wtcc5‘s FF-03 & FF-04 addiction

[Honza]

19 hours ago, Nicadraus said:

 I was never a fan of mid-motor FWD and I still refuse to call it FF because it's not (especially for the FF purists). Haha! 

How do you call FF-02 then? 😁

@wtcc5 The chassis looks amazing and its performance is no surprise, especially in your hands

I knew from the start, that these mid motor conversions were just a way for manufacturers to create cheaper FWD variants of their main line. But now when FWD became more popular, it's time to build proper FWD cars. It's great opportunity for Tamiya to release FF05! Or atleast, FF03 v2 😁

[lukej]

Having just bought my first FF-03 (as you know @wtcc5), I decided to re-read this whole thread and it's sparked another hunting spree in me.

I will find all of the parts for the R to be full hop-up, I will try to find an Evo kit, and I also really want to build a KR-MF so that I can have it in the collection with the KRV4 and the KRF interpretation I have planned.

Coincidentally, have you seen Kentech's latest blog about TITC where he talks about the updated TRF420X he saw at the track. There were two variants, but one looked like it had a shorter version of the SSBB dampers. We can live in hope!

Luke

[Sogogi]

I really want to experience ff-03 before it becomes unobtanium

[skom25]

On 12/27/2020 at 12:06 PM, wtcc5 said:

After I received the ordered parts, I recognized that I don't have the parts in my box to build a balldiff to begin with... From my development of the KR-MF I had a geardiff and the fitting housing left. So my plans changed a bit. Ordering the missing parts to build an FF-03pro with body would have cost more than a full kit. The prices for FF-03 kits is on an all time low, ranging even below 100€. I ordered an Opel Vectra FF03, to make it a pro that will be covered by an 1994 JTCC Opel Vectra body:

Source: https://www.motorfaq.com/showthread.php?tid=2969&page=2

 

So No.1 of 2 FF-03 will become a generously tuned FF-03R variant. At first I had to replace all missing parts of my TRF dampers (the missing parts went into the full tuning FF-01 Castrol Primera shocks). In short, I only had the housing and springs left:

 

Then the geardiff needed an overhaul. New oil, 54233 aluminum diff joint set and the 54368 aluminium counter gear shaft:

 

Front unit assembly with 54223 aluminium motor plate and 54259 carbon motor stay:

I know the 54234 aluminium spur gear mount is missing. This part resides in the KR-MF right now 

 

Front damper stay with 53993TA05 IFS aluminium rocker arms:

 

Steering layout with 54235 aluminium racing steering:

The 54261 carbon steering link is ordered and will be added later.

 

Front suspension arms and blocks with (strong) 53928 short reversible suspension arm (wrong arms shown here) and aluminium suspension blocks:

 

The drivetrain unit and chassis marriage:

 

Rear unit with 54230 stabilizer set (not shown):

 

54258 carbon damper stay will be added later.

 

 

 

 

Sorry for quoting such an old post, but I found one thing I need to ask.

I see that you used aluminium spacers on arms shafts. Have you used them instead of plastic from kit or it was like additional dedicated Hop Up?

Currently I build XV-01 which is like a copy of FF-03 in many cases and I wonder, is it good idead to replace plastick wahsers with aluminium.

[wtcc5]

No problem! I replaced the plastic washers with aluminum ones for the look. Onroad on high grip carpet and with hard suspension parts, aluminum spacers are a plus. For Offroad and low grip the plastic spacers will do a better job.

[skom25]

I have plan to use it only on asphalt and pavement. Which I should choose? Why do you think that material matters?

My only doubt about aluminium is fact, that it is harder than stock plastic and can wear parts. XV-01 has Glass Reinforced Parts.

[wtcc5]

12 hours ago, Sogogi said:

I really want to experience ff-03 before it becomes unobtanium

It is already pretty close to be. Kits are sold for double or triple the price, some of the essential Hop-Ups (FF03R gearbox for example) unavailable… Go for it now would be my recommendation.

[Sogogi]

Ordered one from japan…

are there any recommended spare parts that are good to have on hand for ff-03?

[Butler]

Make sure you get the right glue for the front diff. I used a rubberised glue called shoe goo. Superglue doesn’t work well. 

[Crucial]

2 hours ago, Sogogi said:

Ordered one from japan…

Do you mind letting on who still has them in stock? Wouldn't mind picking up one myself.

[Sogogi]

16 minutes ago, Crucial said:

Do you mind letting on who still has them in stock? Wouldn't mind picking up one myself.

