TL-01LA Ultimate Spec - Castrol Tom's Supra

[ChrisRx718 4701]

Very cool @Mokei Kagaku. 

I have already strayed from the "OEM" path, but will update this thread soon with the dampers and the rest of the suspension. I have the rare LA stabiliser arms and I intend to replace the ends with the blue aluminium ends (#49243) which @svenb takes great pleasure in reminding me are a slightly darker blue anodising than regular Tamiya blue 

I also have a custom 3D printed front piece which allows fitting of a TT02 urethane bumper (and naturally; the TT02 carbon bumper support plate for extra bling). So far from original, but hopefully a very cool spec.

The original universal shafts are harder to find now; back in the day I think it was actually @svenb who I bought a set from originally on the TL01LA which I subsequently sold. Now a reliable alternative is the WR-02 Universal Swing Shafts (#54394) albeit with narrower wheel axle parts (#53499). You could also build these out of their individual parts (which I think is what I have in the box, but I can't recall!)

Hopefully an update soon when I have those Mad Bison bits you kindly donated. Thanks once again!

[svenb 4240]

6 hours ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Very cool @Mokei Kagaku 

I intend to replace the ends with the blue aluminium ends (#49243) which @svenb takes great pleasure in reminding me are a slightly darker blue anodising than regular Tamiya blue 

 

The original universal shafts are harder to find now; back in the day I think it was actually @svenb who I bought a set from originally on the TL01LA which I subsequently sold. 

A bit more than "slightly" mate

Here's mine, note completely matching blue anodising 

[svenb 4240]

Except for the dampers 🙄

[svenb 4240]

10 hours ago, Mokei Kagaku said:

Parts are packed and I'll go to the post office today or tomorrow as soon as work allows.

Here are a few pics of a TL-01 I built and hopped up around 1998/1999 and have updated as suitable new hop-ups got available. Please disregard the dust! After 24-25 years without use and 6 re-locations, it's in need of a thorough clean!) 

Hop-ups:
53267 TA03 Ball Differential
53300 Turnbuckle Tie-Rod Set*
53301 Stainless Steel Suspension Shaft Set*
53303 Adjustable Upper Arms*
53322 Hollow Carbon Gear Shaft
53323 Carbon Propeller Shaft
53342 Speed-Tuned Gear Set
53346 Quick Release Battery Holder
53418 Universal Shaft Set
53467 Long-Span Suspension Arm Set
53517 LA Stabilizer Set
53569 Clamp Type Aluminum Wheel Hub (6mm Thick)
 

Additionally:

• Ball bearings
• M03 bumper

(*If I recall correctly, replaced when the original suspension was replaced with the LA-suspension)

Mounted primarily for colour-coding (purple) (less for performance):
49063 Colour Antenna Pipe (Purple)
49070 TA03 Super Low Friction Damper Set (Purple)
49090 5mm Aluminum Ball Connector (Purple)
49093 Aluminum Servo Stay (Purple)
 

Additionally:

• 3Racing purple motor heat sink
• Purple wheelnuts (not Tamiya, if I recall correctly)
• Purple Springs (off a TA04, I believe)

 

Mounted primarily for colour-coding (grey) (less for performance):
53217 Hard Joint Cup Set (for Ball Diff)
53331 Lightweight Frame
53336 Reinforced One-Piece Mesh Wheels
53571 TRF Damper Set (Fluorine Coated)(combined wtih 49070)
53599 Fluorine Coated 5mm Aluminum Ball Nut
53600 Fluorine Coated Aluminum Stabilizer Ends
53918 V-Parts for TRF Damper
54237 M05 Low Friction King Pin
54489 Low Friction 5mm Adjuster (Short)
10005757 Mad Bison B-Parts

All original screws replaced with black, but otherwise identical and original Tamiya screws.

 

Looks great with the grey and purple 

[Sogogi 3361]

Color combo reminds me of hpi hara edition cars

[ChrisRx718 4701]

Long-overdue update time

The TL-01LA breeding program is going well:

Lots of parts to fit.

Firstly; the distinctive suspension (which gives the chassis the LA designation, I believe it stands for Long Arm)

Immediately, we had a casualty. Thank you for your service, E-ring Tool:

First I did the upper arms; this little tool is a life / thumb saver!

