Tamiya Grasshopper 2 Black Edition - Build, Tips and 1st Run
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- čas přidán 8. 08. 2021
- So, I got a great deal on this Black Edition Grasshopper. I planned on sticking the sport tuned 380 motor into it but forgot the pinion is pressed onto the stock motor so I am waiting on the pinion to arrive. So, I built it box stock and drove it for the first time…. Boy is it slow! It is perfect for a first car but I wanted to go fast (quote taken directly from Ricky Bobby). I have the pinions on order to run the sport tuned 380 and 540 once the gears arrive. Until then this may help out a first time builder know what to do to make sure their build is successful and just a fun little video showing it off.
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love these kind of cars and kits but its all nostalgia, never head these when i was a kid. As an adult there so many 'better' options for cheaper frankly but something about these classic tamiyas is so cool.
Yes, many of mine are old wish list items I wanted from the magazines growing up. I absolutely love building them up, seeing them come to life and them taking them out for a drive. It makes me very happy and I am very blessed to be able to cross off those old items! I can have fun with just about any RC, I am well over my speed demon phase so the slower ones are more than enough for me, usually! I have my small collection of bashers for going out and being silly with and not worrying about breaking things! It saves on the ones I spent all the time on!
This reminds me of my first RC car when I was 13 It was a world engines rockbuster no oil filled shocks just the pogo stick kind
Yeah, I can see the similarities in them. Glad you got a little trip down memory lane!
With those little springs in the front of the the gearbox I put a little grease on the hole that they sit into stick them better so they would hold better when you put them in so they wouldn't fall out as easily.
I think I was having a super fumbly day or something... I have done other similar ones in the past but this one proved harder than most! I'll try that if I run into that problem again, I think it was somewhat operator error!
I’m looking to buy my first rc car and after watching many videos on YT, have not come across any in your style of going over the build in conjunction with the instructions retrospectively so really appreciate the explanations you gave on what’s good and what’s tricky to build here. Please keep the great videos up with this style. They’re very helpful. 👍
Thank you for the kind words. Just fair warning though, your first one often turns into the third, forth and fifth ones very quickly!!!! Glad you liked the video and I am super happy it helped you out. I really hope you get one soon and really enjoy it. I love the hobby and I hope you will as well!
The Grasshopper II was my first RC in the early 90s. Nice Vid. Thumbs up 👍
It is a fun, goofy little kit and for the price you can't really beat it for this one!
I remember having a grasshopper when I was a kid I think it came from Radio Shack took a 7.2 battery pack and 4 A-A for steering.
Not much has changed with it, just has an esc instead of the mechanical speed control. Otherwise it is basically the same!
Good build and good tips! So did you find a pinion that fits?
The one from Tamiya is part number 9805997, it is the 18t pinion they make but it is out of aluminum. If you only run it every now and then it will be fine but if you plan on running it often then I would recommend a hardened steel pinion. Robinson racing sell a bunch of them, the problem is the stock motor, the sport tune and the torque tuned motors from Tamiya all have a shorter than standard motor shaft. If you intend on running it a lot on 540 power get a Homes Hobbies retro sport motor for it (21t is more than fast enough) and regular Robinson racing 18 tooth steel pinion and have a blast! If you are only going to run it once in a while for old times sake then a silver can or sports tuned motor and the Tamiya pinion should be fine.
The Grasshopper II is a nice starter car but as you say, it is based on a Tamiya buggy first released in the 1980's. I really think that a company like Tamiya should be developing a more up-to-date chassis for new generations of RC fans. I understand that the Grasshopper is an iconic design but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect after a period of more than 3 decades, that one of the world's largest RC vehicle manufacturers can't at least give us an updated Grasshopper III chassis with rear suspension that actually works.
It would be cool to see a budget buggy, like a Grasshopper 3, come out and have a simple but more effective rear suspension and some actual shocks on the front. Tamiya does what Tamiya wants to do and does not seem to care at all what we the consumers want but who knows what they have cooking behind the closed doors!
@@AddamsPlayground I can't wait to see what is in store for 2023!
It's not only Tamiya, everything is like this in Japan
@@bcaapower At least Tamiya has finally surprised us with the BBX BB-01! I can't wait to see that one myself.
Also I used the anti-wear grease that they make to get some limited slip action out of the diff to slow down that action so it doesn't give out.
