Plasma Edge II straight from box: Good or not?

[skom25 1255]

52 minutes ago, nicksincrc said:

Hi, hope you don't mind me asking a question or two ?I've decided to get the TT02Bas it's pretty much the only budget 4wd kit and I don't want to mess with the df03 ball diffs and lack of spares. I'm familiar with the chassis and it's shortfalls as my son had the road version. I'm happy to upgrade some parts as I enjoy it as a project. I would like to run my trackstar 13.5 3000kv in it from my DT02 which is a bit too lively now I use 2s lipo and 19t pinion so I can put the kit TT motor in that . This is not a powerful motor compared to some 13.5t's and lots run it in the TT02 with stock diffs on NiMH & lipo without issue so I'll see what happens first before upgrading the diffs . What I would like is some pinion size advice , I don't bash, I drive mixture of surfaces in the park, short grass ,dirt under the trees, loose tarmac etc. What pinion size will suite this best, I have a spare 24t but feel it may be too big, is a 20t more appropriate, any advice appreciated  

You are welcome!

[Jonathon Gillham 4607]

10 hours ago, nicksincrc said:

Hi, hope you don't mind me asking a question or two ?I've decided to get the TT02Bas it's pretty much the only budget 4wd kit and I don't want to mess with the df03 ball diffs and lack of spares. I'm familiar with the chassis and it's shortfalls as my son had the road version. I'm happy to upgrade some parts as I enjoy it as a project. I would like to run my trackstar 13.5 3000kv in it from my DT02 which is a bit too lively now I use 2s lipo and 19t pinion so I can put the kit TT motor in that . This is not a powerful motor compared to some 13.5t's and lots run it in the TT02 with stock diffs on NiMH & lipo without issue so I'll see what happens first before upgrading the diffs . What I would like is some pinion size advice , I don't bash, I drive mixture of surfaces in the park, short grass ,dirt under the trees, loose tarmac etc. What pinion size will suite this best, I have a spare 24t but feel it may be too big, is a 20t more appropriate, any advice appreciated  

I think I had that same motor in the TT02B for a while.  I needed the diff upgrade with that, the stock one didn't last long.

I used a 19T pinion as thats what I had and it made a big difference over the stock 17T.  I think thats the biggest you can run without changing to the high speed gearset and the YR motor mount.  You could comfortably run a bigger pinion with that motor though if you do get those upgrades.  I would aim for an FDR around 7.5 (in theory a 24T pinion but it won't fit) and see how hot the motor gets after a few minutes.  If its hot then drop the pinion a size or 2, if its not keep going and see if it does get hot.  If it stays cool then you can go up in pinion.

[nicksincrc 119]

8 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

I think I had that same motor in the TT02B for a while.  I needed the diff upgrade with that, the stock one didn't last long.

 

was that the TT01 diff upgrade or the more expensive full metal gpm/df02? Don't fancy the expense of the latter for my usage

[Jonathon Gillham 4607]

6 hours ago, nicksincrc said:

was that the TT01 diff upgrade or the more expensive full metal gpm/df02? Don't fancy the expense of the latter for my usage

I used the DF02 metal diff. I have 2 TT02B's so the DF02 diffs didn't cost too much as the metal parts bag gave me 2 diffs. 

[skom25 1255]

I ordered Plasma Edge II Gun Metal. Price was good, so why not to try.

I decided that I will not spend too much on Hop Ups. I went too far with DT-03 and do not want to repeat it. I will decide before build what I will install and stick to it.

Currently I think about:

- Bearings

- Adjustable turnbuckles

- Aluminium Hex

- Shocks ball joints

- High Torque Servo Saver

Additional:

- Metal drive shaft

- Heat sink

I will check once again, but probably nothing more.

[one_hit 1047]

35 minutes ago, skom25 said:

I ordered Plasma Edge II Gun Metal. Price was good, so why not to try.

I decided that I will not spend too much on Hop Ups. I went too far with DT-03 and do not want to repeat it. I will decide before build what I will install and stick to it.

Currently I think about:

- Bearings

- Adjustable turnbuckles

- Aluminium Hex

- Shocks ball joints

- High Torque Servo Saver

Additional:

- Metal drive shaft

- Heat sink

I will check once again, but probably nothing more.

All your hop ups look good. I’d upgrade the steering as well to complement the high torque servo saver. Even the cheap unbranded Chinese ones will be better than stock. Instead of a heatsink, you can mount a fan instead and it will be better at cooling the motor. The motor cover already has a provision for mounting a fan on it. Good luck and have fun! I just slapped an old Hobbywing 6000kv 5.5T motor on mine, I wonder if the stock diffs can take it. Haven’t had any problems with the diffs yet with a 9.5T

[Kowalski86 3035]

3 hours ago, skom25 said:

I ordered Plasma Edge II Gun Metal. Price was good, so why not to try.

