This video will probably be promoted as a cure for insomnia, 😳 but If you managed to sit through the entire thing without falling asleep, congratulations! 😄 Let me know in the comments if there's something you'd like me to cover in a future video.
Don't be so strict to your self! There are many people over here that like a calm and informative review or presentation 👌 I personally enjoy your content very much 👍
@@KaiCityRC Yes very much so! Seems the U.S. needs more guys like you! Oh and Kai, any luck using a non-kyosho servo arm with the factory Kyosho Optima Aluminum Servo Saver Set w/Bearings (part #OTW114)? I am using a Tekin servo and had to use the plastic factory servo arm with the above servo saver set. :-(
Thanks for another awesome and informative video David! I’ll be mindful of the belt tension setting on my mid when it arrives. Agree with what you’ve said about the handling of these cars. I remember my old mid was great to drive but didn’t jump particularly well.. Back then the msc was mounted vertically where the driver should be.. the bubble on the window is to accommodate it so I couldn’t leave the windows clear. It will be nice to add a driver figure on the re re:)
Thanks! I do wish the Mid had a driver figure. It may be possible to modify something to fit, but it would have to be pretty small and you'd need to get creative with receiver positioning to do so. It would look awesome when do and I suspect some talented model builder will pull it off! 😎
The belt tensioner is initially set to the most loose position only for the ease of assembly (no tension)....then when the kit is fully assembled you set the tension.
Great video! I couldn't find a Javelin, much less a white one - so I purchased another 2016 Optima and the additional parts to convert it. Luckily I did find the white cage kit in stock. Now my 4WD Optima / Optima Mid rere collection is finished.
Good day sir, I will claim this fine specimen of videography as mine since i suggested it :D nice jobe, but i'm still undecided between the Javelin and the Mid. Guess it'll have to be both. Owie my bankaccout
😁 Absolutely! Your comment on my previous video motivated me to make this one! 👍 I agree - I wouldn't be able to choose between the Javelin and Mid, so definitely get both if you can! 👍 Thanks!
Awesome video. I really enjoyed your driving footage. The location is very beautiful and your shooting angle is really nice and very high standard overall. Love it. Not to mention that it’s very informative. Keep up the good work.
Another brilliant video from you. Thank you for that. I've been dreaming of two Kyoshos for a long time. The Turbo Scorpion 2WD and the Turbo Optima 4WD (Yes, I love the blingbling compared to the standard ones). Having only built Tamiyas so far, your video encouraged me to save up for a Kyosho 😎 btw great pictures of the flowering trees with your car
Thanks! 👍The Kyosho buggies are expensive, even more so when you factor in you don't get a motor or ESC (incidentally, Tamiya kits in Japan do not come with an ESC). But the quality is superb, the build enjoyable and very different to "modern" Tamiya's. And they drive really well too. Be warned though, once you get one you'll definitely want to get more! 😁💰
Love my Optima and Mid! but mostly my Optima. It wasn't a bad race buggy when optioned out!! I got a chain!! Javelin has less decals too!! Gorgeous collection!! Thumbs up!!
Another great video 🙌🏻. I'm contemplating an Orion Vortex dDrive 2-in-1 motor/ESC for my Mid due to the space constraints...... just not sure if 3000kV is gonna be enough ( I do run on 2S Lipo), I've never gone brushless before.
I have very little brushless motor experience. In fact I have just two - one that came in my Laser ZX5 and this one. I usually prefer brushed motors, but I thought I'd splash out on the Le Mans setup ( as it fits perfectly and looks so 😎). But the speed on Nimh and stock gearing wasn't as fast as I was expecting. You might want to get a few different pinions, as changing the pinion on mine transformed the performance.
I have an original optima with a chain drive but I put a turbo optima body on it with a custom paint job( looks like a JDM 80s 4runner) because that’s the car I remember was the one that won all the races. I enjoy your videos and I like that you have put a face to the rc’s. Have a great day!
nice review on specs, I have recently discovered the Hobbywing 1080, about 20$ more than the 1060, but has a dedicated big button pwr switch, and I believe an unlimited turn limit based on it's amp, parameters, my new goto esc, for hot vintage motors, my 25x25 fans just bolt on also, You should do a dedicated Optima Pro video, since the new one is coming out, sure it would be informative.
Great video friend. I’ve built the optima . I added o rings into the drive cups at the front and it seems to have worked . I was quite surprised about the front dog bones . They seem to short in stock . So I O ringed them and so far so good 👍 I slapped a tamiya ST in it and it’s a bit of a monster . I’m gonna have to say I didn’t enjoy the optima build as I found some parts really fiddly . But the end product is well worth it . Also I went chain drive and i really like it . Great video mate 👍
Thanks! I was very tempted to try the chain out myself, but in the end opted for the belt as I didn't want to make adjustments to the tension later on. You shouldn't have any problems now with o-rings in the front drive cups. That said, if you do ever manage to get a set of universals for the front, I can really recommend them. They really help smooth out the driveline when cornering. 👍
I love this video I have all three of these cars. Matter of fact the original ones at shelf Queens. I can rebuild a turbo optima bid custom SC from the parts I've got from 1988 in the bag. I'm so glad that we releasing these cuz I want to race my mid and my javelin. But don't want to raise something when the chassis and the stickers are $300. I'm with you I prefer the rear mounted motor but I'm better to drive her with the mid-mounted. But hey I don't plan on competing when in the Nationals with these cars lol thanks for the video
Glad you liked it! 👍 I don't have many shelf queens, but if I had an original Javelin or Optima, they would certainly be shelf only as I don't think I could ever run them!
David, thank you so much for posting this video and for your thoughts on the 4WD Kyosho buggies. I am now completely torn between the Javelin (due to that rear wing 😎) and the Mid for the out and out performance. Did the Mid come with Universals? Thanks again my friend 👍🏻🙌🏻
Glad you liked the video! ☺️ Sadly, the Mid does not come with universals. I purchased them separately and fitted them to the front as the setup is very similar to the Optima/Javelin and the improvement in drivetrain efficiency (especially when cornering) is noticeable.
I had the original Optima mid se when they came outt ad raced it for years before selling it and switched to the Kyosho Lazer ZXR!. Both great, miss both. I just bought the rereleased Optima mid and can't wait to get it going. I bought the kit and the Gold 240s brushless motor 13.5 turn. Can't wait to see it run with this motor. My original used the brushed 240s red can. This gold brushless looks like jewelry lol. I love Kyosho. I use to race my friend all the time within Tamiya Avanti, I destroyed him all the time lol.
Good luck with the build! 👍 I always wanted a Kyosho kit back in the day but couldn’t afford one! I raced a Terra Scorcher and also had a Monster Beetle, both of which I no longer have. The Gold motor is superb and almost too nice to run! 😁
@KaiCityRC when I was was heavily into racing I ran multiple classes. My main car's were the Optima mid se, JRX-Pro, JRXT, and my RC10GT (it's the only one I kept lol). I ran the Kyosho Lazer ZXR after I sold the Mid. I honestly always preferred the Kyosho stuff, only thing that bothered me was parts availability.
Brilliant video, great filming and very informative, not an insomnia cure at all (just read your pinned comment!). Really looking forward to your build of the Turbo Optima. It’s great to see people going non box art, I particularly like your Optima in the silver. A question about the Optima Mid motor - from some pictures it looks like it won’t accept a motor with the three ‘tabs’. Do you think that’s the case? If you’ve time to answer, thanks very much as I’m getting my kit in the next few days.
Thanks! ☺️ I have very little experience with brushless motors. But with the Le Mans 240S, there isn't much room around the motor at all, so depending on the location of the tabs it might be a very tight fit. There is more space to the rear, but if the tabs go too far back along with side of the motor (towards the pinion) then they likely won't clear the gearbox casing. I don't think it will be a problem, but the only way to know for sure is to test fit. I rotated the Le Mans 240S motor as I felt Kyosho's instructions had the sensor plug pointing forwards/down and it had no kind of dust protection on it.
