TT02 enough already

[lentner3 328]

Ok so I have several TT-02 mostly because some of the bodies are awesome but is anyone else fed up with this chassis. It’s everywhere. Might be better than the tt01 but I far prefer the tt-01 maybe because it feels more nostalgic. Every time I look at options it’s all I see. What happened to all the TA04/5/6/7 and TB01/2/3/4/5

seems like these are non existent nowadays. Who wants to keep building the same boring chassis.

rant over hopefully it’s not just me. Looks like I’ll have to get my fix via old stock and some of the different Re-Releases.

I was looking on a few sites and of the 50 odd models to choose from 90% were

TT-02’s in fact I’m rebuilding one right now.

I really like them from a design point of view but I just hate that they have taken over the shelves. 

 

 

[lentner3 328]

just me then. 

 

 

 

No one feels the same ? 🤣

[RC_FunLand 172]

Patience . 

I feel the same way. I have one TT-02, and do not plan to purchase any more. I have four body shells for it and some extra parts, none more. I wish some of Tamiya's lesser-known (and higher quality) chassis were more popular. The current market is overpriced and oversaturated with bone-stock TT-02s...

[Grumpy pants 5497]

I guess you have TT02 fatigue 😳

I’ve never built one, but as you say it is the one that gets repurposed time and time again. 
 

I guess it keeps the production costs down, gotta admit I was quite fond of my TT01E, but that was nearly 10 years ago. 

[Jason1145 4685]

Yes lots will agree, I have built maybe  4 in my life with the most recent just today and I already can’t wait to buy and build a BT01 despite the bad rep it has!

[lentner3 328]

I miss the TB-EVO too 🥺

so many brilliant chassis. If there were more about I’d be inclined to run more of mine.

I recently build and perfectly shimmer a TB04 and was very impressed. I love my TA cars and have one of each the only one I haven’t built yet is the ta03.

something really cool about the nicer chassis, especially the belt stuff. And they are nice to run too. 

[lentner3 328]

6 minutes ago, Grumpy pants said:

I guess you have TT02 fatigue 😳

I’ve never built one, but as you say it is the one that gets repurposed time and time again. 
 

I guess it keeps the production costs down, gotta admit I was quite fond of my TT01E, but that was nearly 10 years ago. 

Although almost identical I have so much more love for my tt01s. 

[Wystan Withers 356]

Kits with bodies and flashy liveries are the candy that gets new people into the hobby, and by the time they have sorted themselves out to the people who need a higher end chassis those folks are going to buy the motor/wheels-tires/body popular at their local track. TBH I've always thought it odd they continue to sell the TT01E with the diesel bodies and not just put that chassis to bed once and for all. I suppose at this point the cost of just running the molds until the die incurs very little cost to them, but whatever. 

Would a run of new TA05v2 re-re's with bodies be cool as snot? H-E-double-hockey-sticks yeah. Would it be in Tamiya's interest to do so given the value presented by something like an SNRC R3 or countless others? Doubtful.

 

[gogsyfinnie 669]

Just one TT-02 for me, in future I’ll buy “better” chassis, like TA, XV, M, maybe even a TRF one day and get the appropriate shell seperately.

[alvinlwh 7227]

I had priced up a TT-02 before and walked away (but this can apply for many Tamiya kits). Thing is Tamiya keep releasing the 02 which is like a decade old, so it can be considered nostalgic? One of my very first RC was a TT-01 from 2009 and last year, they rere that thing on a TT-01E! Instead of releasing a 03, they just keep throwing some hopup bits in the box and call it R, S or a combination of letters.

Yes there are some rather nice bodies, but I just cannot bring myself to buy a 02. So what I do is buy the body only and put it on a better chassis from elsewhere that is usually cheaper and better.

[Kowalski86 4273]

28 minutes ago, RC_FunLand said:

 I wish some of Tamiya's lesser-known (and higher quality) chassis were more popular.

I'd like to see some XVs with less "bling", lower price, and some nice bodyshells on them. It'd be a nearly complete package out of the box for me.

I got tired of TT02s when I drove one back to back with a Hornet and found the Hornet to track straighter.

[svenb 4240]

1 hour ago, lentner3 said:

just me then. 

 

 

 

No one feels the same ? 🤣

Nope, me too 

Does nothing for me

[Nick-W 1857]

They’re often very nice looking bodies. I’m glad at least that they are generally available on their own.

I like the TT-02 and its versatility but I can’t say I didn’t wish they’d release the other chassis with bodies. A TA-08 with a new exclusive body would entice me in. 

[River19 65]

I have one by default to race the TT-02 class and I have the TT-01 by default from racing the Euro Truck class........the TT-01 is a better driving platform out of the box by a wide margin.  

 

My 02 started as a TT-02R kit and honestly the bodies while nice and all, just get the crap kicked out of them so I paint them up and sticker them enough to look decent then they get beat up over several weeks of racing.  The TT-02 handles like straight garbage out of the box.......but once you throw it down the stairs a few times and swear at it enough and land on a decent setup it is passable and addictively fun, but you have to un-crap-box this platform.

I do kinda wish the TA-08 platform was more popular and more entry level priced to replace the TT-02 but here we are.......

[Kowalski86 4273]

46 minutes ago, River19 said:

I do kinda wish the TA-08 platform was more popular and more entry level priced to replace the TT-02 but here we are.......

Heck I liked my old TA02 over any TT02, I'd like to see that chassis return with more bodyshells. It's better for off-roading if you want to build up a buggy/Rally car.

