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foz75

MF-01X, CC-01, or similar?

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I'm looking for something 4wd to satisfy an urge... Was thinking hotshot, then terra scorcher, but now I'm intrigued by the MF-01X and CC-01/02 chassis... I know there's a big difference between a buggy and these, but how do they compare build-wise? More involving? More hop up and upgrade options? Body shell compatibility? Driveability?

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the CC02 is probably the most complex/modern in that lot, 

The MF01X is not particularly great off road, it's certainly not a crawler. it's alright on super firm smooth dirt surfaces. The CC01 can be built up to be pretty capable, but takes quite a bit of work, the terra scorcher is likely to be the best off road handling at speed. 

Here is a pic of my stock CC02 Chasssis. (aftermarket wheels/tires)

Juls

spacer.png

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What are you looking to do with the finished article?  What do you want to get out of it?

As you say, the cars you've listed are very different to your original choices.  Don't expect either to drive anything like a buggy - they won't be nearly as fast in a straight line and they'll fall over if you try to corner fast.

That said - here are my key thoughts:

MF01X - I've not built or run one of these, but it looks like a typical Tamiya build.  The chassis seems to have evolved from the TL01, or at least has a similar design principle.  It does seem to have a few interesting quirks.  Performance-wise, it's an M-size rally / crossover chassis, and given how hard it is to find a suitable surface for a 1:10 touring-based rally car, I expect the MF01X to be a bit of a tricky one to find a good place for.  It will probably excel on the same tarmac, hard dirt and gravel where rally cars thrive but I doubt it will be much of a trail rig.

The CC01 is a perfect trail companion, although it does benefit from some hop-ups out of the box.  A steering fix is the first (several are on the market, the Hot Racing one seems to be favoured at the mo although it is a bit more expensive than other brands) and a shimmed rear axle, which can mostly be accomplished with the included bushes assuming you fit bearings as you build.  It does benefit from some 4mm washers also which aren't a common part in a Tamiya owner's parts bin.

With the above mods, it will happily bounce around a trail at a slow running pace.  Fit a 55T crawler motor and it will run all day long on a good LiPo.  It's not a crawler, so don't expect it to master steep rocky climbs, but it can be good fun to pick a route around tree roots and rocks on your favourite woodland walk.  Stock tyres are marginal - will work OK on hard and slightly soft mud but benefits from some aftermarket scale tyres with tread and compound appropriate to your terrain.

There's a whole heap of directions you can take a CC01 in - IMO it's one of (if not the) most modifiable chassis on Tamiya's books.  I have several of them and still can't get enough as there are still more directions I want to take them in.  Trail rig, light-duty crawler, rally raid / dakar racer, live axle rally car - if you can think of it, you can do it.  Many mods (e.g. front brick removal, 4-link installation, longer wheebase) can be done with simple tools and cheap hardware.

I doubt you'll ever mod it to the same performance experience as a Hotshot or Terra Scorcher, though - they are just too different.

As mentioned above, the CC02 is a newer option to consider.  I don't have one yet but it looks like a good build and a reasonably capable trail rig / light duty crawler.  As it's a bit more capable than the CC01, expect the weakness in the stock tyres to be shown up more.  Also the only body option (currently) is a marmite choice, consider if you'll want to budget for a different body before you buy.  Consider that the MST CMX / CFX is in a similar price bracket (especially if you want to change the body on the CC02) and probably offers a better crawling experience.

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Thanks for the replies! I want an interesting build with scope for further upgrades or changes, and that will work on a variety of terrain. Googling has led me to this, which looks exactly what I want: https://www.rccaraction.com/tamiya-cc-01-baja-veedub-v-8-muscle-rc-project-2/

I already have a Novafox (still unbuilt), and think another buggy might limit my driving options... Then again, I'll probably end up with several, but hopefully an upgradeable and modifiable chassis will let me change things around and avoid buying too many more!

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6 minutes ago, foz75 said:

Thanks for the replies! I want an interesting build with scope for further upgrades or changes, and that will work on a variety of terrain. Googling has led me to this, which looks exactly what I want: https://www.rccaraction.com/tamiya-cc-01-baja-veedub-v-8-muscle-rc-project-2/

I already have a Novafox (still unbuilt), and think another buggy might limit my driving options... Then again, I'll probably end up with several, but hopefully an upgradeable and modifiable chassis will let me change things around and avoid buying too many more!

I just had a read through of that and sounds pretty cool 👍

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I've just checked, and cc-01 wheelbase is 242mm, monster beetle is 246mm... Close enough to work, I think... I feel a project coming on!

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The wheelbase is easy to change if you make your own links from 4mm threaded rod and RC4WD / Junfac rof ends. (axle mount 4-link brackets are available if you don't want to make your own).  My CC01 Hop-up vs Homebrew thread in the 4x4 section has photos on how to do it.

