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Alexei

which TT-02 version to choose?

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i have started fancy getting a TT-02 for some street running, no club racing. of course i want go buy some hop ups for it, but it is not the goal to get a top max spec.

so the versions im looking at is the TT-02D and the Type-S. i want the suspension arm setup the Type-S comes with, but the TT-02D somes with the sport tuned motor and body shell i want. another thing is the Type-S box isnt big enough for storing the chassis and body when built, which i prefer. on the other hand it seems that to get the Type-S suspension arm for the TT-02D isnt that simple either. there is a bunch of parts/hardware to buy.

so what would you guys recommend?

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Get a Type S, a body a sport tuned motor and a bigger cardboard box to put it in. :D

I've got both and my Type S is better in every way. Both are set up as drift cars, but the S performs so much better and is way more adjustable.

 

20200303_131658.jpg

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I recently put together a TT02D and was surprised to discover the ball bearings in the uprights are 1050s instead of the usual 1150s.  Also, the steering on the D seems to have less Ackermann than the standard TT02; at least it looks that way as I have a TT02 and a TT02D sitting next to each other.  The springs are softer than the usual touring springs.

So, if I was going to pick a TT02 for casual street driving I'd buy a base TT02 (not D, R, RR, S, SR, etc.) and put the money towards ball bearings and a pinion gear to start.  Build it, drive it, and slowly upgrade the dampers and steering and appreciate how it changes the performance.  Maybe spring for a front one-way.  Spring for a brushless system.  Buy some different body shells and wheels/tires to keep it fresh.  Drive it a lot and scape it up; don't be afraid to use it and modify it to your heart's content.

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If you can afford it the type S or SR is the best model, of course money wise it’s approaching a TB04 or TA06. But given its spec that’s understandable. 
 

what it’s going to come down to is if you can get the body separate, and how deep your pockets are. While I kinda get the box holding the car thing, I guess you’ll have to decide if that’s a deal breaker or not. I’m not sure I could justify a cardboard box over many hundreds of dollars of hopups for only a small increase in initial cost.

Juls

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If you have done enough research into the TT-02 range to become aware of the Type S and its advantages, I don't think you'd be happy with a lesser car. I know that once I started reading up on them, I knew that I wouldn't be happy with a non-S TT-02. The suspension is significantly superior to that of the standard car, making it easier to control and set up whether you are racing it on a track or driving it around the street for fun. Bodyshells, motors and the rest are easy enough to source separately, and cheaper than trying to bring a TT-02D to Type S spec.

That said, while the Type S has the superior suspension, the standard one isn't terrible, and if you are not into fiddling with suspension setup, I suppose getting the stock non-adjustable version is no great loss. The geometry isn't as good, but you may not notice if all you are doing is driving around on the street, so @speedy_w_beans might have a point too. 

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the suspension is important, because i want to fiddle with that setup. also i dont like the stock arms on the TT-02 because of a few reasons.

i think the TT-02D is out of the game, the advantages of the Type-S simply outweigh the TT-02D. i havent considered the Type-SR, will definitely check that out.

 

and nice diorama you got there toyolien B)

 

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For a long time I convinced myself I always 'needed' the better setup -- ball bearings, oil dampers, turnbuckles, nylon plastics, etc. etc. etc.  Add in some alloy and carbon fiber too!  You can see several examples in my showroom.

A tried a different route with just a plain TT02 a year or two ago.  Kit stock with non-adjustable arms, friction shocks, no hopups other than ball bearings.  I took it for a drive with a mild brushless setup and I was pretty impressed with the handling on a completely unprepared, pebble-ridden street surface.  The kit silver springs and no damping actually worked just fine for fooling around.  I didn't care about the camber, caster, or toe of the suspension.  The car tracked straight and turned well given the power level going through it.  The only reason I added ball bearings was to avoid some future maintenance and teardown of the gearboxes and uprights.  It really wasn't terrible.

The way Alexei writes about his desires, it sounds like he just wants to charge a battery and go outside to drive around in the street.  Maybe do some loops, some figure-8's, some mock road course with some sticks for corner markers...  Who knows.  Not a top spec car, not the fastest car, not really something to fuss over but something to have some casual fun with.  Almost like a casual hobby that has some journey associated with it.  So in this case I wouldn't worry about getting the best TT02; I'd get the base TT02 and string this along for a year with a new hopup every few months while I enjoy other non-RC parts of my life too.  Build it, drive it, then try something and really work with it.  Then try something else two months later.  The actual money spent won't be as important as the experience of seeing how the car improves over time and making it your own.  No need to get to the endpoint as quickly as possible in this case.

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The best thing about Tamiyaclub is you get 8 responses and 8 different answers!

In my view the TT02D kit version with the body is the best one.  None of them are ideal, they all require some additional cost, and in the case of the TT02D its buy some grip tyres, as it comes with plastic drift ones.  But thats all, and at least they give you a chance to play around drifting too.  Its a bit of fun that I would never have tried if it wasn't for a TT02D which I got as a gift.  It comes with the (in my view) essential hop ups which are ball bearings and oil shocks.  The Sports Tuned motor is a nice bonus, and they usually come with the ESC as well. I see people go crazy on a TT02 but they could've bought a TRF420 by the time they're done (the steering set really gets me, its so expensive) but I don't think its worth it. 

The Type S or R or SR are crazy expensive when you factor in the cost of motor, ESC, tyres (or does it come with some?) and body, on top of the already high purchase price for an entry level kit.  I know that it has better suspension than the other ones, but so does a TB05 or TA07, and the TT02 comes with plastic CVA's still.

While I appreciate that hop ups are fun, they are really expensive!  And the result is never as good as if you had just bought the better one to begin with***.

Consider the TB05 Pro or TA07 Pro instead if the suspension is that important to you, it also comes with TRF dampers which are a really nice piece of kit and would set you back around USD50, and thats from places like RCMart which tend to be cheaper.  While they need hop-ups to go racing depending on track conditions, they are a much better car to begin with and if you set them up right can compete with the best around.  A TT02 will never get to that level.  Also, the TB05 and TA07 have different motor positions to play around with too, so there is a lot more playing around to be done.

 

*** Don't check the "What did you do today" thread as you'll see that I don't practice what I preach...

  • Haha 1

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The advice to look towards a TB-series car is good - oddly, it is that that which initially guided me towards the TT-02 Type S!

I already had a TB-03 and FF-03 in my fleet, both of which are excellent performers with minimal hopping-up required. And lo and behold, they share the same suspension components as the TT-02 Type S! The TB-03 even shares the same drivetrain layout.

If you source every Tamiya hop-up available for it, the TT-02 Type S can get rather costly. However not all hop-ups are needed, and they don't necessarily have to come from Tamiya. Yeah Racing make some very nice parts for the car, including an alloy motor mount that is both cheaper and provides superior adjustability compared to the Tamiya one, and a nice ballraced alloy steering rack that is just as smooth and slop-free yet significantly cheaper than the Tamiya one. Their Shock Gear alloy threaded dampers are also excellent value, not quite TRF standard, but not far off, and a lot cheaper. Some parts are worth springing for genuine Tamiya though, such as the propshaft and spur adapter. There are aftermarket alternatives, but the Tamiya ones seem to be a better fit.

You can see some of the parts I refer to in my build thread here:

 

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1 hour ago, speedy_w_beans said:

For a long time I convinced myself I always 'needed' the better setup -- ball bearings, oil dampers, turnbuckles, nylon plastics, etc. etc. etc.  Add in some alloy and carbon fiber too!  You can see several examples in my showroom.

A tried a different route with just a plain TT02 a year or two ago.  Kit stock with non-adjustable arms, friction shocks, no hopups other than ball bearings.  I took it for a drive with a mild brushless setup and I was pretty impressed with the handling on a completely unprepared, pebble-ridden street surface.  The kit silver springs and no damping actually worked just fine for fooling around.  I didn't care about the camber, caster, or toe of the suspension.  The car tracked straight and turned well given the power level going through it.  The only reason I added ball bearings was to avoid some future maintenance and teardown of the gearboxes and uprights.  It really wasn't terrible.

