I ran TCS this weekend here in Omaha, and Vu was there so was able to pick his brain on this as well and you and LordSchnert (Comment below) were spot on. He suggested i reduce negative camber and reduce toe out. After going to 0 camber (which is stock using the non adjustable) and going to recommended steering link length which gives about .5 degree of toe out, i had an oversteer. I ended up going to -1 camber all the way around that really helped dial things in. I ended up getting 3rd overall in ProSpec after the triple mains. Another big change i made was went back to the long wheelbase and ran the Ford GT body rather than the Porche body. It seems to be not as top heavy and provided better results. Thanks again for all the replies. I feel it is much better but still needs a bit more tuning but its competitive now.

Thanks.

Today I got the ride height to a decent starting spot of ~5.5mm rear and 5 mm front. I put the middle spacer on the front CVAs for now as with nothing the front was ~4.25mm.

I also need to pull the front steering links and shorten the ends to get them tighter as right now I want to get them to either neutral or slight toe out, right now I have slight toe in by 3mm so probably a couple degrees........

I did however grab a weight and balance snapshot.......with body on.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...2dc9f0560.jpeg

Correct.. it actually says to cut them in the manual, alternatively you can use the 5mm short rod ends (50797).. getting rid of the front toe-in will make a huge difference 🖖

It does state to cut off 2mm......however I wanted to see what the result was "as is"......I also kinda shake my head at directions like that. If the turnbuckle is too long for proper setup, adjust the part.....don't ask me to do it......Thanks for the alternative part # as well.


I do agree with you 100% that dialing in some toe out will help with the darting and possibly the oversteer. The real trick for me will be to get the spec tires and see where we are. The stock tires were stepping out on acceleration in a straight line, not just turns.

EDIT: Turnbuckles have been shortened to 37.75mm on both sides for now giving me some decent toe out. Will try it out at the track tomorrow......

Assembling a TT-02 with RC Screwz hex head set... The M3x10mm are too long for many of the holes. Not only that, they have 2.0mm hex sockets (pockets?) rather than the 2.5mm I think is more common on M3 screws. The 2.0mm are highly prone to stripping. Pulled some M3x8 cap head screws out of my electronics parts drawer and they fit MUCH better. The cap head may or not be a problem in any location but I can't see an issue yet.

I am not very happy with this screw set especially at the cost. I think it was something like $35. For that I at least expect perfect fit and hex sockets that won't strip! It's like $10 ($5? less?) worth of screws, at least pick perfect ones for the kit. Or am I missing something?

edit: Yeah the 2x8mm are even worse screws. They are slightly too long for the holes (at least some of the holes) and they strip really easily. This is NOT at all what I was expecting from such an expensive screw set. It's actually ruined my rear diff!

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...9a9f58651.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...a963660fc.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...46b310257.jpeg

2mm is industry standard for button/flat head and 2.5mm is industry standard for cap head. I would agree the RC Screwz are junk. The Chinesium stainless they are using seems to be softer than aluminum some how! Make sure you are using high end drivers (MIP are gold standard IMO) and only going finger tight.

I'm using primarily Wera drivers. I have a few made in USA (forget what brand) on my bench for smaller sizes as well but I mostly stick to Wera.

Finger tight is impossible when the screws are too long for the holes... They are basically worthless screws.

Quick question. So my son has a euro truck, but he wants to get into tc racing. Is the TT02R a good kit to start off with? And what options would be good to get camber and tow inline. Also im also swapping out the brushed for a more efficient 25.5 brushless system. Dont want to get to crazy with it. Also what tamiya shocks would I need to purchase.

If you're looking for Tamiya and brand new, the R is a good affordable option. However, I don't think it's so dramatically different than the Euro truck (maybe that's a good thing?). The R comes with oil super mini CVA shocks which work great, so no need to replace them. It also includes adjustable links for toe. If you want to stick to Tamiya and want adjustable camber, you should look at the TT-02 SRX. It's the next real step up before you start getting into the TA08 or higher end Tamiya kits. The SRX is infinitely better than a non-S variant of TT-02, as it comes with more modern touring car suspension with adjustable links and geometry. If you're not tied to Tamiya, then there are loads of affordable options that I've seen suggested across RCTech, including 3Racing, Xpress, and others.

If you're fixated on the TT-02R, then you can get the upper adjustable arm set for pretty cheap that allows for camber adjustment. Seen here:

Tamiya 54874 Adjustable Upper Arm Set / Tamiya USA

Good luck!

