full on 1's exit. The gyro on a 10% setting helped with consistency (less spinouts on breaking) but did not improve the best laptime. Limiting steering (dual rate), both L&R, to 80% helped a lot with controlling the car smoothly.

The fastest lap of the M-06Ra was a little better than the M-05Ra at 20.31" vs 20.61". However, this was the single best laptime. Consistency is another matter. On a race, my thought is that the M-05Ra would generally win since you could easily pull lap-after-lap without spinouts.

Ranking so far:

  1. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  2. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
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That's an awesome idea. I will follow this thread and looking forward to the next entries. I saw that some cars have  upgraded motors. Not sure if they are faster. Wouldn't it be better for comparison to set them to building manual recommendations with a silver can and kit pinion? 

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1 hour ago, Aerobert said:

I saw that some cars have  upgraded motors. Not sure if they are faster.

My thoughts are that, provided my driving can keep-up with the power :P, the faster motor will most likely produce a faster single hotlap since battery consumption, tire-wear, etc, are not factors (not considering very poor FDR choices, but I think all the cars are reasonably geared).

1 hour ago, Aerobert said:

Wouldn't it be better for comparison to set them to building manual recommendations with a silver can and kit pinion? 

Indeed. I was considering swapping motors back to silvercans & stock gearing but I then later realized 1) I don't have that many silvercans, 2) most of the chassis have two cars, one with silvercan 3) an interesting layer of comparison will arise from running the same chassis with several motors.
I also plan to run the same car with multiple tire choices, most likely the TT-02R since from the lot this chassis might better utilize all the grip it can get.

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Next up will be:

TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach

Countach.thumb.JPG.3fabcd1a4c4ceac7a9d026068014b6b8.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E converted to RWD
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 6.85 (22T pinion + 58T spur)
  • Tires: Racing Slicks (50454)
  • Shocks: CVA Mini with kit springs
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old version with 5V BEC) + fan
  • Servo: JX 5508MG
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, HT servo saver, wide rear wheel axles, motor cooler
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: Locked front diff, loose rear diff, 400 oil

With the same silvercan power and RWD configuration, similar effective ratio (larger FDR but also larger tires) my guess is that its hotlap won't be far off from the 20.31" clocked by the M-06Ra. The car is heavier, but also more stable (wider and longer) and the locked front diff works wonders in preventing spinouts. It also sits lower compared to the M-06Ra's raised rally suspension.

TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI

Alfa155.thumb.JPG.8c452eb59bd78731dcdd9fe7ccb4e02a.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 8.35 (19T pinion + 61T spur)
  • Tires: Racing Slicks (50454)
  • Shocks: CVA Super-Mini with kit springs
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old version with 5V BEC) + fan
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler, aluminum propeller shaft
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: Loose diffs, 400 oil

This car has a stock motor + stock gearing and should give a good idea of a basic TT-01E's performance with the "big 3" upgrades. True, it has some other hop-ups but on a relatively flat track and mild speeds I reason they shouldn't add much.

Any thoughts on the expected results?

I was hoping to run it this afternoon, but rain got in the way :(

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Finally got some time to race and even managed to add one more car:

TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34 - Best Time: 17.88"

SkylineR34.thumb.JPG.f3de71e10ee167cdaa9810c0fc0b529f.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E
  • Motor: 23T Super Stock TZ + Ball Bearings
  • FDR: 5.11 (28T pinion + 55T spur, longest possible without mods)
  • Tires: M2 Slick M-Grip (53224).
  • Shocks: Yeah Racing Aluminum 55mm
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old version with 5V BEC) + fan
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler + fan, aluminum propeller shaft
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: loose diffs, 400 oil

TT-01E, a very flexible platform

Three variants of the trusty old TT-01E were raced:

  • TT-01E Alfa Romeo V6 TI. This car is pretty much stock + "big 3" upgrades. Compared to the other cars it felt really slow. The 32-meter main straight felt like it took ages to cover and the car reached its top-speed perhaps 1/4 into it. For this speed, the budget racing slick tires (50454) seemed adequate. It was possible to go through the vast majority of the circuit full-throttle. Only a little bit of braking was required on the tighter turns 4 and 7, followed by coast, then full-throttle on exit. Turns 1 and 5 required no braking, only coast. For this long-straight track layout, the gearing felt way too short. Perhaps a better hotlap could be achieved by a taller FDR. On the plus side, the car felt very balanced, always under control. No thrills, no drama. So far this is the slowest car of the bunch, at 21.63".
  • TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach. Two sets of tires were tested:
    • Racing Slicks (50454). Best time 20.27". The car felt very planted, much more so than the RWD M-06. It is almost as if the TT-01E was designed to be RWD. The car was able to comfortably beat the above 4WD TT-01E because of its taller FDR of 6.85 (vs 8.35 on the 4WD counterpart), even though it had the same motor. It was slightly harder to control, specially under hard-braking, but still fairly easy to pull consistent laptimes. It was way faster on the main straight, reaching top-speed at around 3/4 of its length. A lot more interesting to drive than the 4WD. The budget racing slicks, which had very little grip, felt like they were holding the car back. It was necessary to brake very slowly after at the end of the long straights, followed by coast on turn-in, then progressively feather the throttle on corner exit (very similar to the M-06Ra). It was imperative to not be on brakes when initiating the turn or a spinout would ensue.
    • M2 Slick M-Grip (53224). Best time 19.37". The car really came alive with this set of tires, which provided incredible amounts of grip! It was possible to almost fully slam the brakes at the end of the large straights without spinouts. Throttle could be punched way sooner, and the car could handle higher corner speeds. The squeal these tires make while cornering will put a smile on your face. I think these tires enable going with a more powerful motor such as the Torque-Tuned or Sport-Tuned (might try this in the future). A very strong recommendation for anyone thinking about converting a TT-01 (or TT-02) to RWD.
  • TT-01E Nissan Skyline R32. The idea behind this car was to have the tallest FDR possible combined with a 23T Super Stock TZ motor. Although the TT-01E manual specifies the maximum gearing to be 25T pinion + 55T spur, it is possible to fit a 28T pinion (55T spur and motor mounted on D position). The car screamed and reached very high speeds at the main straight and even then, the 32-meter length was not enough as the car was still accelerating at the end (judging by the still incremental sound tone). Interestingly, as the car approached very high speeds, a distinct vibration sound consistently appeared. Nothing major but I would like to understand its origin. It appears to happen only under load, as it would not appear if the car were held by hand at full-throttle. That aside, the M2 slick tires worked their magic. The car felt always under control in spite of the massive speeds it reached even on the short straights. Driving was very interesting since the high speeds meant braking was required on most corner entries and the throttle had to be feathered-out a little bit.  It was a constant accelerate and brake. Power steering was a treat. The squealing of the M2 tires only added more punch to the whole experience. The car is now sitting at the #1 slot with a hotlap of 17.88" chopping a massive 1.49" from the #2 place (19.37"). With its stock suspension geometry, I would think a more sophisticated car (e.g. the TT-02R) should better use the available grip and have even better lap-times. Also, a tad shorter FDR might improve the time.

Ranking so far:

  1. 17.88" TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34
  2. 19.37" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach
  3. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  4. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
  5. 21.63" TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
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4 hours ago, OoALEJOoO said:

Power steering was a treat.

Great, I'd hate to think the little mouse in there was having to turn the wheel just by themselves.

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Good weather and two more cars tested B)

XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four - Best Time: 19.27"

Celica.thumb.JPG.129c7b73d06ddfb72aebaaa0b3fbdc92.JPG

  • Chassis: XV-01
  • Motor: 25T Torque-Tuned
  • FDR: 8.04 (22T pinion + 68T spur)
  • Tires:
    • Racing Semi-Slick (50810). Best time 19.27"
    • Rally Block (50476). Best time 20.04"
  • Shocks: CVA (kit stock)
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060
  • Servo: JX 4409MG
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, front double-cardan shafts, stabilizer kit, aluminum suspension mounts F&R, Separate aluminum suspension mounts F&R, aluminum pulley F, aluminum steering assembly, motor heatsink & fan, HT servo saver.
  • Settings: fairly loose diffs (900 oil), 900 oil shocks (1 hole)

TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z - Best Time: 20.84"

Datsun-RWD.thumb.JPG.0cb6290d25aed6d6e3e4bb20703534aa.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02D converted to RWD
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 8.27 (22T pinion + 70T spur)
  • Tires:
    • Road Racing Truck (51589).  Best time 20.84"
    • Racing Semi-Slick (50810). Best time 21.17"
    • Shocks: CVA Mini with kit springs
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-04S + fan
  • Servo: JX 5508MG
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler, aluminum uprights F, TT-02 chassis cover, gyro
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: Putty-locked front diff, loose rear diff, 400 oil

On-Road Rally Cars?

These two vehicles were originally built as rally cars with fairly short FDR and basic motors. They were a bit out of their element racing on the hard-court but still managed to pull some interesting results.

  • XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four. Built with many hop-ups, the car was a real joy to drive. Extremely smooth and silent, the XV-01 chassis is of far better quality & construction compared to the TT cars. It was very clear that on-track the chassis is able to handle far more muscle than the 25T Torque-Tuned motor. With this power, control was easy and the car responsive. The suspension worked remarkably well to adjust to the minor bumps on the track. Two sets of tires were run:
    • Rally Block (50476). Best time 20.04". Very old tires, these had their knobs almost completely worn-off. They felt a bit slippery, although it was remarkable how the XV-01 was able to remain balanced even in the face of lost traction.
    • Racing Semi-Slicks (50810). Best time 19.27". These tires appear to be of the same compound as the Racing Slicks (50454) but have a small x-pattern thread. They felt as having a little more grip than the slicks, although that advantage might disappear once the thread wears-off. The car was able to easily beat the Countach, which had fairly higher grip tires, thanks to the Torque-Tuned motor and superiority of the 4WD XV-01 chassis.
  • TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z. Also originally built for rally and converted to RWD to match its real-life counterpart. Basic 27T motor with a very short FDR originally meant for gravel. Two tires were run:
    • Racing Semi-Slick (50810). Best time 21.17". The car drove very similar to the TT-01E RWD Countach with slicks. The Datsun, however had a much shorter FRD at 8.27 compared to the Countach's 6.85, both using a silvercan. This showed on the hotlap results: 21.17" for the Datsun and 20.27" for the Countach. Most of the time difference was lost on the main 32m straight, with the Datsun reaching top-speed at around 1/4 its length.
    • Road Racing Truck (51589).  Best time 20.84". These are the tires used by the TT-01E Racing Trucks. With their tall walls and vintage look, these tires had more grip than I anticipated and were able to perform a bit faster than the Semi-Slicks. The car had a less immediate reaction, I guess this was caused by the tire flex. Ultimately, it was more fun to drive with these and also provided a bit better time. The tires were kept firm with DN-01 sponges inside (51448).

Both cars felt quite limited when run on-road on a high-speed track as this one. A starting point for better performance would be to lengthen the FDR to around 6.5" and/or use more powerful motors. On a tighter circuit however, they might prove to be more competitive as they are.

So far I am really enjoying the hotlap ranking! Writing these small reviews is also helping me put some thought on the experience and learn how to tweak the cars. Thanks for reading and I hope you are also enjoying the write-ups.

Ranking so far:

  1. 17.88" TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34
  2. 19.27" XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four
  3. 19.37" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach
  4. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  5. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
  6. 20.84" TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z
  7. 21.63" TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
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TT-02B Plasma Edge II - Best Time: 17.14"

PlasmaEdge-2.thumb.JPG.144092ffb5e47d02b5f2db67bc539c58.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02B
  • Motor: 23T Super Stock BZ
  • FDR: 9.58 (19T pinion + 70T spur)
  • Tires: Dual Block K (54185 and 54186).
  • Shocks: CVA (kit stock)
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old version with 5V BEC) + fan
  • Servo: Yeah Racing YE-0028
  • Radio: Futaba R202GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler + fan
  • Mods: None
  • Settings: loose diffs, 400 oil, 2deg camber

DT-03 Fighter Buggy - Best Time: 19.31"

FighterBuggy-2.thumb.JPG.6beeaf743641cd64178756624be6c85c.JPG

  • Chassis: DT-03
  • Motor: 25T Torque-Tuned
  • FDR: 9.29 (19T pinion)
  • Tires: Dual Block K (54185 and 54186).
  • Shocks: CVA (kit stock)
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-02S (electronics sealed with liquid tape)
  • Servo: PowerHD LF-13MG
  • Radio: Futaba R202GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, stabilizer set, 0.75mm wheel spacers rear
  • Mods: None
  • Settings: fairly loose diff, 400 oil, soft front stabilizer, hard rear stabilizer

Time for some on-road Buggies

Tamiya's two entry-level buggies were tuned for road racing, with the kit's spiky tires replaced by Dual Block K.

  • TT-02B Plasma Edge II. It was incredible to see how this buggy dominated the circuit. Incredibly grippy and stable. Had it had a driver, it would probably have ripped his eyes out of their sockets. I really need to fit a driver! Back on topic, the 2deg camber, coupled with the DBK tires made for a very good combo on this surface, even though the tires were not new and are already getting a bit bald (or maybe actually the lack of full little-spikes helped). The significant amount of power, made avaialble by the Super Stock BZ, required a bit of careful throttle management on corner exit. Similarly, the high speeds obtained even of the shorter straights meant braking was necessary. The car could be set to turn-in rolling or power-sliding, repeatably and on-command depending on how you chose to brake. Clocking 17.14", it handily beat the previous #1 spot-holder, the super-fast, long geared TT-01E powered by a Super-Stock TZ (17.88"). I would say the TT-02B makes for a wonderful race car, just as fun and capable as a TT-02 touring car, plus it has the advantage of being a more versatile basher if you want to run on gravel, dirt, jump off sidewalks, etc. For a parking lot racer, it seems to be on-par. I am curious now to see how the TT-02R would compare.
  • DT-03 Fighter Buggy. This RWD buggy was much more difficult to drive than the 4WD TT-02B. Similar to the other RWD cars on the list, careful braking after the long straights was necessary. However, the car seemed to be twitchier and prone to oversteer spinouts on fast turns 2, 3 and 6. Once I got a hang of the circuit, it was clear that full-throttle could only be engaged on the straights, around 3/4 throttle on fast corners, and lower input on slower corners. I was pleasantly surprised it was able to clock 19.31", just shy of equaling the 19.27" of the XV-01 Celica, both cars having the same Torque-Tuned motor and similar effective FDR (once accounting for tire size the DT-03 was a bit taller). I think this happened because the DT-03 was able to obtain fairly high-speeds on the straights, perhaps also as a benefit of the very simple drive-train. Cornering was another story, clearly not the strong point of this buggy on hard surfaces. I am thinking that a better setup, one that increases rear grip, might help solve the on-power oversteer of the car.

