Jump to content
TwistedxSlayer

TB01 - Levant Rebuild/Build.

Recommended Posts

Well I did not think Id be back in the builds section for a very long time, but here we are.

 

Earlier this year, or maybe last year, I tried to make my TB01 into a buggy by using TL01B suspension parts and a few other bits and pieces, only to find out Tamiya made 2 truggy style vehicles based on the TB01 chassis, the Levant and Super Levant. BUT both are XB Builds and do not come in kit form. Anywhere.

 

There are differences between the Super and normal, mainly the Super has a longer wheelbase, and a 8t motor, where as the Levant has a 16t motor.

 

Both are fully brushless out of the box, which is unusual for Tamiya.

 

Fast forward to December 27th 2017.

 

Tamico i find out are having a sale. And in this sale, they have a few Levant Chassis, but only the chassis already built for a silly cheap price.

 

No wheels, no electronics, no tyres, no body

 

Just chassis.

 

So ive bought one, it arrived today, already built, my plan is to... strip it to see what its running, bearing wise, and then fit my own brushless system, amd other the next couple of months source a body, stickers and wheel and tyre set.

 

Ill do a full strip down and rebuild with pics.

Edited by TwistedxSlayer
Title change
  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yesterday I thought I’d make a start on the tear down and rebuild to see what was going on within the Levant.

I can happily report that it comes with full metal bearings throughout, so if Tamiya can fit bearings in an XB build, why oh why can they not supply bearings in kits?!

 

I know that the Levant is meant to have a 16t Brushless motor out of the box, but I really don’t like the look of the prop shaft, it looks a little flimsy for my liking. 

I know.... my TB01 rally car is only running brushed power, but has a very nice alloy GPM prop shaft, I’ll swap them over, shouldn’t be too difficult.

 

And this is where it goes horribly wrong in the fact that my quick 30 minute job turns into nearly 6 hours.

 

I decided that the Levant will be running brushless like Tamiya intended,  my only issue.... I don’t have a spare power system, and I can’t afford one yet, but I do have a decent setup within my TT02B, and I hardly run my TT02B, so I’m going to use the system out of the TT02B and retire that one to the shelf with its metallic pink body and wheels.

 

So it will be running a Speed Passion 10t And Hobbywing 10BL60 with a 19t ti coated pinion gear. And a Savox 1056TG servo and flysky Rx.

 

So I strip with electrics out of the TT02B, and the prop out of the TB01.

Now the TB01 has a splined prop shaft which is fine, the problem now arises that the Levant has D shaped prop ends like that comes on the Tamiya Alloy and carbon fibre propshaft for the TB01.

Not an issue, I’ll swap the pinion gears over for the crown wheels in the diffs. All 4 diffs stripped and pinion gears swapped over between the TB and Levant.

 

Rebuild and I decide to test the diffs are working to find that all the diffs lock up when fitted with the prop, so I strip them back down to see that the crown wheel pinion gears are different sizes, the Levant has smaller pinion gears than the TB01. The crown wheels look the same on both models, but just to be sure, I swap over the crown wheels from the TB to the Levant. Then rebuild the diffs again. The TB01 diffs are now working perfectly, but the front Levant diff keeps locking up. 

 

I strip rip it down again, to find a small stone wedged in between the teeth of the crown wheel, with that removed and rebuilt again, the front diff is working fine.

 

I can report that Tamiya aren’t shy when applying AW Grease into the diffs, crown wheels, and dog bone ends.

 

Now I start to fit the prop shaft from the Levant into the TB, get th front gearbox back on and attempt to fit the front part of the prop shaft to find the front prop shaft bearing carrier is a different size between the models, so they get swapped over the Levant, the bearing carrier on the Lv is bigger than the TB. Now I can fit the front part of the prop into the front gearbox. After some faffing around I get the rear part of the prop shaft fitted. And then spend the next 20mins trying to get the rear gearbox fitted. OMG it’s a total pain and just won’t line up, but eventually it slots into place, and gets refitted.

 

One thing I forgot to mention, along with the way of swapping over the crown wheels, the original diff from the TB01 got fitted into the TT02B to overcome an issue I had, so I had to swap them diffs back over between the TT02B and then TB01 because the crown wheel on the TT02B is fitted with 4 screws and the TB01 is fitted with only 3.

 

The Levant is fitted with Tamiya harden steel drive cups which is nice they are the same as TT01 and DF01 ones.

 

Currently,

TT02B rebuilt as sat as a roller.

TB01 rebuilt with Levant steel prop and crown wheels and pinion gears.

Levant, rebuilt with GPM alloy prop, TB01 crown wheels and pinion gears, but no wheels or body.

 

All in all, it took around 7 hours for the swaps which is about 6 hours longer than I wanted it to.

 

Now I’ve just gotta find somewhere to host pictures.

Edited by TwistedxSlayer
Added more info.
  • Like 1
  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3aMix50.jpg

 

All finished. Just needs wheels, a body and some alloy hexes, and maybe a couple of alloy TB01 parts, and possibly change the springs and shock oil depending on how it runs.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Lol, excellent stuff, glad you did a thread so in five years time you can remeber what went where!!!

I was really tempted with a Levant from Tamico, they had some cracking deals at xmas :)

Enjoy, look forward to your first drive.

 

 

  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Loving the "reverse-engineer the Tamiya Build" concept.... you should start a series...!  :)

 

 

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Cheers guys.

 

Im really looking forward to driving it. Undecided which wheels to go for. Ive been after a set of Proline Dirt Hawgs for a while but the Tamiya purist in me wants a set of Tamiya wheels that should be on the model. Ill be going with the Tamiya body and sticker set.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

After staring at @ALEXKYRIAK

Thread about his Monster style TT02. Ive settled on the NDF01 tyres and possibly a set of GF01 rims as they are super cool. And ill probably end up with a Levant body as Tamico are selling them painted and stickered for much cheapness.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Decided today was a good day to steal some Madbull rear wheels off my kids Madbulls and take this out for its 1st run. With 40mm clearance at the lowest point it handled very well indeed. Only issue is Madbull tyres provide next to no grip on wet gravel.

 

Next up decided to fit a set of buggy wheels with super gripper tyre but i only ran it around the living room that gave about 25mm clearance at the lowest point.

 

Then just for the laugh i fitted a set of touring car wheels and tyres. About 12mm clearance. Super low. Abd brilliant handling around the living room. Pics to follow!

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How’s the Levant running? I got completely lost on what diffs ended up where on your first post.... boy what a memory you have!

Ive just priced up the Levant XB at Tamico and it’s very tempting... plus I’ve a used rolling chassis TB01 in a box somewhere that might now get some daylight for some comparisons if nothing else.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Lol. Diff wise was easy when i had all 3 vehicles infront of me.

 

Its running decently on either buggy wheels or madbull wheels. Got a 2nd set of NDF01 tyres on the way but no wheels as of yet and no body.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Alloy steering has arrived. GF01 wheels have arrived. Waiting on one set of NFD01 tyres and the body. The body should hopefully be here today.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Body arrived yesterday. Its **** sexy. Lol. Still waiting on a 2nd set of tyres.

 

Alloy steering has been fitted. But it will be getting removed and refitted in the future when the yearly tear down is done to replace the bushes with bearings.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That looks awesome mate...! The black wheels go really well with the red/silver of the body, very nice composition.  Great stuff. 

  • Thanks 1

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

×
×
  • Create New...