Hey guys, so recently I purchased a Tamiya Grasshopper kit. This kit comes with a 380 motor and a body assembly. I'm looking to make this car pretty badass, but unfortunately badass just so happens to be on a budget of under $200. I've already spent about $90 on the body! I'm hoping I can get some help with finding compatible electronics. I will need to buy a Transmitter/Receiver, A Battery, Battery Charger, and an ESC. One of my goals is to put a 540 motor in it with a lipo battery. I just need some help finding the right parts!


Thanks,
Voting4Pedro

Hey Pedro,
I'm a huge Tamiya fan, but this site is not really geared towards the Tamiya crowd. There is a good Tamiya forum at UltimateRC.com.

I'm curious as to what "badass" means to you? Performance? The Grasshopper isn't going to offer much in that department no matter how much you spend. I'd just add a bearing set and build it.

The Grasshopper kit should have come with an ESC, unless you bought it from Japan. The ESC is a decent one so use it. To add a 540 motor, you'll need an 18T pinion (32 pitch). The Grasshopper chassis can't really handle much more than a Tamiya Sport Tuned so I'd get one of those. Any cheap servo should work fine. Don't waste money on a fancy one. Unless you really want to run a lipo pack, this car would run just fine on a 6 cell nimh pack. They're really cheap. A 3000 mah pack should give you 20-30 mins of run time easily.

Here's a picture of my Hornet. Same chassis. It is one of my favorite runners. It's got a Sport Tuned motor and it's a lot of fun to drive.

Hey CTRJ,
Thanks for the help! You've answered all of my questions! As to what badass meant, I was really just thinking of making it a little faster by putting the 540 in. Unfortunately the Tamiya Grasshopper I ordered is coming from Japan via Amazon, so I won't be receiving an esc. However I did find an esc on Amazon called the HobbyWing QUICRUN 1060 Brushed ESC (1/10). Do you think this ESC will be compatible with the car?

Thanks,
Voting4Pedro

P.S. Nice Hornet!

That's a great ESC. I used it in several cars.

Thanks for all the help CTRJ! I ordered all of my parts today!

Heres what I got:

-Futuba S3003 Standard Servo

-Qauick AX5S 2.4G 3CH Remote Control Transmitter +Receiver

-2 pcs 7.2V 3000mAh Flat NiMH High Power Battery Packs

-Tenergy Universal Smart Charger for RC

-HobbyWing QUICRUN 1060 Brushed ESC (1/10)

-Bearing Set Tamiya Lunchbox/Grasshopper Ball Bearings

Good stuff! Enjoy the build.