Appreciate it. Yeah i dont want to get to crazy with it, just something fun that he can race it the rookie class. Probably just swap all the electronics over from his euro truck and add a car body and he should be good to go. I have spares so I think its a good thing lol.

I edited my above response to correct some mistakes and include a bit more information. Sounds like the R would be a good choice!

I just built up an R kit and honestly it feels like a solid balance between having enough upgraded elements for the price point but short of trying to make the TT-02 into something it really isn't. Locally there are TT-02 only classes running a spec tire and Torque Tuned motors etc. so at ~$300 total for kit, body. motor, ESC, battery etc. it opens up options to run in some events and dip my toe back into the on-road world again. Sure it isn't an X-ray etc and while it is always fun to be the underdog and perform well against more expensive cars I have realistic expectations for the TT.

I don't want to go totally nuts and end up with a $900 TT-02 just to compete with cars I could have purchased for less with more potential.....

It is a great gateway drug and class racer for similar kits........

As a side note.......the car felt more predictable with a quick basement test with the adjusted ride height and toe setting.......of course now I have rubber tire marks on the finished floor I have to remove before my wife rips me a new one......so there is that......

Tomorrow will be my first race action in 35 years.......both 2wd Buggy and TT-02. Gotta grab the spec tires when I get there and see if I can get a practice run in. At least the buggy is fairly well dialed in from a weekend practice session at the track.

https://www.yeahracing.com/titanium-...-tt02-00037120

I have used this Yeah Racing screw kit on one of my TT-02 kits. It still uses self tapping screws but had the advantage of having socket heads. This is a nice upgrade if you have already built a basic TT-02 and are tired of using the stock screws. If you do use the stock hex screws, make sure to pick some JIS screwdrivers. Tamiya 74085 is a perfect tool kit for building kits like the TT01/02. Here is a link on TamiyaUSA but know that you can purchase cheaper on many online hobby sites...
https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/tools/rc-tool-set-2/

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My advice to anyone using M3 machine threaded screws on plastic tub chassis is to use a thread forming tap such at Tamiya 74068 (https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/optio...d-forming-tap/). I believe this part may be discontinued.

I have struggled in the past when installing M3 aluminum screws into new Tamiya TT02 lower decks (chassis) even when using a good tool tip/bit. What I do now is at least use a STEEL M3 screw to create the thread into the plastic before I try using softer or lighter screws. Obviously a tap will do a better job cutting a thread. The steel screw does a good enough job most of the time. While this may seem like an extra step, it has saved me from ruining/stripping the socket head on the "good" screws.

If you DO buy a thread forming tap, make sure the pitch of the threads is the same at the pitch of the screws that are being used. The Tamiya tool has a .5 pitch. I tried buying a cheap tap online and it didn't work well for me so I just use an M3 steel screw instead.

The easiest way to adjust camber on a Tamiya TT-02/TT-02R kit is to purchase Tamiya 54874 Adjustable Upper Arm set (https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/optio...per-arm-set-3/). If you are lucky enough to find a Tamiya TT-02RR kit, it included the adjustable arms. Unfortunately the TT-02RR is discontinued.

I have added the adjustable upper arms on a TT-02R kit that I setup to run GT PRO Spec. They are pretty easy to assemble and install in a stock TT-02.

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If you want to adjust caster on a stock TT-02 or a TT-02R, there are articles online that discuss various ways to modify the car. These mods are typically not legal in most TCS type classes.


A TT-02 with a few Tamiya upgrades on it (aluminum steering/threaded oil filled shocks) can be a decent entry level car that is reasonably durable. If you really like Tamiya kits, the base TT-02 SRX is a better starting point. Unfortunately the SRX does not include adjustable droop screws, but there are aftermarket options for droop (or internal limiters).

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As far as making a stock TT-01 (Eurotruck) more adjustable/more raceable as a touring car, here are a few things to buy. (Note: any of these upgrades would not be allowed in TCS Eurotruck racing)
Tamiya 51217 - lower suspension arms that allow droop screws (https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/spare...tt01d-b-parts/)
Tamiya 53673 - 2 degree toe-in (https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/optio...-rear-upright/)
Tamiya 53674 - RC ADJUSTABLE (camber) UPPER ARM SET (Tt-01) - (https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/optio...upper-arm-set/)

Of course the biggest limitation on the TT01 is the gearing. There are aftermarket options, but the TT-02 with the high speed gear set and/or a Yeah racing adjustable motor mount is a much easier option.