Love this video as well as all of your videos! They're some of the best I've seen on Kyosho re-releases! 😹👍🏁Question, for your Optima Mid, what pinion and spur gear combo did you come to use the most with your Kyosho ESC and motor? I bought the same ESC motor combo and was hoping to get the most out of it. 👍
Thanks! I thought the top end speed with the kit pinion (25T) was too slow and ended up replacing it with a 28T while keeping the original spur. It is noticeably quicker now and the ESC runs cool. I would definitely recommend it!
Hey David, the Kyosho’s look great. I’ve got an Optima that I’m looking to build, I’ve noticed that the online manual talks about the diffs having diff oil. When you built your diffs, please can you advise what weight oil you used as a baseline? Kindest regards John😊
Hi John, it's been a while since I built the Optima/Javelin. If memory serves I used Kyosho Diff Gear Grease #3,000 (or might have been #5,000). The greases come in several viscosities. Being grease they're less likely to leak out. Although Kyosho include a gasket and in the manual it is suggested you can run oil, I haven't personally filled them with silicone oil. For my usage cases (mostly light runs at the park) grease is perfectly fine. Hope that helps!
Thanks! Yeah, the Javelin's dog bones catching at full lock had me confused as they are exactly the same as the Optima and I built them both up exactly the same! 🤔 So it is possible for it to not be an issue. Either way, the drivetrain when cornering is so much smoother with the universals in, that I feel they are a worthwhile investment.
@@KaiCityRC My Javelin made a clicking sound under full steering lock. So I did some investigating and in the Turbo Optima manual I found that Kyosho specifies putting O-rings in the diff cups. It is missing on the normal Optima and Javelin. Very weird but a easy fix. My Javelin runs fine now, but I will get the universals as I do this on all RC's anyway.
@@thesillypig785 Thanks so much for this! 👍👍 I just had a look at the Turbo Optima manual and sure enough it specifies to put o rings (part number ORG04SSBK) into the diff side drive cups! Strange that Kyosho would leave that out of the Optima and Javelin manuals. 🤔
My Optima Mid got lost in the post :( DHL bummer. Great Content David. More Optima Mid please if you get time chap!! Have you got a recommended pinion size and spur size please? I'll be putting a 13.5T motor
I replaced the kit 25T pinion with a 28T one. The stock gearing was a little slow with a 15 turn motor. I’m still using the kit spur gear. Sorry to hear about the Mid. Hopefully it will turn up soon!
@@KaiCityRC So the Optima Mid arrived a couple of weeks after this. I've been staring at it waiting to build. I'm going to build a Turbo Javelin I think, the Turbo body will be racing green and I'll pair it with gold componentry. The jav will be white or mint.. Or would black go with the gold better... hmmmm
Thanks for the video David. I'm trying to decide between: The Javelin (4wd) or the Ultima (2wd) I'll be running almost exclusively on carpet w/ jumps, and I may enter a few races. I plan on running brushless and lipo. I like the simplicity and challenge that the 2WD Ultima offers, but I also really dig the look and control of the 4WD Javelin. Which would you suggest if I can only have 1, and I can't buy another one in the future.
That's a tough one! I'm a huge Javelin fan, so it would be my choice. 👍 They'll both run brushless and lipo without issue, and they're both great to build and run. But the Javelin is just better, IMHO. 😁 That said, a few things to consider if you plan to run it in races: What classes are available (2WD / 4WD) and also maintenance and parts availability. They're both tough, but in racing things can and do break. The Javelin is likely to be easier to source spares for, as it shares a great deal of parts with the Optima & Turbo Optima. But being 4WD belt drive, it will require more maintenance. The Ultima on the other hand will require less frequent maintenance, however, while it does share some parts with other buggies, it also has quite a few unique parts that might be harder to come by. Hope that helps!
