Best Tamiya basher?

[LMF5000]

I'm up to 5 models already, but the other day I discovered a large dirt field full of rocks (up to 2 inches in diameter) and I realized I like my existing models too much to go bashing in the field and scuff up their undersides badly on the rocks. Already the lower attachment of the front suspension of my TT02BR has a bad gouge (since it's on the front and very exposed) and my CC02's axles are full of nicks (but I bought the metal guards to fit before the next run).

So here we are again, looking for the best tamiya for bashing.

Ideas so far:

- Cheap rwd buggy (cheap enough not to mind scuffing the bottom). Main concern is how well rwd handles. I already have a monster beetle and it's much more of a handful on loose ground than my 4wd models.

- Manta Ray or Top Force. The problem with manta ray is that it needs modification (cutting) to fit a hardcase lipo (Has anyone done the conversion? Can you send details?) and the top force is a tad pricey (has anyone kept the stock metal bushings on the top force, or would I still need to buy the ball bearings?) Plus the expense of changing the stock aluminium idler gears.

- Squash van. 4wd and good ground clearance thanks to the monster truck tyres, but I'm put off by the friction dampers and the high cost of bearings (since it uses so many of them for the gear-driven 4wd system)

- cheap buggy with monster truck wheels. Has anyone successfully done this, and could you link or send number  of compatible wheels that will fit a buggy?

Obviously other ideas are welcome!

[EvilSpike]

Cheap with a bit more ground clearance than a buggy: Aqroshot

Cheap with lots of ground clearance and comedy handling: Lunchbox/Pumpkin.

Neither are 4wd, but you'll be more upset if you destroy a nice Monster Beetle compared to a Lunchie...

[Twinfan]

Top Force is going to be utterly pointless over the terrain you describe - ground clearance is minimal. They were designed for old skool smooth dirt tracks.

If you can find one, the Mad Bull with a brushless motor might be right up your street. Also get bearings and a 19T steel pinion for pretty tall gearing and you're away.

[Nikko85]

Gf01 dump truck.

4WD, large tires, largely indestructible

Or the GF01CB series

Or the squash van

 

[GToddC5]

3 hours ago, LMF5000 said:

 . . . cheap buggy with monster truck wheels. Has anyone successfully done this, and could you link or send number  of compatible wheels that will fit a buggy?

Obviously other ideas are welcome!

This is a hoot! Monster Buggies are a thing for sure. TT-02B with Comical wheels and tires, instant fun. I'll follow up later with pics when I'm home. You can also go bigger with a WW 2 hex combo for that old school Mad Bull feeling.

 

Edit to add pic (four of these six in the group have the Comical wheels/tires:

 

[alvinlwh]

Get yourself a MST MTX-1 4WD kit (have to be specific as it also comes in 2WD RTR). Bearings and oil shocks (8x!) included. 

3S + 3100Kv, it is my go anywhere basher. 

Also I usually don't worry about getting scratches except my F1 cars. Here is my TA-02(Ra) getting it's brand new  carbon bottom "marked" immediately after I upgraded it. 

Skatepark, the harshest environment for any RC. 

[ThunderDragonCy]

Buggy with truck wheels is the one. More modern 2wd are way better than the one you have. My DT03 with Blitzer wheels and schumacher trucks tyres was brilliant. Lots more ground clearance, great handling, doesn't flip. Any of the blitzers, or an aqroshot and get some bltizer or schumacher truck tyres to put on the wheels.

[Mad Ax]

The MTX-1 in 4wd form is a great shout.  I have one and it's one of my favourite backyard bashers.  With a mild brushless system, on 2S it's perfect in the garden and on 3S it's a hoot in wider spaces.  Only fragile points I've noticed are the stock suspension links, which bend - there is a hopup metal part available - and the body posts, which snap easily.

Tamiya-wise, my suggestions would be:

G6-01 - a really fun and solid basher when it's got a good power system installed.

Squash Van - I don't have one, but seems this is the modern equivalent of the WT-01 4wd trucks, which I would suggest if they were still available.

CC-02 with monster sized wheels - although the MTX-1 does the same job better.

It's hard to think of anything else that isn't going to get in a pickle on that sort of terrain.

