TA04 Forum

[Archerboi]

Were can I get spare and option parts besides Tower and Speedtech RC for the TA04? They are a good source, but just in case I need something that they don't have. Thanks. And not my LHS either, they have nothing.

[TRI-TURBO]

Try www.Integy.com

[TRF Drive Hard]

The only best optional parts you can get from integy is the delrin diff pulleys... the carbon chassis upper/lower is nice... but the aluminum parts are ok... but to me, the delrin diff pulleys are the best performer;)

[TEM]

delrin diff pulleys, are they the pulleys only? Cause I can't see much performance improvments over the stock plastic pulleys. What you NEED are lightweight(delrin,plastic, etc) diff outdrives! The stock ones weight a TON!

I thought tamiya parts are the easiest to come by. I mean anyplace that sells anything tamiya can practically get anything tamiya that is distributed in that country.... If they don't have it on the shelf, they can order it in.

[TRF Drive Hard]

ya they also include the diff cups too with the pulleys... i'd say pretty darn good for 26 bucks;)

[jackhammer74]

Do any of you guys know of somebody that wants to trade their TA04, and is looking for something different?
I'm trading a sweet TC3 for a clean TA04 with ball diffs.
I've got pics, it's a mint TC3 with a few hop-ups.
Here's my post.


http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=115215

[CarterTG]

Skimmed the last few posts and didn't see this mentioned...

Tamiya's March 2003 page (http://www.tamiya.com/english/news/news/news7.htm) now lists a few new Hop-Ups for the TA04.


53605 TA04 Carbon Upper Deck
53606 TA04 SSG Carbon Lower Deck
53607 TA04 SSG Carbon Front Damper Stay
53608 TA04 SSG Carbon Rear Damper Stay
53609 TA04 Aluminum Suspension Mount (Front)
53610 TA04 Aluminum Suspension Mount (Rear)
53611 TA04 Racing Stabilizer Set (Front)
53612 TA04 Racing Front One-Way Unit
53613 TA04 Front One-Way Cup Joint
53614 TA04 Racing Spur Holder Set
53604 Racing Wing Set


Not sure if that last one is specifically for the TA04 or most of the other Tamiya cars in general. No pics were provided in their listing.

[aussie_bloke]

are these parts different to the current parts with the same name?

[TRI-TURBO]

Here are some nice pics i found of the new TRF TA04:cool:

http://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/49278ta04trf/top.jpg
http://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/49278ta04trf/ssg.jpg
http://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/49278ta04trf/fsus.jpg
http://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/49278ta04trf/stabi.jpg
http://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/49278ta04trf/spur.jpg
http://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/49278ta04trf/rear.jpg

[jackhammer74]

Originally posted by aussie_bloke
are these parts different to the current parts with the same name?

Basically, they're supposed to deflect or not be harmed by ultra violet rays, which supposedly degrade the quality of the regular carbon fiber. Same parts otherwise.

[aussie_bloke]

this is the ssg chassi?

[jackhammer74]

You got it!

[aussie_bloke]

does anybody know how much these parts are in australia?

[RCBuddha]

Bad news guys, after making a call to Tamiya America, the Rear Reinforced Gearbox #49203 is now discontinued. I've searched several sites online, and no one seems to have it. Does anyone know where I could locate one? Better yet, can someone tell me the bearing size of the third bearing it adds to the pulley shaft? I remember it being an odd size bearing. Any help is appreciated, thanks,

Buddha

[aussie_bloke]

the bearing on the layshaft is the same as the other two. i know this, because when i was rebilding my car bafore i bought the reinforced rear case, i kept on putting the bearing on the wrong side of the motor mount. hehe...i bought the reinforced rear case 2 days ago :D

[RCBuddha]

Well, after finding out that I may not be able to get the reinforced gear case, I was disassembling the rear end yesterday, when it dawned on me that I may not need the reinforced gear case after all.
After searching my RS4 Pro box, I found a spare bearing meant for the pulley shaft. Slid it onto the shaft, and with a little sanding, i was able to fit it perfectly. Voila, no more pulley shaft flex! Now, all I need is a small aluminum post to help stiffen the rear gearbox.

I'll have some pics as soon as can....


Buddha

[CarterTG]

Just in case anyone wanted to see/know more about the 53571 Fluorine Coated TRF Damper Set...

I picked this up for my TA04 Pro which provided the side benefit of handing down it's stock plastic oil-filled shocks to an M04L chassis.

Description from the back of the box:
Damper cylinders have fluorine coating on mirror-finished inner surface which realizes ultra-smooth movement. In combination with matched coil springs, these dampers achieve superior performance.

[CarterTG]

My stock plastic shocks predominantly used parts from the black plastic trees. This TRF kit on the other hand only uses the ball link retainers (V5 & V9). The piston plates were supplied as a set of 2-hole and 3-hole nylon plastic. These were noticeably better than the ones from the black tree. The black plastic ones all had a flat-spot on it's circumference (where it attaches to tree).

At the bottom of the shock bodies, a clear silicone o-ring was used to seal the piston rod as opposed to the black rubber o-ring used in the previous shocks.

Up at the top, they provided a soft urethane foam bushing to prevent the Oil Seal Diaphragm from caving in after repeated use. I took at look at my old shocks and sure enough, their diaphragms had collapsed.

[CarterTG]

Luv the lightening holes in the aluminum spring retainers. The hop-up provides a set of 8 ball-link bolts, but on the TA04 some ball-links are the nut-end of a bolt.

Since the TRF Dampers' ball link retainers are the same size, I just snapped them over my original ball links. This worked out since my M04L took all of the unused ball links instead.

[CarterTG]

A comparison shot of the new dampers versus the old stock plastic one.

You'll notice a discrepancy in length. The instruction sheet messed me up a little. During assembly, it instructs you to use a black o-ring on the piston rod right below the 3-hole plate. This acts as a bumper spacer limiting how far down that piston rod travels.

It wasn't till I reached the END of the sheet that I noticed a chart listing all the cars this hop-up was suitable for (TB-01,TB Evo, TA04, 414M, TL-01) along with oil-weight/piston hole suggestions and whether or not to use the black o-ring for each chassis. :rolleyes:

Leaving the o-ring spacer actually worked out in my case as it's giving me a front & rear ride height of 4.5mm. At last, laziness has it's rewards! :D

[CarterTG]

I should add that the improved suspension fine-tunability the TRF Damper provides comes at a cost of weight. I'd roughly guestimate each shock wieghs at LEAST 30% more than the old plastic one, but I expected this going into the upgrade.

I still have two sets of 53480 Lightweight (Delrin) Diff Joint Sets to install on front & back.


53456 Turnbuckle Upper Arms
53457 Turnbuckle Tie Rods
53458 Racing Hub Carriers
53426 Racing Body Posts
53460 Carbon Front Damper Stay
53461 Carbon Rear Damper Stay
53478 Aluminum Steering Set
53452 Aluminum Spur Hub
53462 Aluminum Diff Pulley
53527 Titanium 3x32 Turnbuckles
53427 Hard Suspension Arms
53569 Aluminum 6mm Clamp Wheel Hubs
53571 TRF Fluorine Coated Dampers
53506 39mm Aluminum Blue Dogbone Shafts
53499 Universal Shaft Wheel Axles
53500 Universal Shaft Cross Joints
Futaba R203HF Receiver
Futaba FP-S9550 Low-Profile Digital Servo

[Cychalen]

Very nice!:cool:

[jackhammer74]

Hey Carter! Did you ever take photography classes? It looks like you have, very nice pics.

[CarterTG]

Thanks guys,
My last photography class was in the early nineties so any imagined mad skillz faded away a long time ago! :D

If anything, I credit the Canon A40 nowadays for the good shots.
http://a.r.tv.com/cnet.1d/i/uff/8984933/ovr/8984933_1_overview_300.gif
It's got more manual features than other point-n-shoot digital cameras in it's class. This means I get to fine-tune color balance, exposure, shutter, and aperature settings.

This lets me shoot most things using available light instead of blasting it with the camera's flash.

2nd tip is to use light sources that are more like photography "soft boxes" (overcast skies, recessed flourescent fixtures) rather than hard spotlights (incandescent bulbs, noon sunlight) since the latter causes things to be too contrasty and casts hard shadows.

3rd tip is just a matter of positioning the camera and proper framing. Lower and closer often gives a more "professional" look rather than just shooting down at an object on a table. Some kids shoot their photos like they're playing Unreal Tournament; aim at a subject and squeeze the trigger as if they were in a deathmatch.

Learning to take presentable pix isn't hard and certainly doesn't require a class. The key is to use a digital camera that gives you more manual control. Being digital, you get immediate feedback when experimenting with the various settings.

[jackhammer74]

That is a great camera, I know 'cause I got one myself, I bought it last summer, I love mine.

