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Pablo68

Pro Tips

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When it's time to open up one of Hiroshi J Tamiyas finest small bags of screws, nuts and miscellaneous parts, I like to grab one end and shake the bag so the parts all go to one side for when I cut the bag open with scissors.

Futhermore, check that the bag isn't already open, cough!

(it could have been a lot worse tbh)

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Ok, so as a newbie here my tips are rather basic.

First, dont look at a shiny new Tamiya kit and and get excited thinking you can afford it. Do some reading and start a shopping list on a bit of paper and start adding all the things you need that arent included in the box and any hop-ups that are advised. If its your first car this may include transmitter, receiver, battery, battery charger, ESC, motor, bearings, oil filled shocks, glue, lube, paint. This can add significantly to the cost of your first RC car. That GF-01 may have cost me about £180 but by the time I had bought all the other bits and bobs (including a couple of hopups) I had spent closer to £400 I think.

Secondly, do not assume that the parts in the box that came direct from Tamiya are pristine parts. Check every part before you attach it for any burrs, mould flashing or any other blemishes first and be prepared to sand, cut, scrape every component. I got caught out when there was some tiny flashing still on some of the teeth of the diff components. It took some investigation and advice on this forum before I found out why the wheel rotation felt so "notchy".

Lastly, when you read on this forum about the ****** e-clips dont dismiss it and assume it will be fine. You WILL end up on your hands and knees searching the carpet for a tiny metal component.

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I may have already said this but, Go to the LHS, buy a bunch of Tamiya spray can paints that you need, when you get home, find out you have bought TS instead of PS.
This one is a while ago I have to admit, but I seem to have more cans of TS paints than I remember.

To be even more fair to me, two of the TS cans are for a Sand Scorcher that I've been meaning to do for years now.

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3 hours ago, Pablo68 said:

To be even more fair to me, two of the TS cans are for a Sand Scorcher that I've been meaning to do for years now

There you go mate, your psyche is trying to tell you something... build the Sand Scorcher!!🤔😂

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On 4/4/2023 at 1:54 PM, Pablo68 said:

Futhermore, check that the bag isn't already open, cough!

yep, done this! :faceplam: 

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On 4/5/2023 at 3:36 AM, Gebbly said:

Ok, so as a newbie here my tips are rather basic.

First, dont look at a shiny new Tamiya kit and and get excited thinking you can afford it. Do some reading and start a shopping list on a bit of paper and start adding all the things you need that arent included in the box and any hop-ups that are advised. If its your first car this may include transmitter, receiver, battery, battery charger, ESC, motor, bearings, oil filled shocks, glue, lube, paint. This can add significantly to the cost of your first RC car. That GF-01 may have cost me about £180 but by the time I had bought all the other bits and bobs (including a couple of hopups) I had spent closer to £400 I think....

Basic.... but extremely valid and relevant! 👍👍

For what they cost, Tamiya should at LEAST include ball bearings. 🙄🤬 in the 70's and 80's... they were properly expensive, and they tried to keep costs down. 

BUT - now (except for the G6-01!!), Ball Bearings are quite inexpensive. AND, a company like Tamiya could easily add them to kits, for under $1-2 per unit, purchased by the trainload. ADD $3.00 (£1.70) per kit! I wouldn't think a single person would complain. 

And adding at least the lower level CVAs to all middle line and up kits, wouldn't cut into profits either. Without including shock oil, if they must. Nobody but GH and RF buyers should have to look at pogo sticks, in their expensive kit!

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1 hour ago, Carmine A said:

 And adding at least the lower level CVAs to all middle line and up kits, wouldn't cut into profits either. Without including shock oil, if they must.

I agree, assembling shocks is easy, on top of that it's just a few metal bits and o rings, they're nothing super fancy. I can only guess that friction shocks are a thing because kids may not be able to work e-clips on (the same kids that can apply 100 stickers and handle hazardous lexan paint).

On another note (and tangent), steel hex head ball connectors (53968) REALLY should be standard. They mean less violent popping every time you want to make an adjustment, they're steel, so you know, they last, also less wear on your super expensive TRF shocks...

Instead, they're a separate $11 (yes $11 for a few studs) thing, and you get 5. Perfect for that top secret TT02 build that requires a fifth ball connector!

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