I've actually had great success even using cheap titanium or aluminum screws to always put a tiny bit of grease or ChapStick on the threads when I screw them in for the first time.

angrymelon IndyRC_Racer PROMODVETTE
I am thinking of switching over to the Yeah Racing titanium self-tapping set. If I remove the steel machine screws from the RC Screwz set will I be able to put the wider thread parts in the same holes without causing damage?

Or, since I've already started assembling with machine screws, would I be better off sourcing some higher quality steel machine screws and using a tap, e.g. Tamiya 54232 with 74086 (I actually already have an M3x0.5 tap)? Another thing I will do is use shorter lengths if I am using machine screws because the holes don't seem to be intended for full length machine screws.

edit: I ordered the MIP 3-piece set. The Wera I have aren't stripping but they are more precision screwdrivers (even the fat handle version, which is good).

I would not run self-tappers in after you've already used machine thread screws. Personally if it's affordable for you, I would buy one of the Square titanium sets or equivalent. I don't see the full titanium set on Amazon at the moment (just the aluminum and titanium mix) but I got one for less than $30 shipped for free. The quality is actually pretty decent, and I didn't have a single issue with one stripping, or even getting an ill-fitting hex head.

Here is my theory with Tamiya's in general, but the TT-02 specifically. If you're buying a base kit that comes with self-tappers, I always try to use machine thread screws in at least the parts that have a possible Hop-Up. If you decide to later upgrade it with parts like the steering rack, or even just adjustable toe links, oil shocks, etc, you'll find yourself needing to put the included machine threaded screws/ball-ends, into holes that were previously self-tappers /insert sad trombone. My standard build configuration these days is to use machine thread on the places that allow hop-ups, and then stick to self-tappers on some of the common sharable parts (e.g. body posts, battery posts, uprights etc). This might sound like lunacy, probably because it is, but I have a fleet of TT-02 and I've found myself slowly upgrading them at different points in their life that this makes it more enjoyable. :D Always going full machine thread is probably the best option, but the choice is yours.

Good luck!

One of the reasons I like the TT-02 is that the lower deck/chassis are inexpensive. Here are links/parts numbers for both the regular and hard lower decks.

Tamiya 51532 TT-02 lower deck (stock) - https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/spare...02-lower-deck/
Tamiya 54926 TT-02 lower deck (hard) - https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/optio...-lower-deck-3/

You can usually find/buy these lower decks on many online stores such as A-main, Amazon, Horizon Hobby, Tower Hobbies, etc. and it should be easy to order one through a local hobby store.

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As to swapping a 3mm screw for a self-tapping screw, yes I have done that on my TT-02. I was not careful when taking off/installing the spur gear cover on a TT-02 kit that was using 3mm screws (there are 4 screws that hold on the spur gear cover). Eventually I stripped one of the 3mm screw holes so I used a self-tapping screw. The self tapping screw held the cover well, but I made sure to not overtighten those screws. Eventually I replaced the whole chassis, but I felt it was a good semi-permanent/temporary fix.

I was racing this particular TT-02S kit in VTA, so I was changing gears/taking out the motor more than most people probably would on a TT-02. I also was using a Yeah Racing adjustable motor mount and didn't set gear mesh properly on 64 pitch gears (my fault/was in a hurry). I replaced the spur to continue racing that event, but eventually switched to 48 pitch gears which give a little more wiggle room if you don't get mesh perfect. I probably had changed gearing or removed the gear cover on that car at least a dozen times.

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I did a quick YouTube search and found the following video of an individual showing a good technique on how not to cross thread existing holes in plastic parts. This person was demonstrating on a plastic Tamiya CC chassis using self-tapping screws. Here is the link...
https://youtu.be/WYHwXix1dqo?feature=shared

As far as screw length goes, generally speaking you do not want to use a longer than stock screw on plastic tub chassis. If you bottom out the screw into the hole and try to keeping tightening the screw, you risk cracking the plastic. I have made this mistake when installing the 2 long screws that hold the plastic bumpers to the chassis (keep the lower a-arm secured). In my case I was swapping out the rear toe piece between a TT-02S and a TT-02 SR. These 2 cars use different length screws because the S kit instructions use the plastic rear bumper and the SR kit does not. Because I wasn't paying attention I actually weakened the plastic so much on the chassis that it broke during a mild racing accident. I had to replace the chassis.

If you aren't sure how long of a screw you need, you should be able to use a 2mm hex screwdriver or an allen tool as a depth gauge for screw length. Make sure you account for the thickness of any part that is installed over the hole you are measuring. Again I forgot to do this when the part I was using didn't require a rear bumper and used too long of a screw.