@@KaiCityRC Thanks. I'll talk with my local track owner and ask his opinion as well (as to which class is more popular). Good points on maintenance. I'm still leaning towards the Javelin, and will be sure to do the universal-joint swap up front and the pinion tooth increase as you suggest in the video (I'll check with the track owner, as pinion/spur tooth may be regulated as well). Or maybe I'll make an abomination: Ultima w/ a Javelin roll cage. lol.
I'd got for the Javelin too! 👍 A couple of other things I've learned from running on a high grip carpet track: tires are really, really important, so you may need to replace the kit tires. Also, the stock springs might be a little on the soft side causing excess body roll in the corners and bottoming out on higher jumps. Try it out in stock form first, but you might need stiffer springs at some point. Front universals are a must I think! Good luck! ☺️👍
@@KaiCityRC Well bummer: Javelin seems to be sold-out and Kyosho USA said: "we currently do not have a production schedule for that model, and there are no active PO's to reference." I'll keep hunting around, but you may have another collectors item in your collection now. ;-)
@@joshpit2003 I wouldn't worry. Kyosho seemed to have settled into a routine of running off a new batch of each of their Legendary Series buggies around once or twice a year. They tend to sell out rather quickly when they do, but I would expect a fresh run of Javelin's probably around spring time next year. (That said, I have no idea how long they'll continue to do so and with newer re-releases being added to the series, it is entirely possible that earlier Legendary Series buggies will cease production completely at some point.)
BTW David, I have a Javelin, and have you had any problems with the plastic part that connects the two steering bellcranks on these chassis? I'm talking about the solid plastic piece that connects to the balls on the steering cranks, part# OT203-8. On my Javelin I broke it immediately after snapping it on. I also have the anti-roll bars which using similar pieces and I also broke one of those right after popping it on the ball screw.
I personally haven't had any issues with part number OT203-8, but I remember reading somewhere someone had issues with the anti roll bar part breaking. I guess it may have something to do with the hard plastic Kyosho uses.🤔 Oh, just in case you were looking for replacements, but having trouble sourcing them: for some reason Kyosho list part tree OT203 as being discontinued. However, they now sell part #OT203B which appears to be exactly the same. It's possible they've just changed part numbers. Hope you get it sorted! Thanks.
@@KaiCityRC Thanks for the info, but I already got it sorted. What I did was order OT203 but instead used the ballends, you know, the ones that go to the steering knuckles. Same size but much better plastic. Also, I found that some old Tamiya ballends are the same size.
Regarding the Optima/Javelin dogbone issue, have you tried small springs instead of o-rings or foam spacers? AYK used springs in the diff drive cups, presumably to address the same issue, in their Pro Radiant (and possibly other buggies) and it seemed to work quite well. And I'm just guessing at this point, but are the front and rear dogbones the same length? Maybe the reason why the problem is more pronounced in the Javelin is because the front/rear bones are swapped.
Thanks for the comment. 👍 It never occurred to me to try a small spring in the drive cups! It would certainly help to solve the issue. I'm not sure why the problem was more pronounced on my Javelin than Optima. The dog bones are identical all round (#OT228). At some point I may pull the dog bones out of the Optima and compare them with Javelin's...perhaps there was a manufacturing issue. And, when I (eventually) get around to building the Turbo Optima it will be interesting to see if it also suffers from the issue.
Really enjoy the videos. Keep the coming. I had the same issue with my Optima. If you lookat the Turbo Optima manual they actually use rubber O rings in the diff drive cups. Part no. ORG04SSBK. I ended up buying some and it solved the problem.
Also to add, you are the first person I have found acknowledging the issue and I thought I had built it incorrectly. Not sure why the Javelin and Optima did not include the rubber o ring's as per the Turbo Optima. I also purchased the universal drive shafts for the front, but struggle to get the screws out of the alloy steering arms due to the threadlock. Hence the o rings 😀
@@ianbaldry554 Thank you for commenting. I am sure that this issue must be quite common, so it is surprising that there is little mention of it online. I had the exact same problem when trying to remove the screws also, and ended up damaging the knuckle arms and having to buy replacements! 😩
I had the same issue in 1986 with the turbo optima front dog bones. As a resourceful 12year old I trimmed some ball point pen springs. Worked pretty good.