I decided that I will not spend too much on Hop Ups. I went too far with DT-03 and do not want to repeat it. I will decide before build what I will install and stick to it.

Currently I think about:

- Bearings

- Adjustable turnbuckles

- Aluminium Hex

- Shocks ball joints

- High Torque Servo Saver

Additional:

- Metal drive shaft

- Heat sink

I will check once again, but probably nothing more.

Thats a good list, keep things simple and only upgrade when you feel like it really needs it.

[danimaldaisy 70]

On 3/29/2023 at 10:21 AM, nicksincrc said:

Hi, hope you don't mind me asking a question or two ?I've decided to get the TT02Bas it's pretty much the only budget 4wd kit and I don't want to mess with the df03 ball diffs and lack of spares. I'm familiar with the chassis and it's shortfalls as my son had the road version. I'm happy to upgrade some parts as I enjoy it as a project. I would like to run my trackstar 13.5 3000kv in it from my DT02 which is a bit too lively now I use 2s lipo and 19t pinion so I can put the kit TT motor in that . This is not a powerful motor compared to some 13.5t's and lots run it in the TT02 with stock diffs on NiMH & lipo without issue so I'll see what happens first before upgrading the diffs . What I would like is some pinion size advice , I don't bash, I drive mixture of surfaces in the park, short grass ,dirt under the trees, loose tarmac etc. What pinion size will suite this best, I have a spare 24t but feel it may be too big, is a 20t more appropriate, any advice appreciated  

I'm using the stock pinion so I cant really help there.  sorry.

[Kowalski86 3035]

On 3/29/2023 at 12:21 PM, nicksincrc said:

 I don't bash, I drive mixture of surfaces in the park, short grass ,dirt under the trees, loose tarmac etc. What pinion size will suite this best, I have a spare 24t but feel it may be too big, is a 20t more appropriate, any advice appreciated  

Im pretty sure that the kit comes with a steel 19t pinion, I'd use that to start with.

[nicksincrc 119]

2 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

Im pretty sure that the kit comes with a steel 19t pinion, I'd use that to start with.

it's a 17 i believe but I didn't know it was steel so I'll use it first 

[skom25 1255]

I checked today catalogue number and Plasma Edge should come with 17T steel pinion.

What about aluminium servo mount?

[Kowalski86 3035]

40 minutes ago, skom25 said:

I checked today catalogue number and Plasma Edge should come with 17T steel pinion.

What about aluminium servo mount?

I'd stick with that pinion then, in time maybe go up a few teeth if motor temps stay cool.

I think the plastic servo mounts are fine, they're short and stubby so they shouldn't bend. In time I'd suggest an aluminum motor mount and steering, go 3rd party and save a few bucks. The aluminium motor mount will help dissipate heat if you don't run with the fiber disc.

I honestly wouldn't bother with turnbuckles, if this is going to be a basher adjustments aren't that critical. Having a flexible plastic part there instead is bad for handling, but good for durability.

[skom25 1255]

I will install turnbuckles. I have them in DT-03 and even small changes make huge difference in handling. It is part of fun for me.

[droidy 91]

On 3/31/2023 at 5:49 AM, skom25 said:

- Metal drive shaft

Remember you need the propeller joint (54502) as well as the propeller shaft (54501). Yeah Racing equivalent says it is compatible with kit parts but I haven't tried it.

It looks amazing and gives you more clearance to avoid things like wires rubbing but is completely optional if you're going for minimum hop ups.

[skom25 1255]

On 3/18/2023 at 8:29 AM, OoALEJOoO said:

The TT-02B is a fantastic basher, very nice kit. Since it already comes with CVA shocks and a steel pinion, the only must-have are ball bearings.

I've bashed mine a fair amount using a Super Stock BZ motor + NiMh. Haven't broken anything in two years but I do take care of my cars. I don't bash with a thirst for damage!

Hop-ups on the good-to-have list would be:

• TT-02 Motor heatsink 54571. It will really help with keeping your motor in good shape for the long-run, especially if you live in hot weather.
• High torque servo saver 51000 (black) or 50473 (white). More precise steering.

If you want more speed & performance:

• Super Stock TZ (53696) or BZ (53930) motor for more brushed power. Or go brushless. Note the above-mentioned TT-02 heatsink only works with non-rebuildable motors like the stock silver can, torque tuned, sport tuned, etc.
• Front & rear carbon damper stays 54754. The stock plastic shock towers have considerable flex, especially the rear has massive flex. The set also comes with turnbuckles front and rear that allow camber adjustability.

