113LikesA decent cheap shaft drive car touring car. Where did they all go?
07-23-2019, 12:31 PM
#1
A decent cheap shaft drive car touring car. Where did they all go?
Howdy everybody,
There's a thread about recommending a dude a car. He's gonna be on unprepared surfaces, which really means "shaft drive". A couple times the TB05 were brought up. And the TT02. If the TC4 were still a production car, I'd be pushing that. But... alas, it's not.
Well the TT series cars, while neat and all, are really $30 of plastic $30 of motor and ESC, and a $30 body, with a $400 nice car fake it kit. So lets not talk about the TT02. The TB05, is a $300 car in the US. And while I don't think that's exorbitant, we have $100 belted touring cars. And $160 1/14 scale 4wd buggies. We should have a $100-200 nice shafty touring car.
So.. am I blind? or do we really not have a cheap, nice shaft drive touring car? Has the TC4's demise really meant that we're at the end?
Before I go, this is what I'd like to see:
There's a thread about recommending a dude a car. He's gonna be on unprepared surfaces, which really means "shaft drive". A couple times the TB05 were brought up. And the TT02. If the TC4 were still a production car, I'd be pushing that. But... alas, it's not.
Well the TT series cars, while neat and all, are really $30 of plastic $30 of motor and ESC, and a $30 body, with a $400 nice car fake it kit. So lets not talk about the TT02. The TB05, is a $300 car in the US. And while I don't think that's exorbitant, we have $100 belted touring cars. And $160 1/14 scale 4wd buggies. We should have a $100-200 nice shafty touring car.
So.. am I blind? or do we really not have a cheap, nice shaft drive touring car? Has the TC4's demise really meant that we're at the end?
Before I go, this is what I'd like to see:
- Adjustable upper links. (camber)
- Adjustable steering links. (toe)
- Standard spur gears. (Gearing for VTA through mod..)
- Gear diffs.
- Long suspension arms.
- Steel pivot pins.
- Adjustable rear toe, sweep, pro and anti dive.
- Flat battery mount, for modern lipos.
- multiple upper link locations for roll center adjustment.
- Standard suspension mounts for front sweep, pro and anti dive.
- parts commonality with other popular cars.
- flat chassis, for cheap aluminum, FRP, or carbon swaps.
07-23-2019, 12:44 PM
#2
Maybe it is more expensive to produce shaft cars...
07-23-2019, 01:06 PM
#4
Tech Adept
You're right. Besides TB-05 there are not many alternatives. Yokomo still has it's SD Sport and some RTR stuff from Traxxas or HPI. But nothing serious as you have written...so sad
Last year I was looking for a shaft car for parking lot Action, just like dude from mentioned thread. I ended up with a pair of TB03 for some reasons. And I'm happy with these cars. One of them ist nearly Box stock, with Ball diffs. Just added some of the CF parts. The other one got TB04 gear diffs and some other Hop Up stuff. Both running 13.5 or 17.5 with homemade 2S LiFe packs. No serious bussiness, just for fun.
But I agree, some nice new shaft car Kits would be awesome!
Michael
Last year I was looking for a shaft car for parking lot Action, just like dude from mentioned thread. I ended up with a pair of TB03 for some reasons. And I'm happy with these cars. One of them ist nearly Box stock, with Ball diffs. Just added some of the CF parts. The other one got TB04 gear diffs and some other Hop Up stuff. Both running 13.5 or 17.5 with homemade 2S LiFe packs. No serious bussiness, just for fun.
But I agree, some nice new shaft car Kits would be awesome!
Michael
07-23-2019, 02:00 PM
#5
We should not forget, that most 100€/$ belt cars are sh*t and not really suited for racing and/or beginners. I remember one time, when a beginner was recommended a cheap belt car and had nothing but trouble with it. In the end he bought a used carbon car and is happy ever since.
And while you don‘t want to talk about TT02, the mentioned aspect are mostly fulfilled by these type and its versions. Also the price (TT02S is under 100€ right now).
Well the time for shaft cars is not over, but only two companies really develop these chassis: Tamiya and Exotek. Shaft cars are mostly cheap and for people new in the hobby or who see it as toy for short period of fun. Expensive chassis are designed for the serious racer and the belt layout is state of the art. Not even Awesomatix could change that.
So the people who see it as toy car don’t need and know all the good design and mostly don’t care. The people who care about shaft cars then need to spend more money to get decent quality. That is a natural law in most hobbies not just R/C.
And while you don‘t want to talk about TT02, the mentioned aspect are mostly fulfilled by these type and its versions. Also the price (TT02S is under 100€ right now).
Well the time for shaft cars is not over, but only two companies really develop these chassis: Tamiya and Exotek. Shaft cars are mostly cheap and for people new in the hobby or who see it as toy for short period of fun. Expensive chassis are designed for the serious racer and the belt layout is state of the art. Not even Awesomatix could change that.
So the people who see it as toy car don’t need and know all the good design and mostly don’t care. The people who care about shaft cars then need to spend more money to get decent quality. That is a natural law in most hobbies not just R/C.
07-23-2019, 07:57 PM
#7
Tech Addict
Get what you pay for but it isn't always necessary to get the latest/greatest for 95% of club racers out there. Way more to be gained from practice than $200 kit, upgrading to a $700 one. Yes there is a difference in quality and durability but if someone is just playing in a parking lot a tub chassis car is more than enough. Only once that same person has moved up to fighting to get in the main does spending more become a requirement.
End user determines the goal. If said end user wants to play, any of the cheap ones will be fine ( not sure where the numbers are coming from but a TT-02 is like $150 all in with some of the best bodies going, ESC and tires).
Racing is another matter altogether and this is where shaft cars seem to be disappearing. Can't really beat the belt cars and stock classes favour the belt design.
07-23-2019, 08:47 PM
#8
Tech Master
Well, it's a matter of choice. For die-hard fans, like myself, I personally prefer shaft driven cars.
It's really nice to see that there are still manufacturers like Tamiya that continue ti develop this platform with the TB series. I do hope that HB will consider doing another shaft car to continue the Pro4's legacy. 😁
07-24-2019, 11:10 AM
#11
But the shaft Pro4 beat the belt driven cars by Yokomo, AE, Kyosho, Tamiya, Xray and became the world champion.
Well, it's a matter of choice. For die-hard fans, like myself, I personally prefer shaft driven cars.
It's really nice to see that there are still manufacturers like Tamiya that continue ti develop this platform with the TB series. I do hope that HB will consider doing another shaft car to continue the Pro4's legacy. 😁
Well, it's a matter of choice. For die-hard fans, like myself, I personally prefer shaft driven cars.
It's really nice to see that there are still manufacturers like Tamiya that continue ti develop this platform with the TB series. I do hope that HB will consider doing another shaft car to continue the Pro4's legacy. 😁
07-24-2019, 11:10 AM
#12
Oh and... TT02 FTW regarding current cheap / raceable shaft car.
07-24-2019, 06:10 PM
#13
Tech Master
07-25-2019, 03:47 AM
#14
Shaft drive was awesome in the 27t days but brushless has too much torque to make them nice to race, especially on low grip even with punch settings adjusted. Belts deliver modern power better for me. As for shaft drives today, Yokomos SD sport has a bit of racing pedigree from the old CGM Special from years ago
07-25-2019, 05:55 AM
#15
Tech Master
iTrader: (1)
I would say that the Awsomematix shaft drive is the car to have in VTA with the weaker motor. No longer made but highly sought after for the class. Hard to beat shaft drive acceleration. As you up the power switch to belt. That is by observation and years of experience.