That is a good idea! That stuff is super thick and sticky!
@@AddamsPlayground I try to do that with all the gear diffs bald if you won't have to do that with unless it tells you to an instructions I do have a fighting buggy and that's what actually a direct drive car I will eventually get to building that after I put my super Hot shot together but first I have to finish putting together my black edition grasshopper 2 I do it when a friend comes over so I'm really taking a long time putting it together. See we both have fighter buggy RX memorial editions and he still trying to continue to do he's busy so he never gets to finish yet he's lost some parts over the time. So he's got to buy some more parts to finish it off. Oh and by the way if you ever get your hands on a fighting buggy it's siblings with stock gearing can take a nine and a half brushless motor and I'm putting a 3300 in it when I get the chance.
Great video I love the intro.
Thanks!
@@AddamsPlayground no problem. I'm up to 52 subscribers.lol
@@ezboyrc553 it takes time for sure.
great little shelf queen, doubles as a pogo stick :) great kit Addam!
I wanna beat this one up but hard to do on that stock motor. The pinions I ordered should be in soon and I can kick it up a notch or two! Thanks for watching :)
@@AddamsPlayground I'll be looking forward to it!
My next retro kit is going to be a Grasshopper, I wanted it so bad as a kid, so I think once money is no longer tight, I'm gonna pick one up! (Until then I'll have to live vicariously through you :))
Hey Addam, I had a few questions about possible purchases I found and I wanted to get your take on it. do you have any way I can contact you via private? Thank's Bee
@@beesod6412 you can reach out via the email in my profile or message me on Instagram @ holeechit
do you recommend upgrading to a 14 or 12 shift 540? or is it a lot of wear for the differential and crown pinion? If I run it at 22 mph, will the gears wear out quickly?

With proper lubrication the gear boxes on these are really tough. The killer of the gears is really the hopping and those sudden jolts to the gears. This one is a lot better since the oil filled shocks and the better tires lessen that hopping compared to the original hopper!! I have seen them running 4k brushless systems and the gear box is usually the one thing that lasts! You can find hardened steel spur gears for them as well but I don't think you need to go there.
That's why I putting a ugt motor in it and it's going to run off of a 50c battery. I think the rear shocks will show their ability on it with a heavier motor and a faster car. Trust me those rear shocks are definitely better than the friction ones.
Ever heard of unsprung weight?
I have this car and I put a u GT motor in it from Tamiya.
That is a spicy motor for this guy! you are gonna all the hop of if it!!!
@@AddamsPlayground am I hornet I have a GT tuned and that's 400 RPM slower than the u GT see I wanted the grasshopper to be faster than my hornet and I'm able to control my hornet hey I have a grasshopper also and I have a dirt tuned in it and that's a 17,000 RPM motor. Don't be afraid to do that because I've seen people put brushless motors in The Hoppers and I think that's insane. Oh if you ever get the chance to want a fighter buggy RX memorial edition if you're wanting one you're going to have to buy from Quebec that's where I had to get mine because they weren't refreshing that car in the United States and he had three my friend bought the second one he might have a third left I can give you his number later we're going to have to exchange emails what I suggest you do if you're interested in that is come to Maya Tuesday or on Thursdays on the tank RC and get an invite and he will allow you into the video part of the chat and that's when we can exchange our stuff that's what I suggest you do and both of those are at 9:30 at night Eastern standard Time.
@@bradkalman2353 It is one on my wish list! I was kicking myself for not grabbing one when they came out. I just preordered the Blockhead Wild One to not miss out on that one. I will let you know. My email is in my YT profile
@@AddamsPlayground I actually looked there and I couldn't find it.
@@bradkalman2353 addamsplayground@gmail.com
I never shelf clean my cars. No offense.
I have a few I keep on the shelf, I always said I never understood "those guys" but the older I get and the more time and effort I put into some of the builds I don't want to mess them up. That and some of these I would have traded my left arm for when I was a kid so some are kind of trophies for me now. I have my war pigs I drive all the time and see no mercy! They take the abuse so the others don't have to! I have a Traxxas Rustler with more miles on it than my real truck!! not even sure if there are any original parts left on it, pretty sure I have broken at least everything on it at least once by now!!!
@@AddamsPlayground I understand about you put a lot of time and efforts I personally if I did the same thing you did I would still use them they are all my war pigs. Lol