My Tamiya TT02 Experiences

[Panko75]

To preface this, I did not buy any of these as kits, I often buy my Tamiyas used at a decent discount (and because I don't like applying 100+ stickers).

I've owned a ridiculously hopped up TT02B, a Type S, R, Ds, and vanilla models, all used, and all were just a bit...eh?

The S just comes with some spare "higher end" suspension arms that Tamiya had sitting around. It's an absolute kludge of spacers and bits, not that the arms matter when the stock steering is as notoriously poor as it is. If the steering wasn't a joke, it would have been a decent handler.

The basic TT02...I don't like. I like that it goes together easily, but the upper suspension arms are a bad design, and the stock steering is truly as bad as people say it is. I have cat toys that track straighter than a stock TT02.

The most ridiculous part of hopping up a TT02 (costs aside) is that the kit screws are self-tapping, but most of the hop-ups use machine screws. A key example are the oil filled shocks which come with ball connectors (btw I love popping shocks on and off and wearing out the eyelets), if you installed the friction shocks, you now have deep threaded holes where your ball connectors are meant to go.

My experience trying to "rally" a TT02 never, ever, worked out well. One instance had a rock getting into the servo saver area which messed up the steering, another made it pop out a suspension ball, and a fairly small jump ripped out the steering screws. These "rally" TT02s were ran on NiMH and their stock motors.

As an on-road car, again they handle badly (twitchy, bad steering, bad suspension arm design), dog bones pop out if you hit a wall or a solid object just right.

The kicker is that a stock TT-01E has none of those problems, despite being an older design. The TT01E has its own issues, but it just "works" out of the box.

Id like to point out that maybe 80% of the people who have build threads or suggest a TT02 have oodles of money in to them, but for me the best TT02 "upgrade" is to buy a different RC entirely, and put the TT02 where it performs its best, on the shelf.

Friends don't let friends drive with plastic bushings.

 

[CJSRCLIFE]

Same here my dad bought a TT-02 Subaru WRX race car kit along with a ball bearing kit and other parts. Here it was he wanted to make it a rally car but it didn't turn out how he wanted it to so he reverted back into an on road car. After a few runs the car started to fall apart after that he gave up on it and it now sits on our secondary shelf collecting dust i had considered getting it back up and running but instead i'll just leave it and buy a 4-Tec 2.0 or 3.0 instead. And in no way am i posting this to bash or put down Tamiya vehicles it's just that specific model is poorly designed and make stock if you're willing to spend more $$$ you can get a better touring car that will last for a life time like a 4-tec 2.0\3.0 or a AK-917\787. As a side note Tamiya does sell higher end TT-02 Kits like the R and SRX but i can't speak whether or not they're better built or setup out of the box. This is primarily why i stick to higher brand RC companies like Traxxas, Horizon Hobby like Arrma and Losi\TLR and Team Associated i will always take something that's better built and has solid parts support even if it's more expensive versus something cheap and has low parts supply like a Tamiya or Redcat or any of those off brand Chinese vehicles from Amazon or Aliexpress. Rant aside sorry for your bad experience with the TT-02.

 

[Panko75]

i will always take something that's better built and has solid parts support even if it's more expensive versus something cheap and has low parts supply like a Tamiya or Redcat

Honestly, I prefer something that's well equipped out of the box, and I've found that most on-road "bashers" from all brands are poorly equipped for the price that you pay,

Dogbones, plastic driveshafts, next to no adjustability, most are brushed and have weird wheelbases to lock you into their bodyshells.

 

[CJSRCLIFE]

Honestly, I prefer something that's well equipped out of the box, and I've found that most on-road "bashers" from all brands are poorly equipped for the price that you pay,

Dogbones, plastic driveshafts, next to no adjustability, most are brushed and have weird wheelbases to lock you into their bodyshells.