Ranking so far:

  1. 17.14" TT-02B Plasma Edge II
  2. 17.88" TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34
  3. 19.27" XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four
  4. 19.31" DT-03 Fighter Buggy
  5. 19.37" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach
  6. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  7. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
  8. 20.84" TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z
  9. 21.63" TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
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Very cool! Nice to see others hooked on running time trials and enjoy the layout of your post. Your on road track is neat!

I ran a series on my YouTube channel last year on my backyard track and the TT02B came out on top also so I am pleased to see it doing well on your leaderboard. It doesn’t do too badly as a entry chassis and it can be hopped up for more performance.

Surprised that the DT03 was able to get close to the XV01. I bet the average lap was more consistent on the XV chassis. It was the most consistent car on the Orchard Raceway last season over all my chassises.

Keep up the great work 🙌🏻

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43 minutes ago, Misterp180 said:

Very cool! Nice to see others hooked on running time trials and enjoy the layout of your post. Your on road track is neat!

I ran a series on my YouTube channel last year on my backyard track and the TT02B came out on top also so I am pleased to see it doing well on your leaderboard. It doesn’t do too badly as a entry chassis and it can be hopped up for more performance.

Surprised that the DT03 was able to get close to the XV01. I bet the average lap was more consistent on the XV chassis. It was the most consistent car on the Orchard Raceway last season over all my chassises.

Keep up the great work 🙌🏻

Thanks for the comments! I was also surprised with the DT-03's performance. I think it could get close to the XV-01 because its slightly taller effective FDR (once accounting for tire size) and simpler drivetrain resulted in higher speed in the main and secondary straights. It lost speed on the corners though.

Indeed, the XV-01 was far more consistent, lap after lap with times not far off from its best. The same cannot be said for the DT-03, with full spinouts very few laps and botched corners here and there, especially the chicane.

The TT-02B performance was also great to witness. The car could really handle the speed & power quite well. I am now thinking the TT-02R might be the only other car on the waiting list that might be able to beat it.

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TT-02 Audi Quattro - Best Time: 19.47"

Audi-1.thumb.JPG.d50c3e810e2a5ebe640fc24550783fb3.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 7.28 (25T pinion + 70T spur)
  • Tires:
    • Racing Semi-Slick (50810). Best time 19.47"
    • MST LTX Realistic Rally (831003). Best time 20.01"
  • Shocks: Tamiya Low-Friction Aluminum Dampers (53155)
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060
  • Servo: JX DC6015
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler +fan
  • Mods: Steering bracers, dirt guards
  • Settings: fairly loose diffs, 900 oil, long wheelbase (257mm), high ground clearance.

TT-01E FWD Datsun 240Z - Best Time: 20.65"

Datsun-FWD-1.thumb.JPG.b872a6ef79d3b65597b95f26be8d7719.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-01E converted to FWD
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 7.21 (22T pinion + 61T spur)
  • Tires: Racing Semi-Slick (50810)
  • Shocks: CVA Mini with kit springs
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-04S + fan
  • Servo: JX DC6015
  • Radio: Flysky FS-GR3E receiver + FS-GT3B transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler, aluminum uprights F, aluminum propeller shaft, universal drives F
  • Mods: Steering bracers, FWD conversion, weighted front, raised suspension.
  • Settings: Loose diffs, 900 oil, short wheelbase (251mm).

