Tamiya Hornet/Grasshopper forum

[huasze]

This old model just got released again. The Hornet and Grasshopper are essentially the same chassis, except for the stock motor used.

Anyone put new technology into these old buggies? Like brushless motors etc.? I was thinking of making my Hornet brushless but not sure if the gearbox will last.

[papazilla]

with a brushless those gearboxes will not last long at all. They were just not intended for that kind of power.

[TamiyaRacer69]

I remember when I got my Grasshopper, I was 14. The monster 380 :rolleyes: lasted about 2 months when after a while I threw a 540 at it. Now I had some "real" power. But that increase in power was short lived, needed to go faster. I borrowed my mate's Technigold for the weekend. Needless to say the gear box didn't like that very much. :mad: Three weeks later, after saving some money from my after-school job. I replaced the gearbox parts and put the 540 'standard can' back in. ;)

Cheers'
Del

[MarkF]

I just got a new grasshopper for my son. I had one when I was kid so I just had to get it. Anyway here is my biggest problem: it doesn't have enough clearance to run on my lawn. Ironic that the grasshopper can't run on grass. Is there any easy way to get more clearance? I'm not so concerned about speed considering my son is young and we are only bashing. We still have the stock motor so if there is a need I can bump up to a 540.

Any ideas?

[TamiyaRacer69]

Hiya MarkF.
Have you tried cutting your lawn. lol Just kidding. :rolleyes: Just do what I did when I had my Grasshopper. I got out the lawn mower, and cut a track out in the grass. :)
I've just got a Hornet for my 4year old daughter, when I was 14 I had a GrassHopper. One thing I found when I had my GH and just of late with my daughters Hornet, you can un-screw the front screws on the front suspension and the clearance comes up a little. Do you know the screws I'm talking about. The main long ones that hold that go through the middle of the springs. As for the rear end, I'm not sure. There's not alot of options for the rear end, after-all it is just an entry level buggy. One option I can think of, is to put some bigger wheels and tires on it to get it up off the ground.

Cheers'
Del

[cfjan]

Old tech does not mean it is not stout.. I find the Grasshopper / Hornet / Lunchbox / Midnight Pumpkin gearbox to be one of the strongest around.. as long as you lined up the pinion w/ the spur correctly (carefully), it is virtually bullet proof.. (no doubt you know how big those gears are! And the axle?! 5mm steel axle..)

Oh right, you do need to put ballbearings, etc. during the build.. but that's given... !

I have my brushless (LRP Sphere ESC + Reedy Neo-One 1-Star) on my Lunchbox for awhile and it has not had any problem at all.. And this is w/ the Lunchbox w/ big tires and popping wheelie and stuff.. (on a lighter weight buggy such as GH and Hornet, no doubt the stress on the gears will be much less.. as you will simply spin up the tires..)

[cfjan]

Some Hornet pics... :D

[cfjan]

Hanging out with another Tamiya classic!!

[cfjan]

Vintage vs. new technology!!

[toonz]

my eyes are fixed on mr.hornet :)

[cfjan]

It is definitely pretty for sure.. :D

Old school buggy looks like a real buggy..

[cfjan]

Being crashed by the TXT!! :D

[toonz]

here's my reissue hornet to share :)
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3412/dscn0568vr8.jpg
http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/2931/dscn0572mp4.jpg
http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/6936/dscn0577tw2.jpg
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/8783/dscn0579pp8.jpg

[cfjan]

All black, NICE!! :D

[toonz]

thanks :)
it's like a 20th Anniversary Special Edition Hornet heehee..... :D

i've just put in a Sport Tuned and its all black at the rear :eek: freaking fast! :rolleyes:

[cfjan]

Random pictures sharing..

[cfjan]

A couple more.. :D

[toonz]

snow ride! woohoo! no need to clean, just let dry hahahah :)

[cfjan]

Well, there's sand and dirt as well, so..... :rolleyes:

[rdlb23]

Love the shots of the Hornet in the Snow!!!!

I have an old grasshopper with a manual speed control. There is only one set of red/black wires that attaches to the 7.2V battery.I order some replacements and they have an extra plug with red and black wires that looks like it attaches to a receiver. Is this for BEC? What receiver do I need to hook these up. Any info about how to use this type of spped control would be appreciated. I've added a link to a picture of one on ebay. The red plug---where does it go?Thanks

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tamiya-TOYOTA-HILUX-Bruiser-Mountaineer-Speed-Control_W0QQitemZ290075190253QQihZ019QQcategoryZ44 028QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 290075190253#ebayphotohosting

[cfjan]

Thanks!

I would highly recommend you to get an ESC.. it will be a worthwhile upgrade for your vintage...

But yeah, that's probably the BEC...

[rdlb23]

Yep thats what everyone has told me. Get an ESC. But this manual one is free because I already have it...
thnx

[cfjan]

Sure, whatever works!!