I get you most 10 - 7th scale onroads kind of suck otb unless you buy an Arrma Infraction, Limitless or Felony or a high end race kit which they come pretty well setup out of the box. but you have to remember that they most of them are mostly geared towards folks on the entry level side of the hobby. I was thinking about getting a 4-tec 2.0 or 3.0 (If they come back out with a BL-2S model like the 2.0 BL-2S Chassis w\o body.

 

[Panko75]

I get you most 10 - 7th scale onroads kind of suck otb unless you buy an Arrma Infraction, Limitless or Felony or a high end race kit which they come pretty well setup out of the box.

I don't think they're bad, just underequipped. You're right that newcomers aren't going to care about adjustable bits.

 

[CJSRCLIFE]

I don't think they're bad, just underequipped. You're right that newcomers aren't going to care about adjustable bits.

Yeah i don't think they're that bad either. I'm glad you agree with my statement about the lower end on road cars like the 4-tec and TT-01\E\02 Although i would take a Traxxas 4-tec 2.0 or 3.0 any day over the Tamiya by build quality standards and capability alone (I shouldn't have traded my 2.0 away). There's also the Rlaarlo cars the AK917 and AK787 they're insanely capable i saw many 917's go over 150+Mph but parts support isn't the greatest.

 

[Chubaka]

I get you most 10 - 7th scale onroads kind of suck otb unless you buy an Arrma Infraction, Limitless or Felony or a high end race kit which they come pretty well setup out of the box. but you have to remember that they most of them are mostly geared towards folks on the entry level side of the hobby. I was thinking about getting a 4-tec 2.0 or 3.0 (If they come back out with a BL-2S model like the 2.0 BL-2S Chassis w\o body.

When do you pick it up?

https://m.traxxas.com/products/models/electric/4-tec-2-chassis

 

[CJSRCLIFE]

When do you pick it up?

https://m.traxxas.com/products/models/electric/4-tec-2-chassis

I'm hoping to get a new or new to me 4-tec in the next couple of months i'm mostly looking at a new 2.0 VXL or a used 3.0 C8 Corvette. But right now the C8 Corvette
4-tec is hard to find on eBay i know they are now discontinued but i hope i can still find one or i'll hold out for a BL-2S rerelease of it by Traxxas.

 

[Panko75]

I'm hoping to get a new or new to me 4-tec in the next couple of months i'm mostly looking at a new 2.0 VXL or a used 3.0 C8 Corvette. But right now the C8 Corvette
4-tec is hard to find on eBay

In my experience with buying Traxxas, you'd be better off buying brand new. Anything on eBay ends up only a few tenners short of NIB price, but with a bit of wear and tear.

The Corvette shell looks nice in person, but I'd go with the 2.0 since it uses a standard wheelbase. More room for custom bodyshells to keep things fresh.

 

[luke66]

I'm hoping to get a new or new to me 4-tec in the next couple of months i'm mostly looking at a new 2.0 VXL or a used 3.0 C8 Corvette. But right now the C8 Corvette
4-tec is hard to find on eBay i know they are now discontinued but i hope i can still find one or i'll hold out for a BL-2S rerelease of it by Traxxas.

BL-2s 4tec is out BTW

 

[CJSRCLIFE]

In my experience with buying Traxxas, you'd be better off buying brand new. Anything on eBay ends up only a few tenners short of NIB price, but with a bit of wear and tear.

The Corvette shell looks nice in person, but I'd go with the 2.0 since it uses a standard wheelbase. More room for custom bodyshells to keep things fresh.

I was kind of thinking i might be better off with the 2.0 VXL or BL-2S and i agree the C8 body on the 3.0 looks nice but i might be able to get a C8 body that will fit the 2.0 or go with the Traxxas 2017 Ford GT a clear one so i can paint it whatever i want.