Rally Cars - Part Deux

Let's recap. There are 5 cars now tested, all with Silvercan motors and Semi-slick tires. Some of these cars had better hotlap times with other tires, but for comparison's sake, let's just grab the hotlaps clocked with Semi-slicks:

  • 19.27" XV-01 Toyota Celica (8.04 FDR)
  • 19.47" TT-02 Audi Quattro (7.28 FRD)
  • 20.27" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach (FDR 6.85)
  • 20.65" TT-01E FWD Datsun 240Z (7.21 FDR)
  • 21.17" TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z (8.27 FDR)

I am going with the notion that the TT-01E is very comparable with the TT-02, and also that my driving is not too variable :P We then have 3 "TT" cars with different setups 4WD, RWD and FWD. We also have a single, quite superior XV-01. Giving some thought, I believe some conclusions can be drawn:

  • FDR: The track, with the long main straight, really favors having taller FDR.
    • It is interesting to see how the XV-01, even though its FDR was on the lower side, was able to get better results thanks to superior precision and suspension setup and components (to be fair though, the XV-01 was hopped-up to a significant extent).
    • The FWD Datsun was able to beat the RWD Datsun just because its FDR (8.28 vs 8.27, resulting in 20.65" vs 21.17"). It was quite clear the car was not able to put all its power on the ground on corner exit, something the RWD could do. All that lost time, however, was easily offset by a much quicker pace on the straights. The FDR had more impact on final hotlap time than the RWD or FWD setup.
    • Once again apples-to-apples the longer FDR car wins: the Countach massively outpaced the Datsun (20.27" vs 21.17"). This was probably more the result of taller FDR (6.85 vs 8.27) and less because the Datsun having a higher CG (the car was raised for rallying).
    • There has to be a limit to how tall FDR can get before it's too much, but right now it seems that it probably is <6.
  • Drive-Train Setup:
    • 4WD is showing to produce better lap-times. The 4WD Audi, having nearly identical FDR as the FWD Datsun (7.28 vs 7.21) managed to have a significantly faster hotlap (19.47" vs 20.65") but some of this could be because the FWD Datsun was added 400g of weight. Perhaps more clearly, the Audi having shorter FDR compared to the Countach (7.28 vs 6.85) was able to clock way faster (19.47" 20.27").
    • Comparing the two Datsuns, one with FWD and the other with RWD, each had its own set of pros & cons. My perception was that the FWD could out-brake the RWD, but the RWD could out-accelerate the FWD, especially on corner exit. The added weight definitely helped with FWD traction but hampered general acceleration. FWD vs RWD, which is better is hard to tell. The earlier battle between the M-05Ra and M-06Ra showed the M-06 had a slightly faster hot-lap at the expense of lower consistency. However, I now think it's faster hotlap was because the M-06Ra had a taller FRD (5.79 vs 6.43). Had both cars had the same FDR, probably the M-05Ra would have won both in hotlap time and also in consistency.
  • Versatility of the TT chassis:
    • Here we have 3 different TT cars, each with a different setup: stock 4WD, RWD and FWD. It is incredible to see how all 3 manage to drive very well. The RWD car behaves better than the M-06 or DT-03. The FWD (once weight was added to the front), does not feel too different compared to the M-05Ra (or to be trialed FF-03). The stock 4WD is easier to drive, easier to learn and faster around the circuit though. Still, it is great to have a chassis where you can really tinker with. One tweak that I have pending, is to reinstate the FWD Datsun to 4WD, but keep the front weight, in an attempt to make a poor-man's XV-01.

Now a quick review of each car tested on this session:

  • TT-02 Audi Quattro: My entry to the Silvercan rally build-off (Silver can budget rally build off - General discussions - Tamiyaclub.com), it was kept stock to fit the <200-pound budget. Two sets of tires were tested:
    • MST LTX Realistic Rally (831003). Best time 20.01". These tires are marketed as "Realistic Rally" for good reason. They have a high-grip soft compound with deep & interconnected thread pattern. This configuration creates an interesting dynamic of variable grip: on corner entry there is less grip which causes sliding, but as soon the slide starts traction is regained which produces nice satisfying rally driving. My theory is that the thread pattern has significant compliance and that creates a varying grip threshold. While the thread is complying/deforming the car will tend to slide, once the thread fully deforms you have more positive grip to get out of the corner. Anyway, that's my hypothesis. A set of tires that for sure will please the driver and crowd. The clock, however, was not too pleased as these type of cornering does not maintain speed that well.
    • Racing Semi-Slick (50810). Best time 19.47". A bit more slippery than the MST Rally tires, the consistent level of grip meant more precise control and ultimately smooth cornering, beating the other tires by more than half-second hotlap.
  • TT-01E FWD Datsun: This car was converted to FWD as an experiment. Originally it did not have a weighted front, and this made the car very difficult to drive as front grip was non-existent. Once about 400g of weight was placed, it was night and day. Ultimately not a super-fast performer on-track, but an interesting drive. On dirt, this car is lots of fun to pull Scandinavian flicks because of its FWD and weighted front.

The ranking so far:

  1. 17.14" TT-02B Plasma Edge II
  2. 17.88" TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34
  3. 19.27" XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four
  4. 19.31" DT-03 Fighter Buggy
  5. 19.37" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach
  6. 19.47" TT-02 Audi Quattro
  7. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  8. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
  9. 20.65" TT-01E FWD Datsun 240Z
  10. 20.84" TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z
  11. 21.63" TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
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Out of curiosity, are there any timing systems that allow you to set up a point A to point B?
Cause there is a spot near where I live that would make a perfect hill climb.

