Back in the game! TT-01 or TT-02?

[NewKidOnTheBlock 11]

Hi guys!

After a 25 year hiatus from everything RC my son is beginning to show some interest which has reignited the old spark for me. I want to get him his first Tamiya car for his birthday next month, but I honestly can't remember that much about how everything works. I want to get him a Touring Car as his really into racing cars, and from my research I've gathered that the TT-01 and TT-02 are a good place to start? 

Most shops offer a variation of bodies on both those chassis', but I can't really find much information about what exactly separates the TT-01 and TT-02. Is one more beginner friendly than the other, and if yes which one would you guys recommend for a 12 year old?

[Exit13 673]

TT-02

[MadInventor 3884]

TT-01 is ancient now, TT-02 is it's successor, so if you want any kind of meaningful spares support I would suggest the TT-02

 

[Alexei 547]

consider a TT-02 Type-D, they have ball bearings, CVA oil dampers and sport tuned motor. it makes them more zippy to drive with normal grip tires, than bone stock. and doesnt cost much extra over an stock TT-02.

[Kowalski86 3034]

From my understanding the TT-01 can be better at competition, but for just driving around casually the TT-02 is better. The TT-02 has more ground clearance, easier to build, more bodies to pick from, and a solid pan.

You will want bearings and oil filled shocks at the least, the factory pogo sticks will just throw the car everywhere and loosen up screws.

Both chassis don't have the greatest steering, and I hesitate to recommend the aluminum upgrade as expensive as it is. Do be mindful of the front dog bones, front end collisions at the right angle can knock them out. You will need a servo and a transmitter/receiver with either one. I recommend a basic Futaba 3003S (avoid the knock off junk), and a Flysky receiver/transmitter.

That being said if your son wants to do any jumps or off-roading I'd recommend a buggy instead, either chassis can be made to rally-spec, but "rally" entails flat off-roading with maybe a few small bumps.

[NewKidOnTheBlock 11]

Great! Thanks a lot for the help guys. Great, I'll definitely get the TT-02 for him instead.

17 hours ago, MadInventor said:

TT-01 is ancient now, TT-02 is it's successor, so if you want any kind of meaningful spares support I would suggest the TT-02

 Yes, as far as I could tell the TT-01 was the predecessor for the TT-02 but they are still launching models on the TT-01 which is a bit weird then isn't it?

15 hours ago, Alexei said:

consider a TT-02 Type-D, they have ball bearings, CVA oil dampers and sport tuned motor. it makes them more zippy to drive with normal grip tires, than bone stock. and doesnt cost much extra over an stock TT-02.

I'll see if the TT-02D is an option, but they have a lot less body options available. I also like the idea of starting out with a stock car and slowly upgrade it as he gets better, which for me was a huge motivating factor when I was a kid. The excitement of figuring out which upgrade to get, and how it would improve the car. 

10 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

You will want bearings and oil filled shocks at the least, the factory pogo sticks will just throw the car everywhere and loosen up screws.

Both chassis don't have the greatest steering, and I hesitate to recommend the aluminum upgrade as expensive as it is. Do be mindful of the front dog bones, front end collisions at the right angle can knock them out. You will need a servo and a transmitter/receiver with either one. I recommend a basic Futaba 3003S (avoid the knock off junk), and a Flysky receiver/transmitter.

Yes I saw my local store recommended the CVA Mini shocks instead, so I'll consider adding that to the set, but I think he'll probably end of smashing it a few times, so we might just take the upgrades as the repairs come in 

[NewKidOnTheBlock 11]

Okay guys, I think I have just about found everything we need. Is the gear below OK and is there anything else we should start out with? (The links are in Danish, but product names should be pretty universal )

Tamiya TT-02 Mercedes AMG: https://www.speedhobby.dk/collections/tamiya-tt02

Transmitter and servo: https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/sender-og-servo-startpakke-til-tamiya

Charger & Battery: https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/nimh-oplader-batteri-pakke

ESC: https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/hobbywing-quicrun-wp-1060-1-10-borstet-esc

Of course paint as well, but we'll give him the kit and take him to the store to let him find his preferred colour himself.

[BuggyDad 4475]

I would buy a set of bearings as well, even if you are going for a very basic kit build. Inexpensive, time consuming to retrofit and if you run it much with plastic bushings you may risk wear to other parts. So it's not so much an upgrade you figure out you need, rather it's one you regret you didn't build in at the start. 

Disclaimer: I haven't got a TT-02, and haven't run a car with plastic bushings this century, but this is standard advice for pretty much anything. 

[NewKidOnTheBlock 11]

20 minutes ago, BuggyDad said:

I would buy a set of bearings as well, even if you are going for a very basic kit build. Inexpensive, time consuming to retrofit and if you run it much with plastic bushings you may risk wear to other parts. 

Disclaimer: I haven't got a TT-02 but this is standard advice for pretty much anything. 

Yes good point. It's just these ones I need right? https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/tamiya-tt-02-ball-bearing-set 

Also, I'm thinking of getting him a second battery as I remember how annoying it was to only have a single 1600mAh battery to start with. Can they have too much capacity? What capacity is the preferred?

[BuggyDad 4475]

9 minutes ago, NewKidOnTheBlock said:

Yes good point. It's just these ones I need right? https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/tamiya-tt-02-ball-bearing-set 

Any set for the right kit should be fine. 

1600mAh is small. I would be tempted to go bigger for more run time and for my son's first kit I got him a 3000, which was standard in a kit bundle, and then a 5000. But you can always get more as you go along.

Unless LiPos are a consideration. If they are you might want a suitable charger. However, I wouldn't let a kid near those. I do run them with my son but all charging and looking after them is "dad only" activity and he has his original Nimh packs and charger as well, which is much as you linked to. 

