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Oh Dear.... (Bruiser clone)

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These are on eBay, pretty easy to find and I think links have been provided already.  Search for toucanhobby.

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Painted mine and added a Hilux bed with drop bed. Colour is a little off in pics but it's Tamiya TS-86. I still have to paint the details, wipers, trim etc. Also going to build a topper, rear bumper, and lights.

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With the Tamiya Lunchbox

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I tore down the shell of the 407 for painting and happened to have a mint Highlift Hilux shell with me. I compared the two here. 

 

 

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So that's it, a stolen copy, and not a Tamiya-sanctioned work in any way. <_<

Shameful how much praise it's getting... on TAMIYAclub no less.

Well, I guess that's the state of the hobby in 2018 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(back to my cave)

 

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Give it a few months and they'll be as rare and collectible as Holiday Buggy clones were a few years back, especially once the spares dry up
Buy a few now, make a mint later parting them out ;)

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If a company can produce a similar quality item for 1/3 the price, it's going to sell. Why is the Bruiser still so expensive? It has been mentioned on here multiple times that most of the re-re's are close to the price they were originally. Not the Bruiser. Just curious as to why that is?

Not trying to stir things up, just honestly curious about it. In the end I'm not buying a fake one or a real one.

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So, no one knows if it isn't Tamiya sanctioned. A number of people at the models unveiling said that it was a partnership with Tamiya and with Tamiya's booth next door no less. I wish I could get something in writing but I still think this is Tamiya's CM and they are in fact having it made in China with the expensive parts made in Japan to validate the "Made in Japan". Still, why waste money on this or the Bruiser when the first copyright infringement, the RC4WD Trailfinder 2 Mojave is better made, better performing, better looking, has more upgrades, is cheaper, and more durable than the Bruiser. Remember, there is a reason no one runs Tamiya's at crawler and scaler events out here...well...other than me that is. Those days are numbered as my Traxxas and Trailfinder are going to be my runners of choice from now on. Kind of a bummer.

So people, don't buy this shameful copy, buy the other shameful copy.

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1 hour ago, TWINSET said:

Give it a few months and they'll be as rare and collectible as Holiday Buggy clones were a few years back, especially once the spares dry up
Buy a few now, make a mint later parting them out ;)

Lol, I'm still counting all of my "Vacation Jalopy" parts money I made off that bonanza :rolleyes:

 

49 minutes ago, Biz73 said:

If a company can produce a similar quality item for 1/3 the price, it's going to sell. Why is the Bruiser still so expensive? It has been mentioned on here multiple times that most of the re-re's are close to the price they were originally. Not the Bruiser. Just curious as to why that is?

Not trying to stir things up, just honestly curious about it. In the end I'm not buying a fake one or a real one.

1. QA is expensive

2. Design is expensive

3.Distribution networks are expensive

4. Parts support is expensive

5.Advertising is cheap!    Nope, just kidding, actually it is incredibly expensive

6. Producing anything with this high of a parts count & quality at relatively low production numbers? You guessed it -- Big Money for small profit margins

 

And I'll say it again: RC model building is not very popular. We may have a very skewed impression when viewing things through the fanatic's eyes, but I can assure you that the entire hobby is a tiny blip on the radar when compared to so many other hobbies. It's a rare activity for the affluent, the affluent are slowly dying off, and by most indications there is no "next generation" that is filling the gap. The entire hobby industry is under threat, and Tamiya knows this.

 

Some of us remember when the global recession hit in the late 2000s. Many RC model producers cut back on production. What did Tamiya do? They started the re-release series, allowing fans to obtain the desirable older models at prices that they could afford. It was a huge injection of interest in the hobby, right at a time that people were tightening their belts. Now we are in the the height of an economic recovery, and Tamiya (until recently) has been offering their entire lineup at inflation-corrected prices equal to 20 years ago. Mad that they raised their MAP price? Then be mad at standard business practices shared by virtually every manufacturer on the planet.