[Wooders28]

Probably Associated's MT10....🙊

Its not a tamiya, so you won't worry about its looks , just use, abuse and enjoy..🤷‍♂️

 

If it must be a tamiya, I'd go DT03 (mainly as I've got a few..) and nail on some larger wheels/tyres, and the gearbox is bullet proof with bearings in it (and maybe different outdrives and driveshafts, but I'd just change them if/when they break)...

I've fitted the FTX Bugsta wheels /tyres on the rear (wider 12mm hex required) and you'd need to bodge the front for 12mm hex (i used the RB5 parts, the DT04 might work, theres plenty of threads on here) ,but you love an engineering challenge so 💪.

[spankrjs]

Clodbuster/Bullhead 

Large tires/lots of ground clearance

Fairly bulletproof drive train

Stock or.modify, sky is the limit

[Guest]

If you're on a tight budget, I would recommend an Arrma Gorgon. They are cheap as chips, very durable and lots of fun on loose surfaces. They'll take much more punishment than anything Tamiya has to offer. The only damage I have caused is knocking the motor out of of position scraping it along a kerb. 

[Kowalski86]

33 minutes ago, Dangerous_Beard said:

If you're on a tight budget, I would recommend an Arrma Gorgon. They are cheap as chips, very durable and lots of fun on loose surfaces.

This is what I would reccomend too, even if you avoid jumps gravel and rocks will chew up suspension arms and your chassis. My EVO worked in the gravel when I ran it but it marked up the chassis and knocked a lower suspension ball mount off.

Monster trucks are better for dirt and gravel, and you can buy the Gorgon as a kit if you prefer to build your RCs.

[Guest]

The Squash van is way overpriced in my humble opinion, it has a high COG and uses those awful Blackfoot tyres which are too hard and too tall. You need to widen the stance, upgrade the shocks, shock towers and fit better wheels & tyres. It will cost you a small fortune to modify it just to use on the rough stuff, and it's over £200 quid in some model shops. You would be better off buying something that is tough out the box, without the need of heavy modification, and something that doesn't cost a small fortune. 

[markbt73]

They're, um, supposed to get scratched up on the bottom. That's how you know you're having fun.

[Guest]

Just now, Kowalski86 said:

This is what I would reccomend too, even if you avoid jumps gravel and rocks will chew up suspension arms and your chassis. My EVO worked in the gravel when I ran it but it marked up the chassis and knocked a lower suspension ball mount off.

Monster trucks are better for dirt and gravel, and you can buy the Gorgon as a kit of you prefer to build your RCs.

It's a fun build as well, everything is labelled well and no confusion, takes you around 45 minutes to one hour to build it. I would recommend swapping out the kit motor as it won't last many runs, I ran 10 packs through one before you could feel the loss of power. A Traxxas Titan 12t 550 motor slots straight in if you want to stay brushed, they have plenty of kick. If you want brushless I can recommend a set up for you that won't break the bank. 

[Kowalski86]

43 minutes ago, Dangerous_Beard said:

The Squash van is way overpriced in my humble opinion...

Same, I wanted to like it, but over here it's about $200 and you still get pogo shocks and bushings. I can find a used Stampede under that budget any day of the week. Yes it'll need bearings too, but not nearly as many.

The best bashers that Tamiya made recently were both the Mad Bull and the Heavy Dump truck, unfortunately they've both been discontinued.

[alvinlwh]

4 minutes ago, Kowalski86 said:

about $200 and you still get pogo shocks and bushings

That's the Tamiya Way! 🤣 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Kowalski86 said:

Same, I wanted to like it, but over here it's about $200 and you still get pogo shocks and bushings. I can find a used Stampede under that budget any day of the week. Yes it'll need bearings too, but not nearly as many.

The best bashers that Tamiya made recently were both the Mad Bull and the Heavy Dump truck, unfortunately they've both been discontinued.

It could have been so much better if Tamiya had upped their game slightly. All it needed were softer and slightly smaller tyres and a wider track with some carbon fibre shock mounts. How many bearings do you need on a squash van build? 

[Kowalski86]

32 minutes ago, Dangerous_Beard said:

some carbon fibre shock mounts. How many bearings do you need on a squash van build? 

I prefer rubbery, flexible shock mounts on my bashers. The Squash Van needs 36 bearings, it's from Tamiyas "motorized brick" designs like the TL01 and MF01X, which were also bearing hogs (roughly 20 something).