[WolverineX]

Just finished my Grasshopper restoration project. I didn't want to spend much so I used the paint and Mad Bull decals I had lying around. I also put in a 540 motor, with Brat pinion gear. Wow it's quick! Looking at it...I wish I'd painted it as it should be, white with Grasshopper decals.
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/mariblanca/pictures/ogs.JPG
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/mariblanca/pictures/ogs1.JPG

[HobbyGoblin]

This thread brings back old memories. The Hornet was my first r/c car. I paid a guy I knew in high school $100 for the car, 2ch. Airtronics radio, 1200 mAh 7.2V battery, quick charger, a Race Prep Super Stock motor, and a set of foam racing slicks back in 1991.

[englishsmilo]

was their a model called the golden fox at all? i know there was the fox, but i have this memory from when i was 10 of all the kids being obsessed with the golden fox! can anyone shed some light for me?

[Tamiya84]

you may be thinlking about the Golden Arrow, it was a RadioShack Buggy that was Super fast, i owned one it was a blast,

Type in Golden Arrow on ebay and in the Completed listing youll find a few pics

[Bunsincunsin]

I was looking into the Tamiya Hornet and was wondering how everyone likes their buggy.

Has anyone put a brushless set up in it yet?

[Tamiya84]

I have a throp tranny Forsale and a NIB set of Decals for the grasshopper from the 80's PM if you are intrested anyone

[smilinjohn]

Man I'm glad I found this thread. Maybe I can find an answer to my question here from some of you more familiar with the hornet. I just bought a hornet kit along with everything I'd need to make it run, my question is this... On the side of the gear box there's an oil hole with a cover that says oil. What kind of oil goes in, how much, and do you do anything to leak proof the GB??? I got my kit pretty much put together last weekend, but ran out of time (stinking work) on programing my JR radio, and setting the toe on the front wheels. Thanks for any help so I don't mutilate the gears in it.

[cfjan]

Don't need any oil.. use the included grease is enough.. so no need to leak proof the GB..

I guess that's a way for you to put some more grease in if you'd like..

The only Tamiya kit that ever require actual oil in the tranny (that I can remember of) is the old 3-speed (Bruiser, Blazing Blazer, etc.) where you use silicon to seal the tranny and actually pour in oil...

Good luck! Post some pics when you got it done!! :D

[smilinjohn]

Well I don't have a shell done for it yet :rolleyes: But I did run it this evening, I put a 15t single 550 can motor on it with a standard 7.2v 1100Mah NimH battery, on the stock TEU-101BK ESC that came with the kit. It runs better than I thought it would, I'd like to see what kind of improvement a BL motor could offer this platform. This is my 3rd addition to my RC collection preceding a rustler and 18t. My 18 is a BL, and my rusty has a 12t single, with the same battery. The Hornet runs far better than my rusty I need to do some work to it still it looks like. The ONLY thing I didn't like was how it handled in the yard the rear end jumped around badly, but I've also got 35w oil in the rear shocks so I may come down on the oil weight. All in all though I'm quite pleased as it promises to be a very fun rig this summer. Since I don't know how to re size pics I'm unable to post the ones I took, this site tells me there to big. But hey thanks cfjan for the help. :wave:

[cfjan]

Sounds good.. although use the ESC w/ that motor might create some problem.. (might not, it is great if you can get away with it..!!) It is officially only rated for 27T motor (silver can and Sport Tune) according to Tamiya, although the current rating suggest it can handle down to low 20s turn motors..

15T 550-sized is probably around 17-18T 540-size motor when it comes to current draw, so you are pushing it as is..

Good luck, though!! As long as it works, you know!! :D

[toonz]

i've ever used a RZ (23T) on the teu101 esc and it gets really hot and it cut down on my runtime even before it fully utillises the battery. i've come back to using 27T or 25T motors for this esc since then...

[cfjan]

Old Hornet ad!! Sweet!!

Definitely recommend www.vintagercweb.com!!

[cfjan]

A few more snow pics from a recent snow run!!

[toonz]

THE HORNET is always a fast car :).....salute!

[smilinjohn]

If I fry the stock ESC then it'll smoke LOL, I don't worry to much about stock electronics I usually upgrade them to improve performance anyway. I've got a novak hyperfet III, it's a no turn limit ESC. It just depends on which of my ESCs fry first, the Rusty XL-1, or the TEU-101, as to which rig gets the novak ;) But with it being 20 degrees outside last night the motor/ESC didn't get to hot, barely warm really and I was running without the shell also. I've got an older Tamiya mod motor (the # of turns isn't printed on the can) and the one that came with the kit, so if need be I can always go back to the original type motor:) With temps here in Kentucky going near 60 degrees Wednesday (the next day I get off work early enough to run my RCs) I ought to get a better Idea on how well this set up is going to do. It'll also give the the chance to cycle my battery packs that have been sitting for the best part of 3 months with irregular intervals of being cycled tossed in there.

[cfjan]

Yeah, but the TEU-101 is a tough little ESC! Tamiya typically under-rates the electronics.. like I said, it is officially rated only for 27T, but the current limit is like 60A (or 45A), which is typically reserved for a high-10s or low-20s turn ESC...