The way Alexei writes about his desires, it sounds like he just wants to charge a battery and go outside to drive around in the street.  Maybe do some loops, some figure-8's, some mock road course with some sticks for corner markers...  Who knows.  Not a top spec car, not the fastest car, not really something to fuss over but something to have some casual fun with.  Almost like a casual hobby that has some journey associated with it.  So in this case I wouldn't worry about getting the best TT02; I'd get the base TT02 and string this along for a year with a new hopup every few months while I enjoy other non-RC parts of my life too.  Build it, drive it, then try something and really work with it.  Then try something else two months later.  The actual money spent won't be as important as the experience of seeing how the car improves over time and making it your own.  No need to get to the endpoint as quickly as possible in this case.

i can see where you are coming from, and i understand that hop ups doesnt always make significant improvements, or me a better driver for that matter. but another aspect of the hobby i like, is to have some hop ups and give the chassis my 'touch'. while i dont need to have a top spec chassis, i dont want a stock either, but something in between. i had an TT-01D (which i sold some years ago), but i found that chassis fun drive, so i want something along that again. but i have had plenty of TT-01's, so i want to try a new chassis this time.

 

1 hour ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

The best thing about Tamiyaclub is you get 8 responses and 8 different answers!

In my view the TT02D kit version with the body is the best one.  None of them are ideal, they all require some additional cost, and in the case of the TT02D its buy some grip tyres, as it comes with plastic drift ones.  But thats all, and at least they give you a chance to play around drifting too.  Its a bit of fun that I would never have tried if it wasn't for a TT02D which I got as a gift.  It comes with the (in my view) essential hop ups which are ball bearings and oil shocks.  The Sports Tuned motor is a nice bonus, and they usually come with the ESC as well. I see people go crazy on a TT02 but they could've bought a TRF420 by the time they're done (the steering set really gets me, its so expensive) but I don't think its worth it. 

The Type S or R or SR are crazy expensive when you factor in the cost of motor, ESC, tyres (or does it come with some?) and body, on top of the already high purchase price for an entry level kit.  I know that it has better suspension than the other ones, but so does a TB05 or TA07, and the TT02 comes with plastic CVA's still.

While I appreciate that hop ups are fun, they are really expensive!  And the result is never as good as if you had just bought the better one to begin with***.

Consider the TB05 Pro or TA07 Pro instead if the suspension is that important to you, it also comes with TRF dampers which are a really nice piece of kit and would set you back around USD50, and thats from places like RCMart which tend to be cheaper.  While they need hop-ups to go racing depending on track conditions, they are a much better car to begin with and if you set them up right can compete with the best around.  A TT02 will never get to that level.  Also, the TB05 and TA07 have different motor positions to play around with too, so there is a lot more playing around to be done.

 

*** Don't check the "What did you do today" thread as you'll see that I don't practice what I preach...

nothing wrong with different answers, seeing varying views on stuff can help me move on :) . i dont think i would be drifting with the TT-02 becuase i already have a Yokomo MR-4TC SD and YD-2E for drifting, also the idea from the beginning was to do a grip car.

i think the TB-05 is too high spec for me (it certainly looks advanced), and it doesnt have the bathtub chassis as the TT-02. i absolutely prefer the bathtub chassis for driving outside. i wouldnt consider the TA-07, because im not into belt driven cars. i did have a look at the TB-03, but it is quite similar to the Yokomo MR-4TC SD.

 

56 minutes ago, TurnipJF said:

The advice to look towards a TB-series car is good - oddly, it is that that which initially guided me towards the TT-02 Type S!

I already had a TB-03 and FF-03 in my fleet, both of which are excellent performers with minimal hopping-up required. And lo and behold, they share the same suspension components as the TT-02 Type S! The TB-03 even shares the same drivetrain layout.

If you source every Tamiya hop-up available  for it, the TT-02 Type S can get rather costly. However not all hop-ups are needed, and they don't necessarily have to come from Tamiya. Yeah Racing make some very nice parts for the car, including an alloy adjustable motor mount that is both cheaper and superior to the Tamiya one, and a nice ballraced alloy steering rack that is just as smooth and slop-free yet significantly cheaper than the Tamiya one. Their Shock Gear alloy threaded dampers are also excellent value, not quite TRF standard, but not far off, and a lot cheaper. Some parts are worth springing for genuine Tamiya though, such as the propshaft and spur adapter. There are altermarke alternatives, but the Tamiya ones seem to be a better fit.

You can see some of the parts I refer to in my build thread here:

 

your TT-02 looks nice. i have just bought and installed the same Yeah Racing shocks on my TT-01 i recently cleaned for the first time in a long time. it is possible i would swap them on the TT-02, depending how much the TT-01 will get to drive.

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