[HPZ]

I would just like to ask what gear ratio i would need if i ran a 10x3 turn motor on my TA-04R. I would prefer more speed than acceleration but not too much speed that my car starts off at a snail's pace.

HPZ

[rytz]

Just built my first TA04-R...yey. Ran it yesterday, it sounded smoootthhh, more like a whizz+purring sound...All of a sudden after my second pack the car started to sound rough, not as loud but obviously different than the whizz+purring sound.I don't think there was any pebbles or debris stuck coz I practically cleaned them out.
It sounded like it came from the rear. I took out the differentials, regreased them, dab some oils on all the rear bearings and the sound is still there...Is there anything that I missed?

[Cychalen]

Did you check the mesh between spur and pinion gear?

[Cychalen]

Also check for damage on your pinion gear. The slightest damage can make the car sound rough.

[rytz]

I checked the spur gear and they were these tiny chips that were only noticeable by the different shadings when I examined the spur under a desklight. Could this be the cause for the sounds? Should I change the spurs?
What do you mean by the mesh between spur and pinion gear?

[Cychalen]

The mesh is the space between pinion and spur gear. I use a piece of paper to mesh it.
You can change the spur to see if the sound goes away.

[rytz]

Still vague about the mesh thingy, sorry but english is my third language...please bear with me.
Is that what you mean by the space between the pinion and spur gear?

[Cychalen]

Yes, that's it. I think the manual also mentions how to mesh the gears.

[rytz]

Nope, could find anything about meshing in the manual. The only thing related was that it asked to adjust the motor-to-heat-sink screws. How and why you use paper?

[HPZ]

Hey i got my TA-04R today and i wondered what gearing (pinion and spur) i will need because i will be putting a 10 turn motor in, any suggestions?

Thanks
HPZ

[Cychalen]

Get a piece of paper between the spur and pinion gear. Run the piece of paper through the mesh. If the paper does not tear then it is fine. The idea is to get a proper spacing between gears. I hope you understand what I am saying. It is hard for me to explain it in English is also my 3rd language.
Can someone help him out?

HPZ, I have Tamiya's Super Modified Motor 11T running 128T spur gear and 34T pinion gear. The motor gets quite hot but it is holding.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Ya that clicking whiz noise is the sound of a stuck tiny pebble in the teeth of the spur or pinion... i had that too but couldnt fig what that was... until i cleaned it out then it was fine... very irritating after awhile:p

[Whacky]

He rytz,

If you want the right mesh (distance between the spur and pinion gear) loosen the motor and slide it a bit away from the spur gear.
Now put a piece of paper between the spur and Pinion and press the motor with pinion against the spur and tighten the motor.
Turn the spurgear to get the paper out.
Now there should be a little play if you gentaly turn the spur forwards and backwards without turning the pinion gear.

Try this over the complete length of the spur, if the spur is offcenter then the spur and pinion will bind and cause friction.
if so find the tightest spot and repeat the proces mentiond above at this point.



-Whacky.

[cobra81li200]

Cychalen, be careful with the Tamiya 11T motor, as it doesn't like high RPM. Better over gear it a little bit with lower timing than undergear it with high timing.

Also, it doesn't likes 3000hv's packs...

This is due to the varnish used, it doesn't tighten the winds enought and under high RPMs, they move, causing the motor to fry...

[rytz]

thanks guys,

Got a few more questions.

1. After assembling my TAo4-R, there were these remaining parts (in the U section of the parts) which were highlighted black in the manual. Any ideas what these parts are for?

2. The turnbuckles and adjusters( the worse part of assembling for me), do Tamiya make them using other materials besides plastic?Or can we use other manufacturer's parts to replace them? They are sooo torturing and I don't want to mess with them again.

[cobra81li200]

These are the parts that should not be used, so if you did not, then everything is ok...

[aussie_bloke]

Originally posted by rytz
thanks guys,

Got a few more questions.

1. After assembling my TAo4-R, there were these remaining parts (in the U section of the parts) which were highlighted black in the manual. Any ideas what these parts are for?

2. The turnbuckles and adjusters( the worse part of assembling for me), do Tamiya make them using other materials besides plastic?Or can we use other manufacturer's parts to replace them? They are sooo torturing and I don't want to mess with them again.

do you mean the turnbuckles, or the ball ends? i dont think you can get metal ends, but im using the tamiya bal ends with lunsford titanium turnbuckles. i didnt have any trouble with them, but if you want metal ball ends, i dont think they would be available because you would never be able to put them over the ball studs on parts eg. suspension arms, camber links, steering links and other parts

[Cychalen]

cobra81li200, thanks for the warning. I'll do that.

rytz, did you solve your problem?

[rytz]

Hi,

Got the mesh thingy right :D Thanks. Yey....no more rough sound!!!:D :D

Back to my second question....any ideas for what those "extra" parts are?

[Cychalen]

Like cobra81li200 said, they are just extra parts. You do not need them.

[aussie_bloke]

the parts shaded are ones that are either used on the ta04-s, or parts that are used for hop-ups, such as the sway bars

[rytz]

Guess what guys, there is still that irritating noise :( :mad: , but the weird thing is that it only happened in forward motion. It was smooth during reverse....Now can anyone tell me what's wrong this time and how to fix it? I guarantee there were no pebbles stuck this time coz I ran the car at my school gym....:confused:

[Whacky]

He rytz,

Maybe it are the brushes of your motor.
Since u have a reverse esc (witch is not that good for motors) the brushes will not wear correctly.
Remove the motor from the car and turn it by hand left and right (or give it a spin on the pinion) and see if the sound is still there.
If not then gently apply some trottle and see if the sound is there.

Now if the sound comes from the motor (brushes) try to run the car in forward mode only for a while and see if the sound dissapears.

If this is not the problem, maybe it is one of the bearings!!!
Remove them and turn them by hand, if one or more off them are not smooth than u need to clean it or buy a new one couse its probably broken then:( .

NEVER DAP GREASE OR OIL ONTO THE BEARINGS, IT ATTRACTS DIRT AND THIS COMBINATION WILL ACT LIKE SANDPAPER!!!!!!!!.

if this still does not solve the problem then disassamble the car bit by bit and check every thing maybe u will find what is wrong.


Good luck,


-Whacky.

[rytz]

Thanks,

Actually I was disassembling my car just now...Hurt my fingers preetty bad especially taking those connectors off the ball socket. Check out the dirt I've accumulate ( b4 that I ran it outside with a pack of batteries),I think it was about 30 pinches of dirt. Is it me, or is it that these TA04s are one hell of a dirt magnet. Where do you guys drive your TA04s?

[Cychalen]

I ran my TA04 on clean and smooth surface since it is a belt drive car.

[aussie_bloke]

Originally posted by Whacky
NEVER DAP GREASE OR OIL ONTO THE BEARINGS, IT ATTRACTS DIRT AND THIS COMBINATION WILL ACT LIKE SANDPAPER!!!!!!!!.
if this still does not solve the problem then disassamble the car bit by bit and check every thing maybe u will find what is wrong.


Good luck,


-Whacky.
whacky, if u do not run bearings, your bearings will sieze up.. NEVER RUN A DRY BEARING. its just a case of maintaining your car correctly by cleaning out the bearings frequently with motor spray and then re-lubeing them

Cheers,
Brent

[Whacky]

He aussie_bloke,

I know, but u put the oil in the bearing and not ON the bearing!


-Whacky.

[rytz]

any special tool to open up the bearings? What kind of oil do you lube them with?

[aussie_bloke]

hey whacky,
yeh, sorry, just thought u meant dont run a lubricated bearing ;)
yeh, take out the bearings and spray them with motor spray. then get a small tin, and put some oil in the bottom and soak the bearings overnight. then take out the bearings and put a rag on the tin. put the bearings on the rag so that they can drain all of the excess. then just wipe all the oil off the outside and you will have the best lubricated bearings you can get. or, if you dont have that much time, just spray them with motor spray, and just run a bead of oil around the outside of the race.
hope it helps
cheers,:D
brent

[TRF Drive Hard]

In less than 10 days i will be the proud owner of this sweet machine... the TA04-TRF...:cool:
http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/49278ta04trf/top.jpg
...and with it, i will add existing optional parts to it... such as ceramic nitride bearings, and my light weight diff pulley w/ceramic nitride balldiffs and assembly from my current TA04R... this is my dream kit and none other and shall be my last!:D

[Cychalen]

What do you mean by your last kit? I don't think you can stop buying.
That's a very very nice chassis. Only 6 are available here.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Yup, my last kit to buy... i have so many right now its not funny... i think this kit will top off the pyramid... this one will be my ultimate shelf queen:D im gonna mount the chassis with the carbon skyline and i found a straight carbon wing for it... i cant wait to get... i found it on ebay... and clicked to buy right away:p it was a brand new listing and the guy was even cool to upgrade my shipping to speed post!!! and yes it is coming from hong kong;)

[Grifter]

Wow! That is one sweet car. I have always loved the TA04. I really want to get the TA04-R and do some light bashing with it, and have it as my shelf queen. Noone makes kits like Tamiya, and I really want one of thier best.