Finally, as I try to keep my rant brief, a simple question for everyone complaining about Tamiya not offering what they want: WHO do you think Tamiya markets to? Modelers that would be happy to spend good money on a knockoff? Or fans that recognize the value of purchasing genuine Tamiya products? Look real closely at the current lineup and you'll notice where most of the new material is being introduced -- The 1/14 trucks get loads of new designs. Same goes for stuff like the Dancing Rider and Willys vehicles, which has a LOYAL following in Japan. Tamiya markets to paying customers. Anything less would be fiscally negligent. B)

Bottom line: Tamiya IS always on your side.

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On 7/9/2018 at 10:06 AM, Pintopower said:

So, no one knows if it isn't Tamiya sanctioned. A number of people at the models unveiling said that it was a partnership with Tamiya and with Tamiya's booth next door no less. I wish I could get something in writing but I still think this is Tamiya's CM and they are in fact having it made in China with the expensive parts made in Japan to validate the "Made in Japan". Still, why waste money on this or the Bruiser when the first copyright infringement, the RC4WD Trailfinder 2 Mojave is better made, better performing, better looking, has more upgrades, is cheaper, and more durable than the Bruiser. Remember, there is a reason no one runs Tamiya's at crawler and scaler events out here...well...other than me that is. Those days are numbered as my Traxxas and Trailfinder are going to be my runners of choice from now on. Kind of a bummer.

So people, don't buy this shameful copy, buy the other shameful copy.

Not sure I follow you.

These are in no way the original molds. If they're in a contract with Tamiya to produce Tamiya parts, why would they start over with all new molds?

Occam's Razor, my friend. They made a copy, and Tamiya had nothing to do with it other than producing all of the IP to begin with. I don't care if people go on defending the cloners, but to claim this is somehow sanctioned by Tamiya is a weird hill to die on.

RC4WD may make decently accurate scalers that are better at crawling, but I notice RC4WD's distinct lack of following that Tamiya seems to get, despite not having a competitive crawler of their own. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that Tamiya probably doesn't bother with that market because of the the required qualifiers you've just outlined above. I've had plenty of RC4WD products in my hands, and I can't say that any of it holds a flame to Tamiya in terms of fit & finish, but that's directly a result of who these products are individually marketed to. If Tamiya's signature design qualities aren't of value to you, then you will buy something else that doesn't include that in the price. Tamiya knows this. They aren't looking to capture customers who will jump ship when the next new thing comes out. Tamiya markets FUN. Who else is doing this? No one, because this is their niche.

For me personally, the little foibles included in most of Tamiya's designs are part of the appeal. Tamiya's lineup has always been like this. Having the patience to customize your model is a fun and relaxing activity, which is why I choose RC over static to begin with.

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I am a big Tamiya fan who has spent thousands of $$$ on new kits (yes new, bought from hobby shops and not from collectors/resellers) so Tamiya has gotten a fair chunk of my hard-earned money. In fact, I just bought another Avante 2011 the other day from Rcmart :) That said, I would buy one of these just for kicks. If it's a crappy copy with crappy parts and finish, then It'll just make me feel better for having a genuine Bruiser and Mountain Rider. If it turns out to be a good runner, then I'll go beat on it till the wheels fall off, something I wouldn't do to the genuine ones. It's a win for me either way. Cheers!

 

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9 hours ago, OCD said:

Not sure I follow you.

These are in no way the original molds. If they're in a contract with Tamiya to produce Tamiya parts, why would they start over with all new molds?

Occam's Razor, my friend. They made a copy, and Tamiya had nothing to do with it other than producing all of the IP to begin with. I don't care if people go on defending the cloners, but to claim this is somehow sanctioned by Tamiya is a weird hill to die on.