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@Pablo68 Unfortunately, I don't think LapTrax allows for point A/B detection. The best LapTrax could offer is having the motion detection trigger either the start or finish (probably the finish is best) and then manually trigger the start. You can trigger the start by clicking on headphone buttons (assuming the wireless range is sufficient). Another option could be to loop the hill climb going up then going down.

Man you got me thinking, hill climbing would be fantastic, there is a nice spot on a park not too far away as well...

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FF-03 Opel Vectra JTCC - Best Time: 17.84"

Vectra-1.thumb.JPG.517b9eaaf56be70e56237fedbfe41804.JPG

  • Chassis: FF-03
  • Motor: 23T Super Stock TZ
  • FDR: 6.55 (27T pinion + 68T spur)
  • Tires: Narrow Slicks (51049) (kit).
  • Shocks: CVA Super Mini (kit)
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 + fan
  • Servo: PowerHD 3001HB
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, double-cardan joints, 0.75mm wheel spacers R, aluminum motor plate, DF-03 heatsink + fan
  • Settings: fairly loose diff, 400 oil, long wheelbase (257mm)

FF-03 Toyota Tom's Levin - Best Time: 18.71"

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  • Chassis: FF-03
  • Motor: 25T Torque-Tuned
  • FDR: 6.8 (26T pinion + 68T spur)
  • Tires: Narrow Slicks (51049) (kit).
  • Shocks: CVA Super Mini (kit)
  • ESC: Tamita TBLE-02S + fan
  • Servo: PowerHD 3001HB
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, universal joints, 0.75mm wheel spacers R, DF-03 heatsink + fan
  • Settings: fairly loose diff, 400 oil, long wheelbase (257mm)

Fast, Furious and FWD

Man, what a lovely drive these FF-03 cars are! They have the smoothness of the XV-01 but with the composure given by the FWD setup. Both cars were running the kit standard Narrow Racing Slicks (51049). Stock FDR for the Torque-Tuned Tom's Levin (6.8) and slightly taller for the Super-Stock TZ Vectra (6.55). Impressions:

  • FF-03 Opel Vectra JTCC: This car beat the previous best touring car, the super long-geared TT-01E Skyline (FDR 5.11 + Super Stock TZ) by a 0.04". The Vectra zoomed through the main straight reaching top-speed at around 3/4 of its length. It makes me think that perhaps an FDR or around 6 would get the maximum top-speed in the main straight. The car was both quick and consistent. The FWD nature makes it virtually impossible to spin-out, with the worst thing that can happen only turning too wide. Braking is super powerful and stable with all the braking torque at the front. Being methodical is key with the FWD cars. You need to approach the corner at the right speed, brake, turn-in either with very light braking or coast, then feather out the throttle on corner exit. This feathering was key, hammering the throttle would just result in wheelspin and slower acceleration. It is very rewarding once you define your braking points for each corner and consistently pull it off lap after lap.
  • FF-03 Toyota Tom's Levin: Similarly hopped-up to the Vectra, the main difference running a less powerful Torque-Tuned motor. The lower available torque made this car even more consistent than the Vectra. All the same comments mentioned above still apply, except that less torque meant you could be more aggressive with the throttle on corner exit. Some comparisons can be drawn with the XV-01 Celica, which was also running a Torque-Tuned motor, albeit with 8.04 FDR and 26mm Racing Semi-Slicks, clocking 19.27" vs. 18.71" with the Levin. The Levin's 24mm appear to be quicker than the Celica's 26mm Semi-Slicks (a bit more grip, less rolling resistance), and the shorter FDR makes a huge difference (6.8 vs 8.04). I think that apples-to-apples the XV-01 Celica would have beaten the FF-03 Levin and the difference between the two was shortened by this fact.

Both cars were a treat to drive, much smoother and responsive than the TT-01E and TT-02 tested so far and on-par with the XV-01. I am holding with anticipation to test the TT-02R Nissan R390 and the well-equipped TT-02 Ferrari F12 to see how they compare.

Seems the TT-02B is playing hard to catch...

Ranking so far:

  1. 17.14" TT-02B Plasma Edge II
  2. 17.84" FF-03 Opel Vectra JTCC
  3. 17.88" TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34
  4. 18.71" FF-03 Toyota Tom's Levin
  5. 19.27" XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four
  6. 19.31" DT-03 Fighter Buggy
  7. 19.37" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach
  8. 19.47" TT-02 Audi Quattro
  9. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  10. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
  11. 20.65" TT-01E FWD Datsun 240Z
  12. 20.84" TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z
  13. 21.63" TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
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This is a really good read. I race my TT01E Subaru against other people with TT01's and TT02's. We don't all have the same power/gearing in the same chassis (Supposed to!!).