Once you get that beast you have got to take pictures and post them!!

[TRF Drive Hard]

Sure bet i will... i'll need my friend's digicam to do the job, my webcam is a wuss:p

[TEM]

aussie_bloke, Some pro racers run their bearings dry. That is, they blow them clean so they have minimal friction. It beats the crap out of the bearings, but they are either sponsored or can afford to replace bearings frequently!

[TRF Drive Hard]

What do you get when you add a P94 8Quad to an '04R minus the front belt... in addition, using an 8-cell 3000mah... heck, it becomes my 900HP R34 Skyline:D












Coming soon, but not to a theater near you:p

[rytz]

Anyone tried a Brushless System on their TA04's? Just curious to see how they're set up...:D

[powertrip]

I'm looking to pick the .04 pitch spur gears for the ta04

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXWB91&P=7

What gear ratio would be good for this car?? I want it to have good balance of low and top end.

[jackhammer74]

What motor are you going to use?

[KoE]

do all TA04 share the same bearing set?

[TEM]

powertrip, I think you might be happier with normal 64pitch spurs. It seems a steal when you get 3 spurs in a set, but only the 120 and 128 are useful and especially only if you have a good assortment of tamiya pinions. Some say you can mesh 64p with .04 but I think it is not very efficient. But what works; for stock, 120 or 128 with 36--39 pinion is good starting point.

KoE, Yep!

[KoE]

another Q on bearing...these MA11, 12, 13 & MC10; are they std for all bearings? or these r just tamiya's referral names? I'm planning to get replacements from acerracing (www.acerracing.com) for my ta04ss but i really don't know their sizes apart from those MAs and MCs :confused: :D :confused:

[cobra81li200]

Actually, I'm rather using the 120 and 112 T with a 17T.

I was only using the 128T with my 11*2 and just because I had 2400.

[powertrip]

Originally posted by jackhammer74
What motor are you going to use?

I'm running a 10t double.. it's an Orion Orbital Pro 2 BB..

Also, it's a TA04SS, can I just replace the rear suspension arms to make it into a regular TA04?? Kinda sucks that i'm stuck with just the MR2 and Audi bodies.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by powertrip
I'm running a 10t double.. it's an Orion Orbital Pro 2 BB..

Also, it's a TA04SS, can I just replace the rear suspension arms to make it into a regular TA04?? Kinda sucks that i'm stuck with just the MR2 and Audi bodies.

Sure can with these;)
http://www2.gpmd.com/image/t/tamc1013.jpg
This is the hard type... highly recommended... only $16.19 @ tower part #53427

or...
http://www2.gpmd.com/image/t/tamc2868.jpg
This is the stock arms only $8.99... part #50868
ted

[powertrip]

Originally posted by TA03 Drive Hard
Sure can with these;)
http://www2.gpmd.com/image/t/tamc1013.jpg
This is the hard type... highly recommended... only $16.19 @ tower part #53427


I ordered the hard version this morning... i'm tired of running the MR2.. the body's all chipping and everything...

[TRF Drive Hard]

So what body you plan on using?

[powertrip]

Originally posted by TA03 Drive Hard
So what body you plan on using?

Not sure yet.. i'm particular to Tamiya bodies because of the detail. i have some extra bodies here..

a new Subaru WRX
I have 2 EG civic bodies a Mugen Motion one, and a dark blue one.
An HPI S2000 and Integra body

[TRF Drive Hard]

Ya, im mostly into tamiya bodies for the detail... i have quite a collection, even vintage ones:D

[monyet fangkeh]

whats the different between ta04r and the ta04pro? they look the same to me. except the damper the ta04r using trf damper.

[cobra81li200]

Not really.

besides the dampers, it has 4 CVDs, optional turnbuckles, optional motor, spur gear mount and axles, reinforced suspension arms, optional hex and so and so...

Imo, better go for the TA 04R than the TA04 Pro.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by cobra81li200
Not really.

besides the dampers, it has 4 CVDs, optional turnbuckles, optional motor, spur gear mount and axles, reinforced suspension arms, optional hex and so and so...

Imo, better go for the TA 04R than the TA04 Pro.

The 04R does not have the hard suspension arms, nor does it have the optional hex adaptor... just the stock plastic... i have that kit;) and thats why the 04-trf exist:D

[R3VoLuTiOn]

im considering one of the ta04's. Wut would be better for me an s or an r. Note: i dont want to spend too much money but i would like it to have full suspension and the rest durable.. im upgrading from a $100 Kyosho p10 alpha 1st gen :)

[jackhammer74]

Do you race? Or plan to? If you do TA04R all the way. If you get the S and decide to upgrade and race later, you'll spend a lot more than the R is to start.
Check www.hobbymania.com.hk they have the 04R for $180.
A steal!!

[R3VoLuTiOn]

well im low on money, ill race for fun, how much more of an advantage does a stock r have over a stock s ?

[R3VoLuTiOn]

i just checked out hobby mania, sure its a good deal. How long have they been established? I cant find out much info about them...just wondering how reliable they are.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by R3VoLuTiOn
well im low on money, ill race for fun, how much more of an advantage does a stock r have over a stock s ?

The R is pretty well equiped compared to the S... R being race ready is the one to go with... either race for fun or club racing... the S can be raced too for fun... has same features as the R but not as "hop-up'ed" and like jackhammer said, if you plan to upgrade, you'll spend more than you'll need when you could have gotten the R... i have the Pro which is overly hopped-up, pretty much converted to an R already... i have the R too... and the new edition, TRF... needless to say, i'd race the TRF;)

[jackhammer74]

Originally posted by R3VoLuTiOn
i just checked out hobby mania, sure its a good deal. How long have they been established? I cant find out much info about them...just wondering how reliable they are.

Check out www.rctech.net , they have a Hobbymania thread and a bunch of people there have ordered from them.

[R3VoLuTiOn]

ok so i guess they can be reliable and stuff, but is there such a thing as, "SARS in a box?"

[TRF Drive Hard]

Speaking of SARS... lately i have been getting alot of stuff imported from hong kong... but they seem late coming, are they like checking for SARS on each package that comes here?:confused:

[jackhammer74]

I just got a bunch of stuff from Rainbowten, but it only took like 3 or 4 days. I was concerned about the same thing, even though it came from Japan and not China. I'm sure the USPS is being really careful with foreign packages.
I just did some quick research, and the way you contract sars is through bodily secretions much like aids, so you would have to be sneezed or coughed on, or breath the air close to people infected with SARS that are coughing or sneezing.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by KoE
another Q on bearing...these MA11, 12, 13 & MC10; are they std for all bearings? or these r just tamiya's referral names? I'm planning to get replacements from acerracing (www.acerracing.com) for my ta04ss but i really don't know their sizes apart from those MAs and MCs :confused: :D :confused:

Gee i dunno how i missed this... here is what you need

(4) 10x15 aka 1510 by tamiya... inner outdrives
(8) 5x11 aka 1150 by tamiya... outter axles
(8) 5x8 aka 850 by tamiya... steering bellcrank and inside the balldiff
(4) 3x7 aka 730 by tamiya... inside the rear gear case, rear belt tension, and front belt tension

that should be about right... and yes buy Acer Racing bearings... they are good;)

[KoE]

Originally posted by TA03 Drive Hard
Gee i dunno how i missed this... here is what you need

(4) 10x15 aka 1510 by tamiya... inner outdrives
(8) 5x11 aka 1150 by tamiya... outter axles
(8) 5x8 aka 850 by tamiya... steering bellcrank and inside the balldiff
(4) 3x7 aka 730 by tamiya... inside the rear gear case, rear belt tension, and front belt tension

that should be about right... and yes buy Acer Racing bearings... they are good;)

thanks a lot drive hard :D

[R3VoLuTiOn]

alright, well thanks for your help. 1 question, WHY IS TOWER SELLING THE S for $60 more??? argh

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by R3VoLuTiOn
alright, well thanks for your help. 1 question, WHY IS TOWER SELLING THE S for $60 more??? argh

I thought tower discontinued the S type?:confused:

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by KoE
thanks a lot drive hard :D

Hey N/P buddy:D

[R3VoLuTiOn]

nope, they still have it. ta04-s? ya they got it. They discontinued the kit, but they have a corvette c5r kit thats ta04s for i think 160 usd, but since im only 14 and dont have a job ill wait for sumthing cheaper.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Ah ok... t'was a lil confused there:D

[powertrip]

I don't know if this is a big deal or not.. but it was to me.. =D

I ran my TA04-SS today against a Nitro TC3 and i schooled it...

on straight aways, on turns... on everything... even on a drag..

he has the stock .12 motor w/ 2 speed... whereas i have a 10t triple.

I was thought i would lose this race.. phew.. just wanted to share that.. =D

[TRF Drive Hard]

Hehe schooled a ntc3:p good job;)

[powertrip]

I was staying quiet the whole time.. both of our ladies were watching and after everything was done... I just had this big smile on my face... :D

It felt like the first time i took my old lowly civic to the track back in 94.. and I ran an M3 and took it by .14 of a sec.. I ran a 13.98.

[TRF Drive Hard]

I can imagine the feeling...;) heck imagine the feeling of both ladies running up to you and saying "ooooh powertrip you're soooooooo cool":D

[powertrip]

LOL.. it probably didn't help that he crashed his car after the run.. his receiver battery pack fell out. yikes!

drive hard.. what kind pinions and spur do you suggest running on my car.. right now i'm running 41 pinion and 112 spur... around 5.8 ratio.. the take off isn't that bad.. but boy is the top end sweet..

Also.. does anyone know how to get internal ratio's for tamiya cars?? I need em for TB01, FF01, ta04... so i can calculate my own ratio..

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by powertrip
LOL.. it probably didn't help that he crashed his car after the run.. his receiver battery pack fell out. yikes!

drive hard.. what kind pinions and spur do you suggest running on my car.. right now i'm running 41 pinion and 112 spur... around 5.8 ratio.. the take off isn't that bad.. but boy is the top end sweet..

Also.. does anyone know how to get internal ratio's for tamiya cars?? I need em for TB01, FF01, ta04... so i can calculate my own ratio..

Right now im running a 40/120 but also tried 39/112 and 40/112

I kinda forgot how to calculate ratio... but it is something like x number of teeth on pulley divided by the center pulley times the x number of spur divided by the pinion = the ratio... something like that:p

[powertrip]

i TRIED all the ones you tried.. i only have the 40/41 pinions. hehehe

I love the sheer speed of the low ratio though..

[KoE]

Originally posted by powertrip

Also.. does anyone know how to get internal ratio's for tamiya cars?? I need em for TB01, FF01, ta04... so i can calculate my own ratio..

internal ratio for TA04 is 2.135
gear ratio (GR) = spur / pinion
final drive ratio = GR * internal ratio

hope that helps a bit :D

[KoE]

Originally posted by powertrip
.. right now i'm running 41 pinion and 112 spur... around 5.8 ratio.. ..

those numbers didn't produce a ratio ~5.8 :confused:

112/41 will give u around ~2.73, and if ur final ratio is ~5.8 then ur internal ratio might be around ~2.12 then :D

[powertrip]

I got my ratio from this chart

http://users.pandora.be/tamiya.belgium/tamiya.belgium/Gear%20ratio's.htm

it's says 112/41 has a 5.82 ratio

[KoE]

Originally posted by powertrip
I got my ratio from this chart

http://users.pandora.be/tamiya.belgium/tamiya.belgium/Gear%20ratio's.htm

it's says 112/41 has a 5.82 ratio

checked the figures, the gear ratios published in that site has already taken into calculation the internal drive ratio (which is fixed) which is 2.13 for TA04 TRF.

So, if derived from the same page, the internal drive ratio for TB01 is 2.598 - 2.599

[powertrip]

cool ... thanks for the TB01 one.. i never thought of reversing it.. =D there's a bunch of pinions that i have that's not on the chart.. thanks!

[minijosh]

I am getting ready to join the ranks of ta04 owners. I am buying the ta04-ss abt audi tt-r. WICKED bodies hehe. I just bought TAMIYA 1/10 RC Fluorine Coated TRF Damper Set for 46 bucks off of ebay. Now all I have to do is buy the car.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Be sure to pick up a set of the Hardend suspension arms, low friction suspension set(flourine coated), and you may wanna pick up a set of the normal Hardened suspension arms just in case you wanna run a normal body;)

[KoE]

anyone has an exact axial view of TA04SS? i mean the top view exact to scale :) so that i could draw away the varying toe setups

[powertrip]

Originally posted by TA03 Drive Hard
Be sure to pick up a set of the Hardend suspension arms

I think the SS comes w/ hardened short wheelbase arms.. It's the same material as the normal hardened ones i picked up.

[TRF Drive Hard]

No they didnt... they are stock ss arms... they just newly released the hardened ss arms;) this is a pic of the stock arms:
http://www2.gpmd.com/image/t/tamc1942.jpg
the pic of the hardened ss arms is in the new rcca mag;)

[powertrip]

oops.. they felt the same.... it's wasn't like the plastic feel, it was like the crackly feel to them.. oh wells.. i thought i got something for nothing.. =:p

[TRF Drive Hard]

I sould be able to convert my 04R to a 04R-SS:D so i can use my VW Golf V5 body:D

[Cychalen]

If I remember correctly, the Golf V5 body has a 257 wheelbase so you do not need to convert it to SS.

[powertrip]

Originally posted by TA03 Drive Hard
I sould be able to convert my 04R to a 04R-SS:D so i can use my VW Golf V5 body:D

Yeah like the last post said.. The only 2 freakin bodies that go on the SS are the MR2 and Audi.. I've tried every other body and it won't work.. you can cut the holes differently but it'll funky... I have the EG civic body which is the same size as the golf.. no go.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Perhaps the Porshe 911?:confused:

[Cychalen]

Nope.
TA04-SS. Wheelbase: 247mm.
TA03F-S or TA03R-S. Wheelbase: 237mm.
Taisan & PIAA Porsche 911 are TA03R-S.
powertrip is right. The are only 2 Tamiya bodies that will fit a TA04-SS at the moment. They are Audi TT and MR-S.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Well its a good thing i dont have the SS arms... otherwise id be rackin my brains:D

[TRF Drive Hard]

I just thought of something... how bout a 414M2-SS? TB EVO3-SS? they both share the same arms as the 04;) i have got to try this:D

[wanchaiwarrior]

Yeah, short wheel base is a nightmare to fit bodies, so I just replaced the arms.......now running with a pro-line stratus and hpi honda s2000 bodies :

sorry for the poor quality pic

[Cychalen]

I bought the SS arms in advance in hope of getting the Audi TT body later. So far no luck and I don't like the MR-S much. :(

[wanchaiwarrior]

was goin to paint the honda's tail in 2 colours and then enter it into the current paint comp, what do you think ???

:D

[wanchaiwarrior]

its a very square shaped body, perhaps with a nice paint job it would look ok, and the carbon fibre body is very ugly:eek:

[KoE]

can anyone comment on using side-by-side battery pack config into ta04ss. having hard time to put in the battery, and even worse trying to pry the pack out without detaching a few cells and splicing the wires :mad:

[TRF Drive Hard]

Ya buuuddy i already emailed ya on that;)

[minijosh]

my audi abt tt is in the post. I cannot wait. Someone pinch me plz.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Sorry pinching on the bb is not permitted!:p

[minijosh]

DOH!

[KoE]

tamiya's website mentions that both front and rear toe can be adjusted ==> Caster angle (f/r): 10deg/2deg. Camber angle (f/r): variable Toe angle (f/r): 0deg(variable)/2deg

I can adjust the read camber...but rear toe? how uh?

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by KoE
tamiya's website mentions that both front and rear toe can be adjusted ==> Caster angle (f/r): 10deg/2deg. Camber angle (f/r): variable Toe angle (f/r): 0deg(variable)/2deg

I can adjust the read camber...but rear toe? how uh?

This is the 2degree toe-in rear hub
http://www2.gpmd.com/image/t/tamc3472.jpg
of course there is another set which i am guessing is 0 or 1degree toe-in... but the pic above is the 2degree
;)

[minijosh]

I got my TA04SS today. Man, I cannot wait to start to build it. I love my job.

[KoE]

dohh...thought there are some screws or turnbuckles missing from my set...LOL! orait...orait...another round to the lhs :D

thanks again drive hard

[monyet fangkeh]

can i put 30mm wheels on TA04?

[Cychalen]

Yes you can. The rear wheels are 31mm wide to be exact.
http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=994289

[minijosh]

My chassie is complete now. Where is a good download on adjustments for the SS? Should it be different than the one on the tamiya website for the ta04R?

[TRF Drive Hard]

What kinda adjustments you lookin for? upgrades? or dialin your car?

[minijosh]

I ment dialing in my car. Sorry.

[Cychalen]

You can start with this. (http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/rc/setuptips/ta04prosetsheet.html)

[TA04TRF_ROCKET]

If you take the basic setup info for the TA04 pro that is on the Tamiya site it will be a good place to start from. I had a TA04s and it worked very well. I was out of the hobby for about 15 years, on my first race I used that info for the basic set up my car and it was handling near as well as the people that race every week, I was only missing some speed to be competative.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Use Cychalen's link to the 04 set up... might help out a bit;)

ted

[KoE]

Does anybody know what is the meaning of wheel offset 2 deg?
i saw that on the TRF wheels.
Almost every other wheel i have come across is 0 deg. offset.
Is it offset-ed for camber or for Toe?
+ve or -ve?

[TRF Drive Hard]

Its not in degrees... but just offset... the rims usually say "0 offset" or "+2 offset" this determines the rims center point... something like that... kinda like this: lllllll, that being 0 offset and lllllll, that being +2 offset... where it is bold is the point at where the hex hub meets the rims... does that make sense?

[Cychalen]

It is hard to explain. Just think of it this way. If your car is 190mm wide using a 0 deg. offset wheel, then using a +2 deg. offset wheel will make the car 2mm wider on each side.

[R3VoLuTiOn]

OH! i think i get it now... thx guys. also im getting a new rc kit. should i get the 04-r or is there a better tamiya(rofl im in the 04 forum)

[Cychalen]

TA04 TRF is the best TA04 at the moment. Tamiya TA04 TRF thread. (http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1016443#post1016443)

[redneck]

i just got my hands on a mod TA-04 R for a steal or a micro

[KoE]

thanks TA03 Drive Hard & Cychalen for the info...sure helps out newbies like me :D

[TRF Drive Hard]

Cychalen and I make a great team!:D

[minijosh]

I just got my trf shocks in the mail. All I need is oil and time to replace the old/new shocks on the Audi. I bought the wrong color paint so no photos yet. LHS sold me the wrong color.

[wanchaiwarrior]

Here's a stupid question :

How do I widen the wheel track of my TA04SS (already running it with a 256mm wheel base) to be able to use 200mm bodies ????

Thanks in advance

:)

[Cychalen]

Use wheels with more offset + hex spacers.

[KoE]

my left front lower arm is suffering from loosen kingpin. almost every time the king pin would come loose. the thread in the plastic arm i believe is gone. tried putting some glue didn't do the job. i'm afraid of using thread lock on plastic component. what are available solution apart from changing the plastic arm to alu?

[TRF Drive Hard]

Well ya you stripped the knuckle... you have to becareful... an aluminum knuckle might be better but i have found some hard knuckles for the 04, those might be a better solution compared to the plastic knuckles... i managed to buy 3 sets of ebay today, lucky me:rolleyes: but try and use the threadlock, what harm can be done?

ted

[KoE]

won't using threadlock on plastic ruin it? i've came across that somewhere but can't recall. if u can confirm that it won't harm my already loosen lower arm kingpin slot/thread....than i'll try using a few drops to secure the pin into the slot. else...emm...don't have any choice either...lol

[TRF Drive Hard]

I've used it once in my 03 knuckle and nothing happend... just repaired the knuckle momentarily until it got replaced... but the sucker was hard removing the screw from it lol:p

[tamiyadude]

If you have a TA04-SS and you decide for example that you want a regular wheelbase HPI body.... would you just need to buy a set of rear arms for a TA04-S and everything else is good to go?????

:confused: :confused: :confused:

[Cychalen]

All you need are the front and rear suspension arms.

[wanchaiwarrior]

tamiyadude, Cychalen's answer is spot on, but also refer to page 25 of this thread for this question

I've also got an SS, but now it has a normal wheel base of 256mm by just using the standard suspension arms.

Jamie

[tamiyadude]

Okay, thanks :D

[tamiyadude]

Okay, I think I'm gonna buy a TA04. I'm having trouble picking out which kit to buy though. I'm not gonna race it so I don't really need the R-version. I have a set of the TRF shocks already and I may just get 2 or 3 hopups later when I have the cash.

I've come to the conclusion there are no TA04 kits that meet all my requirements. The TA04-SS Toyota I can buy for $135 shipped and it has full bearings unlike the original TA04 kits. I'm not really crazy about the body though. I don't like the Audi either and it's 20 bucks higher.... I really don't want the SS version cause I don't want to have to buy a set of arms to get another body. Maybe I should just get the TA04 skyline GT-R.. I can get it for $150 shipped.

I guess I could just throw down the cash for the new TA04-R kit that comes with the NSX body.... $245 shipped. Basically that means for $95 I'd get over $200 in hop-ups that the skyline lacks.... so many choices... hehe

BTW, I called UltimateHobbies about their $199 R-kits yesterday and they don't have anymore, plus the guy wouldn't tell me how much shipping to Maryland would be until after they shipped it.. I thought that was kinda stupid... maybe I'm just spoiled by Tower Hobbies...

Any thoughts on this decision? I know I'm the one who has to make it, but maybe you guys know something I don't and can help me?

thanks

[Archerboi]

After I get my TA03 running, I am getting a Skyline TA04, its cool cause you can pic a few options that you like, but not need. I am not racing mine also. The Skyline seems like the best deal. I like TowerHobbies, I am hooked.

[KoE]

folks, there is one race coming up soon and heard that organizer trying to put it up on cement floor gheezzz! what sort of tyres suitable?

[TRF Drive Hard]

Well ive used the tamiya type A, hooks really well;)

[jackhammer74]

Originally posted by tamiyadude
Okay, I think I'm gonna buy a TA04. I'm having trouble picking out which kit to buy though. I'm not gonna race it so I don't really need the R-version. I have a set of the TRF shocks already and I may just get 2 or 3 hopups later when I have the cash.

I've come to the conclusion there are no TA04 kits that meet all my requirements. The TA04-SS Toyota I can buy for $135 shipped and it has full bearings unlike the original TA04 kits. I'm not really crazy about the body though. I don't like the Audi either and it's 20 bucks higher.... I really don't want the SS version cause I don't want to have to buy a set of arms to get another body. Maybe I should just get the TA04 skyline GT-R.. I can get it for $150 shipped.

I guess I could just throw down the cash for the new TA04-R kit that comes with the NSX body.... $245 shipped. Basically that means for $95 I'd get over $200 in hop-ups that the skyline lacks.... so many choices... hehe

BTW, I called UltimateHobbies about their $199 R-kits yesterday and they don't have anymore, plus the guy wouldn't tell me how much shipping to Maryland would be until after they shipped it.. I thought that was kinda stupid... maybe I'm just spoiled by Tower Hobbies...

Any thoughts on this decision? I know I'm the one who has to make it, but maybe you guys know something I don't and can help me?

thanks


Hey Tamiyadude, why don't you try Hobbymania, the prices are unbeatable, plus the service and communication are outstanding
check out this link http://www.hobbymania.com.hk/eng/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=7&cat=Car+Kits
if you want something less than this just get the S version, their price is a steal. The version they have comes with the Corvette body.

If you decide to get the 04 with the Skyline body be aware that there's two versions, the standard TA04 which comes with the Loctite Skyline and the TA04S which comes with Calsonic skyline. Get the latter as it comes fully equipped with bearings.
All in all I'm sure you already know how much of a savings it is to get the "R" version. This just gives you a few other choices.

Hey, if you feel like going all out, they even carry the brand new
TA04TRF for $269.

[tamiyadude]

jackhammer74, thanks for the info man! I'll check them out!

-TD

[tamiyadude]

Man, that was a sweet deal on the vette kit..... $99. Too bad it's outta stock :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

[jackhammer74]

no problem

[tamiyadude]

they have the NSX TA04-R for $180.... that comes with everything the regular "R" comes with, plus a body. I think the wheels and tires are the only other difference. Shipping to USA would be $20 on that order, so $200 shipped is probably a great deal. Even with coupons and free shipping at Tower Hobbies it would still cost me like $250 shipped. I'm kinda funny about buying overseas though.. haven't done it enough to feel secure. I may have to go for it though.

[monyet fangkeh]

Carbon Reinforced Resin Lower Deck
TRF Dampers
Aluminum Rear Bulkhead Beam
Aluminum Servo Stay
Urethane Bumper
Universal Shaft
5mm Aluminum Ball Connector (10 pcs.)
Medium-Narrow Reinforced Tires Type A
Medium-Narrow Soft Inner Foam (1 Pair)
TA04 Ball Differential Unit
TA04 Aluminum Motor Heat Sink
On-Road Tuned Hard Spring Set
TA04 Color Stabilizer Set (Front)
TA04 Color Stabilizer Set (Rear)
4mm Hard Lock-Nut & Spacer Set
TA04 Aluminum Hub Set For Spur Gear
TA04 Racing Hub Carrier Set
TA04 Toe-In Rear Uprights
TA04 Low Friction Belt (Front)
TA04 Low Friction Belt (Rear)
TA04 Carbon Upper Deck
Full Bearing Set

am i gonna get all that stuff above if i buy the ta04r chassis kit? if i buy the #58297 raybrig nsx 2002 am i gonna get all that stuff too?

[tamiyadude]

Those two kits have different wheels and tires, and the NSX comes with a body. The rest is identicle as far as I have read on Tamiya's website.

[TRF Drive Hard]

That NSX 04R has everything that the Type R kit has without that bod;) i have it too:D i might get another one for the hell of it:D :D

[TRF Drive Hard]

Hey i just got my set of Hardened SS arms... i noticed that the rear arms are not milled out... soooooooooo i decided to mill it out myself... it looks trick!!! i used my dremel tool to do it... so now i guess you can say its a light version of it but yet still retains the rigid toughness... i wish i can post a pic but im sure you guys will say "cool":D

[KoE]

Originally posted by TA03 Drive Hard
I've used it once in my 03 knuckle and nothing happend... just repaired the knuckle momentarily until it got replaced... but the sucker was hard removing the screw from it lol:p

dude, got a response from team associated about using its blue threadlock on this matter. my question to them was "can this threadlock be used on reinforced plastic components? i've read
somewhere that certain threadlocks contain solvent which will degrade plastic components. kindly advise. Thanks"

this was their answer..."It's best not to use it on plastic, however I think that Tamiya has some that works with plastic. You might want to check it out."

hemm...still stuck with loose kingpin. tamiya advises not to use its threadlock either...clearly printed on the tube

:mad:

[TRF Drive Hard]

Well if i remember correctly, i used MIP threadlock... worked fine for me:)

[jackhammer74]

KoE, have you tried CA? It works, just take out the kinpin, and take the hub carrier out of the c-hub, then apply the CA in the whole, use one drop or so of quality stuff, not Crazy or Superglue. Let it dry thoroughly. That should renew the threads.

[jackhammer74]

I just read one of your previous posts it said you used "glue" with no luck. Can you be more specific? If it was CA and it didn't work, then it could be that the threads are not just damaged but gone. If that's the case then nothing short of maybe epoxy is going to fix that, and that will be a permanent bond. You don't want that hassle. You might just have to get new ones. I wouldn't get aluminum ones they look nice and are durable but they're also heavier, and the 04 is already a heavy car, heavier than most actually. If you don't race then I guess durability will justify the weight gain.
Hopefully this helps.

[KoE]

hemmm...lets start of with thread inspection. if jackhammer is correct n my thread is gone...arghh...more $$$. envy drive hard for non-stop $$$ flows...hehehe. what do u do...print ur own currency...:p

[TRF Drive Hard]

Heehee, believe me... i do have my share of stopping cashflow:D

[KoE]

drop some supaglue in and chucked in the kingpin. so far the pin is holding on tight but haven't really tested it yet. stopping cashflow? good for ya that it flows...and stops once a while...mine never flow at all...how about that :D

[TRF Drive Hard]

Well, if that just doesnt work, just buy a new set of knuckles... they dont cost much;)

[asian327]

im thinking about buying the ta04 ss because its cheap price but many features but i have a couple questions before a

Since it has a 10mm shorter wheelbase will it still fit most 190mm bodies and not look strange? If not is there a way to add 10mm to the wheel base? Also is 1500g light ?since an xray evo 2 is only 1400g but has a carbon fiber chassy and stuff.Also will the penguin p2000 http://www.penguinrc.com/products/tamiya/ta04/2000.shtml chassis fit on the ta04 ss?

[TRF Drive Hard]

You cannot use any 190mm bods... the wheel base is shorter... only the ones that tamiya made specifically... i guess:D

[KoE]

only mrs and tt bodies will fit currently.

[minijosh]

I hope they make some wicked bodies for the SS. I love the audi but not the mrs.

[minijosh]

My friend is setting up my TA04 on his Hudy board. Maybe she will be a racer yet. Now all I need to do if find black paint.

[KoE]

hey dudes... i entered my very 1st race and ended in semi final. It could have gone better (final) except for major misunderstanding of lap completed and time keeping. My team left the race as a protest (also left behind was my prize; a prize for each for the 12 semi finalists). Overall...it wasn't too miserable and I must thanks a couple of contributors in this board for many great maintenance/racing tips. Thanks dudes :D

[minijosh]

What really happened? Tell me about your set up and stuff. I want to know. I am getting the whole SSG Carbon Fiber set for my SS Audi which is now painted and waiting holes for the chassie.

[KoE]

well dude, the event was local and we were a whole bunch of happy amatuers. organizer was so-so....stop watches were used instead of transponders and time keepers were on the opposite side of the start/finish line and facing the back of the race marshall. no way they could have a direct view of the cars crossing the finish lane properly. they way i see it is that time keepers must be seated under the drivers platform, at the very least. then cars n radios after subjected to tech. inspection can still be carried out for repairs etc. that blew me off. the attitude of wait uh wait uh...was intolerable. i could have listed a lot more but heck...don't bother. it's done.

since we were running on cement (mind u...traction is as good as none), i had hpi vtec 25 tires on. dampers were on trinity 45 oil f/r. added also tamiya color-coded hard stabilizers f/r. cambers were at 3 degrees f/r. 0 degree toe f/r. full length trf dampers f/r since earlier testing showed the car was a bit bumpy. perhaps the oil was heavier.

hope senior members can teach me more since the next round (although i hate the organizer) will be on tarmac in early august :D

btw, managed to kick up some dust and left xray behind with my cheap tao4ss...lol!

[minijosh]

Nice going there KoE. I take it you have the MR2 right? I got the Audi and just finished the entire car. Wow what a spoiler!! It looks so real. Do you have gear diff or ball? I just bought 1 ball diff and I am thinking of putting it in the rear and getting a 1 way for the front. How does that sound? That sucks no transponders. So much can go wrong with human fingers. Stop talking and watch my car was probably said a few times. Whateva!

[jackhammer74]

minijosh what kind of tracks do you race in, tight and technical, or large with high speed turns, or a combination of both? That's the biggest factor when using a oneway, if you race in a tight track the oneway is not going to be very helpful, cause in a tight track
you have to brake a lot and the oneway takes braking away from the front wheels. Your car may get very unstable, and hard to drive. Oneways are more suited for large tracks where you can carry a lot of speed through the turns, that's were the oneway is most helpful. Hope this helps a bit.

[minijosh]

yes that does. thanks alot. should I get ball diffs for both front and rear? I race indoors on a small track. All I need to do is cut holes now. I was gonna be forced to race my Audi friday but I cannot now. :( I have to go to a dinner. Whateva!

[jackhammer74]

that's what I do, I run ball diffs front and rear.

[minijosh]

as of now, i have the gear diffs in front and rear. How tight should the ball diffs be? You know that small long screw that goes thru the middle. How free should the bearings be? They don't seem to be the best with I spin them with my hand. The gear diffs seem tight also. What spur, pinon, motor do you use? I am keeping the stock spur,pinon, and racing a P2k2 pro.

[jackhammer74]

well for starters you should adjust the ball diff so that when you hold the outdrives you can't spin the pulley, when they're new they're not going to be the smoothest and actually they may feel a little bit gritty. As long as you don't overtighten them, they will get smoother as you use them, just make sure, you inspect them after the first time you run them.
As far as the bearings, here's what you need to do, degrease them, it's kinda time consuming but trust me it'll make a huge difference, you'll need to pull all of them out and carefully pull the retaining rings and seals off, then just get a small jar or bowl and fill it with thinner (mineral spirits) and dump them in there,(throw the seals in there too) let them sit for 20 mins. or so, if you use a jar with a lid, you can put the lid on and shake them around, it helps loosening up the grease. When they're done pull them out and set them on a papertowel or a rag to soak up all of the remaining thinner. When they're dry replace the seal on one side and apply a couple of drops of real thin oil, I use Trinity Royal Oil, it works great. Replace the other seal and you're done. I use race stock so I have a couple different stock motors, I have a P2Kpro, a Fantom P2k2pro, and a Reedy MVP. I switched to 64p gears, I run a 125t spur and pinions from 36t-43t. it depends on the track setup.

[TRF Drive Hard]

I tighten my diff to a point where i almost feel the balls... and they spin freely when mounted... i use 120 spur from a 39-45 pinion range... the other day i used a 112 spur and a 51 pinion... i had no choice but to race with it... well i burnt my motor... it was trailing smoke... needless to say i tempted it out at 275 degrees... man was it crazy:D

ted

[TEM]

I'm sorry, I'll have to take back that "TA03 Shelf Queen" remark.. It's more like TA03 Smoke Crack!... 112 51??? YIKES! Thats like a 43mm roll out! Try like a 27mm! I find even a 39/128 a bit big often times unless the track is long and your motor is torqey. 36/128 seems to work good for stock. You know, I have NEVER had a problem borrowing a pinion at the track and I NEVER had a problem lending a pinion to someone who needs it.

Ball diffs, I can try and explain like the other guys and it would sound like the other guys. Best bet, take the car to your LHS or the track and have someone there adjust it or let you feel their diff.