[smilinjohn]

Well mine runs better than the rusty sitting next to it, so unless the ESC frys I'll not be changing it any time soon. But thanks for the info on the rating ;)

[cfjan]

Hornet hanging out with its newly built brother.. another classic from Tamiya, The Frog!! :D

[toonz]

nice silver green frog! i like :)

here's mine to share :D
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/1622/dscn1059kr3.jpg


think we share the same reissue cars, what's next for you? :)

[cfjan]

NICE!! So that's what that piece is for, for mounting the ESC switch, LOL!!

I mounted inside of the car, in front of the driver figure.. so it is hidden away.. but you can get to it through the front windshield opening!! :D

Not sure what's next.. ha! I have 2 Lunchboxes, a Hornet, a Frog (the old school stuff), then I got the Touareg (XC chassis), TLT, TXT, F201, TB-02, the Jaguar XJR (pan car kind of thing), F103GT, Wild Willy 2, M-03M (Suzuki Swift).. Dark Impact (DF-03).. that's my Tamiya collection..

I might get a semi next.. a Ford Aeromax...

Or a tank... hee hee.. :eek:

[cfjan]

Here's how I mount my ESC switch!! :D (I think we need a Frog thread?! :cool: ) You can reach in from the front windshield.. hee hee!!

[toonz]

good idea for the switch:)

i followed the instruction initially, like switch at the side, receiver at the bottom and esc at the side. but guess what, water happen to splash in at times and got into the esc and it stop. sand bits entered into the switch and the friction causes the black tape to come loose.

so i got fed up and redo the entire layout of all the electronics. both the receiver and esc take the driver's place and inserted a rubber cover for the switch. its looks ugly at the side but that what i can think of that time. at the end i'm left with the driver's head screwed to the body.

will show you pics tomorrow :)

[toonz]

:cool: yes we need a frog thread! agree!

[cfjan]

I think the RX at the bottom is okay, maybe just waterproof it by putting a balloon over it?!

The ESC.. maybe put a little shield on the side?! Hard to imagine getting the water to that, though!! But TEU-101 is pretty tough.. usually it would stop after it got wet, but come back on after awhile.. hee hee.. I should probably waterproof it.. :mad:

[toonz]

yeah, the only thing that bugs me over the design of the frog is the over expose chassis. otherwise it's a very solid and really fast car. :)

my collection: DT02 sandviper, DF03 DI, hornet (vintage and reissue), frog and wildwilly2. the fastest of all here is the frog & hornet eventhough they are just running a simple sport tuned.

old school cars were borned to be fast isn't it.... :)

[cfjan]

LOL!! Your DT-02 and DF-03 deserve faster motors if your Hornet and Frog are faster!! :D

[smilinjohn]

:) How good of a racer does the hornet make, and what hop-ups do you guys recommend??? There starting the parking lot races (already have weather permitting) so different tires are in order, and I already have bearings in it not bushings. Is there anything else that makes this platform a good racer???

:rolleyes: Also I've noticed that with the hornet the rear end jumps around a lot, does the frog have the same issue??? I like its look and am thinking of buying one. :confused:

:cool: BTW the novak went into my rustler, I had to improve the super bashers performance. No slow rigs for me :D

[toonz]

LOL!! Your DT-02 and DF-03 deserve faster motors if your Hornet and Frog are faster!! :D

my DT02 is running a GT Tuned 25T+19pinion, good enough for bashing already :) i've ever tried a RZ motor and it flies. unfortunately the 17pinion is not as easily available as the 19pinion, so therefore i can't really run this car with a motor that's too hot.

as for my DF03, i'm still deciding whether i should get a Tamiya BZ 23T motor or a Venom Fireball Modified (13T/15T/17T/19T/21T). i'm getting a Mtroniks RV15 to go with it :)

http://www.venom-group.com/product/racing/motors/motors.htm

any suggestion?

[toonz]

here cfjan, my frog layout. not the best but it does give me a peace of mind when i play :)

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7039/dscn1070nm2.jpg

[scoob]

as for my DF03, i'm still deciding whether i should get a Tamiya BZ 23T motor or a Venom Fireball Modified (13T/15T/17T/19T/21T). i'm getting a Mtroniks RV15 to go with it :)

http://www.venom-group.com/product/racing/motors/motors.htm

any suggestion?

I'd go with an Orion Method if you can get it. Same price range and much better motors in my opinion. I ran one for a LONG time in my Gravel hound and they hold up well. The have the V-angle type brush setup for much less wear at a great price. Not rebuildable but I don't think the fireball is either.

[cfjan]

Rear end jumping around is pretty typical for solid axle suspension.. Frog has independent rear, so it should be okay.. I haven't ran it yet, though.. ha ha!!

Make it more competitive? I am not sure if there's anything you can do.. if you want to race with the modern buggies..

But it would be fun to race against other Grasshopper and Hornet!! [:D]

[cfjan]

That's cool.. I just run the stock setup..

