TT02B Neo Scorcher Pink Metallic Special

[XV Pilot]

Sounds like a good plan!

The TT02B is a good chassis with which to experiment with higher powered motors, as once you have strengthened the drivetrain as you are doing, it has the handling to cope with the extra pace.

Since it comes with a brushless-capable ESC, maybe pop a Turnigy motor in there and see how you like it!

[wood5tock]

Sounds like a good plan!

The TT02B is a good chassis with which to experiment with higher powered motors, as once you have strengthened the drivetrain as you are doing, it has the handling to cope with the extra pace.

Since it comes with a brushless-capable ESC, maybe pop a Turnigy motor in there and see how you like it!

Well this is what I am thinking as Tamiya are now shipping kits with the newer ESCs with brushless capabilities it could be a good time to have a look at this side of things. I got two more TBLE-02s ESCs the other day for stock, well £15 a pop delivered it would be rude not to...

[drcarlos]

I can't decide what to do motor/ESC wise with mine. It will be a turnigy track star motor, but I want to convert to lipo power on my cars and the lack of lipo cut off on the ESC is a real bummer. So its either a sensored trackstar and the tamiya ESC plus a lipo alarm or a trackstar uncensored and hobbyking ESC with built in cut off. I could use this ESC and a brushless motor and an alarm in my lunch box as it seems such a waste.

Wonder how long my stock diff's are going to last?

[XV Pilot]

Regarding the motor choice, I would go sensored all the way. It is sooo much smoother than an unsensored setup.

As for the ESC, the Tamiya one that comes with the car works well despite its lack of LiPo cutout. And while the motor/ESC/servo/RX side of the chassis is pretty crowded, the battery side has plenty of room for a LiPo alarm to be mounted on top of the battery strap. If I was to give LiPo a try, this is the approach I would take.

As for the diffs, the front one should be alright as it doesn't have to withstand much stress. However if you consider that the DF02 used metal diffs because the metal/plastic TT01 diffs were considered too weak, and that the TT02B uses TT02 plastic diffs which are even weaker than the TT01 diffs, I don't hold out much hope for the rear one, especially since you are upgrading the motor.

[Effigy3]

Things are moving along now, with the rear diff and motor going in on the next page.

Having read of the trouble that the Boondal guys were having with the plastic rear diff flexing in their TT02B race cars, this was another area that I wanted to upgrade from the outset. Luckily the sturdy metal DF02 diff fits perfectly in the rear of the car.

XV, I'm seriously considering getting this car for my daughter for her birthday next month. I think the two metal gears that you show here are from the Metal Parts Bag A 58328 Item # 9400152 from the Gravel Hound. Is that correct?

I'm trying to make as few hop ups as possible to keep the cost down while keeping the car as bullet proof as possible. The hope is that the pink car piques her interest enough to entice her to drive it, and that the 4WD and improved suspention (vs. the Grasshopper) helps her control it well enough that she wants to keep driving it. The fall back position is that if she abandons it I can add a few more hop ups and race it myself.

[XV Pilot]

Yes, that is correct. The metal parts bag contains the metal ring gear and pinion, as well as the metal diff internals. It also contains the brass ball attachments that I used for the shocks in place of the stock step screws, as well as a 19t steel pinion that is a nice upgrade over the smaller stock one - handy if your daughter feels the need for more speed once she is used to the car.

I am very confident that she will find it a considerable improvement over the Grasshopper, which will hopefully also contribute to her continued interest in the hobby. Mine is certainly a far easier car to drive than my Hornets, even though the TT-02B is much quicker.

[Effigy3]

My son quickly out grew the Grasshopper so I got him a DT-02 (still waiting for some hop ups to arrive to build it.) My daughter is frustrated with the Grasshopper because she keeps driving it into the lane barriers at the track but I don't think it's her. I'd bet that 90% is the car. I showed her a pic of the Pink yesterday and said, "It sure is too bad that that you don't like driving cars with us because I was thinking about getting you this for your birthday." She replies, "Wow! That really is my style." A bit more prodding and she said that she would like the car and give it another go if she could drive something so cool looking.

As long as my wife approves of the purchase I'm gonna get it. My daughters birthday is 2 weeks after mine, so I'll have the shiny new whatever it is my wife got for me in that Tamiya box I accidentally intercepted at UPS the other day, my son's Desert Gator will be finished, and my daughter will have a pink Neo Scorcher. That's all the ingredients for a wicked fun day at the track right there!

[XV Pilot]

That sounds brilliant! RC cars are a great family activity - my wife and I are both into them, as are my brother-in-law and our two nephews, so family RC days are a lot of fun. We don't have a track nearby, but a quiet piece of parkland works just as well.