David, what do think mid or turbo optima next in my collection, i already have the regular optima and turbo scorpion, can you get a ESC with fan into a mid ?, how do you like your turbo optima ? thx
That's a tough one! The Turbo Optima is very close in design to the standard Optima, so I'd have to say go with the Mid. The build is quite different, and so is the performance. But there is very limited space for electronics. The space between the lower deck (which curves upwards at the edges) and the upper deck is about 29mm. Only a small ESC will fit under there. I don't think an ESC with fan mounted on the top would work, but you could probably remove the fan and mount it to the side of the ESC somehow if you really needed the cooling. There's more headroom on the top deck where the driver cockpit is, but the belt cover means you have a 24mm wide piece of FRP to mount an ESC. I have my receiver mounted there. I have yet to build the Turbo Optima - it's been sat in a box waiting for about a year now! Work is real busy at the mo and any free time I have, I've been working on the my circuit racers (Grasshopper, DT-02, TT=02B and YZ-2). But I will get it built over the winter holiday. 🙂
@@KaiCityRC thanks !, Yes i am leaning towards the mid as something different from my base Optima. I have seen a few MIDs with the ESC with a fan somehow mounted on the top deck, I have access to a 3d printer and design software in my spare time so could always make some brackets etc to somehow mount the ESC in the cockpit area. Just finished a HotShot build but the weather in the UK is so bad it's not had a run. I wish the turbo Optima was somehow more different, I think you said in the video it's a Optima with bling, and I'm on the fence if that is worth the investment and space in the shelf ,😆
There’s no doubt when it’s all built up, the gold in the Turbo Optima looks fantastic! 😎 I’d say go with the Mid for now…and then get the Turbo Optima at some point in the future 😊😁
I built the Javelin recently. I got the same dog bone problem. Not sure if XTRA SPEED universal drive set can solve the problem. Do you have any idea? The original one is too expensive.
I can't comment on the XTRA SPEED universals as I've got no first hand experience with them. But if they're designed to fit the Javelin or Optima, then they should work well and solve the problem. The cheapest option would be to try some small o rings or foam spacers, or dial back the end points on the steering. Hope you get it sorted!
![โรงเรียนตอนตี 2 โคตรหลอน..!! [โรงเรียนไดเม่]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2MAEMwqVYh8/mqdefault.jpg)
This video will probably be promoted as a cure for insomnia, 😳 but If you managed to sit through the entire thing without falling asleep, congratulations! 😄 Let me know in the comments if there's something you'd like me to cover in a future video.
Don't be so strict to your self! There are many people over here that like a calm and informative review or presentation 👌 I personally enjoy your content very much 👍
@@marcushaas44 Thanks for the kind words. ☺️
@@KaiCityRC Yes very much so! Seems the U.S. needs more guys like you! Oh and Kai, any luck using a non-kyosho servo arm with the factory Kyosho Optima Aluminum Servo Saver Set w/Bearings (part #OTW114)? I am using a Tekin servo and had to use the plastic factory servo arm with the above servo saver set. :-(
Thanks for the support! 👍 Regarding the servo saver - I don't have OTW414 installed, so can't really help I'm afraid. Still using the stock set up.
Considerable part of your audience will be in 40+ category - we still have some attention span left 😄
You cover these vehicles very well. New to the channel. Loving everything so far.
Thanks!
Thank you for not adding music while you were talking
Your camera work was amazing
Great presentation David👍. It really helps me to make up my mind about a Kyosho 4WD.
Glad it was helpful! 👍 All the the buggies are great, and you can't go wrong with any of them!
