MRE TA01 conversion kit

[HellHoundOne 1]

Found a MRE kit on eBay. Might have even been one of you guy’s kit. After I bought the kit, I picked up a TA01 roller. I have been struggling the last few weeks, I didn’t wanna open the kit 🤣. 
Anyways….

Edited March 22, 2024 by HellHoundOne

[HellHoundOne 1]

So I started building this. And I have discovered that there are needed bearings. Or they are missing. I don’t know. Do any of you happen to know the sizes? The steering are four and the main shaft gear looks like two. I went out to a bearing shop, but they didn’t have anything that fits. Thinking on this now, I am going to look in the gearbox and see if any fit. 

[futureworks 1038]

The MRE kit should have included two bearings for the spur gear assembly, as shown in the image (and shown on the diagram on the instruction sheet you will have, albeit they are not listed on the parts sheet) and I’m pretty sure these are one of the regular sizes freely available/ in common use on Tamiya and other 1/10 RC cars. I would need to dig out my built model to measure the bearing size. I did a build thread of this conversion kit in this forum a few years ago here, and some of the challenges. Another 4 bearings needed for the steering (again, these should be included in the MRE kit) and these look to be standard 850 size, and are shown in my photo of a stripped down kit (left side of image)

Edit; just done some measuring. The steering bearings are as above, but the spur assembly bearings are not a Tamiya standard, or at least not a size I’ve come across before on a Tamiya kit. Having measured one with digital calipers, you’ll need 8x14x 3 or 4 (I.e. 8mm inner diameter, 14mm outer, 3 or 4mm width). Here’s an example - https://www.rcbearings.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2292

 

 

[HellHoundOne 1]

Thank you good sir. The bearing sizes are spot on. I ordered the ones for the main gear, and a full set. I found that in the full set there was four in the gearboxes I could use. So instead of ordering four, I just buy all new ones and swap some of the old ones too. I discovered I am missing one grub screw. So now on a hunt for that. The rest of the bearing should be in today. Rwd for now 🤣

I have not decided what engine I wanna toss in it yet. An O.S. Fs26 would look amazing in there. But so hard to come by….

I do have a fs12, toki 15, cvr 12-15, and a 15ld. The ld would have to be on the mounts, and not sure that would look properly. 

[acprc 1590]

I really need to dig mine out and finish a few things off.

[futureworks 1038]

The main issue with regard to engine choice is getting the throttle and brake linkages working properly, given where  the throttle servo is positioned. If you look at my old thread above, you will see that I managed to get it working with a Tamiya FS-12LT engine with the carb spun around 180 degrees from the norm to put the lever on the correct side for the servo, though the servo horn assembly ended up being quite fiddly. You may be better using an engine that comes with a slide valve carb, as per the image (not mine, but someone I trade with).