What motor are you planning to put in your daughter's TT-02B? Reason I ask is that, if costs are a concern, you may not need to upgrade the diff unless you are also upgrading the motor. All the instances of trouble with the stock diffs that I have read about have been with uprated motors. The stock diffs seem fine with the stock motor AFAIK.

[Effigy3]

It ships with the Torque Tuned right? I'll stick with that for now. Eventually it'll get upgraded, hopefully for her if she gets into it and improves or for me if she bails. Either way though, it'll get bumped in the future. So then I could build it stock (full ball bearings though) and upgrade the motor and rear diff later. I think then the only upgrade I'll go with now is the main drive shaft and possibly the dog bones you used (which are from what parts bag exactly?) I really don't like the looks of the plastic jobbers.

[XV Pilot]

The stock plastic dogbones are not pretty, but they are also not too bad strength-wise, and probably fine for the stock motor. After all, they are the same as the ones shipped with the basic-spec DT-02 and DT-03 kits, and I have been using those in my 27T-powered DT-02 for a couple of years now with no breakages, as I am sure have many others.

There are several options available if you do want to upgrade though. The first option I tried were the GPM DT-03 alloy dogbones, which are aftermarket items available from Asiatees. They are very strong and a direct replacement for the stock parts.

However the extra-thick DT-03 alloy 'bones jarred with my aesthetic sense, so I fitted the slimmer and more elegant GPM DF-02 items instead. These are longer than the stock ones, so DF-02 axles and drive cups are also needed to accommodate the extra length.

DF-02 stock steel dogbones are an option I will consider if the alloy ones don't prove to be strong enough. They also need the DF-02 axles and drive cups to work with the TT-02B.

If you wanted to, you could also go for DF-02 universals, which cost a bit but are very nice.

[GregM]

The plastic DT-02/03/TT-02B dogbones are pretty sturdy. They hold up better than steel dogbones with non-hardened diff outdrives.

Regarding aluminium dogbones, they are often prone to bending and twisting, thus they need to be very thick.

I'd go either for the plastic parts, or for genuine Tamiya universals along with hardened outdrives.

[Effigy3]

The stock plastic dogbones are not pretty, but they are also not too bad strength-wise, and probably fine for the stock motor. After all, they are the same as the ones shipped with the basic-spec DT-02 and DT-03 kits, and I have been using those in my 27T-powered DT-02 for a couple of years now with no breakages, as I am sure have many others.

If you wanted to, you could also go for DF-02 universals, which cost a bit but are very nice.

Between this and what GregM said I think I'll run this with the plastic dogbones. If and when they fail I'll likely just go with the Tamiya universals. Thanks for all the input! I have 2 cars to build before I get to this one but it will happen. Oh yes, it *will* happen.

[Wild Willy Speed Shop]

Nice work XV, looks like a solid set up. I have never driven one of these.. how do they handle jumps?

[XV Pilot]

Mine jumps well, nice and flat, and it responds nicely to in-flight pitch corrections with the throttle. Landings are often tub-slappers with the stock shocks and oil, but at least this keeps the towers safe from harm. Not much different to a DF-02 in this regard.

[Effigy3]

Great! On with the build then!

The first page of build instructions deals with the installation of the propshaft and spur.

Like the DF02 before it, the TT02B comes with a plastic propshaft and composite plastic/metal drive cups. My DF02 is still on its original drive cups after several years of use, so I see no reason not to trust the ones that came with the TT02B.

However my experiences with the wobbly DF02 propshaft made me distrust the plastic item supplied with the TT02B, even though it does feel stiffer, so an alloy upgrade was fitted at the outset.

Oddly, the Tamiya alloy shaft is quite short compared to the plastic one. When fitted, it allows the drive cups and their connected shafts to move backwards and forwards by several mm. This isn't a problem for the rear one which is kept in place by the spur gear adaptor, but the front one moves a lot. Not enough to disengage from the drive pinion, but more than I'd like. My solution was to fit an O ring into each drive cup. This reduces the amount of movement while still leaving enough to allow for chassis flex.

XV, I've decided to get my daughter this car for her birthday in 4 weeks. I can't for the life of me find this prop shaft Tamiya USA search returns 4 pages of "prop shaft", many of which don't have a photo. Do you have a part number handy I could reference?

[XV Pilot]

Sure, the TT-02 alloy propshaft is part number 54501.

Glad to hear you went for this as your daughter's present - I am sure she'll enjoy it!

[Effigy3]

I notice that you used the screw pins for the uprights. On my sons DT-02 I replaced all the screw pins with steel shafts. Is this not necessary on the TT-02B?

