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Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:26 pm
by weeksy
Well, why not....

Image2020-04-14_12-16-54 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Image2020-04-14_12-20-33 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr


Oh my... that's a LOT of pieces !!!!

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:17 pm
by Buckaroo
My son and I used to race 1/10th scale touring cars. It was great. We competed in quite a few competitions. My son did really well as a privateer (yes, there are factory teams: Losi, Yokomo, Xray) Eventually we ran an RC club. Seven years in total. We had the then world champion and some European champions turn up and ask if they could race. It was amazing to watch just how good these guys were. I still have the race results for this. My son's names up there with them.
We still have all the kit. An Xray, Corrally and some Yokomo stuff.
Maybe we should have a go again sometime.

Thanks for your post. Brought back some good memories.

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:25 pm
by cheb
I had something like that years ago, 4WD Tamiya thing. It survived my hamfistedness very well. I was OK with going away from me, but having to swap steering input when it was coming towards was something I never mastered.

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:27 pm
by cheb
Mad Ax is your man for this IIRC.

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:49 pm
by Rockburner
cheb wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:27 pm Mad Ax is your man for this IIRC.
Yup - he's still involved I think, down Bristol way.

I still remember building my Hornet (Xmas pressie) I had it completed (unpainted) within about 3 hours on xmas afternoon!

Fantastic toy, especially if you have the room for it outside!

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:01 pm
by weeksy
Apparently this isn't needed.. why it comes in the kit i have no idea !!!

Image2020-04-14_02-40-20 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

I took the gearbox apart twice to find it again...

Image2020-04-14_02-08-40 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Image2020-04-14_03-03-54 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Image2020-04-14_03-56-02 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

SO we've got the engine, the steering rack/kit, we've got the shocks on the back end...

I must admit i never thought for a second when i bought it it would be this complex or time consuming !!!!

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:09 pm
by weeksy

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:34 pm
by weeksy
So, looking at positioning the electrics, this seems about the best layout.

According to the box i should have the wires in this config, but what's the 3rd yellow wire for ?

I assume the electrics just loop out of the extension in the bodywork ?

Image2020-04-14_04-32-42 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:47 pm
by cheb
It might be a generic board suitable for higher specced machines, and the yellow wire is superfluous.

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:06 pm
by weeksy
we have power !!! Forwards, backwards, left and right


Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:19 pm
by weeksy
Front chasis arms

Image2020-04-14_06-17-30 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Image2020-04-14_06-17-39 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr



Front end with shocks installed.

I'm off cycling now while my boy builds the wheels

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:26 pm
by wheelnut
I had one of these years ago.

https://www.wirelessmadness.com/tamiya- ... -tam-58347

I remember putting in an uprated motor and different bearings for the wheels. Used to go like stink.

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:09 pm
by weeksy

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:55 pm
by weeksy

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:07 am
by weeksy
Needs stickers etc, along with wiring tidying up. But wanted to give my lad 10 mins with it this morning

Image2020-04-15_07-05-33 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:22 am
by weeksy


So here's where we are with it, it runs and goes well... 

BUT... Always a but isn't there.

It seems to FLY in reverse but goes, OK going forwards.. 

I watched another Youtube video and that guy puts yellow to yellow and green to blue... (Ours were the other way round).

When i reverse them like that as per his description, obviously my controller is reversed, so down is up and up is down. But i can't see anything in the menu to change that setting. I could reverse the servo, which has now set us to left and right correctly, but a setting for the forwards/back i don't see.

Controller is a Reflex Stick Pro 3.1LCD if that helps.

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:25 am
by G.P
You'd expect it to fly going forward and be slower in reverse?

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:32 am
by Treadeager
I trust you kept that " spare " gear in a safe place ? :lol:

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:41 am
by weeksy
G.P wrote: Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:25 am You'd expect it to fly going forward and be slower in reverse?
Yeah me too. I've now got it wired in that way, but obviously the forwards/backwards are reversed. There seems to be a few RC geeks on PB and Singletrackworld, i've also pinged the seller a message as i'm sure he's had every question possible at least 3000 times..

Re: Tamiya Grasshopper, new RC car day.... Build thread.

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:42 am
by weeksy
Treadeager wrote: Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:32 am I trust you kept that " spare " gear in a safe place ? :lol:
Well multiple people on 2 threads said that piece isn't needed... so i'm happy it's not.