 

[totoandamigo]

Same here my dad bought a TT-02 Subaru WRX race car kit along with a ball bearing kit and other parts. Here it was he wanted to make it a rally car but it didn't turn out how he wanted it to so he reverted back into an on road car. After a few runs the car started to fall apart after that he gave up on it and it now sits on our secondary shelf collecting dust i had considered getting it back up and running but instead i'll just leave it and buy a 4-Tec 2.0 or 3.0 instead. And in no way am i posting this to bash or put down Tamiya vehicles it's just that specific model is poorly designed and make stock if you're willing to spend more $$$ you can get a better touring car that will last for a life time like a 4-tec 2.0\3.0 or a AK-917\787. As a side note Tamiya does sell higher end TT-02 Kits like the R and SRX but i can't speak whether or not they're better built or setup out of the box. This is primarily why i stick to higher brand RC companies like Traxxas, Horizon Hobby like Arrma and Losi\TLR and Team Associated i will always take something that's better built and has solid parts support even if it's more expensive versus something cheap and has low parts supply like a Tamiya or Redcat or any of those off brand Chinese vehicles from Amazon or Aliexpress. Rant aside sorry for your bad experience with the TT-02. View attachment 185158

I had the exact same experience with my TT-02. Spent wayy too much money in upgrades and never ended up with a car I liked to drive.

Tried to make a it a rally car, and figured out I should just save up for an HPI Wr8 or maybe even an XV01

Tried to make it a street basher, and figured out I should just pick up an Arrma Infraction

Now it's rightfully earned its place as a shelf queen (like a significant portion of Tamiyas)

 

[Panko75]

Now it's rightfully earned its place as a shelf queen (like a significant portion of Tamiyas)

Tried to make a it a rally car, and figured out I should just save up for an HPI Wr8 or maybe even an XV01

The TT02 is a nice shelf filler. I guess thats where I'm at odds with Tamiya, I like to drive my RCs, but a lot of Tamiya guys like to build expensive shelf-queens (and haven't picked up modeling for some reason).

I would go for an WR8, the XV01 isn't worth $300 (it used to sell for $170 before MAP crap). The XV-01 is more of a weird, over-complex "scale" on-roader.

 

[DavidB1126]

Yep. I see what @WickedFog is talking about. Upgrade / hop ups do NOT fix the issues.

 

[Panko75]

View attachment 198645

Yep. I see what @WickedFog is talking about. Upgrade / hop ups do NOT fix the issues.

I vaguely recognize that steering setup, that's one of those cheapo offerings where instead of real turnbuckles they give you ugly aluminum links.

What people don't say about the TT02s giant aftermarket is that 80% of it is low quality "bling" bits.

 

[Panko75]

Just to get something squared away...

Some on-road places run a spec class that allows TT01s and TT02s. While the TT02 is easier to work on, the TT01E has better steering, front suspension arms, and tougher hubs.

It's still not a great chassis (and comes with bushings/crap pinion), but it's a little better out of the box. Plus you can swap parts between it and a Eurotruck if necessary.

If you're just looking to have fun, buy a Fazer.

 

[lordraptor1]

let me share my TT02b experience.

in a word abyssmal, i bought 2 of these brand new. and let me start by saying kit quality is poor, teh abs plastic feels cheap compared to tamiya of the past and is ( you will find out later why i think it is cheaper ABS plastic than used previously by tamiya).

ok first off i built the the kit and added ball bearings during assembly and used the kit included torque tuned motor and thw-1060 esc ( hobbywing made tamiya esc) and with the esc set for lipo i installed my 2s lipo and went to run it, the minute i pulled the throttle the esc smoked, tamiya support replaced esc so i installed replacement esc and tried again, this time it started to get sluggish after 2 minutes so i pulled it in to check it out only to find the motor hot enough to cook an egg so i quickly turned off esc and set it aside to cool, again contacted tamiya support with the new issue and after several weeks of back and forth along with doing my own research and giving what i had read on forums as fixes as well as some hidden information regarding standard fdr range of the torque tuned motor ( which is 6 to 9 fdr according to an old screenshot from tamiya which can no longer be found on tamiya website ( at least not tamiya usa anyway) also letting tamiya usa know 1 "fix" was to replace torque tuned for a bz motor. tamiya usa responded ( they no longer answer phones you just get due to large number of calls even if you are calling at 8am california time when they actually open) the bx motor runs hotter than the torque tuned motor which seeing the number of people runnign bz with stock kit gearing with no problem this caused me to take notice and so i tried several of my old brushed motors from the 90's ( which when swapping out the kit torque tuned motor i found i had to pry cover off and motor mount out because it had slightly warped and why i said earlier i think tamiya is using cheaper abs plastic since the motor would have to be somewhere over 210c to melt abs at least it is in my fdm 3d printers) including midnight stock, speed gems 17t single, speed gems 15t quad/quint, a speedgems 12x2, and unknown 23t, and an old tamiya speed tuned mabuchi rs-540 and none of them overheated or even got hot in the stock kit gearing after 2 minutes and i informed tamiya of the motors i tried the use of the kit included pinion etc.

tamiya apparently wasn't listening, just started mentioning hop ups needed to run bz motor ( which ironically ended up being same parts to almost install a brushless (diff were another required upgrade needed for brushless but i have more on the diffs in a minute).

so tamiya offered to replace motor, motor mount, esc ( not sure why they wanted to send another esc but whatever), and a complete set of pinions for tt02b. so instead of just sending a bz motor they sent a bunch of other parts whose cost in total is the same or more than the bz motor ( depending on where you buy them from especially if ordered direct from tamiya usa).

now another weak link in the tt02b is the diff gears where the gears strip, people bought tamiya oil filled diffs to fix this but it didnt gears still stripped specifically ring gear as it was mentioned a lot, but others had internal gears also strip and keep in mind this was with tamiya brushed motors not brushless ( brushless failures were worse), so aftermarket metal gears ware the fix for this issue.

back to the rest, plastic dog bones, plastic drive shaft, plastic shock towers, plastic diff outdrives, plastic axle ( dogbone end of axle) excessive slop in front end, super stiff suspension with kit oil dampers ( pogo stick).

now lets move onto the $354 MSRP upgraded tt02b, i dont own one but i can share what i have read across multiple forums and that is that it is better but the fiber reainforced plastic is still problematic with users reporting cracked or broken suspension componants and stripped ring gears using tamiya diff gears and the fix being full aluminum conversion o suspension and extra sets of turnbuckles and chassis pans and as before replacing tamiya plastic and fiber reinforced plastic gears with metal ones.

so my take? tamiya dropped the ball, tt02b and all variants are trash. gone are the days of tamiya quality and the lack of even a metal driveshaft are proof of this i mean even the tl01 from the 90s came with a metal driveshaft.

so where am i with mine? i just started ordering parts for it and i can assure you i will NOT be buying tamiya branded parts if i dont have to. my plan is to basically replace every tamiya part on it with non tamiya yeah i know it will be expensive and probably stupid but what else can i do? i mean the tt02b is completely unusable as it is and half the car would need to be replaced anyway ( according to tamiya motor mount and entire drive train) just to run a bz brushed motor which is unacceptable.

all in all i again say tamiya tt02b adn all variants on teh tt02 platform are utter trash and should be avoided, in fact i believe this is the reason tamiya has already discontinued it except for teh upgraded tt02BR which again is NOT worth the price when you will still need to replace parts.

so I'm left with the one i built and cannot use currently plus 1 still shrinkwrapped that the local hobbyshop would not accept a return on even though i had receipt and i had it less than 2 weeks at time of attempted return ( before you ask, no i no longer support that hobbyshop because they did not honor their own return policy and refused return but i knw why it was so they didnt get stuck with this piece of junk sitting on their shelves collecting dust which is what it is doing here because unless i sink to low and offload it to an unsuspecting person which i would feel bad about i can't do anything with it. out of the box it is complete rubbish and I'm already looking at $200 USD + just to get the built one in a usable state i can't see and dont want to do it twice when if you think about it $135 ( kit ) + $200 ( aftermarket parts ) is $335 that could be put towards something better like a 4wd rc10 reissue, or a losi, or anything else.