Someone needs a new front tire?! :D


here cfjan, my frog layout. not the best but it does give me a peace of mind when i play :)

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7039/dscn1070nm2.jpg

[toonz]

hehehe....my front tire is getting rotten :)

not much mod for my frog except fully ball race, sport tuned+high speed gear ratio set up (19/49) and frog universal :)

runs like crazy!

[cfjan]

Sport Tune and then the higher gear ratio, eh?! Does the motor get really hot?!

[toonz]

no, just warm and i ran a few packs (including 4200mah) and froggy is happy :)

[cfjan]

Maybe silver can + mid gearing is too conservative?! Argh.. I hate to gear into the gearbox... :mad:

[toonz]

that's my thought too when i study the gear box design before building it and i feel that it's going to be troublesome if i ever want to change the gear ratio. so i simply went for the high speed ratio once and for all :)

change it if you have some spare time and you'll love bashing it :) i love it every minute! especially when it reaches top end with just a gentle sport tuned :)

sometimes i even wonder if the sport tuned is 23T or 27T cos it does perform like a 23T to me eventhough it's set at 18300rpm :)

my hornet runs the sport tuned+18 stock pinion is FASTER than my sandviper that runs in GT Tuned 25T+19pinion. it's rediculously marvelous :)

[cfjan]

Yeah, if my motor ever break (ha, silvercan?! unlikely) I'd put a Sport Tune in it for sure!! :D

[toonz]

hahaha....it takes a lot for the silver can to die :)

actually you can still put in the sport tuned even without changing the gears. its just as good :)

[cfjan]

Yeah, I drove it around today and it is actually pretty quick (silvercan + mid-gearing)..

Can any of you create a Frog thread?! I tried to but it wouldn't let me.. do I need to be an admin to do so?! Or?!

I got a lot of snow pics to post, so... ha!

[toonz]

i tried to start a frog thread but was disallowed too :(

took frog to the track yesterday and ran 4 packs, great fun :)

[toonz]

ok i found a frog thread

FROG THREAD (http://forums.radiocontrolzone.com/showthread.php?t=206703&highlight=tamiya+frog)

[smilinjohn]

Does anyone have or know of a street tire for the Hornet??? I would think a front and rear, and all the LHS had was a set for the rear, but it didn't look as if they would work with the bead lock wheels that came with the kit I've got. I've about worn out the stock rear tires that came with my kit and I live in the city and do a lot of asphalt, gravel, and grass transitioning when I run. I'm hoping there is a tire like the dirt hogs that are multipurpose tires. Thanks for any help

[cfjan]

For on-road running, you can just run those Grasshopper rear tires..

If you want to run all the other wheel that uses standard 12mm hex, you can buy the adaptor from Tamiya that let you run 12mm hex..

Good luck!

[MonsterBeetleGuy]

Here is one of my Hornets. I picked this up at a local auction. It came with a cool old pit box and a bunch of tires. It was basically a front and rear end with no tub. I bought a new re-re chassis and put it back together....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture140.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture143.jpg
I then bought a Parma lexan VW body and mounted it up....painted it yellow like my first Monster Beetle and first 1:1 car a 72 Super Beetle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture162.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture163.jpg

I put a Rooster ESC and an ole S&K Ironman motor in it...remember those? She scoots now

[MonsterBeetleGuy]

This is my 2nd Hornet I picked up RTR on Ebay for $12.50. It was dirty as sin from years of neglect. I cleaned it up...Put some stickers I had laying around on it..

As received...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/77de_1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/7841_1.jpg
after some love...I pulled the msc and put a DTX-4 ESC and Tamiya Sport tuned motor...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture211.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture208.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture210.jpg

Brad
bandmswisher@aol.com

[MonsterBeetleGuy]

Here's a GrassHopper I picked very reasonbly one Ebay along with another Hornet that's being parted out...I tore it down and cleaned it up and replaced the gears in it from the ones in the Hornet. I then pulled off all the stock decals and shot it with Testors Boyds Lime pearl paint. This color is awesome in the sun. I just need to get some better pics.

I finished up the detail painting on the Hopper. It's not perfect, but I'm not very good with detail painting. I added some vintage gold Pro-line wheel covers to the stock wheels. I added a Rooster ESC. I'm not sure of the motor as it's wrapped in tape and it scoots very good so I'm not gonna unwrap. It's controlled by a MRC Top Gun remote.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture035.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture036.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture037.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture038.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/monsterbeetleguy/Picture039.jpg

[GT Freak]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fo18DgYMpiY tamiya's comercial

[diggernz]

http://images.onesite.com/diggernz.rcmate.org/4208240265.jpg
This car has been through some cheap ESC's.The Tamiya unit I stuck in it in the end was the best.

http://images.onesite.com/diggernz.rcmate.org/4208241801.jpg
I have used HPI rear hex adapters to fit speed discs on my old hornet.

