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Tamiya 47381 - Super Astute (2018)

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2 hours ago, racer1 said:

You’re a whole lot luckier than most.  I killed a king cab diff in a single pack once. After replacing it 5 or 6 times I finally just restored the truck and put it on the shelf until it was eventually sold  

The new one I just received has a shot diff but the truck otherwise looks brand new. The plan from the start was to swap a stealth but since the SA is back I figured why not give it a try first.  

 

I did only run stock motors but she treated me right. I'm going to try the new SA trans when it.comes out too, BUT the stealth is AMAZING and can handle anything I throw at it . 

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I always wanted an ASTUTE back in the day but never did. I think I'm getting one or two!

 

Cory

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All this talk of a Super Astute, made me start thinking of my old TRF201 from years ago. Top of the line bits and whistles in one box. Well, for a Tamiya its well equipped anyway. Then it hit me to grab another one before they are totally gone. Found one NIB on Ebay ready for me to make an obscene low offer on, that was accepted by the seller. I doubt Tamiya will ever re-release this model since it doesn't have a classy name like Dyna Destroyer, or Super Jackal.

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8 minutes ago, Hobbimaster said:

All this talk of a Super Astute, made me start thinking of my old TRF201 from years ago. Top of the line bits and whistles in one box. Well, for a Tamiya its well equipped anyway. Then it hit me to grab another one before they are totally gone. Found one NIB on Ebay ready for me to make an obscene low offer on, that was accepted by the seller. I doubt Tamiya will ever re-release this model since it doesn't have a classy name like Dyna Destroyer, or Super Jackal.

I think I am with you on this. I was really excited by the Super Astute ReRe at first. Never had one back in the day, but did loads of research last year into what it would take to get one up and running. Then a few months back I picked up a lovely DN01 and it's just ace. I really can't see what owning a Super Astute would add to my fleet. So I shall watch all these build threads later in the year and enjoy them from afar. 

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2 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

I think I am with you on this. I was really excited by the Super Astute ReRe at first. Never had one back in the day, but did loads of research last year into what it would take to get one up and running. Then a few months back I picked up a lovely DN01 and it's just ace. I really can't see what owning a Super Astute would add to my fleet. So I shall watch all these build threads later in the year and enjoy them from afar. 

I'd imagine that many people (me included) have much more capable cars than Tamiya have ever offered, but looking back to the Astute and Super Astute there's a massive amount of nostalgia that takes people back to their younger days. That's my excuse anyway. I've got modern buggies that will rung rings around any Tamiya, but I'm still drawn back. I bought a Manta Ray from Ebay yesterday so I don't destroy my original. I'll plough loads into it knowing it'll never match my Cat.

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Hopefully they make enough of them, so we can all get one! Plus I have a set of new hicaps here that need a home

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8 hours ago, nellyle said:

I'd imagine that many people (me included) have much more capable cars than Tamiya have ever offered, but looking back to the Astute and Super Astute there's a massive amount of nostalgia that takes people back to their younger days. That's my excuse anyway. I've got modern buggies that will rung rings around any Tamiya, but I'm still drawn back. I bought a Manta Ray from Ebay yesterday so I don't destroy my original. I'll plough loads into it knowing it'll never match my Cat.

I don't doubt this for a second, and I am totally with you in the Tamiya bandwagon! I guess because because I am not driven by that nostalgia about this model I was just briefly excited to buy an iconic Tamiya with good performance. I am not in the least bit interested in SRBs or older cars which look great but drive terribly. I guess what I was trying to say is that the Super Astute is likely to be so good that it will be almost identical to my DN01 in terms of handling and performance. As I don't like having shelfers I try and make my cars different to drive so they all have their own thing going on, and I already have a really nice high-ish spec rear motor buggy. Maybe I'll get a Desert Gator body for my DN01 and dress it up like an Astute. I have seen a few good Astute-a-likes using this body on a DT02.

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16 hours ago, nellyle said:

I'd imagine that many people (me included) have much more capable cars than Tamiya have ever offered, but looking back to the Astute and Super Astute there's a massive amount of nostalgia that takes people back to their younger days. That's my excuse anyway. I've got modern buggies that will rung rings around any Tamiya, but I'm still drawn back. I bought a Manta Ray from Ebay yesterday so I don't destroy my original. I'll plough loads into it knowing it'll never match my Cat.

Yes, indeed you are correct. I have more re-releases now than modern racers, I actually prefer the re-releases at times. What I was thinking of doing was trying to mate a Super Astute body on a TRF201 since spare shells may be available now.

