TT02SR v TB05 Pro

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

I will start this thread acknowledging that I realise I ALWAYS preach about a TT02 will never be as good as a TA07 or TB05 and am happy to be proven wrong.

I have TT02 cars and a TA07 but not a TT02 Type SR or TB05 Pro, so this is really just for my interest as I'm also not in the market for another onroad car (my wife is watching, I want a TB05 and probably a TC01)

The TB05 Pro is slightly cheaper than the TT02 Type SR - surely the TB05 is better? What am I missing? Is it a case of the TB05 requiring a bunch of stuff so it works out much more expensive?  Can anyone shed some light on this for me? 

[Blista 1519]

My assumption is that the high spec TT02 SR is for the various TT02 chassis specific racing events.  A TB05 would surely have to be the superior car.

[Honza 936]

Only thing I see missing on TB05 is DCJ. But otherwise TB05 is superior - alum center shaft, better materials, more recent suspension with standard suspension blocks, TRF shocks.. 

TT-02 SR is limited production, which is probably reason for high price.

[Nicadraus 6198]

Honestly the TT-02SR is a let down variant. They've upgraded the some parts but still left the plastic steering, plastic dampers, and downgraded the center shaft to plastic again, while the R and the Drift Spec have aluminum. This is a very manipulative move by Tamiya. Fooling the consumers. That is why it's better to just upgrade your normal TT-02 to a spec you want instead on getting those foolish variants that lack the necessary upgrades. Another reason why Yeah Racing and 3Racing are selling more hop up parts than Tamiya. 

Going back to the question, hands down TB05 Pro. More options, more adjustments, more quality parts and a better car both for bashing and track.

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

So you guys have confirmed what I was thinking. In NZ the TT02 SR isn't even legal for TT02 racing, that requires a base TT02 with a few hop ups. I only asked the questions because I saw a shop with the TT02SR at $399 and the TB05 Pro at $385. I wonder if Tamiya got a bit carried away with the TT02 and didn't think about others in the range...

[ThunderDragonCy 7881]

Having had a TT02 Type S recently I would say the TB05 is hands down the better car, for all the reasons mentioned above. I think the pricing you have locally there is anomolous, probably due to volatile exchange rates. Over here the Type SR is £189 from Modelsport, and when you could buy it (the TB05 is not in stock anywhere in the UK at the moment as far as I can tell) it was about £240, which feels about right, and also considerably better value given that the £50 difference in price would only just buy you the TRF shocks from an Asian vendor, let alone all the other good stuff on the TB05. I wonder if the scarcity of the TB05 is because this new TC01 shaft driven car is on it's way?

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

11 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Having had a TT02 Type S recently I would say the TB05 is hands down the better car, for all the reasons mentioned above. I think the pricing you have locally there is anomolous, probably due to volatile exchange rates. Over here the Type SR is £189 from Modelsport, and when you could buy it (the TB05 is not in stock anywhere in the UK at the moment as far as I can tell) it was about £240, which feels about right, and also considerably better value given that the £50 difference in price would only just buy you the TRF shocks from an Asian vendor, let alone all the other good stuff on the TB05. I wonder if the scarcity of the TB05 is because this new TC01 shaft driven car is on it's way?

Good point about the currency thing.  I imagine the TB05's came in a few months back, and the Type SR more recently.  The Monster Beetle has moved from $295 to $419 here over a couple of years which is most likely a currency movement.

Its funny that you say the TB05 is out of stock everywhere, I've noticed that a lot too, which suggests they sell quickly when they are available.  BUT I've never seen one in the flesh.  I know of a few people with TA07's, but they are also always out of stock.  My guess is that its not collectors since they don't have bodies and they give most of the performance of a TRF for half the money so people see them as better value, especially when a TRF or equivalent touring car can run to $1000 here.  But why don't I see any being used?

[Blista 1519]

I'm a bit surprised that the TT02SR is sold locally.  I can't see it having much of a market here.  It'd be good if there was an advanced TT02 race series like in Europe but I doubt there's enough people to justify it.

I guess the distributor will bring in a small number of kits and I'll end up buying one when they're on sale because nobody buys them. 

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

30 minutes ago, Blista said:

I'm a bit surprised that the TT02SR is sold locally.  I can't see it having much of a market here.  It'd be good if there was an advanced TT02 race series like in Europe but I doubt there's enough people to justify it.

I guess the distributor will bring in a small number of kits and I'll end up buying one when they're on sale because nobody buys them. 