RC4WD may make decently accurate scalers that are better at crawling, but I notice the distinct lack of following that Tamiya gets despite not having a competitive crawler of their own. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that Tamiya probably doesn't bother with that market because of the the required qualifiers you've just outlined above. I've had plenty of RC4WD products in my hands, and I can't say that any of it holds a flame to Tamiya in terms of fit & finish, but that's directly a result of who these products are individually marketed to. If Tamiya's signature design qualities aren't of value to you, then you will buy something else that doesn't include that in the price. Tamiya knows this. They aren't looking to capture customers who will jump ship when the next new thing comes out. Tamiya markets FUN. Who else is doing this? No one, because this is their niche.

For me personally, the little foibles included in most of Tamiya's designs are part of the appeal. Tamiya's lineup has always been like this. Having the patience to customize your model is a fun and relaxing activity, which is why I choose RC over static to begin with.

So we know the body is not of the same molds, but are we sure the rest is also not of the same? 

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20 hours ago, Pintopower said:

I tore down the shell of the 407 for painting and happened to have a mint Highlift Hilux shell with me. I compared the two here. 

 

 

Does the rear bed of the Highlift Hilux match up to the cab of the 407?

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On 7/3/2018 at 3:28 AM, RC4x4 said:

Those of you who own one, look at the shocks closer. I just saw a video on youtube and looks like they have a spring around the shaft. No oil?

Cory

Correct, they do have spring on the shaft. I removed mine to soften the ride. The shocks are oil filled & just like vintage tamiya they leak. After market shocks would be a good upgrade, but for now I stripped mine & rebuilt them with fresh oil, tamiya red O rings & a dose of AE green slime. No bother as I had these things in my spares box. The shocks only require a very small amount of oil to function well. 

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5 hours ago, Static Age said:

Correct, they do have spring on the shaft. I removed mine to soften the ride. The shocks are oil filled & just like vintage tamiya they leak. After market shocks would be a good upgrade, but for now I stripped mine & rebuilt them with fresh oil, tamiya red O rings & a dose of AE green slime. No bother as I had these things in my spares box. The shocks only require a very small amount of oil to function well. 

It's good to hear that these have oil in them. I was just thinking they skipped that and added a spring.

I've always put teflon tape around the threads so it doesn't leak around the cap. I used to JB weld the on the brass insert around where it meets the aluminum body.

It works for awhile. I just redid my two runners and replaced the old bodies and the internal o-rings. Just takes maintenance to keep them in good order. It's funny how Tamiya

changed some stuff on the new ones but used the original shocks. They should have updated those a little. 

 

Cory

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It’s a storm in a teacup.

As far as Tamiya goes what have they ever done for the R/C enthusiast apart from re release some old kits and taken our money .

They are not approachable at all when it comes to Q and A .

Should me more of this - might shake them up and give them reason to focus on their customers .

They re release some old kits but do not re release other iconic kits - what’s with this - throw us a scrap every now and then when it suits them - meh 

 

Really who cares !

 

 

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17 minutes ago, Swarm said:

It’s a storm in a teacup.

As far as Tamiya goes what have they ever done for the R/C enthusiast apart from re release some old kits and taken our money .

They are not approachable at all when it comes to Q and A .

Should me more of this - might shake them up and give them reason to focus on their customers .

They re release some old kits but do not re release other iconic kits - what’s with this - throw us a scrap every now and then when it suits them - meh 

 

Really who cares !

 

 

Clearly you care.

Although I don't understand this attitude that Tamiya owes us anything beyond the product that we elect to spend our money on.

Q and A? Focus on their customers? I can't imagine a hobby company that does more of this than Tamiya in Japan -- which is where their customer base is.

What feeds this notion that we're entitled to anything from them? Does anyone here own shares of Tamiya?

 

 

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I too have bought one of these. I am generally dissapointed in the driving experience. I have torn down the font knuckles and re-shimmed to eliminate slop. I have torn down the rear axle and found that though well greased from the factory with a sticky red grease, the differential gears have been machining themselves to fit. A bunch of grey paste near the gears. The wear pattern looks well, bad. Not much room to adjust or clearance those gears as they are too tight as supplied, now it is too late. I used a BA11 locking pin from my CR01 kit (it came with two spares). Those fit fine as my HG did not include those parts.  