[mr_eagle]

hey guys
i have a TA04-S and it's kind of noisey, do you guys have the same problem? can you fix it? and how?

[TRF Drive Hard]

Where is the noise coming from? either the spur and pinion or in the gearbox?

[mr_eagle]

i think it's coming from the spur and pinion
i don't think it's the motor, it's a monster pro

[minijosh]

must be your mesh then. is it too tight or skipping teeth?

[TRF Drive Hard]

Check your pinion and spur... i bet there is a tiny tiny pebble in it... that is the source of the clicking noise;)

[mr_eagle]

k thx

now that's fixed i have another question. What gear ratio range should i be in for stock? should i go any lower than 3?

[madaussy]

try running a ratio of about 6.40 to any where around 7.oo,this seems to work on fairly big tracks,i also run an MVP stock motor,hope this can help.(this is australian racing though,it may be different in the states):cool:

[TEM]

I was told the kit tires(TA04R) were A's(carpet and or low temp). Now with real off the shelf A tires; my car run like it's on rails(carpet). But with them kit tires, it was skidding all over the place. They are sticky on the surface but don't feel as soft/rubbery as real(or confirmed) A's when you squeeze them.

So my question is; what exactly are those tires in the box? If infact I did get B's; now aren't they going to be useless even on asphalt since it's like 30celcius out and I got the kit blue(soft) inserts inside!(Overheating issues) Does tamiya make mistakes in putting in B's or could I have gotten a bad batch of A tires?

[mr_eagle]

The TA04-S stock gear ratio is 83/25 which gives me 3.32 and i brought a spur gear 96T and set of pinions from 27T to 31T and my gear ratio range is from 3.555 to 3.096, is this a good range or do i need to go lower? I'm using a monster pro motor

[TRF Drive Hard]

96/31 should be fine;)

[minijosh]

i run indoors and was told somewhere around a 6 is good for gearing. what would be a good match between pinon and spur for a 6? i would like a spur that i can just add a new pinon to to raise it and lower it. i don't want a spur that takes the highest pinon to create the 6 but one right in the middle. do u understand tao3 drive hard? i think u do.

[TEM]

Why don't you guys work with a rollout instead of a ratio? It's more accurate and a better representation for track type/motor type. I mean for ANY TC using a stock motor; 26-30 mm roll out is good starting point; lower for smaller, tighter; higher for large open tracks.

For a TA04; rollout = (pinion/spur)*(15/32)*(63*3.1416)

(63 is tire dia in mm.(rubber) replace with actual dia when using foams)

rollout = (pinion/spur)*92.7 (rubber)
pinion = (rollout/spur)*92.7 (rubber)

[mr_eagle]

k thx for your help guys :D

[DvMxDv]

Hello All,

I just rec'd my Rayberg NSX 2002 with the TA-04R chassis. WooHoo!

I'm planning on adding the lightweight diff outdrives and a center one-way. I will be running on a fairly technical carpet track most of the time against X-Ray's, TC3's and Losi's. I also plan on running in some TCS races in my area. Are there any other upgrades I should be looking at? Thanks!

Dave

[TRF Drive Hard]

The racing front sway bar kit is a thought... hardened suspension arms... lightweight universals... just something to think about...;)

[DvMxDv]

Thanks DriveHard,

The front racing sway bar kit... Do you mean the 04 color sway bar kit (blue, red and yellow) or is there another one that I can't find? Also, I was planning on front and rear color sway bar kits as well as a set of touring car springs. Do I not need the rear kit with the 04R? Thank you.

Dave

[jackhammer74]

look into the aluminum steering set, definitely get the spring set,
you won't use the rear sway bars as much but, they're nice to have should you need them.
To free up your suspension, get the fluorine coated aluminum ball ends and ball nuts. I just got those and you can really tell the difference, I also got the fluorine coated ball cups, it may seem like overload but, I needed new ball cups anyway and the price wasn't that much higher than the regular ones.
The Carbon fiber shock towers are a toss up most people swear by them, I'm one of them, they give way more tuning options and they're way stronger, some folks prefer the stock ones because they're less prone to tweak, but they're definitely weaker, I busted two holes in my rear one at a competition a year and half ago. Since then I went to CF, no complaints!

[TEM]

Get the front oneway instead of the center. Some run both but I've talked to a factory driver and he said the center one makes no difference. The Front one is the important one.

Buy the colored spring set.

Get thicker oil.. 60/50wt...

The yellow sway bars actually work. But most find it better to put a blue in the front. yellow stays in the rear.

Buy 2 sets of lightweight outdrives and assemble both diffs. With the front oneway, you will have a spare lightweight diff. This makes repairs much faster when you're at the track it may be important.

Lightweight universals; rears YES. Front, maybe. Cause tamiyas like to bend the front ones!

Hard suspension arms make the car more twitchy. It's good if you like it that way. Wouldn't hurt to buy them as spares and change to them after you break the stock ones.

I think the flourine coated stuff is a little over rated. I mean you might feel them smoother when you're holding it in your hands. But on the track? Don't think so. Most ball ends are smooth enough as is and if they are too tight, you can easily loosen them...

CF shock towers; some cars need them, some cars don't. The stock shock towers aren't too bad. If you break your stock ones; THEN consider the CF.

If you want to shave off weight(and you're at that level); go Ti on screws and turnbuckles. It'll cost you lots if you want to keep it tamiya legal though...

Tires; refer to my post above. If you're unsure of the kit tires, have someone check them out. Mine pissed me off! Considerig how hot is it out where I am; soft inserts made them useless!

The stock gearing; 45t pinion is ludacris!, refer to above posts....

Other notes: Theres lots of work to be done to make the drivetrain smooth. What classes do you run? It's great for stock, ok for mod. But on carpet with foams, especially for mod, look elsewhere!

[madaussy]

hi guys,i dont know if this will help,we mainly run on asphalt but it may help for carpet-shock oil-60/40wt
-springs-yellow all round
-f/r swaybars-yellow
-tyres-takeoff 22s medium insert(blue)
-ride height -5mm
-spur/pinion-87spur-30_32pinion-48pitch
this may give you some ideas you can transfer to carpet if you run that type of surface or try on asphalt,they are only a suggestion and i hope they may help(i run an MVP stock).good luck. :cool:

[DvMxDv]

Wow! Thank for all the info!

Based on all this and info in the rest of this thread I think I'm going to go this way:

Lightweight universals in the rear
Lightweight diff outdrives
Springs
Front Stab kit
Lightweight diff balls

I'm trying to decide if the front one-way is worth it. I've read that it can hurt on shorter tracks, so any opinions based on first hand experience?

Also, I'm going to avoid the hard suspension arms as twitchy is not confidence inspiring during a race from my perspective.

Any comments on these options? Thanks.

TEM - to answer your question, Spec stock on Take off 27's (required tire) and Spec 19T with same tire. TCS GT2 also, so no low turn mods or foam tires in the future for this ride...

[TRF Drive Hard]

The front one-way has helped me alot... the LHS i race at lately have been designing tracks with lots of turns... and i have found it useful for my front one-way... i was able to take in the turns with easy...

[mr_eagle]

Lightweight universals in the rear
can you use these for the front too? If you can i'm buying two set's:D

[TRF Drive Hard]

Yes they can be used in the front;)

[TEM]

Actually, I'm not confused about spec tires.. spec tires are different everywhere. My problem is with the KIT tires.. I was told they are tamiya A tires but they weren't when I tried running them. What pissed me off is that I mounted soft inserts in them. That means if I can only run the tires(assumed now B's) on asphalt, but with blue inserts and that it's hot outside; they will overheat and screw me over!.....

The front one way works for most of us... Small tight is where it's handy!.. for large open tracks, theres no use for it...

why light weight diff balls?

[jackhammer74]

Are you sure about that TEM, I mean about the oneway?
A oneway eliminates front braking, which is not beneficial in a small tight track where you may have to brake a lot, in a large track with high speed turns a oneway is going to allow you to carry more speed, as long as you know how to drive with it.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Question about overheating... do you mean the tires? with blue inserts and type b2 compound you will overheat if its too hot outside? so if you have the hard narrow inserts will that be ok?

I race with type A w/blue inserts... i do have 2 sets of the B2, but havent tried them yet... i do notice that the A that comes in the kits are "prepared" you can see the stickiness and are wrapped... unlike the ones boxed they are not...

[DvMxDv]

TEM,

Sorry, wasn't trying to imply that you were confused. I was just answering the question at the bottom of your post...

"Other notes: Theres lots of work to be done to make the drivetrain smooth. What classes do you run? It's great for stock, ok for mod. But on carpet with foams, especially for mod, look elsewhere!"

Lightweight diff balls, reduce rotating mass, makes any vehicle quicker and potentally faster.

