[StevePond]

Started at the request of TA03 Drive Hard

[TRF Drive Hard]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH! Im soooo happy... hehe... first off, i would like to thank Steve Pond for putting this up thank you... anyhow... i already have 2 ta04 trf kits... i think i was the first to actually get one in the USA... am i i dunno... i was thinkin i should race on cause i said i would if i got 2 sooooo with that in mind i might just do that... i was also thinkin what can i do to further upgrade this thing... althought it is already, but... i decided to swap out the optional gears i had from my "built ground up" 04... this would include the ceramic diffballs i had installed using Eagle Racing delrin gears... so i omitted the front one-way... trust me it looks tricked yet! even the SSG chassis is beautiful... so now when will they have a saddle pack chassis made of SSG? cause i really want that so does anyone else have this?

Ted

[aussie_bloke]

you could get the integy purple bits

[TRF Drive Hard]

I would, and i have those, but the purple doesnt look good with blue and no i dont want to do all that oven cleaning stripping thing but i did add Titanium tie-rods and torque rods...

[k_bojar]

This is a sweet kit...I just cant see spending all the $$ just to get the SSG parts and the special aluminum parts...I talked to Tamiya USA guys at the last TCS race I was at, and they werent sure how much of the "special" parts of the car will be made available spearately

Bummer

[TRF Drive Hard]

Tower Hobbies will have them in stock... but cant say anytime soon... but they are a bit pricey... i have mine already and i got them dirt cheap all NIB

[TRF Drive Hard]

I just got my 2nd TRF kit

[TA04TRF_ROCKET]

Does anyone have any hints on assembling the car that are not in the instructions. I just got my TRF tuesday and started assembling it. So far I have CA'd all the carbon parts on the outside edges and some internal one's, and have built the rear diff and suspension. I am up to step 8 where the uni-drives go together. Thanks for any help and suggestions. Has anyone raced it yet, and what were your results, and what class were you running it in. Sorry for all the questions.

[TRF Drive Hard]

I did something a lil different than what was asked to do... in steps 11-19... on page 7... MB11 is supposed to be used on the front suspension arms... this is for the assmembly of the front stablizers... to me it looked weak so i omitted that... instead, i used 5mm adjustables for the TL01... if you look on page 9 step 15, you will see the front hub carrier... you will notice there is a spot to thread in the 5mm ball connector, just slightly above the suspension mount... thats what i did... another thing i did was replicate the 414m2 steering... on page11 step 20 i omitted the part K10 along with the scews and flanged tubing... if you have a 414m2, then you'll know what im talking about... i wish i can post pics but im out of a computer to do so... i havent ran her yet, but i plan to this saturday btw, bout time someone has this kit other than me

ted

[TA04TRF_ROCKET]

Thanks for the info I will have to print your reply and go through the instructions at the steps you indicated. Another question would be, Are the steering arms that come with the kit fine, or do you think the aluminum arms would be better? Its nice to know someone else that has this kit. The owner of the LHS that I go to has one and I bought the 2nd one that he had ordered, seems like they are just getting into the shops now. Do you know where there are any good pictures of it on the web? Thanks again.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Well www.tamiya.com is the best place to get pics... but not very much, but nice info...

Anyways... saturday was race number 3!!! after the last 2 races i went i bombed out... my TBEVO2 steering got messed up and my other TA04 Pro that fully modded w/Integy parts also bombed out, again steering problems...

It's 1AM saturday, just before the early afternoon race... i was dared to run my TA04 TRF... so i decided to prep her and install the TRF2002 ESC along with the Tamiya Super Stock Type "R" motor... my car needed no further adjusting... she was all tweaked and ready to go... all i needed was a body... my Opel V8 was the only body i had ready so i decided to her...

Race day-i was so hyped up i couldnt wait to race her... we got there close to 10AM and a few people were practicing... i unloaded and my friend unloaded... he went right away to practice and i just had to make a few adjustments... then finally i got ready and decided to get up to the drivers stand... i was nervous, there were nitro cars running too but i didnt care... i looked at the track and i was like holy crap, tight turns every where... this is the best chance for my front way! im not pro driver but i did very well, my car did not bomb out... she was running super sweet as expected... after practice we were called for registration... finally i was positioned 6th and my friend 7th...