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Kowalski86 said:

I prefer rubbery, flexible shock mounts on my bashers. The Squash Van needs 36 bearings, it's from Tamiyas "motorized brick" designs like the TL01 and MF01X, which were also bearing hogs (roughly 20 something).

36! Good lord. I do have an MF01X myself, I hate it. What were Tamiya thinking putting a mk2 Escort shell on a 4WD chassis? The mind boggles.. 

[Kowalski86]

1 hour ago, Dangerous_Beard said:

36! Good lord. I do have an MF01X myself, I hate it. What were Tamiya thinking putting a mk2 Escort shell on a 4WD chassis? The mind boggles.. 

I definitely wouldn't want to run a Squash Van through puddles myself. If you think a 4wd Escort is odd I could show you a FWD Miata!

I'm not necessarily reccomending a Stampede (as they cost an extra bundle overseas), but you can recreate the look of iconic Tamiya RCs with more modern RCs if that's what you're into. At least, if you get something that still uses body clips.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Kowalski86 said:

I definitely wouldn't want to run a Squash Van through puddles myself. If you think a 4wd Escort is odd I could show you a FWD Miata!

I'm not necessarily reccomending a Stampede (as they cost an extra bundle overseas), but you can recreate the look of iconic Tamiya RCs with more modern RCs if that's what you're into. At least, if you get something that still uses body clips.

I love this. It looks fabulous. I have never owned a stampede but my buddy has a few Traxxas rigs,he swears by them. I have been tinkering with an idea for a few weeks now. I have a blackfoot body painted candy lime green I was thinking about putting it on my Gorgon chassis. I don't want to upset the Tamiya purists so I'll keep the photos off here 🫣. 

[GToddC5]

1 hour ago, Dangerous_Beard said:

. . . I have been tinkering with an idea for a few weeks now. I have a blackfoot body painted candy lime green I was thinking about putting it on my Gorgon chassis. I don't want to upset the Tamiya purists so I'll keep the photos off here 🫣. 

I wanna see! Just put it in the OTHER category, and name the thread Green Foot Cheese and you'll get all the clicks 

[LMF5000]

Thanks for all the replies so far everyone! It doesn't necessarily have to be a Tamiya, but it does have to be an assembly kit that's sub-€200. I couldn't find the assembly version of the grom, only the RTR. If anyone has a link I'd be grateful.

Good catch on the ground clearance of the manta ray/top force. I was mainly interested in those because they're the same chassis as the TA02 I built as my first car 20 years ago. Would've been nice to revisit it. But it makes sense that as a buggy the ground clearance won't be any better than the one I already have.

The MJX is interesting but somewhat similar in structure to my existing CC-02, and at €200 I don't see it really having a place in my garage for now, owing to the overlap with the CC-02.

The squash van is interesting and cheap (€135 on tamico.de). But since it's a gear-driven 4wd it means the power gets from the motor to the diffs via a long series of idler gears, which means a pair of bearings for every gear, so €35 in bearings to upgrade, and then there's the friction shocks as well.

The big wheels on a buggy/crawler idea is looking tempting. I could fit them on the TT-02BR or the CC-02. Which big wheels are compatible and would fit right and work well? My CC-02 already has a tendency to tip over easily at speed so I'd want something to stabilise it while also increasing ground clearsnce. Grip is not an issue - skidding and sliding is preferable to tipping over, and I fitted a gyro to help with the bump steer instead of relocating the servo so the handling is extremely robust now.

[Kowalski86]

3 hours ago, Dangerous_Beard said:

I love this. It looks fabulous. I have a blackfoot body painted candy lime green I was thinking about putting it on my Gorgon chassis. I don't want to upset the Tamiya purists so I'll keep the photos off here 🫣. 

Thanks, if you can pull that off I'd like to see it, I'm fairly brand-neuteral.

33 minutes ago, LMF5000 said:

Thanks for all the replies so far everyone! It doesn't necessarily have to be a Tamiya, but it does have to be an assembly kit that's sub-€200. I couldn't find the assembly version of the grom, only the RTR. If anyone has a link I'd be grateful.

Here's the US link, there might be an option to change your region.

https://www.arrma-rc.com/en/product/1-10-gorgon-2wd-rta-kit-brushed-monster-truck-battery-and-charger-included-gun-metal/ARA3230SKT1.html