The RC Car Action build looks like it still has the stock steering tube installed.  Considering they complained about poor steering in the post, it seems odd they didn't install an aftermarket one.  They already have Hot Racing parts installed, the steering update is an obvious choice and I recommend it if you're doing a CC01 build.

The build looks great and very scale - that said, it still isn't going to handle like a buggy, something to bear in mind if you were making more of a racey type car than a trailey or crawley one :) 

OTOH, the CC01 is the perfect starting point on a path of home-made and aftermarket goodness and a completely blank canvas build :)

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Will check out that thread! Any idea if the cc-01 is available as a chassis only? Or if there is any difference between the various kits available, apart from the body shell? There is quite a difference in price between one kit and another, but if the only difference is the shell then I might as well get the cheapest one, since I'm planning on swapping the shell anyway

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10 minutes ago, foz75 said:

Will check out that thread! Any idea if the cc-01 is available as a chassis only? Or if there is any difference between the various kits available, apart from the body shell? There is quite a difference in price between one kit and another, but if the only difference is the shell then I might as well get the cheapest one, since I'm planning on swapping the shell anyway

That is a common tactic. Get the cheapest kit and sell on the shell. 

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If you're in the US, TamiyaUSA still has the Isuzu Mu-X at a reduced price shipped free!

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8 hours ago, foz75 said:

I'm looking for something 4wd to satisfy an urge... Was thinking hotshot, then terra scorcher, but now I'm intrigued by the MF-01X and CC-01/02 chassis... I know there's a big difference between a buggy and these, but how do they compare build-wise? More involving? More hop up and upgrade options? Body shell compatibility? Driveability?

In terms of build, there isn't much difference. The proportions are different, yes, but the instructions and parts are all typical Tamiya quality. In terms of hop-up options, you'll find loads for the CC-01, and a goodly collection for the CC-02 and MF-01X. Plus you will find more bodyshell options for them than you would for a buggy. In terms or driveability though, they are very different to buggies, more prone to tipping over and not at all suited to jumping. I enjoy taking mine on walks in the woods, driving over garden obstacle courses, etc, whereas my buggies are for organised tracks or flattish wide open spaces.

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6 hours ago, Mad Ax said:

What are you looking to do with the finished article?  What do you want to get out of it?

As you say, the cars you've listed are very different to your original choices.  Don't expect either to drive anything like a buggy - they won't be nearly as fast in a straight line and they'll fall over if you try to corner fast.

That said - here are my key thoughts:

MF01X - I've not built or run one of these, but it looks like a typical Tamiya build.  The chassis seems to have evolved from the TL01, or at least has a similar design principle.  It does seem to have a few interesting quirks.  Performance-wise, it's an M-size rally / crossover chassis, and given how hard it is to find a suitable surface for a 1:10 touring-based rally car, I expect the MF01X to be a bit of a tricky one to find a good place for.  It will probably excel on the same tarmac, hard dirt and gravel where rally cars thrive but I doubt it will be much of a trail rig.

The CC01 is a perfect trail companion, although it does benefit from some hop-ups out of the box.  A steering fix is the first (several are on the market, the Hot Racing one seems to be favoured at the mo although it is a bit more expensive than other brands) and a shimmed rear axle, which can mostly be accomplished with the included bushes assuming you fit bearings as you build.  It does benefit from some 4mm washers also which aren't a common part in a Tamiya owner's parts bin.

With the above mods, it will happily bounce around a trail at a slow running pace.  Fit a 55T crawler motor and it will run all day long on a good LiPo.  It's not a crawler, so don't expect it to master steep rocky climbs, but it can be good fun to pick a route around tree roots and rocks on your favourite woodland walk.  Stock tyres are marginal - will work OK on hard and slightly soft mud but benefits from some aftermarket scale tyres with tread and compound appropriate to your terrain.

There's a whole heap of directions you can take a CC01 in - IMO it's one of (if not the) most modifiable chassis on Tamiya's books.  I have several of them and still can't get enough as there are still more directions I want to take them in.  Trail rig, light-duty crawler, rally raid / dakar racer, live axle rally car - if you can think of it, you can do it.  Many mods (e.g. front brick removal, 4-link installation, longer wheebase) can be done with simple tools and cheap hardware.

I doubt you'll ever mod it to the same performance experience as a Hotshot or Terra Scorcher, though - they are just too different.

As mentioned above, the CC02 is a newer option to consider.  I don't have one yet but it looks like a good build and a reasonably capable trail rig / light duty crawler.  As it's a bit more capable than the CC01, expect the weakness in the stock tyres to be shown up more.  Also the only body option (currently) is a marmite choice, consider if you'll want to budget for a different body before you buy.  Consider that the MST CMX / CFX is in a similar price bracket (especially if you want to change the body on the CC02) and probably offers a better crawling experience.

