Intro and advice

[Gizo1]

Hi all I am new to rc, ever since a kid I always wanted a grasshopper and never got one, when I was in the Gold Coast recently I dropped to a rc shop and bought a hpi blitz on a impulse.

Now I have bought a tt02 kit with the gazoo body, and have been building it for the last week, just taking my time. I just installed the shocks tonight.

I am planning on doing a custom paint job.

To start with I am keeping the standard motor, but may upgrade later to brushless motor and esc.

I will use lipos as I have them already, I have just bought a lipo alarm. Looks like the esc is fine with lipos.

So what upgrades should I do, I was going to do oil shocks, I have already got bearings in place of the bushings.

I am keen to hear from anyone with advice , tips and suggestions

Tim

[jkyamog]

Welcome Tim.

Same here always wanted the tamiya when I was a kid, and started just a few years back. I don't have a TT02, but I think your starting point of bearings is good and oil shocks. Maybe a slightly faster motor, sport tuned or super stock tz or rz. Pretty sure others here will chime in.

[tamiya monkey]

Hi Tim, Welcome to the forum and Rc. Sounds like your off to a flying start and doing great, good to see you've started out with Lipo's as there great, just checking though, if your TT02 came with a Tamiya TEU104BK or the newer TEU105BK then neither have lipo cut-off built and you would over discharge your lipo.

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Also depending what radio gear your using, the 104 esc has no bec so sends battery voltage straight to your receiver, if on the other hand you have a 105 esc then this does have bec and your fine, just don't want you to damage your receiver as most dont like more than 6v.

Anyways keep us upto date and post up some pictures.

Regards Mark

[Gizo1]

It was supposed to come with the 105 esc, I have just pulled it out of the packet and they have put in a table-02s esc.

It's a brushless speed controller, I assume this will still work with a brush motor

[Gizo1]

Better do some research

[SteveU30]

The TBLE-02 ESC works with both Brushless and Brushed so you're OK there. It is also fine with 2.4GHz radio as it has a built in BEC. However, Li-Po is an issue as that ESC only cuts off at Li-Fe safe voltages which is lower than that recommended for Li-Po. You should really get a cheap Li-Po alarm off eBay and run that alongside the ESC to prolong the life of your Li-Pos.

[taliesin]

Steel pinion. Right away - the sooner the better! The stock alloy pinion will wear rapidly and trash your gears - particularly with a fast motor and Lipo power.

[tamiya monkey]

All good advice. lipo alarms are cheap as chips, or you could fit a lipo-cutoff, although i sold all my tamiya esc's on and bought esc's like mtroniks/modelsport xt series or the Hobbywing QUICRUN 1060 Brushed ESC, both are cheap, compact units, have lipo cut-off built in and bec. oh and waterproof.

Very mixed reviews on the TBLE-02 esc's. Although ive not had one myself.

And i second the steal pinion, i never fit the kit pinions they go straight in the bin.

[SteveU30]

Another vote for the Quicrun 1060, it's very quickly proving to be the weapon of choice on here since it's release a couple of months ago.

[mr crispy]

Welcome the the forum Gizo1. I see from reading your original post you already have a lipo alarm so looks like you're all set mate.

I recently bought a Lancia Delta Intergrale on the TT02 chassis and like yours it came with the new TBLE-02 ESC. I have a build thread if you're interested but I've yet to give it a proper run yet.

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=73132&view=&hl=&fromsearch=1

The hardest thing I found with this ESC is knowing when the set button is pressed as it's under a sticker and bearly moves. Once sorted though it's been fine for me. Not tried out the brushless yet but I do intend to.

I just fitted the standard kit silvercan motor and pinion, I did notice the kit suppled pinion was darker than the usual soft aluminium Tamiya ones and having done a little research it turns out these new pinions are hardened items so you should be fine with it for a while.

Hope you have fun with it and get some photos posted up

Nic

[Theibault]

Hi and welcome. I think everyone has given awesome advice. I would add that the best upgrade would be to your driving . Set up a gymkhana course (like they used to show in the old manuals) and just drive and have fun. Don't forget to post pics, we love pics and video!

[Gizo1]

I was not planning on doing the paint like the box, how hard us it to paint an original design? I have been looking at different designs, I was thinking dark blue blended to black sills, and a lightening design? Has anyone painted lightening before who can offer any tips