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jeekelemental

The Delta Ray Buggy (former TA01 - Rough & Ready)

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If 50 km separates you from your Tamiya stuff and from your last project you will be mostly involved in a permanent mumbling loop. Thinking about my last project is becoming my daily routine and a kind of escape. To the other hand what yesterday seemed a good idea today is totally to throw away.Last week I was sure that my TA-01 project will run a pair of ball differentials but, mumbling and mumbling, I’ve decided the opposite: it will run geared differentials… and this bring back me to the basic idea of this project: it has to be fast, tough, rugged, neat and easy to maintain. This is closely linked to my current life: living in Venice, living in a house that is not your space is a big limit and you have to think again also to your passion.The starting point of this project is the idea, much times postponed, to put back on the track my TA-01. The skating field near home is perfect for a stress-free  car like a TT01/02 and I was a step to buying one but the TA call was much strong and it won!Loosing time in lurking the Web to look for, without a real intention, an alternative to the standard chassis and I’ve found, here in Italy, a replica, made out of delrin, of the TA02 frp chassis but with the length to match the Ta01 original one: bought but not before ordering the #19118018 “J” parts sprue to complete it: I’ve started from this point.For the rest, counter to my habit, I will keep mostly self-tapping screws, self-tapping suspensions pin and less uniballs as possible. Only the transmission will be strengthen as much as possible with full plastic gears to avoid the wear typical of aluminum gears, steel shaft, unis and -of course- ballbearings everywhere also motor mount will be swapped with a aluminum one.

Suspension will remain, more ore less, the standard ones, I’m still considering if swap the fluorine coated dampers from my FF-03 or going for black CVA on all four corners.

More pics to come, slow but sure.

 

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That longer TA02 chassis is interesting. Where can you buy it?

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With a pair of Ta01 and a Manta Ray sleeping in the same box I've been able to find many parts and in a shape I've never expected so using it allow me to save money and speed up the build.
Of course some have to be cleaned, some need a deeper clean and metal parts have been sprayed with WD40.

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Many parts have been arrived but I'm experiencing a new and disappointing delay with deliveries from UK so I've decided to start with a random build. For first I've assembled the steering and, without the correct screws to put it on the chassis, I've decide to pack it with two longer screws.

 

IMG_20190907_135742.jpg

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The plastic gears and the ballbearings set are arrived so, this saturday, I've found an hour or two to speed up with the build of this strange black thing.

My first intention was for both ball diffs but, considering that, here in Venice, I haven't a permanent work bench and that the maintenance of the car will be sporadic I've decided to use geared diffs: the front one is  build to be as free as possible and the other is packed with AW grease and build with an extra pair of shims.

Some parts are more than 20 year old, finding all the screws have been a little fight and a little mistake have been made :ph34r: but it grows.

 

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Don't think i'd describe it as rough and ready;) looks pretty smart

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Minor work without photos this week: I've completed the steering linkage building the tie rods out of screws using my Dremel. I do not need adjusters only a strong steering rack so IMO this has to be the way.

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Shakedown done yesterday: this thing is fast but wild, much wild: I've hit the sidewalk two or three times and some parts have been cracked, the front "U" suspensions hinge pin have been bented.
I figured a car that performs like Metallica "Whiskey in The Jar" but it's like Biohazard's "Human Animal"... i will downgrade the motor to a 16x2

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I've noticed (and I guess it's not new) that Lipos don't fit: my Nvisions lean out for almost 0,5 cm... I'm surprised but I don't want loosing time in a search of the Lipo that will fit, I will purchase a pair of Nimh.

I've notice, also, a little of understeer but I'm realizing that it could depend by the suspensions set up because differentials (both geared) runs as I planned: the front one is totally free and on the back it's tight but smooth.

The car sounds a bit noisy because there isn't grease on its gears, spur looks a bit dirty after these first run because I'm still using the Tamiya pinion (steel RW is on its way).

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Steel RW pinion have been arrived and mounted.

IMG_20191109_131715.jpg

Not very proud about it: I hit for the second time the sidewalk and, in a second, the new front plastics became rubbish. It's a shame 'cause after a re-built of the four dampers and a new set-up the car was performing well and it felt to be less wild than the first time. I'm in doubt if this pronity to the cracks could depend by the machined screws.

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Did the cracks occur through the screw holes? Did you tap the threads first? Were you gentle and patient with screwing them in? I don’t think TA01/2 gearboxes shouldn’t crack so easily, but I’ve only seen them with self-tapping screws. I have built one car 90% with machine screws. Now I’m worried. 

 

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8 hours ago, Quailane said:

Did the cracks occur through the screw holes? Did you tap the threads first? Were you gentle and patient with screwing them in? I don’t think TA01/2 gearboxes shouldn’t crack so easily, but I’ve only seen them with self-tapping screws. I have built one car 90% with machine screws. Now I’m worried. 

 

Well, before purchasing the spares, I'm thinking about these breakages from a while.
Screw holes have been not tapped before but I've used another (well lubed) screw to prepare them, I've been delicate to avoid cracks and plastic overheat as in my habit.
As shown by the pics cracks are not through the holes but in front of them and, IMO, it's pretty clear that the gearbox it's not well supported by the topdeck that allows a backwards movent during the impact.
So I've realized that the problem should not depend by that screws but by the long step screws I've used instead the 3x25 self tapping screws showed in the manual. I guess that the allow the slack for the backwards movement of the entire gearbox that at a certain point cracks.
Before ordering the spares I wil improve the structure mixing the Top-Force alluminum posts or ordering the 3x25 self-tapping screws.

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Small progresses: all the damaged plastics have been replaced with new plastic, all the machined screws ,(mostly coming from my FF03) have been swapped with self tapping screws and, to avoid, much play whitout using uniballs the dampers step screws have been improved with a kind of bushing made out of heatshrink.

 

IMG_20191207_163005.jpg

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Well, the car is almost reaching its definitive shape and waiting for a Quicrun 1060 ESC that has a cleaner cables layout than Mtroniks or HK ESC. Meanwhile I've made or planned some improving:

spite my first intention dampers mounting is made via uniballs to reduce parts needed to hold them in place or to simplify maintenance operation;

Tamiya#53218 outdrives have been ordered to swap the GPM ones previously installed because it makes me more confident;

Some washers have been added to avoid suspensions slacks;

I'm also considering to build an alluminum front strut because front shocks tower flex a little.

IMG_20191228_173642.jpg

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Looks good in all black! Has the same feel to it as the TA02 Racing Special, but even cleaner.

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With the new Quicrun 1060 ESC installed I can say that this car is finished. Mostly definitive maybe with some possible adjustments to consider after a real shakedown.

Unfortunately I've discovered that the delrin chassis flexes under the servo action so I've to find a remedy.

The biggest doubt is about the body because the Civic one I've considered from the beginning doesn't convince me at 100% and I have to admint that I prefer something "italian" (Fiat, Lancia... the search is hard).

About this I've purchased a Rally Legend Lancia Stratos, it's arrived saturday and it is disappointing: it's something between a 8th and 9th scale and a little coarse. I've found I nice Lancia Beta Montercarlo Gr. 5 from Killerbody and I'm waiting the delivery.

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