DF-01
The DF-01 chassis stands for ‘Dirt Four Wheel Drive’ – model 01 represents one of the milestones in Tamiya’s production of off-road four-wheel drive chassis. The road evolution of this chassis led to the birth of the TA-01 chassis.
Tamiya until the release of the DF-01 chassis released several product families with four-wheel drive:
– in Monstrer Truck execution it released the 3 SPEED, BRUISER and CLOD chassis
– in running Rally released the 959 chassis
– running buggy has released the HOT SHOT, BOOMERANG, BIGWIG, THUNDER SHOT and AVANTE chassis. Whereas the Boomerang and Bigwig chassis are an evolution of the Hot Shot chassis; the DF-01 chassis is the fourth generation of four-wheel drive buggy after Hot Shot, Thunder Shot and Avante.
The following models are part of this family
– Manta Ray, model number 58087 put on sale in 1990 and available on the market until 2000, plastic tub chassis
– Top Force, model number 58100 put on sale in 1991 and available on the market until 1994, double carbon-fibre chassis
– Top Force Evolution, model number 58107 put on sale in 1992 and available on the market until 1997, carbon fibre double frame
– Terra Conqueror, model number 58115 put on sale in 1992 and available on the market until 1994, plastic tub frame
– Terra Dirt Thrasher, model number 58160 put up for sale in 1995 and available on the market until 2004, plastic tub frame
– Blazing Star, model number 58204 put up for sale in 1997 and available on the market until 2008, plastic tub chassis
– Cayenne S Transsyberia, model number 58406 put up for sale in 2008 and available on the market until 2009, plastic tub chassis
– Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Racing Lancer, model number 58421 offered for sale in 2009 and available on the market until 2010, plastic tub chassis
The DF-01 chassis is so important to Tamiya that models belonging to this family are used for the most important pages of the Guide Books and the catalogue: front cover and second-third-fourth cover.
Images of these models also find their way onto the centre pages.
Within this family we find two different versions that differ mainly in
– the conformation of the chassis, which is either a plastic tub or a double overlapping FRP plate
– the construction of the differentials, which are gear or ball differentials
The second solution of both items above is more powerful than the first and can be implemented as an accessory for all models at a later date by installing these accessories:
53099 complete frame for Manta Ray in FRP acronym that stands for ‘Fiber Reinforced Polymers’; centre in the picture,
53100 frame for Top Force in carbon fibre, which is 30% lighter than the FRP version and provides greater torsion; left in picture
53070 ball differential for Manta Ray; right in picture.
The main features of this model are:
– four-wheel drive,
– four independent suspension
– double-lever steering system,
– the battery is arranged transversely
The models are related to each other although they have several differences; Top Force and Top Force Evolution are a high-performance evolution of the other models. The parts that are in common are A, B, C, G, the steering knuckles and add gears, some nuts, bolts and screws.
The models differ in
– different conformation of the main frame consisting of a plastic tub (code 0335120, left in the picture) for Manta Ray, Dirt Thrasher, Blazing Star, Cayenne S Transsyberia and Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Racing Lancer and Terra Conqueror and a double frame made of FRP (the acronym stands for ‘Fiber Reinforced Plymers’, right in the picture) for Top Force and Top Force Evolution
– the four shock absorbers are oil dampers in the CVA version for Manta Ray, Dirt Thrasher, Blazing Star, Cayenne S Transsyberia, Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Racing Lancer and Top Force (left in picture); but they have different lengths depending on the model.
The four shock absorbers are oil dampers in the Hi Cap low-friction version for Top Force Evolution (right in picture)
The models have different front and rear towers for the shock absorbers, which change in shape and can be made of plastic or FRP depending on the main chassis material
– gear differential for Manta Ray, Dirt Thrasher, Blazing Star, Cayenne S Transsyberia and Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Racing Lancer; ball differential for Top Force, Top Force Evolution, Terra Conqueror.
The function of the differential is to better manage the different grip on the drive wheels; in a curve the inside wheel travels less than the outside wheel, uneven road surfaces can cause one wheel to have less grip, a puddle generates wheel slip, wheel jumps leading to situations where the wheel is completely lifted off the ground… these situations are managed by the differential.
The ball differential allows the wheel slip between two wheels on the same axle to be calibrated; the action is achieved by balls working between two plates. The function of the balls is the same as the satellites in a gear differential: they absorb the difference in rotation between the right and left axle. The different adherence of the wheels determines the slippage between the two axles; to decrease the slippage between the axles, the pressure of the balls must be increased. The reaction of the ball differential is changed by tightening the screw that joins the two plates or by adding washers that reduce the distance between the plates.
– Front axle with separate universal joint (left in picture) for Manta Ray, Dirt Thrasher, Blazing Star, Cayenne S Transsyberia and Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Racing Lancer and Terra Conqueror.
Front axle with integrated joint for Top Force and Top Force evolution (right in picture)
– The bodies and the towers to connect them to the chassis are different.
During an event in Japan, a series of plastic parts with special colors were put on sale:
– Fluorescent Orange Hi-Torque Servo Saver, item number 49036
– Fluorescent Yellow Hi-Torque Servo Saver Set. item number 49553
– Fluorescent Green Hi-Torque Servo Saver Set, item number 49554
– Fluorescent green adjuster set suspension upper arms, item number 49545
– Fluorescent pink adjuster set suspension upper arms, item number 49546
– Fluorescent yellow chassis, item number 49550
– Fluorescent orange chassis, item number 49551
– Fluorescent green chassis, item number 49552
– White suspension arms, part D (2 pieces per package), item number 49575
Reissues
As of 2024, there are several reissues or special editions of this chassis:
– Blazing Star, model number 57004 released in 1997 and available until 1998, plastic bathtub chassis, complete model ready to run with battery, transmitter, electronics and charger
– Super Manta Ray, model number 57708 released in 2001 and available until 2002, plastic bathtub chassis, complete model ready to run with transmitter and electronics (batteries and charger not included)
– Neo Top Force, model number 57711 released in 2001 and available until 2002, plastic bathtub chassis, complete model ready to run with transmitter and electronics (batteries and charger not included)
– Manta Ray 2005, model number 58360 released in 2005 and available until 2007, plastic bathtub chassis
– Top Force 2005, model number 58362 released in 2005 and available until 2007, double carbon fiber chassis
– Cayenne S Transsyberia, model number 57769 released in 2007 and available until 2008, plastic bathtub chassis
– Manta Ray 2018, model number 47367 released in 2018 and available until 2019, plastic bathtub chassis, complete model ready to run with transmitter and electronics (batteries and charger not included)
– Manta Ray 2024, retains the previous model code number 47367 released in 2018 and available until 2019, plastic bathtub chassis, complete model ready to run with transmitter and electronics (batteries and charger not included)
– Manta Ray, model number 57911 released in 2019 and available until 2020, plastic bathtub chassis, complete model ready to run with battery, transmitter, electronics and charger
– Top Force Evo, model number 47470 released in 2021 and available until 2022, double carbon fiber chassis complete with ESC code TBLE-04S