RE: Official Tamiya TT-01 Thread
WOW!
I raced tonight...
Practicing i found that my new tires gripped SO MUCH! Kind of maybe too much. I rolled a few corners while testing and getting used to my new tires. The power I can get down is amazing though. I tried my old tires (slicks) and they just couldn't handle anything, the motor was just spinning the tires and they wouldn't corner (would be awesome for drift though).
Race 1: Went well, had to shift over for a few people as they lapped me but I did 17 laps and came 4th (out of 5, but I wasn't last). Tires were awesome. However my front left dogbone came out :S
Rebuilt the front left assembly while the other classes raced and after my marshalling, but my sticks on charge (Intellect 3000mAh) and tested (as much as I could) and seemed ok.
Race 2: Went much better, I had got used to the turning and power I had, still rolled a few corners towards the end when I got a bit more confident. I got a big shunt towards the end though which knocked my rear bumper molding loose (loosing a countersunk screw in the process) oh and my front left dogbone came out again. (21 laps done, so better)
Did my marshalling and went back to the pit area, found a spare screw so rebuilt the rear bumper assembly (which doesnt have a foam on it, only the front) and put the dogbone back in, still couldn't find out why it had come out. Batteries on charge and did a general clean as it hat got mighty dirty with carpet by this point.
Race 3: Went better still till 35 seconds before the end, I was on par to beat my last lap count (I ended doing 20) and I got a big shunt to the rear which put me out. Back to the pits... (oh and the front left dogbone came out half way round)
Went back (they said I didn't have to marshall so I could fix my car, when i got back to the pits I thought my night was over, I could see the internal parts of my diff >.< I had taken a big shunt which had ripped out the screw I had replaced, cracked the chassis side to the upper arm screw housing and cracked open the diff housing. >.< Was a little upset as it wasn't my error that had done it but thats part of racing. Any ways I got to work trying to work things out. I taped the screw housing as a temporary fix and inserted some solder wire to keep the screw in place. Found that the diff housing hadn't cracked but just popped out of the retainers for the lower and upper arms for the wheel so just nudged them back in. Charged the battery. Rebuilt the front left dogbone however I inserted a tiny rubber washer/thingy that we use @ work to buffer out the dogbone (I did insert one either side of it but that was to tight and would let the dogbone rotate so only one on the diff side. The rear bumper mounting plate thing (that would hold a bumper had I got one) has one screw that wouldn't tighten now so I also placed some solder in that to buffer it out to see if it would tighten, I did tighten but still rotated so I just masked over it with some tape and hoped for the best.
Final: A bit more cautious on the final considering my car had taken a pounding, I placed 5th (even though finishing fourth every heat, due to my lap times) I started at the back of the group, which I was slightly happy about anyways as I wanted to keep out of everyones way and just focus on finishing. Well the starters buggered up the first corner so I breezed through without a mark having taken a slightly slower start. I got a fair way round the track before the faster gyuys started to catch me, so i let them through know I had no chance (yet, need to get better) to beat them, I was just there for a laugh and to hopefully finish. I did really well, and came 4th. My dogbone stayed in, my rear moulding was intact (even after another shunt form the same guy as before)(I don't think he liked me much or something). Anyways, all in all a good night, I learnt alot, I asked loads of questions about other peoples cars, any ideas they suggested for mine and stuff so that was a big plus.
Got home now and ordered a new chassis, new front bumper (the hop-up version) and will move the old front to the rear for added protection ( I don't mind about weight or looks, the wife isn't to keen on buying me new parts every race) so all that came to £12 which is good, cheaper than ebay too. Should hopefully be here Monday so I can race Tuesday, was hoping to race Sunday but I wouldn't have the parts in time and the Mrs also wants the fence painting.
Had a great night though, which is whats its all about.
-Bunny
(Sorry for the long post, just thought I'd share my experience with my TT01 with you all)