[alvinlwh 5895]

For a standard kit...

The big 3:

Bearings, pinion and CVA.

The options:

HT Servo saver, steering upgrade, metal drive shaft, CVD

Allow for about 30 - 50% on top of the kit for these, maybe a little less if sourced from the far East.

[KenTC 1]

Great to see another Dane on the site! (Assuming from the Speedhobby links )

TT-02s are definitely a good starting points for anyone doing there first Tamiya kit. Both for building and driving as they are easy to work on and fast enough to entertain for quite some time. 

As you mention I would add an extra battery. A 2000mAh will run out of juice quickly, so I would add a 4000 - 5000mAh or similar.

EDIT: Of the ones on the site, probably this one: https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/hpi-plazma-7-2v-5000mah-nimh-battery

[Silver-Can 402]

I see you've mentioned body shells a number of times. These are a fairly standard fit across most on road car chassis (certainly tamiya). Don't be confused with all the various designations like tt 02 d or tt 02 s etc. Pretty much any 190/200 mm body shell will fit a tt 02. 

I got my son a tt 02d for Xmas and got this after-market shell for it. The chassis needed different wheels with deeper off set to fill the wheel arches, but otherwise no issues at all.

[Alexei 547]

10 hours ago, NewKidOnTheBlock said:

I'll see if the TT-02D is an option, but they have a lot less body options available. I also like the idea of starting out with a stock car and slowly upgrade it as he gets better, which for me was a huge motivating factor when I was a kid. The excitement of figuring out which upgrade to get, and how it would improve the car.

i get what you mean, there is much bigger selection of body shells when it come to stock TT-02.  but you will quickly find some parts to improve, like ball bearings, oil dampers. at least start out with ball bearings, because they are not that expensive, and you have to disassemble the whole car to install them, and then reassemble it. oil dampers also make a big difference, but are an easy replacement later.

[Simon998 36]

For what I've spent getting my TT-02 'right' I could have bought a better chassis to start with. But it's the chassis they use for beginner racing in my local club and I'm very much a beginner.

Buy the TT-02D model as it comes with the bearing kit and the oil dampers/shocks and just leave it to replacing bits as they break. That said, the low fricton step screws for the steering arms arm a great upgrade for £4.

 

Edit: Also, running them on a 2S lipo changes them completely in my opinion. Much more consistant run times and a good bit pokier.

[SlideWRX 785]

14 hours ago, NewKidOnTheBlock said:

Okay guys, I think I have just about found everything we need. Is the gear below OK and is there anything else we should start out with? (The links are in Danish, but product names should be pretty universal )

Car: https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/tamiya-mercedes-amg-gt3-58639

Transmitter and servo: https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/sender-og-servo-startpakke-til-tamiya

Charger & Battery: https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/nimh-oplader-batteri-pakke

ESC: https://www.speedhobby.dk/products/hobbywing-quicrun-wp-1060-1-10-borstet-esc

Of course paint as well, but we'll give him the kit and take him to the store to let him find his preferred colour himself.

That is weird - it says no esc included in the note, but the specs say a TBLE-02S.  With supply issues the last couple years I thought Tamiya supplied the Hobbywing ESC as a replacement, but maybe that was only some markets?

 

[Simon998 36]

There was supply issues when I ordered my TT02D in December (UK). I was supposed to get the TBLE-04S and it came with the Carson 70Amp (rebranded Hobbywing 1060). I kinda wanted the TBLE-04S so I could have the option to run the 13.5T blinky class without having to change ESC.

[Rally! 150]

30 minutes ago, Simon998 said:

There was supply issues when I ordered my TT02D in December (UK). I was supposed to get the TBLE-04S and it came with the Carson 70Amp (rebranded Hobbywing 1060). I kinda wanted the TBLE-04S so I could have the option to run the 13.5T blinky class without having to change ESC.

I have the TBLE-04S in my TT-02. I was under the impression that Tamiya didn't recommend running anything as low as 13.5T with that ESC? 

[Kowalski86 3034]

You could always get a TT-02D and use whatever body it comes with to practice painting, trimming, and of course as a "runner" body, then replace it with a nicer, more complicated one. That Mercedes body looks a bit low for rougher roads.

I do have a question for everyone though, Is the stiffer "hard" chassis a worthwhile upgrade?

On second thought, there is always the TT-02R which comes with a healthy dose of hop-ups out of the box. They're just a bit hard to find atm.

[Simon998 36]

8 hours ago, Rally! said:

I have the TBLE-04S in my TT-02. I was under the impression that Tamiya didn't recommend running anything as low as 13.5T with that ESC? 

They don't really but I've read about people using them without issue. 17.5 was Tamiyas recomendation. I reckon I'd get away with it on the track I mess about on because it's very short/twisty and you rarely get full throttle. I read the rules to my local club last night and I couldnt have ran the stock ESC anyway, the rules state:

"-30112000 XeRun XR10 Justock Sensored Brushless 60A ESC

-30408005 XeRun Justock 3650SD 13.5T G2 motor"

 

The guy in my hobbyshop who seems to be the guru on these says the hard deck was the 3rd best mod after and tyres and TRF short dampers, but balls to paying £100 for shocks on a £100 chassis. My mate managed to grab a TT02 Type S for £140. It's a very good base, having the option for toe adjustment is going to be a game changer 

 

[Simon998 36]

https://streamable.com/oyysro

 

Quick video of me running my almost stock TT-02 chassis (With Torque Tuned motor and 2S) yesterday on a wet indoor track with zero grip. It's only my 3rd time on track ever and when the camera came out, my driving went to pot but hey, we all gotta start somewhere. The first two days I could hardly make a lap without a major crash. So far I've broke a top arm, drive cup, front drive shaft, buckled wheels and a motor mount (And mangled a shell).