TB-03?

[HunterZero]

I am a sad individual who actually really likes the TB-02. []

I hear that Tamiya is planning on releasing a TB Evo V in the not too distant future, but is there any news of Tamiya's plans to continue the 'standard' shaft drive line and release a TB-03?

- James

[Acto-Tuned]

The TB02 wasn’t a big hit for Tamiya was it? At least some Hong Kong based sellers dumped their prices on the TB02. If the TB02 was a failure I don’t think they’re going to release a TB03. For entry level they already have the TT01 and I’m not sure there is a marked for a kit that is too expensive for the beginner/basher and has none of the parts that the racers want. Besides Tamiya has the TA05 at a very favorable price and belt car is popular so I don’t think we will see a TB03.

Rather than making the TB02 an on-road touring car that didn’t offer anything special they should have continued to evolve the TB series as rally cars made for gravel/dirt. If they release a TB03 I hope they do a rally kit as well and not just Subaru body with slicks.

BTW: how would the TB02 hold up as rally car compared to the TB01? It is possible to get them (TB02) for a ridiculously low price.

[DJTheo]

Agree with Acto, the TB02 didnt have the advantage of dirt use like the TB01 and performancewise its anyway inferior to TA05, so it didn't really have a market.

Cheers

[HunterZero]

Sure, the TB-02 isn't as quick as a TA-05, but the TB-02 is a much older chassis now than the TA-05. I'd agree the TB-02 probably hasn't been a great seller, they're even cheap to buy off the hobby shop shelf here in Australia. I am sure Tamiya could produce a mid-range shaft drive car with performance comparable to the TA-05? The only question is whether such a car would sell.

The TT-01 is a cheap entry level car. The TB-02 and TA-05 are both mid-level cars, pitched at people who are just starting to get into racing or enthusiasts who want hop-ups like oil dampers and bearings included in the kit. They give the enthusiast a choice of drive lines. The thing is, the TA-05 is also the entry-level belt drive car for Tamiya. There's no 'bottom of the range' belt drive car, so if people want a belt drive, they go for a TA-05. So having the cheaper TT-01 around must reduce sales of the TB-02, since most beginners probably don't see much difference between them.

I do like the idea of having a 'comparable' belt drive and shaft drive mid-range cars to choose from.

The TB-02 doesn't have enough ground clearance for rallying, and doesn't have the dust cover like the TB-01, so it's hopeless off-road. Tamiya probably did lose a few more sales by not having the TB-02 able to go rallying like the TB-01. Maybe Tamiya could do a TB-03 as an on-road car with less weight than the TB-02, and have options (or a full off-road rally car kit version) for it for sealed drivetrain, better clearance and dustcover?

- James

[Tamiya King]

Iliked my TB-01 I had. Kinda think I will get another some day as I am slowly building back up my on road collection. But the TB-02 looked very cheap compared to the TB-01. Much like the TT-01. Tamiya needs to wake up and make them better, not cheaper! []

[HunterZero]

I wasn't too keen on the suspension setup on the TB-01. It used step screws, and had a fair amount of play in it. The example I looked at would 'settle' onto its suspension when put on its wheels. The TB-02's suspension was lifted from the TA-04, which was much better. Doesn't feel cheap at all, and comes with turnbuckles. I did replace the standard plastic steering set and motor mount with the alu versions though. Only other niggle is the plastic diff cups.

The TB-02 was definitely a lot higher quality than the TT-01. It was basically a TB Evo 3 reproduced in plastic.

- James

[DJTheo]

I dont have a TB02 but several TB01s and must say the TB01 is just a nice robust design, but is heavy, has big play in suspension and steering and transmission has big mass and not few friction, performancewise even my TT01D is far superior, TB01 is just good for rallying, but from what I have seen, as HunterZero said, the TB02 is a much better design performance- and qualitywise.

Cheers

[sunktothenutz]

I have two TB02's and race them most weekends and have done for the past 2 years.......great cars,very reliable..and beating the likes of xrays losi's etc!!!...in fact i have just sold a TA05 because i prefered the TB 02

[Acto-Tuned]

I like the idea behind the TB02 with its Evo3 gearboxes and TA04 suspension. You should think that this would make a perfect club racer and since sunktothenutz wins races with his TB02 it probably is a good racer. I’ve been to a few races around where I live and I don’t think any of the people there would race it simply because of its plastic bathtub chassis. So if they ever try to make a TB03 I think it’s important that they use some sort of composite material for the chassis rather than just plastic.

And next time I see a NIB TB02 below $80 I think I’ll buy it.

Ole

[DJTheo]

Maybe now that the TBEvo5 is coming we will see also a TB03 based on it?

Cheers

[HunterZero]

Maybe now that the TBEvo5 is coming we will see also a TB03 based on it?

Cheers

That's what I'm hoping!

Anyway, to those who have driven both the TA-05 and the TB-02 - just how much better than the TB-02 is the TA-05? Besides the torque steer, what handling differences are there?

- James

[minijosh]

I raced my TB01 for 3 weeks and then traded it and started racing my TA04 again.  I was looking around but I didn't see anything about a new shaft driven car but Tamiya wizzed their belt buggy past us all so hopefully the did another touring car too.

[adam1973]

It's on it's way; http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=58409

[Mad Ax]

Does HZ get a prize for being 2 years ahead of the game?

[Origineelreclamebord]

Does HZ get a prize for being 2 years ahead of the game?

Let's collect some money and give him a TB03 (or a TB02, what he likes best)

But I understand his doubts about the future of shaft drive cars, Almost all manufacturers nowadays use belt drive on 4WD cars...

And I also like the TB02, although I never actually drove it... But the concept is quite nice. You can use it for onroad driving but somewhere it still has the offroad capabilities (of course it needs some modification for it, but member Wrc Action has shown us that it is possible). The car is also nicely adjustable for it's price tag with the adjustable steering rods and upper arms.

I hope they also release a TB03 without the IFS suspension... It's really a step backwards in the versatility of the TB-chassis, why couldn't they just produce new shorter shocks and shorter shock towers for the lower bodied cars and longer shocks and shock towers for the higher bodied cars?

[Wrc action]

Well yes the TB02 was a great car in many ways and a big leap over the TB01 in many respects, the Suspension was superb, the chassis very capable and the weight distribution was also superb, couple to that the sharper steering and that you could still use the old TB01 inner cover and it was very good in that respect along with being 200grams lighter, yet all these parts where pretty much as tough.

However there where a few flaws! the front C hubs where to large to drop the suspension down anywhere, not a sticking point as you can use those from the TB01 LA set but an annoyance and then there is the final issue, the Ball Diffs which simply arent upto anything off road espically with XC tyres on like my Race touareg, it really is a shame but with constant diff problems mine is consigned to the for sale box. Anyone?

[yamita]

cant wait for the 03. I have lextra evo v drive train parts to be dropped right in...

[red eye]

i found this when i was browsing

[HunterZero]

Let's collect some money and give him a TB03 (or a TB02, what he likes best)

Haha! Yes, please!

I really like the TB-02. It was a great value kit for the price, it's a far better car than the TT-01 for not a lot more money. Was basically a plastic Evo III.

I have seen the new TB03, and it does look very appealing, sort of a shaft drive TA05 IFS. I was sure there'd ba a TB03 along eventually. Always liked the more direct response of a shaft drive car, as oppossed to the slingshot feel of the belt drive.

Time will tell how it compares to the very similar looking TA05.

- James