http://images.onesite.com/diggernz.rcmate.org/4208248201.jpg
This will make your rear shock mounts alot stronger. This car has been so well used. I always pulled it out as it would run on half stuffed batteries fine. A lunchbox wheelie bar would be ideal as on dry grass it will flip from a speedie reverse to forward. They dont handle bumpy ground that well and was always turning it back onto its wheels. I had a Saint Dragon body for it and it would roll back onto its wheels alot more with the shape of the Dragon body. I still have a new in box Saint Dragon body and mounting kit. Thats it in the back ground.
http://images.onesite.com/diggernz.rcmate.org/4188138761.jpg

[winchester]

Hey Guys, new to this forum wondering if i can get an opinion, im about to purchase a Tamiya Super Hornet. are these any good? speed and durability wise, ive noticed you all use "the hornet" whats the different with the "super"

thanks :D

[diggernz]

super hornet is not a great handling car. I would go with something with an independent rear end.

[winchester]

i bought the traxxas bandit instead, it looked alot better and had better suspension etc. i think the motor is a lil better than that 540 also

[diggernz]

i bought the traxxas bandit instead, it looked alot better and had better suspension etc. i think the motor is a lil better than that 540 also
I dont think you will be diapointed in that choice mate. Does it have the ESC (electronic speed controller) in it? I think these run a550 12turn which will absolutley fly. It may get you in trouble itll be that quick. Enjoy it mate and welcome to the world of RC. I bought a super hornet for my first car second hand and it was a piece of crap. The hornet is better but not buy much.A Traxxas Bandit would of been a wicked first car.Im hooked on trucks at the moment. I wont a gas buggy. A Bandit would be cool to tho.

[winchester]

yeah thanks very much for the welcome, i am very pleased with it its absolutely flies, i took it to a flat grass paddock type place it aboslutely hounded on the grass, a little harder to handle on the road especially turning as the front wheels hardly touch haha, thanks very much for the advice and hope i can repay someone like me oneday :D

edit: and yes it has a xl5 speed controller. i was also wondering if this will run a 10turn motor in place of the 12?

[crrider]

I received what I thought was a junk r/c car from radio shack in a trade deal awhile back but I just started looking at it to clean it up and try to get it running when I noticed it said tamiya on it and it also said grasshopper.I was wondering if anyone has any pics of the original grasshopper with the body off and on so I can compare to see if it is a real grasshopper or not.The car is in pretty good condition and everything is in it except for the transmitter,I didnt get one in the trade.The receiver and servos are hitec with the old white plastic plugs on the end,the receiver battery is wired right into the switch harness so you cant remove it without cutting the wires.If anyone has any pics and can help me figure this out,I would really appreciate it.I will try to get some pics of what I have and post them on here at some point in the near future.
Thanks
Ron

[Twister_Mod]

Sweet, i love getting old rc stuff and reviving it ..... id love to get this thread moving again i have some kick butt hornet and tamiya projects just startting to brew

[diggernz]

ive got a hornet project as well and need some motvation to get it under way. They are a fun car in a way and can be very reliable

[Twister_Mod]

Yes they are I will be posting some pics tomorrow. The car in question is actually a Super Hornet it is an original nib 80's kit. I just built it and i am going to make some handling improvements then i hope to take the same new ideas over to the Lunch box and make kind of a super lunchbox

[Twister_Mod]

Original Tamiya Superhornet
Was a NIB kit now it's built and i tried it out a few times this is rare car.
http://home.comcast.net/~rneuls07/Tamiya/Super_web_small.jpg

[Jet-Z]

I picked a new RTR Hornet up on ebay to relive some of my youth, and my son loves it.

A couple of weeks ago I found my original World Engines Rockbuster / Grasshopper that I modded out into a truck, and then a carpet racer.
Its currently under going restoration back into a buggy / Baja bug.
And I ve got enough parts with a few ebay purchases to build a 3rd that is going to be a carpet road racer again, I'm currently looking at modifying a Frog diff gear set to give the Bug an independent rear suspension.:cool:

[KC27]

I drove my Hornet into a puddle today...a BIG puddle. The reviever and servo are fine, but the speed controller is giving me some trouble. When I turn it on it works fine, but if I hold the throttle for a few seconds it stops and the LED on the speed controller starts flashing.
Will letting it dry help or did I kill the SC?

[cfjan]

I will let it dry completely and hope that it will come back...

Tamiya's TEU-101 is pretty tough.. That happened to me a couple of times but always come back alive!!

(can't say the same for other ESCs!)

[KC27]

ok I don't know if I should be messing with it, but I got it to work without stopping by pushing the "set" button on the SC. The LED light starts flashing and then I turn the car off. When I turn it back on it works fine until I turn the car off again. Then it's back to the original problem (running for a couple of seconds). I've repeated this 3 times and it always works fine until I turn the car off and back on. What is the set button for in the first place and why does the car only work until I turn it off and on again.

[Jet-Z]

Has anyone bought or know of some touring rims that will work with minimal modification on the Hornet?

Specifically HPI or Tamiya tourning rims.