First heat-i started out or shall i say we all started with a big pile up at the first turn kinda got messy but oh well... my friend and i were kinda head to head, but usually he and i were passing each other up back and forth... i was real nervous at the drivers stand... 9 of us racing and a few were great drivers... i managed to keep up and so did my friend... after 5 minutes, i tied with my friend with 16 laps, but technically i was placed 4th and my friend placed 3rd... a great team effort for Team Anime and Nokturnel Racing...

Second heat-I knew track now and was aware of the first turn... i was positioned 4th and my friend 3rd, just behind 2 other cars... this meant that i had a better chance at getting to the first turn without getting into a jam... before he said "go" i had my wheel turned just a lil to going to the left... when he said "go" i was off!!! passed the guy who was in front of me and didnt know what happened... i was like ya baby ya!!! i kept my cool but was still nervous... i had my eye on my car the whole time... but i ran the walls quite a few times i cant remember but i maintained 2nd and 3rd a few times... my friend on the other hand i did not see him anywhere... i almost passed him up but wasnt near there... he was a few laps behinds me, only to find out that he got into a jam... i cutting turns like a rat finding cheese and i said to myself, damn this is the best race i ever had! finally finished, i came to halt and was relieved... the race results that were posted showed i tied first with 17 laps with thsi one guy, but technically came in second!!! i was like wooooooooohooooooooo!!! i was shocked!!! but i heard my friend placed 5th with 15 laps... due to a broken knuckle...

My TRF 04 was the best i have ever used and was proud to be the first to use such chassis at the hobby shop... lots of guys were in aw of the chassis and liked it... again this was the best race that my friend and i ever did... lots of fun and lots of friends!

ted

[Cychalen]

Good for you! Always glad to read racing stories.

[CarterTG]

Congrats TA03DH. Goooooooo TA04!

[TA04TRF_ROCKET]

Way to go TA03 Drive Hard, congrats on the race, sounds like this thing is really going to open a lot of people's eyes to the TA04, which is well deserved. Thanks again for the info, keep the racing stories coming.

[TRF Drive Hard]

Hey thanks guys! i cant wait to go to the next race... my friend who was also racing was using the FF01 chassis... he did extremely well with it... but my trf04 was hooked and planted to the ground thanks to the type a slick from tamiya right now ima clean her up and tweak anything that might be a problem... hopefullt nokturnel will have his 04 pro all hooked up too, he needs his twin belt replaced... as does my other 04 pro... might have to pick up another ssg chassis set... seems to be some scuffs on the rear oh well

[TRF Drive Hard]

Well im finished building my 2nd 04trf... its got plenty of extra goodies... titanium rods, ceramic bearings/balldiffs, optional aluminum front body post... i even made the center steering rod adjustable... i wish i had digicam but now i gotta bug my friend to use it

[Kaffieen_Kraze]

Ted,
Nice racing summary there! I did not know that you placed 2nd last weekend, Great job man. I know what you mean about being nervous when up on the drivers stand. You should have seen me the last couple of years. I hit more boards, than covered pavement/turned laps I'm glad that you enjoyed the racing, so you gonna show up at the next one and turn the new 04trf loose? I was impressed with my 1st look at the chassy I must admit. Eh perhaps sometime I'll swap my gas can for some battery packs
Kraze

[TRF Drive Hard]

Hey Kraze, give it a try i'll even loan ya one of my 04's to dial in the way you like the trf04 i mentioned above i wont race it... has too many extra goodies and i sure hate to see it get all scratched up so its a shelf queen but you know i already ran one of the chassis' so there goes my racer for the year

Heck im contemplating on aquiring another chassis

ted

[trrrrrrf]

its time to show this thing off since no one else has posted one up yet
its dead sexy

[TRF Drive Hard]

Man, i wish i can show you my modification i did to my front bumper... i have my transponder mounted in it braced with the original bumper brace and included the aluminum front body post... this thing is trick btw, nice trf04 so did you run her?

[trrrrrrf]

tried to but my radio gear aint to good -- need to find a fm stick radio with all the trick little functions the pistols have -- any ideas

[TRF Drive Hard]

Stick FM? the only ones i know of are 4-9 channels, which are mainly used for airplanes and helis... you dont really need anything fancy 'cept the third channel... if you have a use for it but the transponder connects to your BEC in your receiver

ted

[trrrrrrf]

I tend to scare people when I drive the TA-TRF with my entey level futaba attack am radio. then it shocks them when they loose to me. I use to do the same with my tl-01

[TRF Drive Hard]

LOL let them be scrared i cant wait to race my trf again...

[trrrrrrf]

All i need to do is work on the setup and set the motor better to give me more brakes and all should be good.