Having built the two MF-01s they are an easy build and give a nice solid chassis. They so far seem to manage my flatish front lawn whne its cut short but not much kop on the side garden which is sloped and lumpy, hop up wise I havent really looked at any yet aside from bearings which i fitted in the build. Wheels are a bit small on the Jimny and neither that or the Merc have any sort of real ground clearance. They also cant really be "decorated much", light buckets and like because the wheels are close to the front. Plus side is an extendable wheelbase so can get a few different bodies to fit.

As far as i remember for the CC-01 they are fairly decent "stock" and will cope with a bit of rough stuff while not being a true crawler or trail truck. I`ll hopefully jog my memory when my Landy gets here this week

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OK, so I have a CC-01 on it's way to me, along with full bearing kit :)

I plan on building stock to start with and then upgrade as and when, or are there any upgrades that should be installed on first build?

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On 8/26/2020 at 10:06 AM, Mad Ax said:

shimmed rear axle, which can mostly be accomplished with the included bushes assuming you fit bearings as you build

Mad Ax has already mentioned it.  I would like to add a couple of photos.   

CC01 has a flaw.  But it's quite easily fixed.  The 2 gears you see below have a lot of room to play.  It shouldn't.  

dMQtzg7.jpg

So, add a couple of copper bushings (two 850s) you will not use (because you ordered bearings) and move the differential gear to the direction of the arrow.  This ensured that the gears mesh properly.  

BpDShbZ.jpg

(below photo shows one 1150 bushing and one 850 bushing, this way, you don't need shims)

tfFnzgk.jpg

pjUxQ9r.jpg

My CC01 is a used one.  The previous owner didn't know about this problem.

If you look at the teeth, you can see how the teeth on both gears are not quite pristine.  They were starting to be destroyed. 

Below is from Jugg 1, but you can see what would happen if you leave it like that.  Since you asked about CC01, you now know how to prevent this from happening!  

G0z2HFz.jpg

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thanks, this is what I understood from Mad Ax's comment, but the pictures detail it perfectly :)

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29 minutes ago, Juggular said:

Mad Ax has already mentioned it.  I would like to add a couple of photos.   

CC01 has a flaw.  But it's quite easily fixed.  The 2 gears you see below have a lot of room to play.  It shouldn't.  

dMQtzg7.jpg

So, add a couple of copper bushings (two 850s) you will not use (because you ordered bearings) and move the differential gear to the direction of the arrow.  This ensured that the gears mesh properly.  

BpDShbZ.jpg

(below photo shows one 1150 bushing and one 850 bushing, this way, you don't need shims)

tfFnzgk.jpg

pjUxQ9r.jpg

My CC01 is a used one.  The previous owner didn't know about this problem.

If you look at the teeth, you can see how the teeth on both gears are not quite pristine.  They were starting to be destroyed. 

Below is from Jugg 1, but you can see what would happen if you leave it like that.  Since you asked about CC01, you now know how to prevent this from happening!  

G0z2HFz.jpg

Wow. Didn't know that one. Easy enough to strip and add the bushings? 

 

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Yes, it's quite easy.  If you are building, you can do it as you build.  

If you bought XB (built) version, you can do it when you are putting in the bearings.  

If you got a used one like I did, it's still relatively easy.  

 

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On 8/26/2020 at 8:38 AM, foz75 said:

I've just checked, and cc-01 wheelbase is 242mm, monster beetle is 246mm... Close enough to work, I think... I feel a project coming on!

With some aftermarket or custom length Rear Links, that can be easily sorted!! 😁

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7 hours ago, Juggular said:

Mad Ax has already mentioned it.  I would like to add a couple of photos.   

CC01 has a flaw.  But it's quite easily fixed.  The 2 gears you see below have a lot of room to play.  It shouldn't.  

dMQtzg7.jpg

So, add a couple of copper bushings (two 850s) you will not use (because you ordered bearings) and move the differential gear to the direction of the arrow.  This ensured that the gears mesh properly.  

BpDShbZ.jpg

(below photo shows one 1150 bushing and one 850 bushing, this way, you don't need shims)

tfFnzgk.jpg

pjUxQ9r.jpg

My CC01 is a used one.  The previous owner didn't know about this problem.

If you look at the teeth, you can see how the teeth on both gears are not quite pristine.  They were starting to be destroyed. 

Below is from Jugg 1, but you can see what would happen if you leave it like that.  Since you asked about CC01, you now know how to prevent this from happening!  

G0z2HFz.jpg

THIS deserves to be copied once again - as a Rear Axle primer for ANYONE who's ever built a CC-01, CR-01, CC-02 or anything else with this type Axle!! 

It's not something that most People notice as they're building...

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