Mine runs a Gool RC 3600KV (I think) with yeah racing oil shocks and sweep slicks. i was running the softest springs. When I went 3 up harder, I noticed a real change in handling, and went back down 2. 

I actually really like the TT01E chassis. It's pretty solid and can take a few knocks quite well.

I've used my Egress and Top Force at the same place and found them to just have too much power for the grip available. And can be a little more fragile.... I snapped the top chassis plate on the Egress, and split the front gearbox in half!!!

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12 hours ago, Nikko85 said:

Can you run your MF01x trail truck as a comparison? :D

I will try for fun :) It will probably clock around 50" at full throttle the entire circuit!

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TT-02R Nissan R390 GT1 - Best Time: 16.74"

1661467628_R390-1-Copy.thumb.JPG.49c25a11f02e59b21f346c9db4a85588.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02R
  • Motor: 23T Super Stock TZ
  • FDR: 6.16 (27T pinion + 64T spur)
  • Tires:
    • Narrow Radials (51023). Best time 16.74"
    • Narrow Slicks (51049). Best time 16.98"
    • M2 Slicks (53224). Best time17.64"
    • Racing Radials (50419). Best time 18.31"  
  • Shocks: Yeah Racing 55mm, 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 + fan
  • Servo: JX 5508MG
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler + fan, GPM aluminum steering (junk), adjustable upper arms, hard deck
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: stiff F diff, loose R diff, 2deg camber, 257mm wheelbase, low ground clearance, wide rear

TT-02 Ferrari F12 TDF - Best Time: 18.11"

1026487725_F12TDF-1-Copy.thumb.JPG.2d3f76dc1a1b92f3b53a5e65939820d0.JPG

  • Chassis: TT-02
  • Motor: 23T Sport Tuned
  • FDR: 6.16 (27T pinion + 64T spur)
  • Tires: Narrow Radials (51023)
  • Shocks: CVA Super-Mini, 400 oil
  • ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 (old 5V BEC version) + fan
  • Servo: JX 4409MG
  • Radio: Futaba R2006GS receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: Full ball bearings, full turnbuckles, motor cooler + fan, high-speed gear set
  • Mods: Steering bracers
  • Settings: stiff F diff, loose R diff, 257mm wheelbase, low ground clearance

TT-02 Tops the Table

After a two-month hiatus, finally got time to burn some rubber! Both these TT-02 were really screaming through the track. The Nissan R390 is an "R" spec chassis plus some hop-ups & Super Stock TZ motor, while the Ferrari F12 is a regular-spec TT-02 chassis with minor hop-ups & Sport-Tuned motor.

  • TT-02R Nissan R390 GT1: "You raced the rest, now race the best". I know that's quite a stretch since the TT-02R is only an entry level racing car, but this is the fastest car I have :). This car had grip written all over the place. I decided to test 4 different types of tires to see where grip became a limiting factor on laptimes. It turned out that at these speeds, the TT-02R chassis could utilize all the grip it could get. The stiff front diff was essential in maintaining control.
    • Narrow Radials (51023). Best time 16.74". These tires have so much grip that they put a gecko's feet to shame. Overall the fastest car ranked, comfortably beating the previous top-ranked car (TT-02B Plasma Edge, 17.14") by 0.4".
    • Narrow Slicks (51049). Best time 16.98". I originally thought these tires would beat the radials, but it turns out their rubber is not as sticky. Still, they put a really great time, still beating the previous top car.
    • M2 Slicks (53224). Best time17.64". It seems that these 26mm tires, even though appear to be more grippy than the 24mm narrow slicks, are not as efficient. Reading some online articles, it appears that 24mm tires are faster overall because of less rolling resistance, even though 26mm has slightly more grip. What makes these M2 tires special is the screeching sound they make when cornering.
    • Racing Radials (50419). Best time 18.31". These are the standard tires that usually come in kits. Way slower than true racing tires. They are still better than the regular "racing" slicks 50454 (also sometimes bundled in kits), which I did not use as they would probably wear extremely quickly because of all the spinning/sliding under all this speed & power. These radial tires simply could not keep-up with the speed & power.
  • TT-02 Ferrari F12 TDF: Going without the "R" spec reduced the time by 1.37" with the narrow radials -the TT-02 clocked 18.11" while the TT-02R clocked 17.74". Both cars had the same FDR (6.16), and while not the same motor, it is fairly close (23T Sport Tuned and 23T Super Stock TZ respectively). Compared to the TT-02R R390, this TT-02 F12 does have the 3deg rear toe-in or the adjustable upper arms. It felt noticeably less grippy on corners (lack of negative camber), less stable on corner exit and with a tendency to "wander" a little bit at very high speed on the main straight (lack of rear toe). While not as fast, it made for a livelier drive. If you are opting for a basher, a rally car, or something that can slide more in general, this setup provided just that. It allowed for some great power-sliding on corner exit. This setup plus the screeching M2 tires would be a great match!