Are you sure that for TT02B I should buy mentioned Servo Saver, not part 54799?

Are those flexible shock towers real issue? Do they affect shocks? I have plan to run it on asphalt.

[OoALEJOoO 3127]

@skom25 54799 includes 51000 plus some extra bits: an aluminum horn (great but not a must) and a 3mm locknut (which, unless you have spares, is a must-have to attach the servo link). I would go with a high-torque servo saver only if you have a servo with metal gears (otherwise plastic servo gears will not last very long, especially if you are jumping). *EDIT: 51000 does come with some regular 3mm nuts which can be sufficient, especially if you put two nuts (one behind other to cross-tight) and use shoegoo to prevent loosening. You can go with 51000 if you want to save some money, or 54799 if you want nicer parts.

The stock plastic flexible shock towers are not an issue, the car is perfectly fine as-is. If you do want to pursue more performance, the carbon parts will make the car a bit more predictable since they will remove the flex. I think it only makes sense to upgrade the shocks if you upgrade the shock towers first (it makes little sense to have expensive shocks mounted on a flexible element).

[skom25 1255]

Thanks!

So, I do not have to use that aluminium horn? In that case, which one should be used? I was 100% sure that it is matter of that part. Ball joint is not an issue. I have a lot of spares.

I do not have plan to upgrade shocks. I want to keep it simple but remove all weak points.

I asked, because I checked prices and:

- Adjustable turnbuckles: 67 PLN

- Ball joints to attach shocks to stock Towers: 35 PLN

In total it is 102 PLN. Unfortunately, there are only 5 ball joints in set, so I have two options:

- Use 4 ball nuts and grub screws I already have

- Buy second set of ball joints

With second option, I will spend 137 PLN.

Carbon shock towers with ball joints and adjustable turnbuckles for suspension ( not for sterring) costs 207 PLN.

Well, I am not sure. Adjusting Toe is quite important, but on the other hand, shock towers are good upgrade too...

Hard decision. Probably I will stay with stock towers but it is better to ask.

[TurnipJF 9192]

15 hours ago, skom25 said:

Are those flexible shock towers real issue? Do they affect shocks? I have plan to run it on asphalt.

Whether to go for carbon towers or stick with plastic ones depends on whether or not you want to play with tuning your spring and damper setup.

I drove my TT-02B with the stock plastic towers for quite a while, and I found them perfectly satisfactory for all surfaces, but I was just driving around, not trying to tune the suspension or go particularly fast.

However as soon as I started to use my TT-02B in the postal races and wanted to set up the car for optimal performance, the stock towers quickly became frustrating as their flexibility masked all but the most drastic changes to springs and damping. I upgraded to carbon ones, and the difference was massive in terms of how much more precise changes to springs and damping changed the driving dynamics.

I am still running the standard CVA oil shocks which do a very good job once they have some stiff towers to attach to. 

[danimaldaisy 70]

On 3/30/2023 at 11:49 AM, skom25 said:

I ordered Plasma Edge II Gun Metal. Price was good, so why not to try.

I decided that I will not spend too much on Hop Ups. I went too far with DT-03 and do not want to repeat it. I will decide before build what I will install and stick to it.

Currently I think about:

- Bearings

- Adjustable turnbuckles

- Aluminium Hex

- Shocks ball joints

- High Torque Servo Saver

Additional:

- Metal drive shaft

- Heat sink

I will check once again, but probably nothing more.

For the shock ball joints I would just get the brass type.  I ordered a set of blue anodized however they are not as tight as the  brass.  Brass keeps things nice and tight where the blue anodized makes things sloppy and loose. I know its not popular talking about this but its 100% true.

you can get the driveshaft without spending money on the ends which are not needed.

Heatsink only works on the brushed motor that comes with it.  if you get a performance brushed motor then the endbell will touch and short.  not sure about brushless.

as far as the turnbuckles...give it some time as a newer updated part will be available as soon as the tto2br becomes available.

Lastly there are shims that can go into the diff (in-between the bearing and the diff) to space it closer to the smaller gear inside the diff.  without that it can skip teeth. Tamiya would rather you buy replacement Diffs rather than include a part that cost a penny.

https://www.thercracer.com/2014/08/tamiya-tt02-guide-mods-tuning-and-tips.html

Scroll down to "Shimming the Diff"

 

Please note that in the picture that the shim is shown on the wrong side which would create more backlash (gap) and not less

[Kowalski86 3035]

50 minutes ago, danimaldaisy said:

For the shock ball joints I would just get the brass type.  I ordered a set of blue anodized however they are not as tight as the  brass.  Brass keeps things nice and tight where the blue anodized makes things sloppy and loose. I know its not popular talking about this but its 100% true.