 

[lordraptor1]

Yeah i don't think they're that bad either. I'm glad you agree with my statement about the lower end on road cars like the 4-tec and TT-01\E\02 Although i would take a Traxxas 4-tec 2.0 or 3.0 any day over the Tamiya by build quality standards and capability alone (I shouldn't have traded my 2.0 away). There's also the Rlaarlo cars the AK917 and AK787 they're insanely capable i saw many 917's go over 150+Mph but parts support isn't the greatest.

funny thing is that in early to mid 90's buget kits were superior to current offerings, just look at tc3, tc4 from associated xx xxx from losi, tl01, ff01, etc from tamiya. now just focusing on tamiya offerings, no longer do budget kits have metal dogbones diff outdrive cups and driveshafts but cheap poor quality ABS parts that start to soften and warp with less heat than it takes to heat and extrude ABS 3d printer filament. yet the price of the budget kits has gone up. personally i like building but it is harder to get unassembled kits over rtr. problem is 99% of local hobbyshops dont stock tamiya kits or parts for tamiya, nor do they offer enough support or carry parts for anything except traxxass. my local shop for example practically carries traxxass and traxxass parts exclusively except for they currently carry mini z's due to to them creating a track and are now racing them but you can bet the minute they lose interest in mini-z they will cease carrying them and any parts. 2s lipos is another thing my local shop is limited on as they all run 3s in their traxxass stuff, to the point i rarely even visit the LHS anymore unless i just want to stop in to look and see if by some miracle they have somethign i cna use or want which for wants never, and need items ( usually lipo batteries) rarely. lhs's might as well be renamed to local traxxass shops considering that is the majority of rc stuff they carry these days.

sigh, makes me wish i had the funds to start my own hobbyshop so there would be at least 1 hobbyshop left that isnt basically a traxxass storefront.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Seems like the fix for these cars is to start by removing the body, installing it on a Kyosho Fazer and then its fixed!

I love Tamiya generally speaking. I think most of their RCs do as they were designed to do. This chassis may have been a miss tho.

 

[lordraptor1]

Seems like the fix for these cars is to start by removing the body, installing it on a Kyosho Fazer and then its fixed!

I love Tamiya generally speaking. I think most of their RCs do as they were designed to do. This chassis may have been a miss tho.

put teh body on ANY other rc it will fit on would be better but best solution is not even waste money on the body. to be honest. IMHO tamiya dropped the ball with this one and probably are going to keep dropping teh ball cutting corners from now on. i mean at leas put metan driveshaft, propshaft cups, diff outdrives, dogbones and axle cups like they use to but no they have decided to use weak abs so you have to spend more money and they are hoping you buy tamiya branded parts. undorftnatley for tamiya there are a lot of aftermarket parts out their for tamiya and i have to say so far the low quality chinesium parts are better than tamiya branded parts right now. the ONLT reason to actually buy tamiya branded parts is if you are racing in TCS races which most dont, i only know i heard that there is TCS ( tamiya championship series) racing in california at ( you guessed it) tamiya USA no other track i have been to in the USA ( MO, Co, AZ, Ok, Tx) have TCS racing and only 1 hobbyshop in tx had a tamiya class but it was the 1/10 eurotrucks.

dont get me wrong i use to love tamiya having clod/bullhead, txt-1, tl01, ff01, TB02, M04, M03 but thigs have taken a nosedive at tamiya over the last few years. even now tamiya is still making kits around stick packs and brushed motors instead of moving fully to brushless and lipo. i would love brushed and ni-mh to come back with companies like team trinity but its not and selection of ni-mh batts and brushed motors especially are limited to high turn slow motors not really suited for much outside of crawling, only brushed motors still being made from teh brushed motor heyday are 55t lathe motors which are now used as crawler motors.