Ranking so far:

  1. 16.74" TT-02R Nissan R390 GT1
  2. 17.14" TT-02B Plasma Edge II
  3. 17.84" FF-03 Opel Vectra JTCC
  4. 17.88" TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34
  5. 18.11" TT-02 Ferrari F12 TDR
  6. 18.71" FF-03 Toyota Tom's Levin
  7. 19.27" XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four
  8. 19.31" DT-03 Fighter Buggy
  9. 19.37" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach
  10. 19.47" TT-02 Audi Quattro
  11. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  12. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
  13. 20.65" TT-01E FWD Datsun 240Z
  14. 20.84" TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z
  15. 21.63" TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
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F104-Pro Minardi M189 - Best Time: 17.01"

Minardi-1.thumb.JPG.a988e67d9edab50970331a2e9b51e3b6.JPG

  • Chassis: F104Pro
  • Motor: 27T Silvercan
  • FDR: 4.33 (24T pinion + 104T spur)
  • Tires: F1 kit tires (51399 front, 51400 rear)  
  • Shocks: TRF, 400 oil
  • ESC: Tamiya TBLE-04S
  • Servo: Futaba S3004
  • Radio: Futaba R203GF receiver + Futaba 3PL transmitter
  • Hop-Ups: F104 motor plate, diff thrust bearing.
  • Settings: max ground clearance, soft diff, high downforce rear wing.

Silvercan Gets Second Spot

It seems forever since I got a chance to revisit some racing. On this round, the Minardi F189 got a chance to burn some rubber.

With a time of 17.01", it was way above many cars on the ranking that have powerful Super Stock motors. Only the TT-02R Nissan R390 was 0.25" faster.

Man, I am in love with this car :wub:. The responsiveness of the direct drive and steering is something that needs to be experienced to really understand it. The best analogy I can come up with is the feeling you get when driving a F1 car vs a touring car in a computer sim. The F1 car is incredibly responsive, planted, agile and in many respects a delicate beast. I got the same feeling, not when being behind the wheel, but when having the transmitter on-hand. To minimize scratching the bottom of the car, it was build with maximum ground clearance. Even with this, the car ran like lightning and with incredible grip. It's acceleration and top-speed were fantastic, hard to believe from a humble silvercan. It shows how much drag indeed the other model's drive train have, and also how the F1 body tiny cross-sectional area reduces aerodynamic drag. The car felt really stable throughout the track. Having only rear brakes and rear downforce, the stopping strategy at the end of the main straight was to hammer the brakes for a split second (while traction was still at the rear and before weight transfer could move forward), followed by light braking, then entering the corner. On corner exit, the throttle could be punched relatively early, it was not really necessary to do much careful feathering to avoid spinouts.

The exposed gears showed no signs of wear, even though the court did have a noticeable amount of what appeared to be a tiny amount fine sand regolith. There were only very minor signs of scratching on the car belly (right below the front wing), much less than the scratches seen on the FF-03 (front end) or TT-02R chassis (back end). This is because there is slight slope along the main straight, where the two concrete halves of the court meet, that sometimes causes the cars to catch a tiny bit of air.

What a terrific driving experience this F104 chassis is. If this is how other Tamiya's pancar chassis behave, man what a treat. I really wish Tamiya would give them better support with fresh releases. I was very lucky to find this F104-Pro chassis some time ago.

I'm now thinking that fitting soft rear tires (54199) might actually push this car to the top spot...

Ranking so far:

  1. 16.74" TT-02R Nissan R390 GT1
  2. 17.01" F104-Pro Minardi M189
  3. 17.14" TT-02B Plasma Edge II
  4. 17.84" FF-03 Opel Vectra JTCC
  5. 17.88" TT-01E Nissan Skyline R34
  6. 18.11" TT-02 Ferrari F12 TDR
  7. 18.71" FF-03 Toyota Tom's Levin
  8. 19.27" XV-01 Toyota Celica GT-Four
  9. 19.31" DT-03 Fighter Buggy
  10. 19.37" TT-01E RWD Lamborghini Countach
  11. 19.47" TT-02 Audi Quattro
  12. 20.31" M-06Ra Mazda Miata
  13. 20.61" M-05Ra Suzuki Swift Super 1600
  14. 20.65" TT-01E FWD Datsun 240Z
  15. 20.84" TT-02 RWD Datsun 240Z
  16. 21.63" TT-01E Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
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What a great idea this is.

A question if I may.... 

Why do you lock the front diffs on your RWD cars?

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