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M 800STD

TA03F Pro Al parts

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Hi Guys,

Before I purchase and make a faux pas, I thought I would ask for opinions first.

Is it worth investing in the lower gearbox, F+R?

Weight is not a concern, neither is lack of parts or the pursuit of being a purist.

Ta, Ajj

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Are you talking about GPM hopups? -_- no real need for alloy bits imho 

Plastic originals work fine, even the suspension mounts on the gearboxes - have never ripped any off so far, usually the suspension arm lets go first. 

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@WillyChang

GPM or Dampers offering.

This is true, neither have I had lower gearbox failure.

I will be replacing the plastic steering support for Al item, as I have cracked a couple.

 

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"Dampers" is RCdamper on fleaBay? 

I think RCdamper sells GPM made bits but it's wierd, they come untagged and often of older stock (eg 1 generation's less improved machining, lesser fixing hardware etc) than if you bought GPM-tagged same part from elsewhere. Then later on RCdamper gets upgraded part but others have moved ahead too. Perhaps they're selling overstock or factory seconds/returns. 

 

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Yep.

That's interesting.  I thought dampers items were their manufactured items and not stock from GPM.

I did have a look at the parts and they seem identical.

What other manufacturers make the gearbox lowers? 

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1 hour ago, M 800STD said:

What other manufacturers make the gearbox lowers? 

these days, I think GPM is it :unsure: still actively making hopups for TA03 specific parts. At least I assume so, as they seem to have cycles of soldout then eventually stock reappear after a while.

Back when TA03 was current, it was very widely supported by jap hopup firms... ones that come to mind are:-

Tamiya/TRF (although no alloy suspension or gearcase parts)

Tech Racing

Kose

Cross

Tobee Craft

Square

kawada

Eagle Racing

T2M Racing

 

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nah, 'fraid not :mellow: our (& google's) problem is, TA03s PREDATE the common interwebs as we know it hahaha ... even when I google TA03s today, half the stuff it comes up with is déjàvu if not "hey that looks mighty familiar" -_-

big problem is, many of those jap firms love making 1-batch wonders and most were only distributed in Jp

and about 10yrs ago front motor'd TA03F was seen as holygrail for RC drifting, and boy was there a crazy arms race to build the craziest hopped up sleds... which hoovered up just about every last remaining fancy hopup stock worldwide

a good reference source might be RCCA mags from about '96-97... there were agents bringing some brands like Kose, Tech, Tobee & Cross to USA. They did some neat full page ads in RCCA.

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Thanks again, good info.

So in todays market place, does Kose, Tech, Tobee and Cross still exist?

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13 minutes ago, M 800STD said:

So in todays market place, does Kose, Tech, Tobee and Cross still exist?

I think so, all above still around making hopups for latest models... although I haven't personally bought any of their wares lately since I ceased actively racing.

They're low volume niche manufacturers but their alloy work is exquisite. Once you've seen/held any of their machined pieces of art... suddenly you release how chunky & unrefined GPM's stuff is ;)

but hey you gets what you pays for, GPM is a fraction of the price

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So I had a quick look and came across JetHobby quite quickly.  They only had residual of things I didn't want.

I did some further research today and came across a couple of build threads with highly modified TA03F and pics with parts numbers.

So now I know what I'm searching for, let the games begin.  To be honest I'll probably just shoot them an e-mail to see what they can do.

And yes, after seeing the other parts available, it makes GPM seem a little archaic.

 

Thanks Mr Chang, you superstar!

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The last time i visited GPM in Hong Kong, they were very accommodating with all requested parts.

They have CNC equipment. If they didnt have it in stock, a phone call to the "factory" was made and and i picked it up a day or so later.

I could even choose the colour of the anodising!!! 

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8 hours ago, M 800STD said:

So I had a quick look and came across JetHobby quite quickly.  They only had residual of things I didn't want.

I did some further research today and came across a couple of build threads with highly modified TA03F and pics with parts numbers.

So now I know what I'm searching for, let the games begin.  To be honest I'll probably just shoot them an e-mail to see what they can do.

And yes, after seeing the other parts available, it makes GPM seem a little archaic.

Can't say I didn't warn ye!! :rolleyes:

JetHobby is one of the older players in the game; at one stage they even had made their own housebrand of hopups around the time of TA03/TA04/TL01 era. Dunno if they still do today.

NOS of TA03 hopups probably long depleted by drift craze decade ago, even the old Japanese hobby shops that don't have online presence were cleaned out by local shoppers etc etc. in the 1990s we all "knew a friend who knew a friend" in Toyko ^_^ better still if that friend was a commercial pilot who flew the sched to Narita 5 times a fortnight :ph34r: 

If you don't necessarily need to have NOS parts, don't overlook buying used cars for their hopups too. Other than chassis plates (love those saddlepack 03 plates) most hopups don't get wornout. 