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8 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

I don't doubt this for a second, and I am totally with you in the Tamiya bandwagon! I guess because because I am not driven by that nostalgia about this model I was just briefly excited to buy an iconic Tamiya with good performance. I am not in the least bit interested in SRBs or older cars which look great but drive terribly. I guess what I was trying to say is that the Super Astute is likely to be so good that it will be almost identical to my DN01 in terms of handling and performance. As I don't like having shelfers I try and make my cars different to drive so they all have their own thing going on, and I already have a really nice high-ish spec rear motor buggy. Maybe I'll get a Desert Gator body for my DN01 and dress it up like an Astute. I have seen a few good Astute-a-likes using this body on a DT02.

Having owned an astute as a kid and a dn01 now i can tell you that there is nothing comparable. The astute was heavy and broke easily. I never had diff issues with mine and i ran a twister mod motor with novak T1 esc. I would think the dn01 would run circles  around it. I still may get one but i think i would rather spend the extra cash on a black avante. 

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18 minutes ago, Rb4276 said:

Having owned an astute as a kid and a dn01 now i can tell you that there is nothing comparable. The astute was heavy and broke easily. I never had diff issues with mine and i ran a twister mod motor with novak T1 esc. I would think the dn01 would run circles  around it. I still may get one but i think i would rather spend the extra cash on a black avante. 

Interesting. I feel even better about my DN01 now!

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As I was assembling my Egress it hit me. Except for a few outliers (TRF Cars) Tamiyas are about the joy of the build, the aesthetics, and then their performance. In that order for the most of us. Sure can the TRF201 be had for similar money as the Super Astute, yep. Will it be as much fun to build and look at, nope. I could've got a new TRF 4wd buggy for close to the price of the Egress. I'm not looking to be champion, I just wanted a fun to build car that looks amazing and won't embarrass me on the track. The Egress fits the bill and so will the Super Astute. 

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35 minutes ago, Rb4276 said:

Having owned an astute as a kid and a dn01 now i can tell you that there is nothing comparable. The astute was heavy and broke easily. I never had diff issues with mine and i ran a twister mod motor with novak T1 esc. I would think the dn01 would run circles  around it. I still may get one but i think i would rather spend the extra cash on a black avante. 

I think modern plastic will fix the prone weak areas of the Astute, "they" did for the Avante series. The Super Astute's simplified front and rear suspension cut some weight, but with modern Brushless Power weight really isn't an issue anymore. I'm praying Tamiya made the transmission bomb proof with the 201 differential like they did with the Egress and Black Avante

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Just thought I'd weigh in with some important info for all you inbound Super Astute runners.  I've been lucky enough to  own and run these for years and I have a good knowledge of what works.....and doesn't.  See my showroom if you like, 

Hi Cap dampers work better than aeration buggy dampers on this car and the standard Egress 2013 springs are a good match too.  The aeration damper front shock body is too long for the standard front shock tower so they bottom out mid stroke.  You must use the fibrelyte front shock tower or custom make a front shock tower which is longer when using aeration dampers.

The re-release is unlikely to have a ball diff and doesn't need one.  The SA gear diff is a very light and super smooth planetary type gear diff which works perfectly along with the slipper in the TTC.  Tamiya's TTC upgrade will only be a coil spring for adjustment rather than the original disc spring.  Just pack the diff up with heavy grease to limit the action.  AW grease does absolutely nothing so you have to go thicker than that.  Don't lock it though, that will cause you problems.

The 0.5 pitch teeth are beautifuly smooth and quiet so I vote this stays.  Yes, others are correct that you have to run hot motors with TTC gearing.  Hence why Tamiya are showing it with brushless.  This kit will have no motor.  I run mine with a 17x2 (30,000 rpm) but a Tamiya Super Stock is just acceptable with the biggest pinion you can squeeze in which is 24t / 25t.  A little touch with a round file in the adjustment slot if you have to.

My standard SA battery tray does take square packs, just smaller ones (3600 mah).  I'm using the Astute / Avante / Egress type posts for the rear subframe instead of the rear battery tray.  It's stronger and more batteries fit.  Just use strips of adhesive neoprene tape to keep your battery packed in tight.

The SA already comes with a support for the front bulkhead.  The new Tamiya plastic bulkheads will be more durable anyhow but I found the ORB Racing upgrades to be magic if you want to upgrade.  The ORB Racing bulkheads take hex nuts so if you hate press nuts, this is the answer. This goes for their steering arms too, the ORB ones are great but hey you can break a steering arm in any car if you hit a front wheel hard enough.  Use a heavy duty servo saver, the Tamiya one with semi elliptic springs is perfect.