I ordered it from mercari via buyee.com. There are some listings on ebay with lot more premium. Was able to snag one for $115usd with coupons…. But that excludes shipping. (I am estimating about $40-50 usd for shipping only for this.. though i will be consolidate items to save on shipping).

There are couple of them available (cr z version) for around $160 usd and there is a coupon for 15% off. https://buyee.jp/mercari/item/m97722190139?conversionType=service_page_search

[Carmine A]

2 hours ago, Sogogi said:

I ordered it from mercari via buyee.com. There are some listings on ebay with lot more premium. Was able to snag one for $115usd with coupons…. But that excludes shipping. (I am estimating about $40-50 usd for shipping only for this.. though i will be consolidate items to save on shipping).

There are couple of them available (cr z version) for around $160 usd and there is a coupon for 15% off. https://buyee.jp/mercari/item/m97722190139?conversionType=service_page_search

GREAT SCORE!! 👍  And welcome to what has to be the "nichiest" (a word?), of the Tamiya Nichés! Probably all of the FF series belong...

I'm not swimming in money (I forgot what money looks like!) 😞. However I was able to snatch my first FF03!! Like you, from Japan (like you, got raked over the coals in shipping - to the WESTERN US!! 

I could have flown to Osaka and picked it up myself, faster than it was shipped to Arizona! 😮 But at this point, that's just inconvenient details, forgotten. 

I even managed to get a FEW hop-ups... Gear Diff. (I don't race anymore, and lost the patience for Ball Diffs!)  ALL HEX HARDWARE. (Because I'm anal!)  Yeah Racing 52mm Oil Shocks. (I can't afford to even SAY, TRF!!) 

However, replacing the YR vinyl O-Rings with 3x5.5mm Team Associated X-Rings has always produced budget shocks - that WORK. I built it 3 years ago. I dug into the shocks last night, and all but one, was FULL! And the fourth was only down a millimeter or two..... Don't be bashful about tinkering with budget hop-ups. Sure, you might get a dud or two along the way, but a success like my $32.00 Yeah Racing Shock set was a huge win!

[Carmine A]

On 10/11/2022 at 7:52 AM, wtcc5 said:

....And here it is! The performance version of the FF-03:

Your passion was what drew me to these FWD wonders! Someone told me: "Just get a M05 or M07. They're about the same anyway." 😮😳

SERIOUSLY!? Yeah, and Bel Air and FRESNO are the same - because they're both in California, right? 🙄🙄 

WRONG!! 

The FF-Chassis is certainly quirky, and can be a challenge to tune... But that's the point. They're SO TUNEABLE!! 😎🏆 

And they've become rare... which in a macabre way, makes them more rewarding.  M-Chassis cars are nearly as common as TT-Chassis cars. (Okay, so they're much easier to get parts for) But where's the fun in that!? 😜

I'm tinkering again, and probably post progress on my FF03 soon. 

[wtcc5]

23 hours ago, skom25 said:

I have plan to use it only on asphalt and pavement. Which I should choose? Why do you think that material matters?

My only doubt about aluminium is fact, that it is harder than stock plastic and can wear parts. XV-01 has Glass Reinforced Parts.

In that case I would go for the plastic spacers. 

[Sogogi]

On 11/8/2023 at 11:01 PM, wtcc5 said:

It is already pretty close to be. Kits are sold for double or triple the price, some of the essential Hop-Ups (FF03R gearbox for example) unavailable… Go for it now would be my recommendation.

Indeed gear diff case is impossible to find.. though i just learned that few spec r diff gear + case are available from banzai hobbies.. should grab one before it is all gone!

https://banzaihobby.com/search?type=product&q=Ff03

https://banzaihobby.com/products/ff03-gear-diff-spec-r?_pos=2&_sid=96b19ad5c&_ss=r

[wtcc5]

Just recently I purchased this beautiful chassis:

The previous owner just build it. He did a good a job, followed the manual precisely. Only downside is, that it misses the rear chassis post and some of the additional parts that came with the kit (including no box...). Well for that price, I don't care too much. I ordered the body post anyways.

I still want to fiddle with it a bit. The first step is to bring it up to the toy fair look with motor and tires:

 

Motor first:

From previous buggy runs with @Quincy, I had one U-GT motor left in stock.