Yep, the TT02 class here is successful because its so limited and simple. NHRCCC has the numbers to split it into 2 fields with slight variations on rules so it better suits novice and experienced drivers. AIRCCC have also adapted that for a TT02B class as well. I think the success is that for about $300 you have a car setup with all possible hopups which makes it a cheap class to add as a second (especially when you factor in battery charger, rc gear etc to get up and running, spend an extra $300 and halve the setup cost per car),  compared to $1,000 - $2,000 for a F1 or Touring car

The SR just doesn't fit as its not cheap and can't compete with an Xray (unless a competent driver is driving it against me driving an Xray)

[Genus 4]

 

On 4/21/2020 at 11:49 PM, Jonathon Gillham said:

But why don't I see any being used?

Could it be parts availability?

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

4 hours ago, Genus said:

 

Could it be parts availability?

I just realised the most likely reason is I haven't been to an onroad meet in a year!

I would have thought parts would be fine, the usual bits that break are TRF419 aren't they?

[Genus 4]

15 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

I just realised the most likely reason is I haven't been to an onroad meet in a year!

I would have thought parts would be fine, the usual bits that break are TRF419 aren't they?

Chuckle. C-Hubs, mounts etc. So I've heard.

Is the belt vs shaft issue relevant further than maintenance? I mean the power gets put down all the same I would imagine?

 

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

1 hour ago, Genus said:

Chuckle. C-Hubs, mounts etc. So I've heard.

Is the belt vs shaft issue relevant further than maintenance? I mean the power gets put down all the same I would imagine?

 

I can't say for sure about the belt vs shaft thing.  I've heard people say belts aren't any good except on fully prepared surfaces as the smallest stone will cause the car to catastrophically fail.  I've then hear counter arguments that the TA07 makes the best ever rally car (not quite, but more that it is fine on unprepared parking lots etc).  I thought the main thing was that its belts for mod due to the torque steer from a shaft car, and shaft for stock due to the quick response.  But then from the onroad racing I've seen it is really about the best chassis possible for everything which usually means belts.  Also, most offroad cars are shaft and they seem fine with mod power through them.

I guess I'm saying I have no idea.  I just think the TA07 and TB05 are interesting cars because of the motor layout options. single belt etc, and it looks like its 80% of a TRF car for less than half the price.  And they're a bit different to everything else which just appear to be clones of each other

[Big Jon 684]

The TB05 is a really neat car. I just picked one up that needs a chassis and a few small bits. It's a slick piece, but I'd rather have a TA07, because I prefer belts to shafts, even with moderate power, because they go where I point them. The TB05 diffs are a little weak with big power. That's about the only real weakness I can think of.

Even the high-spec TT02 chassis aren't that great from a performance standpoint. Big, heavy diffs, lousy steering, little shortcomings all over. However, they're really fun to hoon about with and parts are cheap and available. I do wish the chassis was prettier.

[Genus 4]

10 hours ago, Big Jon said:

The TB05 is a really neat car. I just picked one up that needs a chassis and a few small bits. It's a slick piece, but I'd rather have a TA07, because I prefer belts to shafts, even with moderate power, because they go where I point them. The TB05 diffs are a little weak with big power. That's about the only real weakness I can think of.

Even the high-spec TT02 chassis aren't that great from a performance standpoint. Big, heavy diffs, lousy steering, little shortcomings all over. However, they're really fun to hoon about with and parts are cheap and available. I do wish the chassis was prettier.

I think a plan forming is to git gud with a TT02 around the car park, then race a TA07. 

Everyone is a winner.

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

10 hours ago, Big Jon said:

The TB05 is a really neat car. I just picked one up that needs a chassis and a few small bits. It's a slick piece, but I'd rather have a TA07, because I prefer belts to shafts, even with moderate power, because they go where I point them. The TB05 diffs are a little weak with big power. That's about the only real weakness I can think of.

Even the high-spec TT02 chassis aren't that great from a performance standpoint. Big, heavy diffs, lousy steering, little shortcomings all over. However, they're really fun to hoon about with and parts are cheap and available. I do wish the chassis was prettier.

'Just needs a chassis' - does that mean you got some parts and bought a chassis and had a TB05? I looked at doing that with ,y TA07and needed so many parts I wouldve been better off buying another kit...

[Big Jon 684]

3 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

'Just needs a chassis' - does that mean you got some parts and bought a chassis and had a TB05? I looked at doing that with ,y TA07and needed so many parts I wouldve been better off buying another kit...

It was crashed pretty badly, and the front of the chassis broke in front of the suspension mounts. Everything else is fine, and I picked it up for a song. It's even got some very choice hop ups. I'll have to replace the chassis and bumper.