Alloy rear arm carriers are a must but I have a sneaky feeling that Tamiya might just redesign this for the re-re....

The square spike tyres are for display only IMO. if you're running around for fun, then use Hot Shot rear oval block tyres with some foams inside.  They really are an all round tyre for any surface and they square up a bit on the slightly larger star dish wheels.  I use Tamiya soft ribs on the front.

Well I hope that's helpful and if you're on the fence, the SA is a great build and looks sensational anyhow !  Obvious choice for a 2018 release when you see all the folks that included it high on their wish list over in the "what re-releases for 2018" thread.

Happy Days !

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Great tips. I hope the Hicaps are released again for this. I wanted to run aeration dampers if the Hicaps weren't released. I didn't realize that the Aeration dampers required the larger shock tower. That would ruin the aesthetic for me. 

 

I hope you are wrong about the diff. It would be a no brainier to upgrade to the 2013 Egress style differential.

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Thank for the picture. 

I can see dogbones and cups - no UJ of CVD shafts.  Maybe an optional upgrade will be available.  

It's hard to make out any fine detail in the TTC, but I can certainly see a spring in place of washers.  The whole spur and slipper clutch assembly seems to be completely different to the original.  Black teeth around a white centre?   It's probably the outer slipper plate on the spur.  A traditional, modern  setup.  A shame that the original TTC hasn't been preserved.  The module looks coarser, but might just be a trick of the light.

Why re release the Super Astute if it's most unique feature has been done away with?  Tamiya could have just released a new and different 2WD chassis.  

I'm a little disappointed by the changes made to the most significant part of the car, but I'm still interested in any new developments, and of course, any spares issued for Astute buggies are greatly welcomed.  It would be silly of me to think that Tamiya is releasing this, or any vintage model, with only nostalgia and and original owners and collectors in mind.  This car is aimed at the wider audience, and up to date components and reliability are the order of the day in a market saturated with cheap, RTR, fast, and strong models from other manufacturers.  

Still, selfish and wishful thinking remains.  

Maybe, hopefully  a prototype, and final details are yet to be revealed.

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6 minutes ago, Fruitfly01 said:

Thank for the picture.  It's hard to make out any fine detail, but I can certainly see a spring in place of washers.  The whole spur and slipper clutch assembly seems to be completely different to the original.  Black teeth around a white centre?  The module looks coarser, but might just be a trick of the light.

I can see dogbones and cups - no UJ of CVD shafts.  Maybe an optional upgrade will be available.  

Possibly a prototype and final details are yet to be revealed.

It's confirmed that slipper is new/revised. Module confirmed to be 0.5.

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Thanks for the info, hopefully old TTC’s can be fitted with the new slipper parts. May just be the solution I need for my King Cab.....

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13 hours ago, Mokei Kagaku said:

It's confirmed that slipper is new/revised. Module confirmed to be 0.5.

Confirmed where?? I'd like to read the juicy details too. Where did that picture come from???

I like the updates, they are in keeping with the performance focused rere's such as the beefy front end on the Egress and Avante, the improved ball differentials in the egress, and the new Hicaps.

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3 hours ago, GTodd said:

Confirmed where?? I'd like to read the juicy details too. Where did that picture come from???

I like the updates, they are in keeping with the performance focused rere's such as the beefy front end on the Egress and Avante, the improved ball differentials in the egress, and the new Hicaps.

I'll comment on information availability later. For now, a quote from the source:

"The Super Astute (2018) is a reissue of a classic (58097, 1991).
The new edition of the 2WD Buggy will undergo minimal technical changes to match the power of contemporary electronics. The famous TTC (Tamiya Traction Control) is retained in a revised form, the appearance corresponds largely to the original.

Technical information:

  • Kit 1:10, 2WD offroad racebuggy
  • Lowerdeck FRP with 2.5mm material thickness. The battery compartment was slightly enlarged. Not compatible with Square Shaped battery packs.
  • 4-wheel independent suspension on double wishbones, with CVA oil pressure dampers
  • Closed gear box with TTC (Tamiya Traction Control) system. This first slipper clutch from Tamiya has been redesigned and is adjustable from the outside directly under the cover.
  • 0.5 module gears.
  • Low profile steering servo required.
  • Efficient rib / spike tires (front) and square spikes (rear) provide the necessary grip.
  • Car body / spoiler and underbody protection made of polycarbonate.
  • Note: Motor and speed controller not included!"

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2 hours ago, Avante2001R said:

Hopefully the front rib spikes will be available again. Need few sets for my dynastorms.

Schumacher racing just released some!!!!!

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