Wheel_Nut 322 Posted June 30, 2021 16 hours ago, matisse said: I doubt it, they don't seem like a company to rush things. Plus the sheer cost of new tooling for a mass production run means that this will have gone through many stages of R&D to get to the point of release. Tamiya have made significant design revision in the pasts. You can see how many things were changed between the Hotshot and the Boomerang. The original Hotshot had very poor access to the electronics, so they re-designed the chassis. The cost and time to develop tooling today is much less today than back in the 80s when it had to be machined manually. Modern manufacturing makes if feasible to develop products quickly and rush to market if they choose to. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toyolien 4680 Posted June 30, 2021 5 hours ago, Juggular said: My friend, you underestimate my stupidity. Having built dozens, you'd think I know how to torque it down safely. I keep reminding myself, "it's like seeping tea, you don't want to go all overboard." But does my stupidity listen to me? By definition, the Neanderthal part of my brain is too dumb to listen to the sane part of my brain. So my hand goes like "woogah!" and I hear "crack!" Over dinner, I would tell my wife what happened to and she tells me "It's okay baby, I always knew you were stupid..." That's why I could use @Saito2's fool-proof idea. Wasn't aimed at anyone directly. When I first built rc cars as a kid I was always over tightening screws/bolts. What I meant was that I think with these tiny cars tightening up by hand should be a better way of feeling when a screw is tight rather than a torque wrench.👍 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wooders28 4723 Posted June 30, 2021 8 hours ago, Cynan said: That said if you really wanted to you can already buy torque drivers and you could set it really low but it’s really unnecessary for RC. Weirdly enough, Schumacher have just released one! https://www.racing-cars.com/new-products/april-2021/core-rc-electric-screwdriver-3-6v-1300mah-cr792 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Howards 456 Posted June 30, 2021 1 hour ago, Wooders28 said: Weirdly enough, Schumacher have just released one! https://www.racing-cars.com/new-products/april-2021/core-rc-electric-screwdriver-3-6v-1300mah-cr792 That's not really a torque wrench equivalent, it's just an electric screwdriver that has some kind of oompf adjustment scale. The clue is in the price A proper torque driver will allow the user to specify an exact torque value and drive until that value is reached. There are torque wrenches that allow precision at the small torque values required in modelling but they will set you back a lot of money. They are expensive to produce and the market for consumer versions of them is limited. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Howards 456 Posted June 30, 2021 The real reason Hex screws are awesome is because they'll accept a ball end key meaning you can drive them from many an angle 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonathon Gillham 4606 Posted June 30, 2021 2 hours ago, Wooders28 said: Weirdly enough, Schumacher have just released one! https://www.racing-cars.com/new-products/april-2021/core-rc-electric-screwdriver-3-6v-1300mah-cr792 That looks identical to my hardware store homebrand one, specs the same too. (Ozito from Bunnings for those downunder). Pretty sure there are many the same with different brands on them. They are a life saver, bought mine for the 8th scale kit but use it on the 10th scale too, especially when doing a strip down and rebuild of diffs. Related, I have a really small torque wrench for my bike. It wasn't cheap but not ridiculous either and not sure it would be that useful on rc cars. The electric screwdriver type with adjustable torque is ideal 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedy_w_beans 4272 Posted June 30, 2021 Bought a couple of these when they were closing them out at $3 a pop: Turnigy Torque Metrix Hexdriver The torque settings are continuous, meaning you can set any value between the marks. The driver itself holds the bit firmly until reaching the target torque, then it slips smoothly. It's a way to set the absolute minimum torque necessary to install a fastener without distorting/damaging the plastic hole it goes into. I bought it more out of curiosity than anything else. It's not something I use regularly. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cynan 520 Posted June 30, 2021 If you’re going to buy one let’s not mess about… Tech Angle Electronic Torque screwdriver 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Howards 456 Posted June 30, 2021 ^ That's more like it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggular 4964 Posted June 30, 2021 11 hours ago, toyolien said: Wasn't aimed at anyone directly. I know. I'm sorry. I had the scene of me breaking the ORV chassis re-playing in my head, and I kinda let that out. Oh, that sickening feeling of a brand new chassis cracking! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toyolien 4680 Posted June 30, 2021 I've just watched the live stream again from Tamiya, only this time with youtube's translation turned on. Although the translation is terrible most of the time, I did read that there were some parts of the car that they hadn't 100% decided on yet, so I took that to mean that there may be some changes before the release. Not sure what. Oh, and he did confirm that the body comes clear. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggular 4964 Posted July 1, 2021 23 hours ago, toyolien said: t they hadn't 100% decided on yet, so I took that to mean that there may be some changes before the release. That's good. I hope they make the battery easy to access. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TWINSET 1793 Posted July 1, 2021 Can't help thinking the 'battery doors' are just insert mouldings to strengthen the back 1/4 of the chassis There's still a lot of screws going into those sections from the top, so if it is battery access, there's a lot to undo Next two pics show a lot of moulded parts passing thru what is suggested as the space for a battery, especially to right of pics, behind servo saver Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toyolien 4680 Posted July 1, 2021 I think if there was an easier way to remove the battery they'd have shown it in the video. I suspect there isn't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TWINSET 1793 Posted July 1, 2021 28 minutes ago, toyolien said: I think if there was an easier way to remove the battery they'd have shown it in the video. Yup - if there was a second option they would/should have shown it. Chassis with optional motor positions etc. always show all the alternatives Still trying to work out whether the lower rear 1/4 of the chassis is a separate moulding to the rest of the tub, or if it's just the way the light's catching it. If it is separate, that could also explain the inserts as something beefier for that rear plate to attach to. It looks separate here, otherwise there wouldn't be any point in the screw going up to the top section 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toyolien 4680 Posted July 1, 2021 @TWINSET That's definitely separate. You can see at the top of the panel where it's been cut off the parts tree. Only thing I can think of is that those panels may be replaceable with a 'hop up' version to take a smaller lipo across the chassis. It really is the only thing holding me back from pre-ordering one. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TWINSET 1793 Posted July 1, 2021 28 minutes ago, toyolien said: those panels may be replaceable with a 'hop up' version to take a smaller lipo across the chassis A point they make about the chassis is the longitudinal battery though, and have Tamiya ever made concessions for LiPo before now? Apart from stating their ESC are not LiPo compatible, do they even acknowledge them as a source of volts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Saito2 6686 Posted July 1, 2021 Yeah, I could be wrong, but I imagine this is the production model we're looking at (odd battery fitment and all) and not a prototype. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toyolien 4680 Posted July 1, 2021 7 minutes ago, TWINSET said: A point they make about the chassis is the longitudinal battery though, and have Tamiya ever made concessions for LiPo before now? Apart from stating their ESC are not LiPo compatible, do they even acknowledge them as a source of volts? They don't, however, a lot of their modern cars that use the fibre style plastics 'seem' to be designed around a very square battery. My M-07 for example. The carbon battery stays at either end are the perfect shape for a hardcase lipo. I'm not sure what Tamiya's intentions are for a kit like this. It's clearly not aimed and serious competition, or the Japanese folk that like character style kits. It seems to be something in between. When I re-watched the live video with the (very poorly translated) English subtitles on, Satoshi Maezumi was saying something about wanting to design a 4wd buggy to follow in the foot steps of the original Avante designer. It seems more about having a design idea and making it, rather than thinking about who would buy it. I may be wrong, though. But that was the impression I got. Either way, I really like it. Apart from the battery removal. Oh, and I wonder how a brushless motor would fit in, and whether there is enough cooling... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Badcrumble 4203 Posted July 1, 2021 If the TA-08 PRO is a yardstick, we've roughly three months before a manual for the TD-4 is released. Here's another view of the underside. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toyolien 4680 Posted July 1, 2021 Sit back and wait I guess... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Killajb 1546 Posted July 2, 2021 The more I look at this kit, the more it grows on me. Glad the body comes clear, I've got a paint scheme in mind as well as changing the wheels. To be honest, if the battery removal (as shown in the video) is the final product, then I'll dedicate a battery to this kit and leave it in there. As well, I'll see if a shorty LiPo battery can fit going across the front and have a go at the handling to see which I like better. Overall, for a kit priced similar to the recently released TA-08Pro I'm in. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheel_Nut 322 Posted July 2, 2021 For any alternative battery layout, I just hope it will properly support the roll-hoop. Driver protection shouldn't be compromised. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superluminal 3750 Posted July 2, 2021 I dont think I could have one because of the servo position either. It stops you from fitting the proper driver with arms and a steering wheel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Falcon#5 594 Posted July 2, 2021 I'm wondering if the side panels will allow for a Hotshot series/M-chassis type of battery fitment? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites