I was comparing the pictures of the new and old front and rear arms today, I didn't actually realise how much bracing and webbing they'd taken out! Here's some pics of the rears, you can see they've completely removed one of the brace bars:
OLD
http://www.stellamodels.net/catalog/images/51279.jpg
NEW
http://www.stellamodels.net/catalog/images/54142.jpg

Mine's arrived, the kit is in the smallest ever box!! Must be the lack of bodyshell!?

Come on Dave, you've had it a minute already! - PHOTOS!:thumbsup:

I have a car to review on the way, hopefully should have it this week so I can kick a review off.

Ha I knew you wouldn't be able to resist Jimmy!!

Will take some piccies when I get in late tonight, and some more when I get building tomorrow night!:thumbsup:

My TRF511 will arrive tomorrow. Will also get the new arms and bodyshell.:thumbsup:

Does the 511 not come with suspension arms? :wtf::wtf::wtf:

haha, just kidding. But you never know - no shell, what next? no screws?:woot:

Couple of pointers from looking at the instructions:

It does have the new driveshafts
It does have the longer damper shafts
No wheels (boo!)
Diffs 100% identical so good spares carryover!

Oh, and these new arms are sooo thin, get plenty of spares!!

I never understood the idea behind the longer shafts as it had enough droop for my liking anyway? I can't understand the lack of shell /wheels at all either - call my cynical but it seems like a way to save money (packaging) and make money (selling extras). When you add the cost of the missing items it really seems a lot more expensive than the 501X was, but maybe my memory is failing me since it was over 2 years since I got my original 501X.

Well I think it is more expensive, but since I do mainly on road, this isn't anything new to me. I have never gotten a body shell with any of my TRF 1/10th cars. I do get wheels, but no tires. Maybe they are just making things more uniform? Got me! I have seen the new body and wing set in person though, and they look good. Putting the new wing set on my DB01.

I will look forward to your 511x review!

I think touring car bodies are pretty big compared to the cars - and it's also a tuning aid. Neither of these things apply to off road and it's not possible to use any other shell than one designed for the car (generally speaking) so most people buying the 511 will be buying the 511 body set at extra cost - along with wheels which again aren't really a tuning option, unless you want a different colour. :woot:
Not a 'dig' - I like Tamiya, and I'm sure the car's great - but the 'big idea' behind the way the 511 is being marketed stumps me, it really does - the car has no identity.

HMMM!! Review Jimmy!:thumbsup:

That is bang on, without a shell how do you Market it, it looks pretty much like the 501 under the skin!

I'm thinking it's either cost cutting as you say, or because production/marketing are all from on-road and don't have a clue about offroad, or both!!

Will put a couple of pics up in an hour or two, but haven't really started building due to forgetting glue to do the chassis sides, doh!

I paid $460 for the chassi and $30 for the shell. I think it is almost the same price as the TRF501X WE.

They market the TRF416 without any shell, so why not the TRF511?
The TRF501X WE was shown in the same way.
For me it is more important to se what is under the shell when I buy this kind of car. But I agree that it gives a more complete identity with a body.
I will use both the Azarashi shell and Tamiyas new shell(s).

http://img4.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=boxogo.jpg

Pic to show how small the box is, and then the bits in it laid out!

Looking forward to getting into building it tomorrow night!

I sure do hope the Azarashi Tateego body will still work for the 511. :(

But I agree that it gives a more complete identity with a body.
I will use both the Azarashi shell and Tamiyas new shell(s).[/quote]

The Tateego shell fits but dont think it fits with the Tamiya undertray.
My Tateego on my 501x needs the tateego undertray:blush:

I use the Azarashi undertray with the Tateego body.

Have managed to do a fair bit tonight. This car may be less stiff than the 501 but it's still plenty stiff! Looks like rear upper bulkhead just reverses to mount shocks on the rear, so depending on getting a 2nd shell with a longer rear to it , should be a quick setup change to try it!

Some really nice detailing too, the steering has sooo little clearance but doesn't foul anywhere, looks very carefully designed!

Does it come with the new shock bodies Dave? I was just looking at some photos again and they look like the original 501X items, not the newer brown coloured jobbies that they released as an option.

Is the double slipper clutch included?

Are the steering parts the same as used on the TRF501X, are the aluminium hop-ups useable on the TRF511?

Hi guys,

Yeah back to the old shock bodies (although they look a little darker), I'm swapping the option ones off my 501 on to it!

Steering is the same, I've used the 501x Ali hopups as the standard part numbers are all the same!

Slipper is standard but with the new spring, I built a double slipper once and didn't like it tbh!

What effect does rear camber link position have? The kit setting is furthest inboard but there's a chance it will make the ballcup foul on the bulkhead (not assembled the arms below to work out the angles yet!), so was wondering what it would do if I moved it out 1 position?

Shame about the shock bodies. I was wondering about the slipper also - I use the slipper a lot on my cars and a double slipper sounds like it could be a good idea for me - but it costs a lot of cash for something I'd want to try out. Shame the car doesn't come with it.

I know what you mean, but the one I built really did seem odd!! Plus you can't use the centre one way with it!

Another q, did anyone ever use the 12 degree castor blocks? Wondering what effect they had as they are the only bling set I have!!

I'm sure the Azarashi undertray with the Tateego body is fit to 511 with minor dremel work on rear to overcome the balllink and drill extra hole on undertray for fasten(511 now has 6 no. of bolt and nut to hold the undertray in position). But it is a gap at front part of body, it seems require some work to dust-off.
I know it because I mount Tateego body on 511 already.

A more difficult night last night! First one of the ball studs sheared off as I screwed it in, they are using new very shiny ball studs which feel soft, possibly to protect the inner camber links I guess!?

Secondly, this car is not Lipo friendly!!! The only legal pack that will fit will be the TP3200's as the centre bulkhead blocks higher packs. To run other packs will mean either mounting them further back, along with a new rear battery bar mount, or sit them further out sticking outside the chassis!

I'm a bit surprised they didn't do more for lipo on this car Dave - looks like you might have to dremel the posts to fit a square pack in there like I did on the 501X as well? I hope not.
Just got my car this morning, can't beleive I paid so much for a car without shell or wheels! :lol:

I think the posts are ok on cells up to about 137.5mm combined, which is most, but you do need spacers underneath to lift the posts up for virtually all of them except TP. It did surprise me they haven't narrowed those posts though, from the looks of it they've completely ignored Lipo!!

Luckily the undertray is quite a bit wider than the chassis which gives some room to play with!

Let us know if you spot anything obvious in the build! It is scary expensive for what it is isn't it!?

big s
 

Yeah - I really expected some more stuff - I'm surprised it doesnt have the new shock bodies, the dual slipper, the low friction seals, the machined pistons etc etc.
A big disapointment is the lack of rear diff cover - like the optimized one. I have one but I don't think it'll fit this new design from looking at it - which is a massive shame as it'll make the car harder work in poor conditions. :(

I agree, I think Tam have been a bit cynical with this one!

Rear diff cover, if you run the shock tower and bulkhead reversed so the shocks are at the back, I think it would then cover quite well, but as standard it's worse than the 501!!

I'm going to look tonight at how to have an additional body section at the back to run the shocks at the back, and may make that my standard setup.

To make the TRF511 equal to the TRF501X WE, regarding optional parts, which optional parts are needed?

-sway bars?
-machined pistons?
-alu uprights?
-Alu castor blocks?
-Damper Rod Guide Set ?
-Damper HTC Piston Rods ?

All of the above, though not sure everyone agree's the Ali bits are better!? I think the way to think of it is to compare it to the original 501. It's a new car, but with no frills!

Setup wise, does anyone know what setup any team drivers run? Have they been using 12 degree blocks or reversed rear shocks or anything? Other than Hupo do they have any team other than Japan?

Another LiPo battery option will be the Intellect 30C 4200mAh. I just looked up the specs... 69x46x23mm.

The Trakpower 3200 specs are 71x47x22mm, so one more millimeter in height for the Intellect pack shouldn't be a problem... I hope. :eh?:

Dave, did you test fit a TP 3200 in your car?

Hi Dave, dont know if it helps but the ip4200 lipo fits between the standard 501x battery posts without any mods.

Can anybody upload a scan of the manual?

Thanks in advance.

On the 511 there is @68.7mm between posts. The problem guys is the height though, and the rear of the centre bulkhead! So sorry, but 23mm is too high, mine are 22.8 and are too high!! To get round it you either need to move the battery back (which will mean it covers the screw hole for the rear battery post) or sit it further out over the undertray to the side! No way round it!

Maybe a pack that's short enough will have space to move back and still have A battery post (not the Tamiya as it's too thick!) there, or just put the rear battery post in the holes further back for screwing the undertray to the car. The latter is my prefered option but it would need longer carbon battery straps and I don't have any carbon to try!

Will post pics tomorrow of what I mean!

BTW, I need to check but I think the battery's are further forward in the 511 and that's why the bulkhead becomes an issue? I'll check on my 501!

Just check and the problem is indeed that the battery is further forward on the 511, hence the bulkhead problem!

Does anyone know what diameter the standard piston holes are?

I have the 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 machines option ones, but don't know which equate to the standard parts from the 501?

Dave, I don't see how the 23mm height Intellect Lipo pack cannot fit. NiMH cells are 23mm in diameter. From the pics I see around the web, it looks like the cells mounted in the 511 are clearly lower than the top deck/rear of center bulkhead area.

http://www.redrc.net/wp-content/uplo...yatrf511-3.jpg

I do, however, see how the lipo pack may come in contact with that center bulkhead, but I would think you can slowly and carefully Dremel the lipo casing to possibly make it fit, or Dremel off the end screw hole on the bulkhead and only use 2 screws to mount the rear top deck to the center bulkhead.

:woot: Dremeling a brand new TRF511 to fit lipo! :cry:

Dremeling a lipo :o:o:wtf: