haplm

Yes, I did, but no two cars are the same, so you only get some general guidance. Many people completely seal the chassis, which adds weight, some people convert the car to 2WD (removing rear diff), which makes it even lighter than my car, etc. So I'm afraid I will have to figure this out myself - and I'm fine with that. In fact, I'm glad, because I learn a lot while doing it. Besides - I have a feeling that suspension tuning is a topic that most of the good racers avoid, because that's pretty much the only thing that can really differentiate you from your competitors...

gigaplex

iTrader: (2)

You mean apart from driving skill?

haplm

Yes, I mean apart from something so insignificant as the driving skill

ErikO

iTrader: (2)

I was just talking about the TA03F with the owner of my LHS the other day when ordering parts for my XV-01!

We were laughing about how weird it was that the belt ran backwards, and how it handled surprisingly well for a car with the motor so far forward. Definitely the grandfather of the XV.

They were very popular in the drift scene (before today's dedicated drift chassis came out) for the balance which is the same reason the RC rally people love the XV.

4roller

Apart from the battery position and the rear dampers are mounted in on front vs rear of the arms. I'd have to say, by looking at the chassis's they are about 80% similar.

Stuff like gearing changes are to be expected. Ta03f has a ball diff. But even the stabilizer bars, top pulley tensioner are in the same location.

I guess drifters like the chassis because of that front weight, double deck design.

I'd have to say the Xv01 was just a refresh. I would not be surprised if the engineers that designed the TA03f are the same ones that worked on the xv-01.

I love the lineage aspect. Apart from the belt power transmission to the rear wheels, the car is really designed like a real car in terms weight and suspension. That's what I love about this setup. You can learn a lot about real world suspension tuning and handling.

What year was the Ta03f released? Around 1998.

4roller

In tub chassis too!

Papi

It depends on used suspension blocks. If you use 1XD, you should end with same width as with stock suspension. 1A blocks will add around 4mm

firefoxussr

iTrader: (5)

I really want a MST-FXX D just for the front-longitudinal-engine-RWD setup. That is what nearly all drift cars are in real life.

That's also why I like the XV01 with the Lancia body, it's a front-transverse-engine-AWD setup on the real car.

It would be bold, Tamiya should make a m-chassis that is front-engine RWD for the Miata MX-5, RX-7, Alfa, BMW, S2000, etc.

4roller

I got 1A and 1E suspension blocks.

Yes! Wide stance means better body fitment. Thanks Papi.

gridMENSCH

Hey so. I finished building my xv-01, have a 4250kv motor in it which is obviously way too much. Put a couple of packs through it, had a couple of close calls in terms of losing small parts like a dogbone after a turnbuckle came undone, things like that.

Then I ordered every single aluminium part for it I could find, mostly yeah-racing out of a combination of being tight and availability. I got them in, then made a horrible beginners mistake by thinking I should locktite the little screw that keeps the pins in the ends of the a-arms. Two of the pins got stuck in and the c-blocks don't rotate smoothly anymore.

On the back I managed to soak it in acetone until now it rotates perfectly smoothly again, loose as it should be, but the plastic c-block on the front is still pretty tight. Ordered aluminium c-blocks for the front but i'm going to have to saw and file off the plastic part and then force the pin out somehow to get the new parts on. Acetone and Isopropyl alcohol did nothing to help.

Lots of waiting involved but I'm looking forward to getting it running in its new blinged out form.

Got the slipper clutch, Sway Bar (Which I'm not sure I need, opinions?) and some shiny shocks for it too.

longuylander

iTrader: (7)

Try heating up the loctite. Sometimes heat loosens up the metals and can help get the pin out.

haplm

Or use debonder. Works quite well for me.

haplm

I would say you need sway bars, but they add to the complexity of your suspension. So be sure you understand how exactly they work, so you tune the car properly. Just mounting random sway bar will most likely do more harm than good. Read this, ideally couple times until you really understand it ;-).

4roller

The rear sway isn't needed (imo) but the front one, using the stiffest bar does help handling. This car body rolls a lot. You don't need it, if you are just going to bash, but once you get to more advanced suspension tuning, it is an extra tool to get your car to handle the way you want.

It makes most sense to use sways on-road.

gigaplex

iTrader: (2)

Keep an eye on the aluminium parts. Plastic flexes during a crash, aluminium tends to bend and stay bent. Yeah Racing parts have a reputation for bending pretty easily. Bent parts are sometimes hard to spot but still cause weird handling problems. The arms in particular are usually troublesome which is why most car manufacturers don't provide them as an option. They're also heavier than the stock plastic.