Always pay attention if you are using longer than stock screws when installing steering knuckles to the a-arms or gearbox covers. You want to make sure those screws aren't too long and come in contact with moving parts such as axles.or input shafts.

do the X-ray springs work on the super short big bore shocks? the 42306 spring package is sold out every where

which xray springs are for the super short big bore Tamiya shocks

Just got done with my first racing in 35years........spec tires were Powerhobby brand.......so I picked up a set and quickly glued them up. Very drifty and no they weren't their drift car tires, just a spec touring car tire with a typical pattern. I will need to experiment.

Practice was all oversteer all the time, first I tried stiffening up the front springs, that didn't do much. Since I didn't know what the stock Tamiya shock oil in the CVAs was I dumped the front and put in Losi 45wt and decided to just work with whatever that gave me, What it gave me was a car that would step out in the rear end with anything approaching full throttle, but with decent throttle control I could get it around the track. First heat was a mess......pinion came loose. Thread locker applied in between heats.

Second heat I just accepted I had a drift car for the night and leaned into that and put up a great fight losing second place in the last turn but everyone said it was some entertaining racing considering it has been 35years since I last was on the track with anyone.......

The main was fine......3rd of 4 in the main.......but the ball joint on the servo save snapped at the end.....whatever.

Now I just have to install some of the reliability parts as they come in which will include the upgraded steering components.

All in all.......fun car.....took a beating.....Thankfully.

I can find the Square ST-252 kit on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Titanium-scre...dp/B00D3UU0HM/) and eBay but only shipping from Japan. I had wanted to continue assembling the kit rather than wait for more parts. I would prefer something like that kit though - know any similar sets that would be in stock in the US?

The only reason I had screws that were too long is the RC Screwz set directly translated the lengths of the self-tapping screws into machine screws, which end up being slightly too long for the holes from what I have found. Some fit and some just barely do not. I'm gonna use 2mm shorter screws.

I have the MIP drivers coming, as well as some more of what should be "reasonable quality" stainless screws. Biggest thing I think I need to figure out is if the cap heads I already have on hand will fit everywhere on the chassis or if they would bump up against stuff in some places. If I run into that I will get button head as well.

Yep, that is the same exact kit that I purchased. I understand not wanting to wait, however, I don't know any other sources that might have what you're after. One nice thing about the TT-02 is that the majority of the screws are all the same m3x10, so if you can source some of those you can at least get the majority of the way there.

Getting started after 30 years took me a while also… which body are you running? anything that has big heavy plastic wings on the back? if so, that may cause your rear end to be loose.. definitely check how the local are saucing their tires..

Mustang GT4 with the wing of course......

Only one local guy was saucing and he kept saying "I hate saucing" then proceeded to have a car on rails.....lol. So sauce is on the way, but I want the sauce to be the cherry on top not a band aid for a crap setup if I can avoid it.

Anyone have a read on what viscosity the Tamiya stock oil is? Just curious what I have in the back still.....

I've gone ahead and used mostly steel cap head screws that I had on hand, with the button heads from the RC Screwz kit in the few places where there wasn't clearance for a cap head.

I ordered a high tensile screw kit from these guys for another car. The screws were high quality hard steel not the soft junk.

https://rc-schrauben.de/index.php?jt...=tt-02&search=

Thanks. My build is complete aside from tires so it's late for me, hopefully this helps someone else.

Biggest thing that helped me was switching to cap head screws wherever possible (almost all of the M3x10 can be replaced with M3x8 cap head - or 10mm if you are brave). The larger socket of a cap head is an amazing difference, and they are just easier to handle in general. In the unlikely event you stripped a cap head, pliers might be able to get it out still.

The MIP tools are quite nice. Not sure they are any harder steel than the Wera tools I had already, but the beefy screwdriver handles are nice. Luckily one of my precision screwdriver sets had a bit for the JIS screws, which I agree is completely mandatory - Phillips will not fit that.

On a related note (ordering parts from Germany), I ordered light buckets from tamico.de. Look to be good quality, 3d printed, all lights in the tail clusters modeled. Should make my A4 Quattro body pop. Tamiya has backed off including nice light buckets which is a real shame - all the ones with plastic/chrome light buckets that I know of are TT-01. Lexan light buckets do not cut it. I would've gotten a McLaren Senna if only there were some light bucket options for it - I know its lights are a bit complicated but still...

