Yes we had wholesale this body to RC Mart !
can order in RC Mart now !

This is a quote from p2, items 7 and 8 in the TCS rules:
"7. Any Tamiya Hop-Op Option and spare part is allowed as long as it is used in the way it was designed, and on the vehicle it was designed for.
8. Except for the GT1 class, it is strictly forbidden to cut, mill or lighten the chassis. It is strictly forbidden to re-engineer or modify the car in any way other than with Tamiya Hop-Ups. (This applies to all classes)"

Here's a link to the full set of rules:
(*edit: link is blocked by the Tamiya website for some reason. Goto tamiyausa.com. At the top of the page look for TCS Racing. Click on that, and the link for the rules is on the left of the next page.)

hope this helps. I was kinda psyched to particiapte myself, until I read all the rules. I spend a good amount on my M0-3L, and will instead just race the normal weekend races. Half my car isn't Tamiya made. Oh well, I still have fun and that's what counts for me.

Yeah, I have read the rules, however they do not give specifics on the gear diff. Re-engineering to me would be locking the diff (mechanically or by use of a putty or adhesive), but the rules are grey beyond that. I can build a diff so that you can hold one tire and still turn the other but it is still tight. Technically there is still a diff action. Just looking for some clarification.

My understanding is it must retain some "diff" action. Other than that it can be very tight by using shims etc.

Charlie is correct. No 1-ways, must have some diff action even if it's very stiff. Nobody cares what gets put in the diff and putty should be fine if it works for you.

Latest update - When is a Swift, not a Swift? Just why do the Tamiya Swift bodies look 'wrong'?

Click here to find out.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/2SwiftsCrop.jpg

Thats a great read tony,

I'd love to talk to you about your job at ford, one day if you have time?


Cheers

Ash

Thanks for the info. I wanted to make sure I was within the rules before I handed the car to the tech inspector on Saturday. I also suppose I could have just asked him prior to this weekend but I never remember to ask when I see him.

True true - IIRC, you can use any lube that's non-Tamiya, just like the electronics (ESC, battery, LiPo has limists tho, and most screws.)

But locking up the stock diff by modding it is stickly forbidden in the US TCS rules - as is using loctite or superglue on any part of the vehicle. Just fill the diff up w/ the thickest hobby oil you can find, and you're good to go. Or you can go ahead and spend some money on a Tamiya Ball Diff - but only designed for an M03 model . . . .

Hell - I use Tamiya's Molybedium (sp?) grease in it (a thin coating is enuf all around, but I filled up all the teeth on the planetary gears). It actually lets the front end spin the diff for a sec or two when I throw a wheel to one side. IMHO, its thick enuf, and hasn't broken down on me - ever. My RC10T came with Moly grease too, except for the diff. That tranny never had to be rebuilt (just moly in the gearbox, not on the spur of course, like the assy manual said.)

Just take the time and read the whole thing thru for the US TCS rules, like I said. Please read esp the beginning - any "misconception" or "twisting" of the rules will get you disqualified during TCS inspection.

It's best to run the car stock just like everyone else does in those TCS races. Hey - they have handout motors and/or tires for all these races anyways, so if I was going to join, I'd bring a stock car as well.

It's a super duper low-bottom budget race so that all can join. Team Factory racers are automatically disqualified. But IMHO, they're will be so many cars on the track @ once that it's a fender bender waiting to happen. About 10 cars @ once is tough for me, but they run more than that, at your nearby track @ the TCS event.

After I read all the rules, it sounded fun, but a waste of time for me. 20+ people on the track @ once with M03s? Crash crash and crash. No thanks - esp when I saw the TCS event being held in my local area. I might as well send a quarter of my paycheck to Tamiya itself after I'm done the race - with no exact chance of winning.

Please refer to page Two, rule Seven and Eight, of the US TCS rules. It clears up the whole thing.

Can't "twist" the rule - or even a misconstrued conception will get you kicked out of inspection. . . .

The rules are quite well written, so there's no confusion at all. That's why they say what they say in the beginning.

Hope this clears everything up.

In that case, I'd use my LST2 silicone grease in the diff (the thickest one I've got.) The rules clearly state that you can use any non-Tamiya grease, so why not? They specifically say not to modify it tho, mechanically. Can't lock it up tho - rule 8 on page 2.

Someone said that you can use shims - YES. We are are all allowed to take the slop out of any play. But, if you win the nationals, and are invited to the Japan TCS, then you must use ONLY Tamiya hardware! YAAAYYY!!! That's about 1/2 my car gone right there!!!!! heh :)

(*edit - I use the thickest Losi silicone shock oil - don't have it in front of me heh.)

The '20 people on the track at one time" thing was not Mini class-it was the much smaller, much slower Porsche/Ferrari TamTech class. And on the Aliso track even 30 cars would not be a crowd in that class!

Mini's at TCS run like what you would expect- 6 to 8 in each qualifier, 10 in each Main.

The only way to find out whether you're any good is to run with the fast guys. Most of them run the TCS races. All the rest is just BS. As far as I know, they never run more than 10 cars in a heat. Since they usually have a Tamiya rep at a TCS race, I seriously doubt if that ever happens.
Packing a gear diff full of oil or grease only accomplishes the creation of a big mess. It only stays tight for a little while before it all leaks out. Most people who run a gear diff use shims and the heaviest grease they can find to slow the diff action down. Even then , it will loosen and you're rebuilding the diff. A better solution is the ball diff from a TAO3 with the diff screw bottomed out and put in with a little LocTite. If installed properly, it won't loosen.

I'm really new at this (only competed twice so far) but last week we did have 13 cars listed for the "main".

Jim

I used to have some stuff called kyosho diff locking clay... would that be a solution to what you are looking for...?

by the way, what is the advantage of tightening the diffs? wouldn't it just make the understeering worse?