Thanks for another awesome and informative video David! I’ll be mindful of the belt tension setting on my mid when it arrives. Agree with what you’ve said about the handling of these cars. I remember my old mid was great to drive but didn’t jump particularly well.. Back then the msc was mounted vertically where the driver should be.. the bubble on the window is to accommodate it so I couldn’t leave the windows clear. It will be nice to add a driver figure on the re re:)
Thanks! I do wish the Mid had a driver figure. It may be possible to modify something to fit, but it would have to be pretty small and you'd need to get creative with receiver positioning to do so. It would look awesome when do and I suspect some talented model builder will pull it off! 😎
Thumbs up for RC car channels with Kai in their name 👍
👍 😁 🙌
The belt tensioner is initially set to the most loose position only for the ease of assembly (no tension)....then when the kit is fully assembled you set the tension.
Great video! I couldn't find a Javelin, much less a white one - so I purchased another 2016 Optima and the additional parts to convert it. Luckily I did find the white cage kit in stock. Now my 4WD Optima / Optima Mid rere collection is finished.
Thank you! The white cage of the Javelin is always hard to find. Whenever Kyosho make a fresh batch, they sell out almost immediately!
The best buying guide you can find😉Thanks👍I bought the Optima with CVD drive shaft and 51Z MCM gear :) best regards from Germany😊
Glad it helped! Thank you!
Good day sir, I will claim this fine specimen of videography as mine since i suggested it :D nice jobe, but i'm still undecided between the Javelin and the Mid. Guess it'll have to be both. Owie my bankaccout
😁 Absolutely! Your comment on my previous video motivated me to make this one! 👍 I agree - I wouldn't be able to choose between the Javelin and Mid, so definitely get both if you can! 👍 Thanks!
Awesome video. I really enjoyed your driving footage. The location is very beautiful and your shooting angle is really nice and very high standard overall. Love it. Not to mention that it’s very informative. Keep up the good work.
Thank you! Your comment is very much appreciated. 😊
Brings back great memories in the early 80s.
Another brilliant video from you. Thank you for that. I've been dreaming of two Kyoshos for a long time. The Turbo Scorpion 2WD and the Turbo Optima 4WD (Yes, I love the blingbling compared to the standard ones). Having only built Tamiyas so far, your video encouraged me to save up for a Kyosho 😎 btw great pictures of the flowering trees with your car
Thanks! 👍The Kyosho buggies are expensive, even more so when you factor in you don't get a motor or ESC (incidentally, Tamiya kits in Japan do not come with an ESC). But the quality is superb, the build enjoyable and very different to "modern" Tamiya's. And they drive really well too.
Be warned though, once you get one you'll definitely want to get more! 😁💰
I love kyo sho oputima!
Love my Optima and Mid! but mostly my Optima. It wasn't a bad race buggy when optioned out!! I got a chain!! Javelin has less decals too!! Gorgeous collection!! Thumbs up!!
Thank you! Javelin is also my favorite, mostly because of the looks but not having to do paint and decals was a huge bonus for me! 😁
Another great video 🙌🏻. I'm contemplating an Orion Vortex dDrive 2-in-1 motor/ESC for my Mid due to the space constraints...... just not sure if 3000kV is gonna be enough ( I do run on 2S Lipo), I've never gone brushless before.
I have very little brushless motor experience. In fact I have just two - one that came in my Laser ZX5 and this one. I usually prefer brushed motors, but I thought I'd splash out on the Le Mans setup ( as it fits perfectly and looks so 😎). But the speed on Nimh and stock gearing wasn't as fast as I was expecting. You might want to get a few different pinions, as changing the pinion on mine transformed the performance.
I have an original optima with a chain drive but I put a turbo optima body on it with a custom paint job( looks like a JDM 80s 4runner) because that’s the car I remember was the one that won all the races. I enjoy your videos and I like that you have put a face to the rc’s. Have a great day!
