The TB-02 chassis is Tamiya's latest release
in the budget oriented line of touring sedans.
As most veterans of the Tamiya product line will
surely notice, the TB-02 is a sport version of
the famous TB Evolution III series chassis. All
the same great tuning features that you will
find in the Evo III are present in the TB-02.
Adjustments include; shock angle position,
suspension droop, wheelbase, camber link height
and length, gearing, roll center, anti-dive,
anti squat and toe-in toe-out adjustment. All of
this was accomplished by designing a new bathtub
ABS rigid chassis that neatly fits the EVO III
stock gear cases and driveline. Newly designed
ABS shock towers are used along with utilizing
stock component parts from the TA-04 to keep
this chassis at an entry level price without
sacrificing tune ability. The upper arm mount
that distinguished the Surikarn version EVO III
is also included in the TB-02 in ABS form. The
kit comes with dual ball differentials and the
one way unit from the EVO III can be easily used
as an option part.
For those of you who are interested in the
Tamiya TCS series, the TB-02 should perform
quite well in the GT-2 class as that class
requires the use of Tub chassis oriented
platforms. Depending on your particular budget,
the TB-02 is ready to accept any hop-op or stock
part from the EVO III. Below you will find a
detailed list of what already is available or
will be shortly available for this new exciting
kit.
The TB-02 will be first released with a
Mercedes CLK Vodofone. This body set is ideal
for first time painters as it only requires one
color to be sprayed and the vinyl stickers are
pre-cut. Later releases by the end of the year
will include the Xanvi Nismo GT-R (R-34), the
2003 Raybrig NSX and the Subaru WRC 2003.

In this close up photo of the TB EVO III
Surikarn Limited, you will notice the camber
adjustments that are possible due to the upper
arm aluminum mount (53628). The camber change
dynamics of the car may be altered by lowering
or raising as well as lengthening or shortening
the camber link. This feature is also in the
TB-02 kit as the aluminum upper arm mount has
been duplicated in ABS plastic.

The same adjustments are possible and the
plastic arm mount can be later replaced with the
aluminum one as a hop op option. The carbon
plate shock towers have been duplicated in ABS
plastic in the TB-02 and the same shock
adjustability is offered. Again, these parts may
be replaced with carbon plates as an option
part.

The TB-02 does not come standard with sway
bars, but they may be fitted with the standard
EVO III ones as well as the option sway bars
that will be released (53677).
The TB-02 chassis gear ratio may be adjusted
by selecting the appropriate spur/pinion
combination. The standard motor mount is made of
plastic and can be upgraded to an aluminum motor
mount (53680). The aluminum motor mount will
have the same hole pattern drilled into it
therefore making gear ratio changes and finding
the correct gear mesh easy. The internal gear
ratio for the TB-02 is 2.60. (Same as the TB EVO
III) The kit comes standard with the following
spur sizes in 48 pitch metric: 55, 58 and 61.
The kit comes standard with a 19 tooth 48 pitch
metric pinion and all three spur sizes come
standard. The range of pinion sizes that will
work with the TB-02 are 16-25 metric 48. The
final drive ratios possible with these gears
are; 9.91, 9.33, 8.81, 8.35, 7.94, 7.54, 7.18,
6.85, 6.50, 6.22, 5.96, 5.72

The TB class of cars will fit any budget. The
TB-02 is a great starter kit as all the
adjustability can be made to tune the car that
best suites your driving style.