Some parts like TA03's C-hub and knuckle are today described as CC01 crosscountry parts.

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2 hours ago, oz-trash-cowboy said:

They have CNC equipment. If they didnt have it in stock, a phone call to the "factory" was made and and i picked it up a day or so later.

I could even choose the colour of the anodising!!! 

Nothing against GPM, they make chunky-strong parts worth their $ :P

Anybody can buy CNC machinery... but programming it properly could use a bit more skill than the bare functional minimum. It's like a Cold War era Russki wristwatch vs one identical age made not all that far away in Switzerland.

Simple aesthetics like routing out cavities but leaving enough webbing for strength, rounding off corners & edges, wouldn't add much to machining time imho. Gives it a "finished" look vs a preproduction test mule.

Other companies can be bothered to CNC a part, anodise it then put them back into the CNC to bevel off the edges showing shiny aluminium in contrast to the coloured remainder. Makes it look & "worth" so much better... and often they're not much dearer than GPM equivalent either.

My biggest beef with GPM is some of their designs is getting seriously sloppy, such as keyed shaft in to keyed lever being able to rock when assembled. Imagine driving a car with a quarter-turn freeplay at the wheel before the steering responded, that's how serious that is. Maybe we've tolerated such high tolerances back in the 1940s but today's CNCs can crank out metal-2-metal mating surfaces that are gas-tight without needing gaskets.

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@oz-trash-cowboy

I really wish I did do what I said I was going to do, with regards to GPM.  Basically last  night I made an order at dampers in haste, which I regret.

I suppose I just wanted to start building and there wasn't much I could do without lower halves.

@WillyChang

Yep, all the important parts are long gone.  I did see some interesting parts on JP websites, but my Japanese isn't that great.  My German has improved though.

The funny thing is my mate is commercial pilot, Captain.

High prices and rare parts, what did I really expect coming to the game this late.  Anyway, I have most the parts I wanted.

Agree, I'm not scared in buying complete kits just for parts, most the times it works out far more cost effective.

Common parts, yeah, if you know your stuff it's amazing what trouble you can get yourself out of.  I have, NIB, collection of spares for the car, was trying to future proof it.

I have to admit I have had poor machined rc parts from the east before and hoping that the dampers items have extremely close tolerances otherwise this would be pointless and a waste of money.

Fingers crossed.

Options installed circa 20 years ago:

WP_20170130_20_33_48_Pro_zpsmz9xfevj.jpg

Options purchased:

WP_20170130_20_34_21_Pro_zpsltf6j1ms.jpg

Still waiting on other parts.

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Nice stash ^_^ mirrors mine :D 

Lately those c-hubs & knuckles are under demand from TA02SW newcomers... wonder if T did make some more, seems to be resurgence of stock in recent years - more than I'd expect being NOS unearthed.

The CF plates were hitting crazy $$$ at one stage, over US$200?!? We quickly drew up & cut ScratchProtect vinyl for both F & R plates... never run without Protection these days :ph34r:

Most GPM bits are serviceable. The only thing I wouldn't buy from RCdampers would be GPM dampers :blink: then again nothing compares to TRFs.

Got these? 

DSC04628s.jpg

T's are ok but Eagle Racing's shaft is even more skeleton.

 

Turnbuckles good

DSC02687.jpg

 

i like "koala nose" on all my Fs 

IMG_0137.jpg

 

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I was on a JP yahoo site of sorts and came across a TA03F Pro with gold coloured lower arms.  I just started dribbling.  They were so sculptured, couldn't see makers name -****!

I also have plenty of plastic parts, F+R gear boxes, J parts - the now expensive bits.

I've noticed this but don't think they did produce more.  To me there has not been enough to suggest a re-release of these parts.  I could be wrong.

I secured the chassis plates for $80, delivered which wasn't bad.  Whilst doing searches for parts I found it a few times for reasonable money.  Thankfully, there are places that still sell the parts at RRP instead of vintage prices.

With regards to dampers, I have to admit I was looking at the super low friction dampers, black, but they were silly money.  Then I started looking at the TRF dampers of the later kits.  In the end I opted for the Fluorine dampers, like yours.

I have the shafts and the bumper set.  Can you get the sponge separately?

Turnbuckles have been a right pain.  If you have x2 spare sets up for grabs, that would be fantastic!  :)  There is a place in europe that has them at a very good price, but he refuses to sell them to me as apparently the UK is not part of Europe and he states he refuses to pay these medevil taxes.  Great.

The only thing I'm going to try, during the build, is geared rear diff and front one way.  I just don't like those ball differentials. Oh and use low suspension mount on rear, as well as front.

 

I do like that Parts Box, did it come full?  Would love to have one.

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No haven't ever seen sticky bumper foam sold separately. I apply at most 1 foam on bumper only; I stick foam to the bodyshell inside to fill up rest of cavity.

