# TA04 TCS thread



## Herc Driver (Oct 4, 2001)

Just figured Id start one since there was not one already. Lets post setups etc...that is unless Im the only one here..(cricket, cricket)

My TA04 started life as an ebay pickup it was the ta04ss with the carbon fibre body.
I called Tamiyausa and they helped me make it a normal wheelbased 04 by switching the ss arms to the graphite regular sized ones (direct replacement)
I then switched the top plastic chassis with the optional graphite one piece chassis. This really helped stiffen up the chassis, it also lets you add torque rods which I chose not too.
Also added the aluminum threaded shocks 70 wt oil all around with yellow springs.
Next I replaced the standard motor plate with the "aluminum finned" motorplate to hopefully aid in cooling, not that tis seemed to be a problem but better to be safe right?
Also made the switch to 64pp gears to eliminate the tamiya pitch delimma
Finally I just ordered and hope to soon recieve the plastic outdrives/ball diffs and graphite towers.

Anyhow the car is by far the easiest I have ever driven! It is super easy to dial almost thoughtless! I guess with my other onroad cars I may have been a bit overwealmed by all the adjustments or is this car just this easy!?

The drawbaks to the car seem to be the ability of little pebbles getting into the rear of the drivetrain...this can be a showstopper if they get lodged int the rear belt I actually sheared a rear belt because of it once!
So needless to say I shake the car out and inspect this area much more than I have ever done b4. Perhaps Ill make a lexan guard to help this. Anyway lets see if anyone else wants to chat about this seemingly overlooked car! :jest:


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## BPSHADOW (May 5, 2003)

The 04 is a good car. I own 3 414 chassis and my 04 is actually the most dialed out of the 4. Mine started out as a Pro kit to which I added the early optional carbon saddle chassis. On top of that I think I have almost every hop up. The car is a little more consistent than the 414. I do need to spend more time with the 414 though.


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## Q2k2 (Aug 26, 2002)

Hey guys, i just picked up a TL01 as my first Touring car. until now i've been mainly into Stampedes and Villains.. 

it came with a Reedy Stock motor and i'm running a rooster in it. what sort of increase do you think i'd see if i dropped a 15turn mod motor in it? moderate? tons? just figured i'd ask the question before making the purchase. 

also, what gearing would you suggest. i'm looking for a setup that i can bash with and get some drifting going on.. any suggestions would help.

thanks.. and sorry for crashing your thread.. i know its for the TA04..


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## BPSHADOW (May 5, 2003)

I would be careful about the amount of power you try to put through the TL01. It is really designed as a beginners car to run in the spec class. If you want to run mod motors I would suggest a TA04 or the brand new TB02 chassis. They are definetly more expensive, but they can handle all the way down to 8 turn motors. The other aspect is durability, I have broken very few parts on my 04. I cannot speak to the durability of the TB02 because it is brand new, however I do know that it is based on the TB Evolution 3 and that is a very durable car.


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## Q2k2 (Aug 26, 2002)

Thanks for the suggestions.. i'll spend some time with the stock motor first.. try different settings and batteries before going to a mod motor..

just picked this up as something to tinker with.. 

Q


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## Herc Driver (Oct 4, 2001)

Yeah I would agree. The tl01 can probably easily handle a 19x motor which would give you much more speed over a stock one, but if you went much lower Id start to be concerned with the strength of the gears. If you went to an 04 type chassis you could reasonably go to any motor type since the car is dual belted like many of the other cars out there.

I stuck with the bathtub style chassis just to stay in the GT-2/3 classes at the tcs races. Like I said I went to 64 pp gears, because they are cheaper, quieter, easier to find everywhere, and offer many ratio combinations.
I have been trying to stay as near a 6.0 final dive as possible...of course this depends on the track.

The car is super easy to dial and drive. I drove a guys 414m2 at the Memphis TCS race and was really impressed, Just would have to get rid of the one ways...I can't drive them! But the car was super fast/quiet! But I got my 04 really cheap on ebay and am slowly hopping it up but want to remain legal enough to compete in the TCS races so Tamiya parts only, and no graphite bottom chassis.
I figured that after the plastic outdrives Im pretty much modded out!

If anyone has an extra TA04 - R instruction manual Im in need of one since my car came used/without one


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## BPSHADOW (May 5, 2003)

I think the difference in the way that my chassis drive is in the geometry. There is no adjustment for anti squat or anti dive on the 04. There is on the 414, I have been trying to figure out why my 04 is faster, and I have a theory. I have the front bulkhead tipped forward, also known as anti dive. I have the rear bulkhead tipped back to give anti-squat. This is similar to how Surikarn has his chassis set up and it may have worked for the tracks that he was racing on. I don't think that this setup is good for carpet tracks. The car is too inconsistent, it does not work the same at the end of a run as it does at the beginning. There is also a difference in wheelbase and battery location between the two. The 414 is an awsome car and mine is working ok, it is just not as fast as it could be. I am going to start trying some things and see if it picks up at all. I will post my findings when I get a chance. :wave:


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## Herc Driver (Oct 4, 2001)

You know the funny thing...the TA04 TRF chassis has been released...I really have been thinking about getting it for the ability to have all the 04 hop ups, and spares of all the other option parts I have already bought. The reasons I have not splurged yet is 

#1 Price of course

#2 I dunno about you but I cannot drive with a one way...really I dont think 4wd's should spin out as much as I do with a one way...so Im a full time 4wd guy

#3 I dont need a graphite chassis since I race GT2-3 and its not allowed, and the graphite tub seems really strong anyhow

So I figured I could stock up on parts and batts with the money instead at a slower pace of course! That option seems to make the wife happier too.

Additionally, I have been a bit interested in the new NEO Shot 4wd buggy. It is a 2 belt chassis car that looks like it may be okay....just waiting to see more info on it. Seems like the only info I have found is oversea stuff. Will it come out?


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## BPSHADOW (May 5, 2003)

I have thought of picking one up myself. I have all of the TA03 TRF chassis, as I am a collector as well as a racer. The thing that is holding me back is that I want to pick up an EVO 3 Surikarn Edition. I can't quite stomach the cost of both. I too run full time 4wd, the car is too on edge with the oneways. Do you run indoors or out?. I primarily run carpet.


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## Herc Driver (Oct 4, 2001)

Well I guess in that respect Im a "Have car will travel" kind of guy. The racing scene out here in Abilene Texas is almost nonexistant! We have 1 dirt oval track that runs every once in a while and it is primarilly for gas sprint types. I did race there a few times in the "run whatever you have" electric class but it wasn't really worth getting too into since I was facing everything from xx4's to the wheelie trucks that Kyosho used to make!
Anyway I pretty much play with a Tamiya mini in the street and save my 04 for the TCS races, and try to find a race close enough to justify driving to...so with that said I don't get to race near as much as I would like too.
I try to stay up on what races are comming nearby and wouldn't hesitate to pack up the stuff for a big race....and after my last TCS race I CANNOT WAIT to do another. Tamiya does an AWESOME job promoting a fun and fair atmosphere. A buddy of mine who used to race with me when we were in college even bought an 04 - r after having so much fun...and not even racing at the last TCS race we did!

So if you have not been to one of these races try one out you will be hooked!


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## kc-fan (Oct 6, 2001)

everyone around here runs xxxs, or TC3's. If someone would get a good deal on a TA04 would I even have a chance to keep up with the other sedans? The local track has gone with Ozite carpet. I'm new to onroad (Mainly run truck offroad ) and trying to find an affortible onroader to tinker with now and then.


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