[TEM]

The one-ways; I mean I could be wrong here. I've only really ran the car on high traction carpet. And it seem to work real well for me. The track is technical; but I don't know how "tight" tight is for everybody else. On the long straight and large sweeper, I didn't nothing a big diff. But on the infield, I seem to get a better cut into the corner under throttle. If I'm wrong, somebody that knows better can correct me. Thats the ONLY way we get better. Braking does get affected like the car squiggles when you brake hard; but I never use the brakes in electric.

Tires; they told me the kit tires are type A. Yes they are sticky but they are not soft. If you rubbed your fingers on some CS22's or something for carpet, it feels softer ie more rubbery. I am no expert on tamiya tires so I wouldn't know what A's were suppose to be like. So I went along with whoever told me they were A's and I glued them to rims with the soft blue inserts. I ran them on carpet and they sucked crap. I thought it was the setup at first cause I didn't know and the car wasn't yet completely set up. Later on, I got some real A tires off somebody and tried and the car was on rails. So I figured what I got in the box are either a bad batch of A's or really just B's. Ok, suppose those are B's; then they are a higher temperature tire and like they all say; B's are for asphalt. However, the asphalt where I happen to be is just a little too hot for them! I think it would be better if I had the black inserts. Depends on the temperature on the track. The sun heats the ground up a lot! What I was asking before is if anyone else got the same tires I did. My friend bought a TA04 and he got real A's!

The diff balls; yeah, the theory is right; less rotating mass; potentially faster. Personally, I wouldn't run them unless either everyone else did; or someone who is beating the crap out of me at the track is running them and told me so. I do a lot of work on my drive trains to ensure it's as smooth as it can be(no I can't afford the expensive ceramic bearings that Paul Lemiux has). But what I am getting at here is some parts and some labour is more crucial than others. You get what I mean? The lightweight outdrives are a heck of a lot lighter than the stock metal ones. And the light universals are like 1/2 the weight of the stock ones. You can probably shave off an ounce or more with just these parts....

[TRF Drive Hard]

HEHE... speaking of ceramic nitride... i just picked up 6 sets of the 3mm ceramic nitride diff balls:D

[civicds]

where can I get a manual to a TAO4-R. also should I take the sway bars off for carpet racing. I tried racing the car with the sway bars but the car wanted to flip I'm not sure if it was because of the sway bars or the way the shocks are set up.

[TRF Drive Hard]

What position are your shocks in? its not the sway bars thats for sure...

[TEM]

How exactly are the shocks set-up?, Like TA03 suggested; check the mounting positions. I set mine up on the outermost holes, front rear top and bottom; all on the outermost holes. Blue front and yellow rear for springs. 5mm ride height front and rear. Set your camber to -1 degrees all around. Your car shouldn't flip. Your CG must be too high...

[civicds]

TEM my car is set up almost like yours except on the rear top the shocks are on the inner most holes. and I have yellow springs all round. I'll try switching the holes in the back and see if that helps.

[monyet fangkeh]

hi...i just get my ta04r just yesterday:D i finished building it just then. i wanna know how "tight" is tight the ball diff? what setting should i use for indoor carpet? is it tight or loose? what is it exactly do when its tight or loose?

[jackhammer74]

what part of the track exactly was it flipping at?

[civicds]

It was flipping in the middle of the corners not at the beginning or end but the middle of the corners. also the track has very tight corners like 90 degree corners.

[jackhammer74]

sounds like you were traction rolling it, see the more you lay your shocks down in the rear, the more traction that you'll have, apparently you had too much.
TEM is right, stand up your shocks a bit, go a hole at a time till you find the right place.

[TEM]

What tires/insert/surface you on? Tell us what your current setup is...

[TRF Drive Hard]

Well my ta04-trf has the stock set up on the shock mounts... type A tires with blue inserts... running on asphault... hooks really well...;)

[civicds]

ok I just changed the shock mounting positions now the shocks are mounted on the outter most holes top and bottom front and rear. I have yellow springs all round. I'm running on ozite carpet. For tires I'm running trc foams double purple.

[TEM]

I thought you'd be running foams!.... In that case, go heavy on the oil(like 80/60) and go hard on springs; try white/blue. Don't fully dope the tires; just do the inside half or 3/8's depending on how it handles. Try that. If your track allows and the carpet is good condition; you can go a little lower on ride height too.

[civicds]

I'll try the springs but as for shock oil i'll stick with 40wt. and my ride height i'm running the car at bout 5-6mm.

[DvMxDv]

Hey guys,

Anyone know if the new "extra hard" plastic outdrives from the Surikarn Evo III will fit on an 04R's diffs? Curious, supposedly they'll last longer than the regular lightweight outdrives. I bet they're made from Delrin...

Thanks!

Dave

[madaussy]

DvMxDv,i dont know about the EVO111,but tamiya have a light diff outdrive set,work well too,gets rid of yhe heavy stockers and gives you more punch outa the corners,should know i,ve gottem,good investment for that elusive bit of speed:cool:

[DvMxDv]

madaussy,

I'm familiar with the lightweight 04 outdrives. I've also heard that they have a tendency to self destruct. Supposedly these new ones are extra hard and much more durable, at least according to Tamiya's advertising...

[TRF Drive Hard]

The outdrives are different from that of the evo3 and the 04... unless somehow they are built the same and housed differently in the evo3...:confused:

[DvMxDv]

Thanks Drive Hard,

I kinda figured that was the case, but thought maybe...

Oh well, I can always get the delrin pieces from Integy

[TRF Drive Hard]

I have the delrin stuff too from integy... very nice... the pulleys use 2.4mm diffballs which are included but the other stuff like the thrust bearing, screw, locknut, and the plastic thing that goes with the locknut must be used from the original diff... be sure to attach the large ring to the pulley... something heavy strength... this is part of assembling the pulley... if not glued right it can pop off whille youre driving and screw up your belt... the one thing i did was replace the diffballs with Acer's ceramic nitride balls... very nice upgrade... expensive... but oh well, well worth it...;)

[madaussy]

you guys cant believe how much we in australia have to pay for our hop-ups(double sometimes triple to what you guys pay)it makes us cry looking through various mags at prices for batteries and motors etc,lucky i bought a TA04R with all the blue goods,right place at the right time.:cool:

[RCAttack]

Hi All, Well I decided to upgrade from my trusty ol TL-01 to a TA04R, Reading though these post it sounds like Hong Kong is the place to buy from. Prices here in Australia are through the roof for kits & parts. Can anyone recommend some online shops that I could check out.

TIA Brad

PS, TA03 Drive Hard, your TA04T project looks wicked, Xecellent work :D :D :D

[civicds]

you can check out www.towerhobbies.com, or www.stormerhobbies.com, and also www.ultimatehobbies.com there a couple sites you can check out.

[DvMxDv]

RCAttack,

Try these:

Hiro's (http://www.kt.rim.or.jp/~hirofact/HOME.html)

and

Hobbymania (http://www.hobbymania.com.hk/eng/index.asp)

[DvMxDv]

Does someone know if anybody besides Tamiya makes pinons that will work with the Tamiya 48 pitch metric spurs? My local shop wants $16 for a Tamiya two pack (cough, choke...). I'd like to run the larger Tamiya spurs, but hate paying that much for pinons. Thank you.

Dave

[TRF Drive Hard]

Originally posted by RCAttack
Hi All, Well I decided to upgrade from my trusty ol TL-01 to a TA04R, Reading though these post it sounds like Hong Kong is the place to buy from. Prices here in Australia are through the roof for kits & parts. Can anyone recommend some online shops that I could check out.

TIA Brad

PS, TA03 Drive Hard, your TA04T project looks wicked, Xecellent work :D :D :D

Hey thanks man... hopefully i can get pics of the chassis... i need to show it off lol... right now im working on my trf414m2... i just placed in all the titanium screws... now i need the titanium rods... soon to get... titanium drive shafts!!!


As for the spur and pinion change... you can use robinsons gears... they have a wide range of spurs and pinions... just make sure not to mix and match with tamiya because they are cut different...;)

[minijosh]

I raced my TA04-SS last night for the first time. The first 2 races were so so. My motor was shot and I though it was the stock gearing so I swapped the pinon and spur out for a HPI one. They were ok until I saw someone else with a SS pass me. I asked what they had and it was the silver can with stock gears. Stupid P2k2 Pro!!!!!!!! Swapped out gears and motor this time to my Paradox and stock gears. I did very well. Then batteries dumped on 2nd race. Dang. On third, I was on my way to getting at least 25 if not 26 laps until my switch for my ESC came off and got caught on the carpet. Snag and snap! I couldn't figure out why it stopped. After about 20 seconds of the marshal looking at it, I ran over and got my baby. I looked at the wires and nothing was wrong until I saw the 2 bar wires sticking out. DOH!!! Nothing a quick soldering job cannot fix. Then the buzzer sounded. Man, I missed my chance. There will be another race next week so hopefully I can kill some comp!!!