Looking for information on my T3

[tbfoto]

I just got a used Associated T3 and I hope to set it up and race (not too serious) with it at my local track. I'm getting ready to place an order with Tower so I want to know what parts will most likely have to be replaced on this T3. Are there certain parts that are know for wearing out quickly or breaking easily? I'm going to run a stock motor in it for a while then switch to a 19 turn.

Thanks

[ElectricThunder]

Snatch up a diff rebuild kit or two as well as a diff gear; as the truck gets older, parts are going to be harder and harder to come by (I found this out the hard way...damned outdrives!).

A part I tended to break a lot were the rear arm carriers, so I got the RPM ones (in blue... :cool: ) and I never broke them after that. That was really the only thing I broke a whole lot. I had the occasional A-Arm break, but that was out of sheer stupidity more than anything. I tended to lose E-clips a lot for the hingepins, so maybe a pack of those wouldn't hurt. Also, the three phillips head screws that hold the front end on to the chassis got lost a few times, so either make sure those are threadlocked, or buy a bag or two extra of those things (I think it's 6 to a bag). I went through a few rod ends too (the little cups that attached to the ball studs) for some reason, but the RPM ones lasted a little longer/better than the stock ones.

Other than that, it's a great little truck.

Is this a Team built, Factory Team, or RTR version do you know? If you don't have bearings, get those!

[tbfoto]

I'm not sure which version it is. Is the only difference the amount of bearings it has in it? I never really knew how to tell the difference. I got it on e-bay. It appears to be in real good condition and the 19T motor seems good as well, but I'll take it out while I learn how to drive.

[ElectricThunder]

I'm not sure which version it is. Is the only difference the amount of bearings it has in it? I never really knew how to tell the difference. I got it on e-bay. It appears to be in real good condition and the 19T motor seems good as well, but I'll take it out while I learn how to drive.
There's a few differences. The main difference between the Factory Team and the other two is that the FT has all the bells and whistles so to speak. Blue aluminum wherever needed (front kickup, motor plate, and some other stuff I think), graphite chassis and suspension components, and I THINK titanium tie rods (or blue aluminum...one of those super cool doo dads). The FT also came with bearings throughout, had I think it was titanium nitride shock shafts, and was in kit form (as were the "racer" versions). Ready builts were just a rolling chassis, and needed only electronics and a motor (dunno if they came with bearings), and I think there was a "racer" version as well (right below the FT version). I can't remember a whole lot; haven't followed up on the T3 for a while (mine's been outta commission, I need to hunt down a complete working diff assembly) and I just kinda forgot all the different versions that were put out.

I probably got a bunch of the details wrong, but you get the gist.

[ErikRC10]

I use to have a T3 (well I still have it but I don't have electronics for it) and it was my first real r/c car and as you can imagine I wasn't the greatest driver. I also used it to bash around the house then too (I'm for the most part a diehard racer now) so it got a bruttle and I never broke anything on it. I did bend a few hinge pins and a few tie rods but upgrading to the titanium tie rods should make them much less prone to bending and the hinge pins will only bend if you do something really stupid. Just racing that shouldn't be a problem. To tell if you have bearings or bushings is take off one of the front wheels and there will be either bearings or bushings on the inside. Bushings are copper so they will be a copper color and the bearings will be made out of steel and will be steel on the outside and the inside ring, the middle can either be steel or rubber depending on what kind of bearings they are. If it does not have bearings that is something you will deffinetly need.

[redrider4life1]

With a stock motor you won't have to worry about it too much, but if you go modified or any brushless set up you should have plenty of slipper cluthes, spur, and pinion gears available. Moreso the spur gears because they are plastic, but I went through my slipper plates extremely often.

Obviously when your racing you need to keep it looser, but if you tighten it up you will spend a lot on tires. Your call if you want to spend money on tires or new slipper plates. I broke my A-Arms a lot but I bashed and the T3 isn't really made for bashing, its a lightweight truck geared for finesse and racing. I have to say a nice brushless set up with a LIPO and going 50+mph is pretty insane on this truck though.