[cfjan]

The rear should be straight forward.. You will need the hex adaptor as most of the sedan rims run 12mm hex..

The front might be hard to find as you need one that run 5x11mm bearings...

[Jet-Z]

CFJAN,
Those was my thoughts also - I imagine I can use a ream and round out the hex if needed, and enarlge the front nut hole on most rims for the front.

I recently found my old GH2 A-Arms, and a copy of RCCA from May 89 featuring a road conversion for the Hornet -

This will make me sound old - but I miss the days when there were aftermarket parts for most cars, and a few mods would make most anything semi competitive.

[cfjan]

Yeah, no one makes aftermarket parts for these now... :(

[orbit1]

Hi all,

I'm kind of revisiting my youth here (had an original hornet many years ago when I was 14. .. remember it as being lots of fun), but I have been away from the R/C scene for a long time and it seems that a lot has changed.

That being said ...

Recently a friend of mine gave me a Super Hornet that was in a pretty bad way.
I've spent a little money on it and bought a Venom 5000mah battery, a 10t-36t V12(Bravo) ESC and some suspension bits that it needed to get going.

I would like to get some more speed out of this old car (currently it has a standard silver 540 motor and is not so fast), so I am trying to decide between the 'Sport Tuned' 18000Rpm black motor or the 'Super Stock BZ' 26000Rpm motor?

Can you guys please offer opinions or pro's/con's of either motor, especially regarding:-

1. are they both simple bolt-in options, or would I have to modify the gearbox to run these newer motors?

2. If i needed to, how would I modify gear ratios? Do I just change the gear on the motor shaft .. or would I have to split the gearbox and change gears in there as well?

3. will the super hornet gearbox last with modified motors?

4. would the BZ motor draw too much power from the battery too quickly and destroy run time?

5. ... any other points that you may think of as relevant considering I am a total noob in the arena :)

Thanks very much in advance for any assistance, facts, tech-tips and/or opinions you may have on this subject.

Cheers

orbit1

[highroller]

Mine is an original that was highly modified, ran in offroad, oval racing (modified wedge body) in stock and modified racing.
Front shock tower was removed and replace with a Hot Trick shock tower, added CRP/Dubro items to adjust camber, CRp adjustable motor mount, Parma oil shocks, nerf bars, anti squat suspension, Thorp axles, plus ball bearing throughout.
Hottest setup was a 7cell 1400scr/1700sce, with a Novak T1X, Reedy Pink Dot or Twister Clydedale (13triple). Won my first offroad and oval race with that car before going to a RC10.

[Jet-Z]

I still have to mount some parts - I got bit by the mod bug after digging up an old RCCA that featured a bug setup for the carpet

I bought some vintage wheels, dug up a Grasshopper 2 A-arm set, and a few extra shocks from my RC10b4. Its going to be a 66 Shelby, once its done, and it might make it into a bomber race or 2.

http://www.12packproductions.com/hornet/roadracer1.jpg

http://www.12packproductions.com/hornet/roadracer2.jpg

[Cedel]

Beautiful Shelby there Jet-Z. :)

Funnily enough I also have the same question as orbit1, could someone please help me?

Thanks Guys. :)

[timie1]

Hi all,

I'm kind of revisiting my youth here (had an original hornet many years ago when I was 14. .. remember it as being lots of fun), but I have been away from the R/C scene for a long time and it seems that a lot has changed.

That being said ...

Recently a friend of mine gave me a Super Hornet that was in a pretty bad way.
I've spent a little money on it and bought a Venom 5000mah battery, a 10t-36t V12(Bravo) ESC and some suspension bits that it needed to get going.

I would like to get some more speed out of this old car (currently it has a standard silver 540 motor and is not so fast), so I am trying to decide between the 'Sport Tuned' 18000Rpm black motor or the 'Super Stock BZ' 26000Rpm motor?

Can you guys please offer opinions or pro's/con's of either motor, especially regarding:-

1. are they both simple bolt-in options, or would I have to modify the gearbox to run these newer motors?

2. If i needed to, how would I modify gear ratios? Do I just change the gear on the motor shaft .. or would I have to split the gearbox and change gears in there as well?

3. will the super hornet gearbox last with modified motors?

4. would the BZ motor draw too much power from the battery too quickly and destroy run time?

5. ... any other points that you may think of as relevant considering I am a total noob in the arena :)

Thanks very much in advance for any assistance, facts, tech-tips and/or opinions you may have on this subject.

Cheers

orbit1

Welcome back to RC. I've got an original Grasshopper, but the funny thing is I never even dreamt that this thread existed, so I've never posted in it.

Anyway, with the Grasshopper I've put a 15 turn motor in it and actually ran it on the mechanical speed control. I didn't think it would go as fast as it did. It REALLY went, but it is too much power for the antiquated chassis to handle. I didn't change any gearing at all - and the gearbox held up fine. I didn't leave it like that for too long mind you, it really was too much power and not a lot of fun.

A mild 23 turn motor like the BZ should be great for it. Gearing will be fine, and no, it will be a direct fit if you have a standard 540 in it now.