Things were all starting to get a bit busy at the front of the chassis because I also wanted to install the LA stabiliser set:

And obviously before I could fully-assemble the suspension, the axles would need to be in-situ. I went for WR-02 items, but now realise I probably need to change the wheel axles themselves to a narrower version (53499)

I would also need to fit the front bumper, because this is what holds the stabiliser bar in place. Enter the 3D printed TT02 bumper adapter:

Now, the keen-eyed among you will notice that this has already broken. Yep, it's only printed by a mate in PLA, which proved too weak. I also didn't account for the 2mm thick carbon shock brace I have designed, which means the stabiliser bar wasn't properly secured by the bumper. I had to fit the little metal retaining piece, usually reserved for the back of the chassis, underneath the bumper. All-in-all, a work in progress I think!

It's a pretty neat solution, it just needs some tweaks. I've already ordered a replacement 3D print of this part, albeit in PETG which should be a bit tougher - and grey in colour so it might match the chassis better too. For now it will do as a mock-up piece.

I couldn't decide - the TT01 aluminium bumper brace fits with all of the blue hardware, but the carbon one suits all the custom carbon fibre on the chassis...

Front end assembled, lots of blue bling 

I get a strange obsession with eliminating mixed-hardware; I can't have JIS cross-head screws together alongside hex socket hardware. This meant using #54049 3x14mm Low Friction Step Screws for the upper arm attachment. Utterly wasted in this application, but it was all I could think that would fit!

Below is a better view of where the 3D print 'failed'. Unfortunately the model hasn't got sufficiently large enough holes for the 'head' of the screw so as you tighten it, it puts strain on the surrounding plastic. The layer bonding isn't great with PLA in my limited experience anyway, but hopefully the next part will last a bit longer! 

Next a huge shout-out to @Mokei Kagaku for providing these Mad Bison parts which are moulded in reinforced plastic, so have a grey textured surface not dissimilar from that of the lightweight chassis (as showcased above on Mokei's own TL-01).

Damper choice was next:

Decisions, decisions. 

I know the left-hand (pink) dampers are 53155, but I'm not sure what the others are?

 

I think the pink clashes too much. The blue just works.

Talking of blue, does everyone else keep all the blue shiny things even if they're not sure whether they will use them? See my random hardware below, with plenty of blue gold, the result of 10+ years of collecting!

More in the next update...

 

[svenb 4240]

Excellent 👌🏻

The grey dampers look to me like 53571 TRF and the blues' 42102 .

I think blue always looks mint with the grey chassis.

I used titanium step screws for the upper camber links with ball nuts rather than use ball connectors or the long step screws.

If you want any of the wheel axles I'll have some in a spares box, next to my "spare" blue gold😅

[ChrisRx718 4701]

I might have to tap you up for those wheel axles @svenb, the front end is really rather wide 

The rear ones I made out of bits, including the nice shiny blue swing shafts #53506

I didn't take too many pictures after this, but here is the rear end "mostly" assembled:

Note I have the same issue here, the stabiliser bar is quite loose because the clamping bar is pushed out 2mm due to the suspension tower.

All the blue dampers fitted:

Looking lovely.

I put the 53155 dampers on my 'other' TL-01LA (darn you, Yahoo Japan Auctions!)

And I already have a plan for it. 

The Supra needs a stable-mate, right?

[ThunderDragonCy 8379]

This is a lovely build. Always been fascinated by the LA version 

[YoShImUrA53 38]

I recently scored an FF02 with the LA arms (and a Pug 306 beat body). Unfortunately, no sign of the rare now stabis (aware these were only to work on the TL01 LA), or if they were even ever a part of the LA arms set fitted to this FF02.

So either way, I decided to ask Google about those interesting LA arms, and after a few forum threads, I ended up here. Loving the build(s)! Looking forward to more updates, as I also recently made the MCI Castrol Supra out of a TT02 shell and then put on a TT02 Type S with a sensored brushless setup... and, funny coincidence, I run yesterday into a mint built BNR34 GT500 Calsonic (shell only) to put it up against the Supra, probably on a shell-less TT02R I got.