[alvinlwh 7227]

3 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

I'd like to see some XVs with less "bling", lower price

A while back, a XV-01 Subaru got away. Recently I found one but after pricing it up, I walked away and decided on a LC PTG-2R instead and will just get the Subaru body to go on it.

[Kowalski86 4273]

1 hour ago, alvinlwh said:

A while back, a XV-01 Subaru got away. Recently I found one but after pricing it up, I walked away and decided on a LC PTG-2R instead and will just get the Subaru body to go on it.

Both of those come out to about $300 for me, why must rally cars so hard on the wallet?!

[alvinlwh 7227]

5 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

Both of those come out to about $300 for me, why must rally cars so hard on the wallet?!

I think the thing is (most) Tamiya are made as toy/hobby grade out of box and often will require bits to bring its standard up, there are so many upgrade options. The problem I have is, I buy the kit, so upgrades, then realised I missed something or they are out of stock, permanently. Some like the SRX, does not even have the parts to sort out ita steering? This PTG-2R I looked into is a proper R specs, there are no upgrades to improve it any further, which makes shopping much easier.

[Kowalski86 4273]

9 hours ago, alvinlwh said:

I think the thing is (most) Tamiya are made as toy/hobby grade out of box and often will require bits to bring its standard up,

Tbh I feel like most on-roaders in general need more hop-ups over say...a buggy or a decent crawler. But then again, most of my on-roaders were Tamiyas.

[skom25 2179]

TT-2 OOB is not best kit on market. Well, it is not even good. It requires quite a lot upgrades, to have feeling that it is just not a toy.

However, once you upgrade it, you can run it like a crazy without worries. Most of Hop Ups are really well protected, so chance that they will be destroyed are quite low. Uprights, arms, chassis, shock towers - all mentioned parts are really cheap.

I have new XV-01, which I have not even finished. Why? Because it is so complicated, that any damage will take a lot of time to fix it. TT-02 can be fixed in minutes.

There is also one more thing about TT-02. Sometimes Pre Painted body kits appear. It is like "salvation" for me, because I do not have good place to paint bodies. I bought some time ago Ford Focus for 90 Euros. I have spares for TT-02 and very nice body for XV-01.

[Pablo68 1118]

It is a very milquetoast chassis to be sure. I guess it's just a chassis that can be churned out in quantity theoretically better chassis are developed and sold. It basically keeps the lights on.
Quite a few companies sell that kind of product.

[BuggyDad 5902]

54 minutes ago, Pablo68 said:

milquetoast

You've taught me a new word. I like it! 

For me, I'm not a lover of the TT-02, but it's really just because it doesn't suit what I like to do. As I see it it's essentially the minimum cost running chassis, designed to go under lots of lovely bodies, so it has major chassis quality/function compromises. And while you can hop it up, there are better chassis in the range at the price range you then get to, and some TT-02 limitations take some tackling. It is also a very integrated design, gearboxes part of the chassis etc. For me, I'm interested in mechanics over aesthetics mostly, and going my own way with mods, so it's not the obvious platform for me. In on road driving terms I also like postal racing, so I like a chassis that favours that, with tight bends and the like, which isn't very TT-02. 

I guess I did enjoy rally modding one on a budget, but now I don't run it. I should give it another go really. Even on that budget though I think there were much better chassis for the purpose out there, as demonstrated by others on the budget rally thread. 

1 hour ago, skom25 said:

I have new XV-01, which I have not even finished. Why? Because it is so complicated, that any damage will take a lot of time to fix it. TT-02 can be fixed in minutes. 

I think the time taken to fix has to be considered alongside the probability of the breakage. The XV-01 is relatively robust, so overall fixing time per running time on mine has been very low. It's probably my highest mileage car, with nearly nothing broken (one arm, maybe two, some bad bumper scuffs, a baggy ball joint, can't remember anything else). 

1 hour ago, skom25 said:

There is also one more thing about TT-02. Sometimes Pre Painted body kits appear. It is like "salvation" for me, because I do not have good place to paint bodies. I bought some time ago Ford Focus for 90 Euros. I have spares for TT-02 and very nice body for XV-01.

This is nice but TC body kits will go on lots of chassis, not just the TT-02, so if it's an advantage of the TT-02 it's an advantage of all of those with same post holes and wheelbase. 

[skom25 2179]

15 minutes ago, BuggyDad said:

This is nice but TC body kits will go on lots of chassis, not just the TT-02, so if it's an advantage of the TT-02 it's an advantage of all of those with same post holes and wheelbase. 

Correct, but I have not seen any other Tamiya TC kits with Pre Painted body.

[Grumpy pants 5497]

I certainly anticipate building a few TT-02 derivatives, I should have spent my money this way instead the XV-01 imo.

Easier to build, and probably to maintain as well in comparison, I also like that some of the kits come with preprinted bodies as well. 

[markbt73 5849]

It's funny; I felt the same way about the TL01 back in the late '90s. I liked it, but I had no desire to build another one, and it seemed like that's all there was. When the TT01 first appeared, I grabbed one right away, and... immediately longed for another TL01. I think I gave the TT to my neighbor, I was so disgusted by it.

Twenty years later, I get the urge to build a new kit, and decide to give the TT02 a try. It's fine, I guess? It's obviously built to a price, and I'm mildly annoyed by Tamiya's recent decisions to abandon the 1150/850 standard bearing sizes in entry-level cars. I like buying bearings in bulk, to save money, and that's much harder when one basic shaft-drive touring chassis uses three different bearing sizes, two of which I don't have on hand. But it seems tough, and no sloppier than the '80s models, and it drives all right in stock form for what it is.

Of course, it doesn't matter for me now, because I don't have any place to run on-road cars any more. We'll see how well the TT02 does as a rally car...