Runtime with that 5000mah battery will be fine. It's a new generation battery so it's designed to cope with a 23 turn motor, such as the BZ. Depending how you drive, you should see about 15-20 minutes per charge.

I wouldn't bother with the so called sport tuned. You won't see much of an improvement over the stock motor. There'll be a bit, but not enough to justify the expense. The BZ is the motor you'll want.

If I were you, I'd get rid of the tamiya battery plugs and put some decent plugs on. You may not think it, but those plugs are junk. They can only handle 15 amps before they start to melt. Replacing them on a mild motor like the Super Stock ones actually makes a good difference, well worth the few $$ and hour or so it'll take to change them over. I would recommend the Deans plugs. If you need to buy a whole bunch, to change the charger leads and everything over, there are deans clones on ebay which are a fraction of the cost of the real things.

I haven't actually used my Grasshopper for about 2 years, and it's sitting in the garage in a box, but now that I've found this thread, I'm inspired to get it running again :)

[Jet-Z]

The Shelby has only made a few laps around the basement - it does not hook up well on smooth concrete :D. Hopefully over the holidays I can sneakout to my LHS and get some track time. Im thinking the weakest link is going to be the from rims. I basically drilled out some HPI rims and nylon hex hum to about 5mm, I didnt have a 5mm bit at the time. Then I used a Tamiya 850 bearing as a spacer, and 5mm washer behind the nut.
http://12packproductions.com/rc/shelby3.jpg

http://12packproductions.com/rc/shelby2.jpg

http://12packproductions.com/rc/shelby1.jpg

The F-150 is a CRP conversion. If you havent made one - do it there are a blast.
http://12packproductions.com/rc/monster1.jpg

http://12packproductions.com/rc/monster2.jpg

[billetproofcust]

I just finished my Hornet project, I bought it about 8 years ago as a box lot, there were tons of parts some radios, wheels, etc, I combined it with some old Tamiya parts I had from 20+ years ago, a few new parts from ebay, did a custom paint job, custom front shocks, oil filled King Cab shocks on the rear, and here you have it!
It is currently up for sale on ebay.

Let me know what you guys think!

http://http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/KZ400/th_009-1.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/KZ400/009-1.jpg)

[romanjcg]

Finally got my Hornet going after about 20 years of being in really really bad shape. I had to get a parts car just to get it going. The gear box is pretty loose, I ran the heck out of it when I was a kid, but I just ordered the parts to rebuild it. I just got a new body and decal sheet and spent 6 hours just putting the decals on. I have some odd looking red troll nobbies (rear tires) on it. Need to get some original black nobbies, driver, KC lights and probably other stuff as well. It is a work in progress I was wondering if any of you guys know how to put Oil dampers in the front? I've been looking all over for pictures, tips, mabye specific model shocks from other kits that will work or any info on the topic. I've seen some mods where the molded shock towers were completely cut from the chassis and modded with shock towers from other kits But i was looking to add them without cutting up the stock tub. Anyone done this before or know someone who has? I am really happy to have found this forum. I know there are those who don't think much of the hornet but I have had some really fast cars, and the fact that I can run pack after pack in this hornet and hardly notice a temper change in the esc, really makes me smile. By the way, i'm running an old novak rooster with a mild mod 27t 540. I had a mabuchi 540 in it and I liked the way it ran. The mabachi was well matched with the traction capabilities of the stock setup and I may go back. The mild mod was faster but can still break the tires loose on the street at 75% full speed which makes it very touchy. Either way I love this car. THe heck with burning my fingers on hot motors and esc's, and only getting 5 mins of run time, this buggy goes anywhere and it always works! I love it. Oil shocks in the front anyone? Cheers! Roman.

[bholio]

This is a cool thread.

The Hornet is a great car. One of my favorites. I got my first one a few years ago at a garage sale for $7. It had a cracked chassis, but I was able to JBWeld it and get some use out of it. I then found another for $3 which donated its chassis to the first one.

It is surprisingly fast for a silvercan motored car. Back in the day, I had a Rough Rider and a Falcon, neither of which was as fast as the Hornet. I guess it was the weight and simplicity of the gearbox.

I eventually put my Novak SS5800 brushless in the Hornet for awhile and it was crazy fast. No gearbox issues, but the tires could never get any traction. I might try that again sometime.

At this point, it needs a new body, tires and stuff. It is tempting to buy a new one and build it all nice. But the old one still works, so why bother?

[cliffingham]

I really need some advice on upgrading my Super Hornet?

I just bought one on Ebay for $50 bucks with Radio Controller. All I had to buy to get it rolling was a battery which I got from Radio Shack with charger for $20 bucks.

I charged the battery and it was ready to go. It needed some tune ups. So I cleaned it up a bit, tightened some screws here and there, and adjusted the steering so it would go straight. So far so good!!!

Now for the upgrades!!!

I browsed the Tamiya Parts Website and I am going to purchase:

New front and read spike tires.

