TL-01

[spudnick]

[8D]Hi everyone I just wondered what I could do to beef up my standard TL-01 chassis.Any help appreciated.

[Gruntfuggly]

ESC, Bearings, oil shocks, carbon prop shaft/gear shafts, turnbuckles, quick release battery holder, universals, speed tuned gears, lightweight chassis, etc...

[spudnick]

What is ESC and Turnbuckles as I am new to this

[Gruntfuggly]

ESC - Electronic Speed Controller - you might already have one. If not, it replaces the moving resistor type speed controller with a sold state 'box' which will give you longer run times, and better control of speed. Manul speed controllers usually only have two or three speeds. A good start is a Mtroniks ECO 27 - they are waterproof and very simple to install, although limited to stock (27 turn) motors...

Turnbuckles - on your TL01 you probably have black plastic rods connecting the steering servo to the wheel uprights. On the TL01 these mean that the steering geometry is fixed (which is actually quite a good thing). Turnbuckles are threaded steel rods which replace the plastic rods and allow you to adjust the toe-in/out by turning them.

[Acto-Tuned]

The most important option parts for the TL01 are in my opinion:

1.Ball bearings – replaces the stock plastic/bronze bearing and reduces friction and wear giving your car longer run times, higher speed.

2.ESC

3.Oil shocks – better handling than the friction shocks. Also reduces the ride height slightly giving you a better camber.

After that put on whatever you like.

You should read this article on TamiyaUSA about making the TL01 more race worthy (but remember that he aims for a very regulated class that limits the amount of option parts allowed and that TL01 is not a good race car).

http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=11

There are also possible to replace the entire suspension with an aluminium version. That will make your car look beefy.

http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/default.php?...595_424_744_707

[TamiyaDan]

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[Acto-Tuned]

Maybe I was bit harsh with that statement and I’ll have to admit I never actually raced my TL01. But I did bash it quite a lot around the local indoor track (about 1-2 times a week from November-April for two seasons).

Some of what I felt made it a bad race car was: (I assume everybody even thinking of racing gets at least ball bearings and oil shocks so they are not on the list)

1.Lack of gearing ratios

2.Sloppy steering - the servo saver (and I used quite a few) on just about every TL01 I know about is sloppy causing the wheels to not straighten up properly after a turn. You can of course glue it but then It’s not a servo saver any more and you can get a hi-torque servo saver but that will be to short (at least Tamiyas own hi-torque saver is).

3.The front uprights are real weak point in my experience the bottom screw keeps falling out. I think it’s because the threads have three large grooves going downwards in them making it more like three small section of threads. (The option aluminium screws help a bit and I haven’t tried the aluminium upright since it wasn’t available at the time I drove mine).

4.The need for some upgrades. Dog bones with plastic ends, gear diff (which unload all the power if one tire leave the ground during the corner), battery holder that allows the battery to come flying out of the side if you crash (can be cured with option part).

5.Most of the electrics have to be placed a bit high so it has a little high CG. (Not sure how it much it matters really).

Now I agree that if the driver is good it will make up for many of the downsides of the car but I still feel that the lack of crucial adjustable parts out of the box and the horrible performance in some areas (sloppy steering is a nightmare when you trying to go down the straight) makes this car somewhat of an underdog when it comes to racing.

All that being said I still like the car and I use on roads and parking lots I wouldn’t even put my Xray on. Also the car has some potential when it comes to building a custom model. I even have a little TL01 project I plan to work on during the holidays.[]

[r6stu]

When I raced my TL01 almost every turn the car would roll!

I even had anti-roll bars and oil shocks etc..

The only shell I found that let me come 2nd at least was the opel manta! (Yellow mobil1/piaa I think)

Anyone got a picture of this shell?