Turnbuckles OP192, usually trip over them at any LHS. They're not TA03 specific.

i just go for basic blue TRF fluorine shocks, commonest & easiest to find - think I've about a dozen sets on rotation (easiest to keep shocks built in different Pistons & oil grades, than changing oil at the track). Don't understand the later ones with bubbles inside, IMHO bubbles=enemy. 

If you use low shock tower, don't you need the Super Mini CVA length shocks? Std TRFs be too long, you'd need the Mini's TRFs. 

Haha yeah I loved seeing the iconic TAMIYA RC PARTS BOX @ LHS when I was a kid... that box was more magical than Aladdin's cave. Have only seen them appear forsale once (used, rescued from derelict LHS I think), had to own it - never seen again ever since. Box is a Jap commodity but Tamiya has theirs printed on the lid. Very handy artefact, still earns its keep.

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9 hours ago, M 800STD said:

The only thing I'm going to try, during the build, is geared rear diff and front one way.  I just don't like those ball differentials.

Balldiffs are very simple to build... I'll let u in on a little secret.

That big screw? Must ALWAYS be fully tight! Never even slightly loose.

Unlike modern balldiffs with skinny 2mm screw that adjusts tightness, TA03 balldiff is adjusted ONLY via adding/removing the wavy spring shims. 

And you won't have enough shims to fully lock the diff... if you want it really tight, throw out the wavy springs & thrust bearing then replace that whole lot with a single 1150 BB under the big screw. 

Tighten fully ^_^

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I'll probably just buy a piece of foam and custom shape it to the shell.

What does LHS stand for?  If not specific to TA03, is the pack contents the same and what's the part number please?

To me bubbles in dampers is not right.  Whilst we're chatting about this, I've always built my dampers without a damper bubble remover tool.  Do you use one and can you suggest a decent one?

To prevent an over increase in ride height, I'll be using the tuned spring set.  This should compensate for the length.  Right now the car has a brushed motor up front, blue springs on stock shocks with 2mm spacer and it's sitting a little too low.  Fingers crossed it'll work out.  :unsure:

Just the perfect place to keep small parts.  It may sound silly but I like that the part description is printed on the lid.

Hmmm, fully tighten.  My intensions was to make each diff as smooth and free as possible.  To me the ball diffs never felt this way, hence my dislike for them and they can go out of tune.  Also the diffs would be a lighter rotating mass, if not in ball spec.  I will re-build the ball diffs and have a feel at bench before I decide.

Finally, with a brushless set-up, I was thinking either 17 pulley, front and rear, or with a 16 on front pulley.  We'll see.

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LHS = local hobby store.

I built a TA03 r trf last year and found it the most economical way of building a hopped up ta03 chassis. I added titanium screws,lower reinforced shock mounts,aluminium front knuckles,tungsten diff balls,aluminium pressure plate set,torque control unit,urethane bumper,universal shafts for the rear plus a few more I can't remember. I think it has every tamiya option fitted.Still an expensive exercise, having a load of hop ups in the kit helps no end. Paid about £250 for mine NIB, seen them for a lot more recently though.

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@svenb

:lol:, thanks, what a donut.

This all started over 15 years ago with a new, £169.99, TA03F Pro.  I then quickly purchased lots of Hop-Ups.  Now I'm just replacing some parts and Hopping it up a little more, ready for use.

Doing this so many years later has proven to be a very expensive exercise, having to purchase, "Vintage" parts and paying shipping from multiple locations.  Oh well, it's nearly over - yeah right, still need electrics and want a new radio.  I've also got a, NIB, CLK GTR body set to finish it off - just not sure what decal set I'll use.  Can't wait to see it finished.

Any pics of your?

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Yeah I'll do some pic's mate

I've got a Escort Cosworth Repsol body on mine.

I had a brief spell club racing a ta03f, but the lure of a ta06 made me sell it☹

give me a day and I'll up load some 👍

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16 hours ago, M 800STD said:

Finally, with a brushless set-up, I was thinking either 17 pulley, front and rear, or with a 16 on front pulley.  We'll see.

Pulley on F always gotta be 16+16 or 17+15... unless you've got a source of slightly different belts.

Have got ongoing mission to devise a way to run 20+12... that projects been going for years; I don't have any means to custom cut pulleys nor make belts.

 

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16 hours ago, M 800STD said:

Hmmm, fully tighten.  My intensions was to make each diff as smooth and free as possible.  To me the ball diffs never felt this way, hence my dislike for them and they can go out of tune.  Also the diffs would be a lighter rotating mass, if not in ball spec.  I will re-build the ball diffs and have a feel at bench before I decide.

Best to use fresh 3mm balls every rebuild. Use proper BallDiff Grease, none other. 

Fully tightening the big screw doesn't tighten the diff until it's locked. If you want it tighter gotta add more wavy washers. 

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