Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Palfertronic

Ballraces...

Recommended Posts

I have just built a DT-03 Racing Fighter, and its a good kit, plenty of extras, like CVA shocks, and a tuned motor...but no decent bearings! just the usual plastic ones....Luckily, I had a set of DT-02 ballraces in my box, and so it got built with ballraces from the start!

So..in a nutshell, Why do Tamiya keep pushing out new kits with rubbish bearings that any self respecting modeller would replace with ballraces from the start? We are only talking 14 quid for a set of bearings, so why not just put them in the kit, like they do on the DT-02 Sand Viper?

I would expect ballrace bearings in the gearbox/diff at the very least, for ANY kit...plastic bearings are just for the shelfers!!

any thoughts?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My last DT-03 cost £50 and the bearing set was just under a tenner posted. So in theory adding the bearings would up the cost of of the kit 20%.

Would they sell as many at £60 with bearings? They obviously think not.

Do it at £40 without the ESC and I would have an attic full

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Simply that adding £10 to a kit price for inclusion of bearings will put some people off, especially those buying their first kit who also have to buy radio gear, servo, paint , battery and charger. I've bought plenty of used models with bushings in, often those are less worn than the gritty bearings I seem to inherit in other buys :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As already stated price, price, price. When people buy their first kit, they don't know what to expect. Then they are probably easier to convince to buy bearings, faster motor, new esc, maybe lipos and so on later.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I do appreciate that it would push up the cost of the kit, but I think in real terms, RC models have never been cheaper!

I seem to recall paying around 50 quid for a Hornet back in 1990, and with a MSC too! Radio was an Acoms, (£40), Battery was about £7....I already had a charger, a clockwork MFA one...about £20...add a couple of battery packs, and you didn't get much change out of £180....

Price up the same now, and the cost will be probably less....and £180 bought a lot more beer back in 1990!

Tamiya sold shedloads of cars back then, that's why we are all on here! cost didn't put us off then....

Come on Tamiya..its the 21st century now!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I do appreciate that it would push up the cost of the kit, but I think in real terms, RC models have never been cheaper!

I seem to recall paying around 50 quid for a Hornet back in 1990, and with a MSC too! Radio was an Acoms, (£40), Battery was about £7....I already had a charger, a clockwork MFA one...about £20...add a couple of battery packs, and you didn't get much change out of £180....

Price up the same now, and the cost will be probably less....and £180 bought a lot more beer back in 1990!

Tamiya sold shedloads of cars back then, that's why we are all on here! cost didn't put us off then....

Come on Tamiya..its the 21st century now!

Even they we would not be happy. The bearings would be the wrong type or quality so for us.

I run metal inside and rubber sealed on any part exposed to the elements, I cannot see them putting two types in just for me

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What could also be said is that Tamiya could bulk buy bearings that would cost condiderably less than £10 per kit with their buying power and leverage over suppliers. I have also pondered the same question regarding the inclusion of bearings.

But I must admit the DT-03 was and still is very good value for money.

Steve.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Some logical thinking here, but some very naive folks that think Tamiya would be paying much more for ball bearings than they do nylon bearings. If I can buy branded bearings on discount at 26p each, consider that two parties have put a profit margin on that before my purchase. The manufacturer and the distributor.

It would cost Tamiya pennies (literally) to switch.

Then also consider that with every new kit release Tamiya will simultaneously release a bearing set, with a hideous mark-up. I imagine the profit from these alone is pretty high, so why jeopardise their sale? There's obviously still a market for them, despite the aftermarket suppliers taking a chunk of potential business.

A firm business strategy if ever there was one!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Some logical thinking here, but some very naive folks that think Tamiya would be paying much more for ball bearings than they do nylon bearings. If I can buy branded bearings on discount at 26p each, consider that two parties have put a profit margin on that before my purchase. The manufacturer and the distributor.

It would cost Tamiya pennies (literally) to switch.

Then also consider that with every new kit release Tamiya will simultaneously release a bearing set, with a hideous mark-up. I imagine the profit from these alone is pretty high, so why jeopardise their sale? There's obviously still a market for them, despite the aftermarket suppliers taking a chunk of potential business.

A firm business strategy if ever there was one!

Very well put. The only time I've purchased Tamiya branded bearings is from Banzai for a TT-01e restoration as they were stupidly cheap compared to UK prices. All my bearings tend to be bought from HK. It would be interesting to evaluate the quality difference between the two as I presume there are industry standards.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It would be interesting to see them compared for sure. To my eye and for my requirements the cheapest bearings from the far east have never given me any issues.

From a manufacturing perspective at least, the tolerances have to be very tight just by the very nature of how a bearing is assembled. Too much margin for error and they'd simply not work or fall apart.

Materials and their longevity would be the interesting bit - and just how relevant that is to a small toy car I don't know! But if they're fitting these things to machinery then I think we're pretty safe!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Considering the most likely tiny number of kit sales Tamiya have lost based on the car NOT coming with bearings, they have zero motivation to include them really.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The plastic bushings used to annoy me, but now they're sort of part of the nostalgic charm, part of the "Tamiya-ness." Especially with the re-release kits. They're comforting, somehow, even if you don't use them. (I'm even beginning to wish the re-res came with mechanical speed controls.)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Remember, Tamiya is an injection moulded plastic model company, it wouldn't cost them 5c to produce nylon bushings.

The only Tamiya bearings I have bought are their blue rubber sealed branded ones from the 80's, and will continue to do so, as they are a nostalgic upgrade like hi caps, 1200 racing packs, and technigolds.

Bearings are a consumable item in a runner RC imo.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I bought a DF-03 and a DT-02 for my sons years ago. We had a good time building them.

Both kits came with roller bearings. I was pleasantly surprised by this. The kits were at a good price point too.

When I recently acquired a Monster Beetle re-re I was perplexed as to why it was back to plastic bushings.

I'm still puzzled by it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree that Tamiya should include bearings with every kit, but they don't. That being said, every Tamiya aficionado should have 1 or 3 of these lol. ;)

20160324_224726_zpszjkxesml.jpg

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree that Tamiya should include bearings with every kit, but they don't. That being said, every Tamiya aficionado should have 1 or 3 of these lol. ;)

20160324_224726_zpszjkxesml.jpg

Funny that, I was thinking the same thing. Only I don't know the sizes/bearing numbers of the ones that would be most handy to have on hand.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If that were mine, you would be able to see the "Out of stock, please reorder" sticker at the bottom! :P

No, they are really cheap, everyone should have a bunch of spares! :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

5x11 and 5x8 tend to be the most common and useful to have in your bearing box.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I asked about this years ago and actually got a good answer.

They were fitted with nylon bushes with the lack of maintenance in mind. Most will have been bought by parents for their kids, used and abused a few times then forgotten in a shed or loft for months or years. Bearings will rust and sieze, a nylon bush will just sit there. When they get 'rediscovered', no need to strip and replace, just charge the battery and go.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I asked about this years ago and actually got a good answer.

They were fitted with nylon bushes with the lack of maintenance in mind. Most will have been bought by parents for their kids, used and abused a few times then forgotten in a shed or loft for months or years. Bearings will rust and sieze, a nylon bush will just sit there. When they get 'rediscovered', no need to strip and replace, just charge the battery and go.

That does make good sense, still bearings would be great.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...