New Black Can Sport 540 motor

and a tool kit.

I have read alot about BALL BEARING upgrades. But where do these actually go. Im assuming they go in the wheel, much like a skateboard wheel. But some sets on Ebay sell 10 bearings. So where else do they go?

Has anyone installed a ball bearings on a Super Hornet? Can you give me a hint ant where you install these on the car? Is it easy to do on an already built model...

Also the Tamiya website has 4 ball bearings for 20 bucks and Ebay has 10 bearings made in china for 6 bucks. I sure the Tamiya brand are better, but has anyone installed these that can give me advice?

Thanks

Or does anyone has a link to a website has more info that would be help[ful

[GT Freak]

nice bf conversion.

[romanjcg]

Hey Cliff, I havent been on this thread for awhile but just jumped on to see what was going on. The ball bearings go inside the gear box. Just pop that thing open and put them in. They go in the counter gear and in around the axles. There is one bearing that is smaller than the others. So if you get a set, make sure it comes with one smaller than all the rest. Can't remember off hand how many bearings come in a set. Ball bearings are Super upgrade, almost essential. The stock plastic bushings add alot of friction to the drive train. They cut down run time, and a little on top speed that may not be noticable but you will notice in over all difference in performance. Don't worry its really easy. When you open the gear box you will find white plastic bushings in various places. Just replace them with the bearings, and oh yeah dont forget about the ones in the wheels. One of the characteristics of the hornet is the simplicity of its gearbox. You will know what I mean when you open it. Its a sinch. If you are looking for upgrades, one other, that in my opinion is essential as well, is getting rid of those tamiya plugs that connect battery to ESC. I heard people complain about these things for awhile but i was reluctant to change until I found out for myself how the plugs limit performance. Here's the thing with the plugs, they only last a very short time before you scrape off the coating on the plug contacts. Garaunteed it will be scraped off after about 20 or so plugs and unplugs, so the okay at first. But after the coating is gone they build up resistance in the plug, which is bad. The identifying sign of plug gone bad, is heat! If you plugs are getting hot or even just warm, they are no good! I found out first had how this resistance will cause you batteries to never fully charge(thats bad if you want to go fast). Not only is you battery not fully charged, the resistance is also restricting current from your battery to ESC during operation. Oh and remember the battery is not fully charged to boot. I highly recommend getting some good plugs to replace the OEM ones. Ofcourse the only hurdle is that you need to know how to solder. But hey, nobody comes out of the womb with a soldering iron in hand, we all had to learn how and we all did crappy jobs in the beggining. So, go for it. As far as which plugs to switch to, i would recommend either Deans or traxxas. Deans are usually a little bit more affordable but some people say the are difficult to plug and unplug. I myself use the traxxas plugs. I also have a few clone traxxas plugs made buy protek that were a little bit cheaper. The traxxas plugs in my opinion are a little expensive. There are lot of things you can do with the hornet but I say get bearings and get better plugs so you have a solid platformt to start with. HORNETS!!!! Roman.

[cdo1uk]

i got my son a Tamiya Grasshopper a few months ago, he loves it but, after looking in the manual he saw a 540 upgrade... if you read the book it says you need an 18 tooth pinion, so, i bought him an RS540 sport tunes motor and the correct pionion (so i was told) part number 3515006.... i cant see how to engage the pinion to the gear wheel. its just too far away to sync, Please, what am i going wrong?????

thanks

[romanjcg]

Did you get rid of the spacer? The grasshoopper has a plastic spacer between the 380 motor (small can) and the gear box. When you put in the 540 you gotta get rid of it. Straight motor to gear box, I think you'll need some different mounting screws, but not for certain. Download the Hornet Manual from Tamiyausa.com for specifics and part numbers. Don't worry you'll get it.

[romanjcg]

Just compared the manuals, (Grasshopper/Hornet) and they use the same screws 3x27mm so you shouldnt have to buy any screws. 18T part number is right. Hmmm. Got any pics?

[romanjcg]

Mabye flip the pinioin around?

[cdo1uk]

flipping the pinion round wont make it fit. its too small to even reach the gear. i have found on the back of my manual the part number to be 9805997. googled it and it comes up with a 18t pinion for tamiya. i have ordered one to see if its the right one....

[timie1]

flipping the pinion round wont make it fit. its too small to even reach the gear. i have found on the back of my manual the part number to be 9805997. googled it and it comes up with a 18t pinion for tamiya. i have ordered one to see if its the right one....
This may sound like an obvious one, but did you make sure you got a 32p 18t pinion? If the new re-release grasshoppers are the same as the original ones, mine uses 32 pitch pinions and the 18t pinion works fine on mine. I just had the gearbox apart today and I'm bringing mine back from shelf/box queen status (first time in many years). I need the steering turnbuckles to make mine complete. Anybody got any they need to offload? I'll take them off your hands:p :D

[ss13t]

I want to get either a hornet or grasshopper but which should it be? I like the look of the GH, but the hornet has better suspension and seems a little more interesting to build?