In my experience the blue anodization scrapes off if you regularly remove your shocks or loosen/tighten the ball joints, so I'd just stick to brass. The high torque servo saver will take a good bit of slop out of the steering.

[skom25 1255]

16 hours ago, danimaldaisy said:

astly there are shims that can go into the diff (in-between the bearing and the diff) to space it closer to the smaller gear inside the diff.  without that it can skip teeth. Tamiya would rather you buy replacement Diffs rather than include a part that cost a penny.

https://www.thercracer.com/2014/08/tamiya-tt02-guide-mods-tuning-and-tips.html

Scroll down to "Shimming the Diff"

Do you know catalogue number or dimensions? I see 8x0.3. I assume that 8 is ID, but what about OD? Is this Tamiya part?

17 hours ago, TurnipJF said:

Whether to go for carbon towers or stick with plastic ones depends on whether or not you want to play with tuning your spring and damper setup.

I drove my TT-02B with the stock plastic towers for quite a while, and I found them perfectly satisfactory for all surfaces, but I was just driving around, not trying to tune the suspension or go particularly fast.

However as soon as I started to use my TT-02B in the postal races and wanted to set up the car for optimal performance, the stock towers quickly became frustrating as their flexibility masked all but the most drastic changes to springs and damping. I upgraded to carbon ones, and the difference was massive in terms of how much more precise changes to springs and damping changed the driving dynamics.

I am still running the standard CVA oil shocks which do a very good job once they have some stiff towers to attach to. 

Well, I am still not sure...

Plan was to keep things simple and make only "neccessary" changes. On the other hand, flex in towers seems to be known weak point, so why not to fix it?

I will stay on asphalt, I am not sure if I will tweak suspension often.

Carbon shock towers have one big advantage. To service shocks, I do not have to pop out them from upper ball joints. I just unscrew it and it is super easy to remove them from bottom ball joint, because shock is free. 

With stock part, I have to use grub screw and ball nut to have the same effect. Problem is, that nut sometimes get loose and it is necessary to tighten almost after each ride.

There is one thing that annoys me to be honest.

Carbon shock towers set includes adjustable suspension turnbuckles for suspension, but not for steering. I want to have it and it is necessary to have them if High Torque Servo Saver is used ( from horn to first link).

I can buy turnbuckles set, but I will stay with many spare parts which I will not use probably. I can buy rods separately, but they will be more expensive than whole set...

I have feeling that I will pay twice for the same parts...

[TurnipJF 9192]

9 minutes ago, skom25 said:

There is one thing that annoys me to be honest.

Carbon shock towers set includes adjustable suspension turnbuckles for suspension, but not for steering. I want to have it and it is necessary to have them if High Torque Servo Saver is used ( from horn to first link).

I can buy turnbuckles set, but I will stay with many spare parts which I will not use probably. I can buy rods separately, but they will be more expensive than whole set...

I have feeling that I will pay twice for the same parts...

I built my car with the turnbuckle set fitted from the outset, and then I kept the turnbuckles that came with the carbon shock towers as spares. It isn't often that you bend a turnbuckle in a crash, but it can happen, so it is not a bad idea to have spares to hand. 

[skom25 1255]

I will create build Topic in a few days, when kit will arrive, but for now I stay here.

I added to cart all Hop Ups which I wanted and.. No, no, no. In total it was 525 PLN. I paid 527 PLN for whole kit, so it does not make sense. Believe me, it was not crazy cart with all Hop Ups. I added only recommended parts and I believe not even all.

I will stay with basic upgrades, so:

- High Torque Servo Saver

- Aluminium driveshaft

- Bearings ( I already have most of them)

- Adjustable turnbuckles

- 3 mm shims

- Ball joints

- Heat Sink ( not sure for 100%)

Maybe also few additional small bits, but nothing big.

I am really surprised how expensive those parts are in total. Carbon shock towers are crazy expensive and at least for now, I will not buy them. It will be slow build, so maybe in a month or two I change my mind. 

One thing I know for sure. I want to make decision which parts I will use and stick to this. I do not want to make the same mistake as with DT-03 and dissassembly new model to install upgrades.

 

[alvinlwh 5895]

4 hours ago, skom25 said:

In total it was 525 PLN. I paid 527 PLN for whole kit, so it does not make sense.

Makes perfect sense for Tamiya!😁

[TurnipJF 9192]

The thing with hop-ups is that if you choose them carefully like you are doing, they can make a significant difference to how the car performs. Even to the point that it starts to make some semblance of financial sense.

Sure, I spent as much on hop-ups for my TT-02B as I did for the original kit. But do I enjoy driving it twice as much now that it is robust, tight and responsive compared to when it was weak, sloppy and dull? Yes, I do believe I do. 😁