Also, I'd like to get a 2nd set of wheels so we can have track tires on set A and basher tires on set B. There are no part numbers listed in the manual for the wheels. What wheels would you suggest?

Thank you for all the help!

Edit:

I see now from another TT-02B thread where you said that the Neo Scorcher wheels are a little smaller than the norm but that the DF-03 Dark Impact wheels would work on the TT-02B and are normal sized to accept a broader range of tires. Am I correct in thinking then that I should get a pair of RC Front Wheels: 58370 (ITEM# 0440209) and RC Rear Wheels: 58370 (ITEM# 0440210) on which to install her track tires? Anyone know if we can get the WHITE version of these rims?

Also, sorry for hijacking your build thread.

[XV Pilot]

I notice that you used the screw pins for the uprights. On my sons DT-02 I replaced all the screw pins with steel shafts. Is this not necessary on the TT-02B?

Replacing the screw pins with shafts and E-clips is only really necessary if there are problems with the screw pins backing out by themselves as you drive. I had this happen on my race DT-02, which now runs shafts, however I have had no issues with the screw pins on my TT-02B, neither have I heard it mentioned as a common problem with this chassis. Therefore I reckon the screw pins are fine. It is an easy enough thing to upgrade further down the line if troubles ever do develop.

Also, I'd like to get a 2nd set of wheels so we can have track tires on set A and basher tires on set B. There are no part numbers listed in the manual for the wheels. What wheels would you suggest?

I think the pink shell looks best with white wheels, so I went for the FTX Vantage wheel set in white. They have proven to be quite tough, and are very affordable. Here are the links to the ones I bought:

http://www.modelsport.co.uk/ftx-front-buggy-wheel-white-vantage/rc-car-products/365787

http://www.modelsport.co.uk/ftx-rear-buggy-wheel-white-vantage/rc-car-products/365788

If you want to keep it Tamiya, the newly-released white edition of the Dark Impact has white 2.2 wheels. Not sure of the part numbers though. Probably worth asking Mokei Kagaku. He seems to be a walking Tamiya encyclopaedia.

[Effigy3]

Thank you XV, you're a champ!

I plan on building her car at night after she's gone to sleep so she can open a functional car on her birthday. Shipping from UK to US can't take more than 4 weeks, right?

[XV Pilot]

Thank you XV, you're a champ!

I plan on building her car at night after she's gone to sleep so she can open a functional car on her birthday. Shipping from UK to US can't take more than 4 weeks, right?

Glad to help!

I think you ought to be fine. International shipping seems to be pretty quick these days. I have just received some parts from Hong Kong that I ordered about a week ago.

I am sure your daughter would enjoy being able to run the car on her birthday without having to wait for it to be built, but at the same time she might enjoy building it with you, and feel more protective of it if she was involved in the build process. I know that was the case with my nephew and the Rising Fighter my wife and I got him for his birthday.

I wonder if there is some way of having the best of both worlds, like maybe doing the fiddly and time-consuming bits such as diffs, shocks, decals, etc. beforehand, then doing a quick final assembly with her on the day, so she feels part of the build process, but can still drive a finished car on her birthday?

[Effigy3]

Glad to help!

I am sure your daughter would enjoy being able to run the car on her birthday without having to wait for it to be built, but at the same time she might enjoy building it with you, and feel more protective of it if she was involved in the build process. I know that was the case with my nephew and the Rising Fighter my wife and I got him for his birthday.

I wonder if there is some way of having the best of both worlds, like maybe doing the fiddly and time-consuming bits such as diffs, shocks, decals, etc. beforehand, then doing a quick final assembly with her on the day, so she feels part of the build process, but can still drive a finished car on her birthday?

Not a bad idea actually. And if she says she'd rather not help build, it's not like I can't just finish it up quickly myself.

[drcarlos]

Not a bad idea actually. And if she says she'd rather not help build, it's not like I can't just finish it up quickly myself.

The TT02B is an easy build and you should have it built fairly easily in a day, the pink special comes painted and waiting for paint to cure is easily the longest part of this build.

One thing I would add from the word go is one of the ball raced steering sets (GPM, JazRC, Eagle Racing), they will cost you around $20 and are a massive difference to the standard sloppy steering and make the car much easier to drive. Everything else is fine to start with and can be hopped up along the way if required.

[XV Pilot]

A nice little finishing touch arrived in the post the other day from Asiatees:

There isn't really anything wrong with the stock plastic battery strap, but this light yet sturdy CF one from Tech Racing looks a lot nicer!

[Problemchild]

such a lovely car

JJ

[Problemchild]

managed to snap my front suspension mount yesterday

its the FRP mount from the MS kit

hit a hole in the road at speed

another shopping trip to yeah racing

JJ