 

Tires next. Not much to do here:

 

 

Not done yet  

 

[wtcc5]

In between I had the urge to put all my "Evos" next to each other:

 

My FF-01 runner is of course no real Evo:

 

As I have no FF-02 (yet), the FF-03evo is next here:

 

Then the new-in-collection FF-04evo:

 

And then my inofficial FF-05evo, the KR-MF 2020:

[Pylon80]

30 minutes ago, wtcc5 said:

I have no FF-02 (yet)

Let's keep it that way 😬

30 minutes ago, wtcc5 said:

And then my inofficial FF-05evo, the KR-MF 2020:

This one is probably the most impressive design I've seen; I remember when it was featured on TheRCRacer. It made me want a FWD car and although I ended up with an M-05 (which is awesome), the FF's are still nagging at me, because of that one. When people use the word "engineering" in the context of RC cars, this is what I think about.

[wtcc5]

@Pylon80: Thanks! That is a huge compliment 

Regarding the FF-02: It somewhat bothers me that it is missing in my FF-0X collection, but there is a reason why. Its chassis design is strange and doesn’t fit to the performance type 01 and 03 versions.

Does somebody know (and/or have a picture) of what a full hopped-up FF-02 looks like?

[Pylon80]

20 minutes ago, wtcc5 said:

Its chassis design is strange

This is exactly what I was hinting to. That's very personal but I am struggling to appreciate the FF-02, M-03/04 and a few others. Tamiya is always leading the way and that results sometimes in questionable designs and sometimes in pure genius.

[ThunderDragonCy]

1 hour ago, wtcc5 said:

@Pylon80: Thanks! That is a huge compliment 

Regarding the FF-02: It somewhat bothers me that it is missing in my FF-0X collection, but there is a reason why. Its chassis design is strange and doesn’t fit to the performance type 01 and 03 versions.

Does somebody know (and/or have a picture) of what a full hopped-up FF-02 looks like?

There was never a full carbon FF02. Fibre Lyte do some carbon stiffeners. 

https://fibre-lyte.co.uk/fl/cars/tamiya/m03ff02.html

Then any of the hop ups for the M03. If you want to get really rare hop up, the TL01 Long Arm suspension fits. 

I agree with you though. It's not a great looking chassis.

[wtcc5]

@ThunderDragonCy: Thanks! Somehow I couldn't find pictures of historically correct full hop-up FF-02...

 

What I always found a bit cheap from Tamiya were the plastic suspension mounts on these TRF-like FF cars. With the FF-04 Tamiya at least added reinforced plastic arm mounts, still I prefer the shiny blue aluminum ones.

I found the right ones (wider) in my stock and added them:

 

This look makes a big difference for me regarding the TRF style.

 

 

A bit hard to see the front mounts 

[Honza]

On 4/14/2024 at 8:05 PM, wtcc5 said:

Does somebody know (and/or have a picture) of what a full hopped-up FF-02 looks like?

I wanted to suggest M-03R (silver or blue metal plated chassis) as an inspiration, but when I searched for some pictures, I found @Juls1's build

 

Looks like there's every M-03/TL-01 hopup available, except for the most recent sealed gear diff update

There was also a similar metal plated chassis for M-05/V.2 and 3racing alu/carbon extension to 257, but calling that FF-02 would be probably stretch 😃

[wtcc5]

Snow fell in Germany today. Overall it was a cold and wet, so I worked with CAD on a project for friend for a long time. After some hours I decided I need a change: Just recently I rearranged my hobby room and went through most of my R/C stuff, stumbling over a lot of NIB Hop-Ups and spare parts. I collected them all in a large bag. At the same day I took a look at my FF-03pro with upgrade chassis and thought, that it could need more aluminum and carbon. And today I added some from my stock:

... the tires are grey... Oh, and the ballstuds and -nuts belong to the F104ver.II 

 

Lets start with the servo protector:

 

Then blue hexes replaced the loose plastic ones:

 

The motor stay is one of my favorites and luckily still easy to get (Edit: It is not! In fact I must have bought one of the last ones in Germany. My favorite shop now states it as "sold out"):

 

And for last, the most difficult installation: The aluminum arm mounts. The car had XD-XD in front and XD-1A at the rear. It now gets XA-XA and XB-1A. Rear first:

 

... then front (as always hard to see):

 

I took the time to remove the dust from the body and adjust the stance with the now wider track:

 

I almost forgot to mention, that this beauty also got blue wheel nuts  :

 

 

 

 

[Nicadraus]

On 4/15/2024 at 2:05 AM, wtcc5 said:

@Pylon80: Thanks! That is a huge compliment 

Regarding the FF-02: It somewhat bothers me that it is missing in my FF-0X collection, but there is a reason why. Its chassis design is strange and doesn’t fit to the performance type 01 and 03 versions.

Does somebody know (and/or have a picture) of what a full hopped-up FF-02 looks like?

This FF-02 is by @Juls1