Now on to my question, were the originals this bad in fit and finish as well? Does the suspension on the originals (and re-re's) simply bounce over obstacles instead of articulate properly?

Next step is to get some softer leafs from rc4wd , remove some leafs, service shocks, replace shocks to see if it can be made decent. Otherwise, it may be time to get an actual bruiser and see if care in assembly makes for a drastically better truck.

Thoughts?

 

 

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I'll let others weigh in on the gears. But front knuckle slop and pogo-stick suspension are a hallmark of the Tamiya 3-speed experience. Enjoy!

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I removed a leaf from each spring & the coil spring on the damper shaft. It does allow for more articulation. I think due to the design axle articulation is limited. I'm also considering RC4WD leaf springs. The tyres are also very firm compared to most scale & crawler tyres.

As mentioned above its a very good clone in terms of handling. Watch any youtube video of a vintage 3 speed & they are quite stiff & bouncy, not like more modern scale truck at all. 

I think with a few subtle mods it will be a fun truck that I can run as much as I like without fear of damaging a vintage 3 speed. 

 

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I purchased one of these RCs with a coupon.  I figured "why not?"  I have yet to run mine, but I did notice as I am prepping the body for paint, that a rear window kit does not fit the clone cab (at least with mine).  I am in the process of adding material and putty to make a window fit to leave the camper cap off the bed.  Just an FYI.

Also, oven cleaner removes the chrome finish super-fast.  As I de-chrome a few parts.  My last observation with regards to the body, various body hardware looks cheap and strange, to me.  Nothing the metric hardware isle of a hardware store can't fix.

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 if you want a bruiser to have it just as a display model in your display case next to all your other Tamiya's...I think this would work out just fine...for the price.

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7 hours ago, skinned said:

 if you want a bruiser to have it just as a display model in your display case next to all your other Tamiya's...I think this would work out just fine...for the price.

It runs like a Bruiser too so why not bash it... for the price?

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Had mine for about 2 weeks now and ran about three full 5000Mah packs through it before deciding to tear into it to see how things were working.  During those initial packs I had one consistent problem that was more of a nuance than a real issue. The bolt that holds the steering saver kept getting loose and the two nuts that hold the steering to the frame kept loosing. Since I knew I was tearing this one down for a rebuild I didn't bother with Loctite at the time. Beyond nuts coming loose I had only 1 other issue. When shifting into 2wd Low the servo seems to off just slightly as the truck sometimes goes into neutral and won't move until you move the selector switch slightly. 

After 3 packs and about 3.5 hrs of run time I decided to tear the truck down to see how things were holding up. I'd heard rumors of there not being grease in the Axles etc.  During tear down I was happy to see that the only real wear to be seen was on the tires and some scratches on the underside of the chassis. I did find that pretty much every screw and nut on the entire truck was loose. Some were loose enough to remove by hand. 

Axles were packed with White grease that seemed a bit thin to me but was still very clean. No unusual wear on the axles or gears. Mesh felt good.  Hubs still felt tight. Slop in the steering is as good if not better than the Tamiya stuff. One issue I did find during reassembly is that the steering saver hits the metal support if you tighten it up enough to take all of the slop out of it.  This was a simply fix.   After you have everything screwed back together simply take pliers and move the support brace.  It will move just enough to let the saver swing past without contact. 

Rebuilt the axles with Thick marine grade green grease and used blue Loctite on everything. So far i have another 4 packs run through the truck and everything seems ok. Took the truck on a trail walk with me and ran it continuously for about 2 hrs and about 3 miles without any issues.  The only change i'm going to make is to move the ESC outside of the stock electronics box or simply remove the top of the box as the ESC gets hot with continuous running. 

I'm extremely happy with the truck. It's nice to be able to run one of these and not have to worry about hurting a $1000 truck. 

 

 

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