I'm finding it impossible to fully tighten the wheel nuts on my TT-02, whether with the included tool, or a dedicated tool with a handle. How hard should it be to tighten them? Getting it as tight as I can, the hub cap piece is still loose and barely catching the circles on the wheel itself. Any advice? Thanks.

edit: I should add that I have the Yeah Racing front drive shaft which is where I am having some trouble - once it hits the rubber stopper it will not tighten more.

edit2: I think the issue is that I didn't screw the hubcaps to the wheel. The main TT02 directions don't show that, maybe the body directions do.

edit3: Car running! Seems to be running great. Now for the body. Thanks to all for help.

Happy Sunday......Easter for some.....

I spent some time this morning working on the TT-02, installing some small obvious and needed upgrades like adding the damn heatsink (yes I know weight but also easily removed), aluminum wheel hubs, enough with those plastic POS things......

I also pulled the rear CVAs and took care of some of the droop with a rubber donut internally on the shaft and for now I refilled the rears with the Tamiya oil (anyone know the actual weight of that oil?). I then went about trying to get my ride height dialed since I am on flat carpet. My original measurement was ~12mm rear which is darn high. I dropped the shock mounting ball joint to the lower position and of course that got me to about 6mm with one pre-load spacer in. Front is about 1-2mm higher for now.

Aluminum steering parts are coming in tomorrow or Tuesday so I will then address the front end and probably take the opportunity to pack the front diff with heavier grease to tighten things up a bit. I am also going on the sauce this week......

I will also need to do some body trimming due to the new ride height.

What horrible mistakes am I making so far? Or am I directionally heading the right way to hopefully gaining some more traction in the rear while hopefully still being able to actually steer.....

Definitely have your front lower than your rear.. the heatsink doesn’t really help much, just takes an extra minute for the motor to get hot.. if you are running the torque tuned motor.. they seem to like running hot.. you will wear out the brushes before you cook the magnets.. and since they are cheap.. just replace it when you see ‘gold’ dust coming out 🖖

I had the heat sink so I threw it on.....but yeah I don't expect much out of it and frankly at like $17 the motors are 100% disposable......that piece may stay off unless I need to balance the right side, but I doubt that will be needed as weight bias was a touch to the right anyways.

I will get the front lower but I am not going to work on that until I rebuild the steering rack, add the metal ball pivots to the front A-Arms etc. Once I get it all together I will work on lowering the front. I tested the bottom shock ball joint in the lower hole but that was WAY too low. I prefer to drop the front to 5mm and leave the back as is and see how it runs.

While I was able to drive the car competitively in last week's races in semi-drift mode, that isn't exactly what I am shooting for. A little slide is fine as long as it is predictable and not true under/oversteer.

I put a heat sink and fan on mine. Doubt it weighs much more than that strange plastic heat shield Tamiya supplies, and it looks kinda cool.

How much does weight affect racing performance?

Right now with weight I am more concerned with balance than I am with overall weight. Last I checked I was weighing in at 1404 grams with a 51% bias to the right side......so I may opt out on the heatsink as it will just increase the Right side bias......

As for overall weight, I am far from an expert but the touring class min is 1320 grams so I can clearly put the car on a diet if I wanted to. Although I am about to add some aluminum parts for durability like steering assembly etc. so I am kinda porking it up a bit.....

Combined with the tires.. I would say weight is key.. but it is a combination of center of gravity, weight distribution and weight transfer.. that’s why people buy lightweight bodies.. and then add weights on the chassis to make sure they hit minimum weight.. springs and dampers help you dial in how the weight moves around when cornering.. goal being to have it push down on the tires that are about to loose traction… but not too much.. cuz then it will traction roll..

Get a lightweight body, stick in a shorty pack and you’ll be a lot closer to minimum weight already 🖖

I think I might do just that.

I'll stick with the Mustang for a little bit as I bash around and get things figured out but I'm at 1443grams loaded up with body etc. and a shorty pack would make a world of difference. That and I can pull the chunky plastic wing off the body as it just clips on and while it looks good, it is a tad heavy.

What pack would you recommend? I'm currently just running the Tourque Tuned and have a 5200mah pack that is fairly hefty.

Everyone out here will have their own favorite battery.. in the end.. there are only so many factories that make them.. most brands just put them in their own case.. put their own label on them.. for my TT02 - I like the Protek 4400mah ULCG packs that amain sells, they are reasonably priced… if you buy them when they have a sale going.. even better.. the Torque Tuned doesn’t draw a lot of amps, so no need to spend crazy money on a ‘top end’ battery..

EAM seems to be very good and used by quite a few top racers. Never tried one myself, though.