Tamiya Integra Type R XB Pro

Radio Control Car Action, Feb 2003 by Nettles, Paul

track test

1/10-SCALE ELECTRIC

Accurate Acura with RSX-appeal

TAMIYA'S NEWEST READY-TO-RUN HAS ARRIVED in the form of the Acura Integra Type R (more commonly known in the U.S. as the Acura RSX). The kit is the first in Tamiya's electronic-- speed-control-equipped XB (eXpert Built) Pro series, and it comes with a completely new chassis designation-the TT-01. When you open the box, you'll be greeted with a completely ready-to-run, painted and decaled car; all that is left to do is to add a charged 6-cell battery pack, slide 8, AA batteries into the included radio, and you'll be ready to drive.

KIT FEATURES

CHASSIS. With its new TT-01 chassis, Tamiya has reconfigured the basic elements of its TB-01 shaft-drive chassis with an eye toward reduced complexity and easy assembly on the production line. The TT-01's shaft-drive system has been placed dead center in the chassis; the electronics package is on the left, and the battery pack (not included) is to the right. Interestingly, the plastic tub-style chassis has slots to accommodate a sideby-side battery-pack configuration; entrylevel enthusiasts rarely use that battery setup. Odd, indeed-unless Tamiya has some serious hop-up plans for the TT-01.

DRIVE TRAIN. Tamiya, touring cars and shaft drive have a long history together; Tamiya's TA-01 Nissan Skyline, circa 1991 (kit no. 99, to be exact), was the first 4WD, 190mm touring car. It used the same shaft-- drive system as had served reliably in the Manta Ray off-road buggy and other vehicles. Tamiya has returned to shaft drive with the TT-01, and although this shaft system is similar to that found in the TB-01, the main shaft here is plastic, not steel. With the included silver-can, standard, 540 motor, we doubt that any power loss will be noticeable with the plastic drive shaft.

If you decide to upgrade in the future to a hotter motor, it's likely that flexing would be an issue. Let's hope that a heavy-duty drive shaft will soon be offered as an option. Speaking of upgrades, one of the best to start with would be to add a set of ball bearings to the car-in place of the stock mix of plastic and Mite bushings.

The drive shaft has a plastic bevel pinion at each end that spins the front and rear gear differentials. Each diff contains Tamiya's unbreakable (in our experience) 3-gear internals and has a pair of plastic outdrive shafts that mate with enormous plastic drive cups. The cups are extra large because the TT-01 uses plastic dogbone axles, which are oversize compared with the usual steel units to provide sufficient strength.

SUSPENSION AND STEERING. The TT-01 has 4-wheel independent suspension with upper and tower wishbone arms that provide 1 degree of negative camber in the front and rear. Chunky stops are built into the front arms to prevent the steering arms from being overextended in a crash. Plastic, coil-over shocks handle the suspension action. The shocks are very basic: no oil, no pistons, no damping.

The steering system is simple as well; the twin plastic bellcrank arrangement has fixed tie rods that hold the steering arms at zero toe-in. All the steering joints pivot on smooth-- shouldered screws; there aren't any ball cups to pop off.

BODY, WHEELS AND TIRES. What else can you say about Tamiya's equipment in this category? The company has built a stellar reputation on its ability to produce the most scale-looking body sets the RC industry has ever seen, and the TT-01's Integra shell is yet another example. A huge bonus with Tamiya's XB series is that the cars come with the paint and decal work already done for you.

The tire choice suits the car well; the firm, treaded tires look scale and will last for quite a while. Tamiya doesn't glue them to the split-spoke wheels for you, but they snap onto the rims securely enough to stay put without glue. When you're ready for new rubber reuse the rims.