Tamiya TT-02

[Road America]

I have a few Traxxas cars and drove them quite a bit last summer.
Now a friend put together a Tamiya kit with the tt-02 chassis and would like to have me get something similar so we could race similar cars. It seemed to me that chassis has sort of loose fitting plastic steering and suspension parts, and I don't really like brushed motors much. I don't mind spending more to get better quality, but I don't want to take an unfair advantage either. What to do?
I have been looking at the TT-02R chassis kit - it has more aluminum parts and ball bearings I guess, and it doesn't come with a motor. Would this be a better idea?
Any thoughts on this? Thanks

 

[DavidB1126]

It seemed to me that chassis has sort of loose fitting plastic steering and suspension parts, and I don't really like brushed motors much

And you are 100 percent correct on that.

I have been looking at the TT-02R chassis kit - it has more aluminum parts and ball bearings I guess, and it doesn't come with a motor. Would this be a better idea?

TT02 R ain't gonna be that much better imo

Id either go Traxxas 4tec or Kyosho Fazer.

In @CertifiedMike s terms, Kyosho rules

Although Traxxas does have it in parts support.

If you want to build a display car, sure Tamiya can be it. For actually running it? No way. It preforms terriblely, unless it's a 1k plus TRF kit.

@WickedFog can tell you all about TT02s and their faults.

Had one myself. Hated it.

https://www.rctalk.com/forum/threads/davids-tamiya-tt-02-10th-scale-on-road-tc-build.141301/

 

[CertifiedMike]

The Fazer is COOL!!! If you ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to buy an Optima Mid...

Build Thread Thread 'Kyosho Fazer MK2 -2.0 Upgrade'

Jan 1, 2025

So my original plan was to paint a truck body to match my real truck and be done. Oh well that’s long gone now. This is gonna be an ultimate Fazer MK2 build. So now it starts here. The main goal is for the body to be as realistic and scale as possible. The chassis is a combination of performance looks and my upgrade choices.

• gragner66
• Replies: 129
• Forum: RC Builds and Projects

• 
• 

Just in case thats not enough,
KYOSHO RULES!!!

 

[Road America]

Earlier today, I had gone to the local hobby store and would probably have ordered a Tamiya. They were closed so I went home and posted this. I'm starting to think I got lucky there!

 

[OnwardGuinevere]

Although, I haven't run it yet (so close!). I've built an LC Racing PTG-2R. you'll need a motor, ESC, servo, receiver to complete it. But the kit went together very nicely.

When I was looking at rally cars I was between the PTG and the Kyosho fazer

 

[hood52]

Even though the Tamiya build quality is lacking, it is fun racing your buddies with the same car and motor. I get together a couple times a year with some friends and run our Tamiya Euro Trucks. We have a blast running together.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Even though the Tamiya build quality is lacking, it is fun racing your buddies with the same car and motor. I get together a couple times a year with some friends and run our Tamiya Euro Trucks. We have a blast running together.

Tamiya kits might not all be track star champions but EVERY Tamiya car I have or have seen manages to get my imagination running. I feel like I connect with the kit somehow. Even if its not winning races every time, I have FUN with their kits EVERY time I run them!!!

 

[Road America]

Lots of good comments - thanks!
That PTG chassis sure looks good to me.
I have a Traxxas Fiesta brushless 2S and my friend was here with his new Tamiya. We were running them on my blacktop driveway/parking area. He calls my Fiesta a "beast" cause it's so much faster and doesn't want to race against it. They're both using approx. 7 volt battery systems, 6 cell nimh vs 2 cell lipo, but a huge difference in performance.
The Kyosho Datsun rally car interests me also - yikes, too many choices!

 

[OnwardGuinevere]

If you haven't checked it out yet, @Punkmoses has some awesome videos of his Kyosho MK2

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[xjtorc]

We have a local parking lot racing class which runs the Fazers and TT02s in the same class. They're definitely similar enough to be competitive against one another.

I hate to say something is junk, but I despise the TT series of cars. I've owned a TT01 and 02 over the years and both were terrible. I've driven and worked on buddies' Fazers...can't go wrong with the Fazer.

Get the Fazer kit with the $15 off coupon at Amain

 

[Road America]

Can I use my 2S lipo battery packs with a brush motor Fazer?

 

[CertifiedMike]

You need a low voltage alarm or sometimes the esc will have a switch to select between nimh/lipo.
You can use it if the battery will fit in the chassis.
I use 2s lipos with my brushed Gorgon.

 

[Highsmith]

I have got both a Tamiya TT-02, a TT-01 and an Xray T4. I agree that out of the box both TT‘s are terrible. My TT-02 is a Type-SR which is surely better than the base but it needed upgrading as well. Once you have put some good thought and money into upgrades they drive extremely well and are huge fun, the TT-01 is cheaper, the TT-02 more expensive but it gets to almost perform like the Xray (which has a belt drive that will always be smoother of course). Most of the metal bling bling “upgrades“ are useless for racing. You need adjustable Camber and Toe, high class oil dampers / springs, a brushless motor / ESC eg the Hobbywing 4,100kV and good race tires (eg the Matrix 036). I am also using quite a few 3D printed parts for protection. This beast will be no comparison to the base car any more.

 

[dustyroller]

I have got both a Tamiya TT-02, a TT-01 and an Xray T4. I agree that out of the box both TT‘s are terrible. My TT-02 is a Type-SR which is surely better than the base but it needed upgrading as well. Once you have put some good thought and money into upgrades they drive extremely well and are huge fun, the TT-01 is cheaper, the TT-02 more expensive but it gets to almost perform like the Xray (which has a belt drive that will always be smoother of course). Most of the metal bling bling “upgrades“ are useless for racing. You need adjustable Camber and Toe, high class oil dampers / springs, a brushless motor / ESC eg the Hobbywing 4,100kV and good race tires (eg the Matrix 036). I am also using quite a few 3D printed parts for protection. This beast will be no comparison to the base car any more.

View attachment 277853View attachment 277854

That motor can looks huge in there

 

[Highsmith]

It is! I have got the same in the TT-01 where there is even less space, but it fits - tightly.

I have put both cars to a 1:5 gear ratio (the 01 is minimally higher due to its fixed motor mount) and they run like hell. The sensored HW ESC and motor allows for smooth acceleration which makes them easy to handle with a little practice. 1:5 provides sufficient top speed but in reality when driving (DIY) tracks top speed is not the most important factor but rather the overall balance between slow and long turns without too much oversteering when accelerating at the end of the turn towards a straight passage.

 

[Ritz413]

Just to cover all bases. The tt02 can be modified to perform fairly well. If it's what your buddy has, and the main purpose of buying something is to race against him it would make for a more level field to have something similar.
Mine currently has a good amount of upgrade parts...and makes for a good parking lot basher.