TL01 MF01x compatability.

[Nikko85]

I recently lamented that I couldn't get the metal parts for an MF01x for good money. I've realied lots of the TL01 parts are similar and they go really cheaply on eBay. Could I swap out diffs, diff cups and gears from one to the other?

I may use the TL01 arms, but have MF01x dogbones if needed for shorter arms.

[chris.alex]

1 hour ago, Nikko85 said:

Could I swap out diffs, diff cups and gears from one to the other?

Yes that's possible. I am running the TL01 speed gear in my MF01X.  

[OoALEJOoO]

I think you can indeed swap diffs between the TL-01 and MF-01X. However, note that the TL-01 originally has splined large bevel gears & diff cups, while the MF-01X has the newer & more reliable slotted joint. You would have to swap the whole bevel+cup set. The diff gear body is the same part 50738.

Which MF-01X metal parts are you struggling to find?

The 5mm metal gear shafts for both the TL-01 (25mm x1, 30mm x1, 40mm x2) and MF-01X (21mm x1, 30mm x1, 40mm x2) can be hard to get.  Original Tamiya parts are 54319 (21mm and 40mm), 53390 (21mm and 40mm carbon fiber, hard to get) and 53322 (full TL-01 set 25mm x1, 30mm x1, 40mm x2 carbon fiber, impossible to get). An alternative is to get 5mm shafts that are easily available in many sizes from eBay or similar: Aluminum Alloy M3 Thread Sleeve Rod Bar Stud Round Connector Tube Long Nuts | eBay

The metal screw pins 3x32 and 3x46mm are also interchangeable. A better option is the stainless-steel shafts 53301.

TL-01 propeller shafts are impossible to find though, but again 5mm rod is easy to source and cut.

[OldSchoolRC1]

I love the interchangeability between the MF01, TL01, and WR01 and GF01. Tons of options for suspension and wheelbases. Don't have much to add to the gearing question, OoALEJOoO covered all the bases. 

Even the LA kit swaps over with a little work: MF01 with TL01 LA arms, high speed gears, and 1.9's.  

[Honza]

Only the basic gear set is taken directly from TL-01 - you can use speed tuned gears, but the little spur gear is reversed on MF-01X, resulting in reduced teeth contact with the counter gear, caused by slightly different teeth geometry.

The rest of parts is more M-05/6 - diff internals, outdrives, suspension, even most of inner gearbox shafts.

Diff cups are also shared with TT-02S - there's also a reinforced part available.

[Alex97]

Don't buy metal arms ect as you'll just break the chassis which costs more to replace and takes more time. If you want stronger arms then thr M05 V2 arms fit the MF01X, I'd go for the reinforced M05 V2 arms with the stainless steel suspension shafts over cheap Chinese metal parts. 

Arms - 54614

Suspension shafts - 54613 

 

The TL01s are ok however they only take round packs not the more modern square ones. Personally I'd add as many M05 v2 parts to your MF01X rather than looking for a TL01. 

 

 

[Honza]

2 minutes ago, Alex97 said:

I'd go for the reinforced M05 V2 arms with the stainless steel suspension shafts over cheap Chinese metal parts. 

As a bonus, M-05 V.2 arms add the downstop option, the chassis is prepared for that.

Front differential case can also fit M-05/6 ball diff.

[Alex97]

5 hours ago, Honza said:

As a bonus, M-05 V.2 arms add the downstop option

I couldn't quite remember if it did, I knew the bolted straight on but was in two minds about the droop settings. 

 

Both options are also in stock at Plaza Japan, just remember you'll need two sets of the arms as they come in pairs. 

 

[OoALEJOoO]

TL-01 bodies should also fit an MF-01X if the latter is built using TL-01 arms and enough spacers to lengthen the wheelbase. You can always file & shim the uprights and/or suspension arms to fine-tune the wheelbase.

• 259mm + rear toe uprights (53345) should bring it to about 257mm. You'll need the following MF-01X spacers: 2x small + 2x medium (kit + extra 51577). Prop shaft 223mm.
• 254mm + rear toe uprights (53345) should bring it to about 251mm to fit short touring bodies (none of which are TL-01 but are available in TT-01/2). You'll need one each for the MF-01X spacers: small + medium + large (all in single kit). Prop shaft 218mm.

I've been itching to build a Porsche RSR on a 251mm RWD (no prop shaft) MF-01X. It would match the real thing with RWD and a rear mounted motor.

[Wystan Withers]

On 5/6/2024 at 5:10 AM, OldSchoolRC1 said:

I love the interchangeability between the MF01, TL01, and WR01 and GF01. Tons of options for suspension and wheelbases. Don't have much to add to the gearing question, OoALEJOoO covered all the bases. 

Even the LA kit swaps over with a little work: MF01 with TL01 LA arms, high speed gears, and 1.9's.  

 

TB Evo 2  arms are also a direct fit and easier to source than TL01LA arms (pretty sure the rest of the components are shared with TL01-LA, Evo 2 and TA04). They are about 4mm wider than the LA arms, which is peachy because TL01-LA is 185mm wide so you end up close to a true 190 with the Evo arms.

 

 

 

[Nikko85]

Many thanks everyone!

I should say it's not so much struggling to find, as struggling to find at a reasonable price, at least compared to the cost of a kit. The bits I need are metal gear shafts, diff internals, diff cups, axle cups. When I price these all up it really adds up.

• 2 x 50823 = £18
• 2 x 9804237 = £16
• 2 x Tamiya 51008 = £10

So pretty quick it all adds up! (I've not not added 2 mm cross pins or some of the other smaller bits. Gear shafts I was going to make...)

Perhaps when you slowly upgrade you don't really notice (or are happy to pay) this much, but I'm looking at £45 or so, before postage for as much metal as would fit in a match box.

Perhaps this just means Tamiya kits are insanely good value, but you can see how a used TL01 with CVAs might be a better donor......of course then I'd have a mostly complete TL01, and the whole process would start again, but that's the Tamiya Club way!

Thanks everyone for ideas, I'll keep exploring, but it's good to know options. Understand the drive cups now, I think the GF01 ones are also splined perhaps.

 

 

 

[Alex97]

Plazajapan is a great place to buy Tamiya parts, usually they are at least 60% cheaper than the UK price. Orders take around 2 weeks to arrive so not to long. 

[Nikko85]

Thanks. I've never looked but will explore this option

[Nikko85]

Many thanks, after exploring Plazajapan seems like a great shout, it's around £12 vs £44 to get the parts I need.

I've never ordered from them before, but I hear good things? Might see what I can add to the order whilst I am there!

[No Slack]

Don't forget stainless steel shaft pins to add to your list. They replace the always rusty screwpins. No more self loosening pins. 

[Nikko85]

3 hours ago, No Slack said:

Don't forget stainless steel shaft pins to add to your list. They replace the always rusty screwpins. No more self loosening pins. 

Thanks, I think I may already have a set somewhere from a GF01 but I'll double check, that's a good shout. 

Overall there looks like some good items to pick up as spares.

[kinxkinx]

As I just bought à tl01, I m interested in all this options to repare/ improve it. But it's difficult to find simple information about compatibility. Tamiya made a "matching list", but the tl01 isn't in. Does a table of compatibility with all this useful information you are discuting exist?

[Wystan Withers]

I don't know of one nice easy chart, but even the Matching List doesn't list shared sprues. Mostly one has to go to the Manual Download page and open several tabs in your favorite PDF reader and compare sprue numbers between similar chassis.