Thank you! Yeah, I remember the Mid much more than the Optima and Javelin and it was a dream car for me back in the day. 😎 👍
@@KaiCityRC I guess I'm a bit older than you then.
nice review on specs, I have recently discovered the Hobbywing 1080, about 20$ more than the 1060, but has a dedicated big button pwr switch, and I believe an unlimited turn limit based on it's amp, parameters, my new goto esc, for hot vintage motors, my 25x25 fans just bolt on also, You should do a dedicated Optima Pro video, since the new one is coming out, sure it would be informative.
I have the Optima Pro on order, along with the new Dirt Cross. I hope to make videos on both. 👍
Great video friend. I’ve built the optima . I added o rings into the drive cups at the front and it seems to have worked . I was quite surprised about the front dog bones . They seem to short in stock . So I O ringed them and so far so good 👍 I slapped a tamiya ST in it and it’s a bit of a monster . I’m gonna have to say I didn’t enjoy the optima build as I found some parts really fiddly . But the end product is well worth it . Also I went chain drive and i really like it . Great video mate 👍
Thanks! I was very tempted to try the chain out myself, but in the end opted for the belt as I didn't want to make adjustments to the tension later on. You shouldn't have any problems now with o-rings in the front drive cups. That said, if you do ever manage to get a set of universals for the front, I can really recommend them. They really help smooth out the driveline when cornering. 👍
I love this video I have all three of these cars. Matter of fact the original ones at shelf Queens. I can rebuild a turbo optima bid custom SC from the parts I've got from 1988 in the bag. I'm so glad that we releasing these cuz I want to race my mid and my javelin. But don't want to raise something when the chassis and the stickers are $300. I'm with you I prefer the rear mounted motor but I'm better to drive her with the mid-mounted. But hey I don't plan on competing when in the Nationals with these cars lol thanks for the video
Glad you liked it! 👍 I don't have many shelf queens, but if I had an original Javelin or Optima, they would certainly be shelf only as I don't think I could ever run them!
love kyosho buggy thank you for the video very informative
Thanks for watching! 😊
David, thank you so much for posting this video and for your thoughts on the 4WD Kyosho buggies. I am now completely torn between the Javelin (due to that rear wing 😎) and the Mid for the out and out performance. Did the Mid come with Universals? Thanks again my friend 👍🏻🙌🏻
Glad you liked the video! ☺️ Sadly, the Mid does not come with universals. I purchased them separately and fitted them to the front as the setup is very similar to the Optima/Javelin and the improvement in drivetrain efficiency (especially when cornering) is noticeable.
Kyosho Legendary series are a dream to build too!!
Javelin is always my fav! I own three that are very well dressed .
Javelin is one of the best buggies ever produced. 👍
I had the original Optima mid se when they came outt ad raced it for years before selling it and switched to the Kyosho Lazer ZXR!. Both great, miss both. I just bought the rereleased Optima mid and can't wait to get it going. I bought the kit and the Gold 240s brushless motor 13.5 turn. Can't wait to see it run with this motor. My original used the brushed 240s red can. This gold brushless looks like jewelry lol. I love Kyosho. I use to race my friend all the time within Tamiya Avanti, I destroyed him all the time lol.
Good luck with the build! 👍 I always wanted a Kyosho kit back in the day but couldn’t afford one! I raced a Terra Scorcher and also had a Monster Beetle, both of which I no longer have.
The Gold motor is superb and almost too nice to run! 😁
@KaiCityRC when I was was heavily into racing I ran multiple classes. My main car's were the Optima mid se, JRX-Pro, JRXT, and my RC10GT (it's the only one I kept lol). I ran the Kyosho Lazer ZXR after I sold the Mid. I honestly always preferred the Kyosho stuff, only thing that bothered me was parts availability.
Great Video! I wish I could have seen this in the 1980's😄
Thanks! Back then I could only dream of owning one of these! 😁
Brilliant video, great filming and very informative, not an insomnia cure at all (just read your pinned comment!).
Really looking forward to your build of the Turbo Optima. It’s great to see people going non box art, I particularly like your Optima in the silver.
A question about the Optima Mid motor - from some pictures it looks like it won’t accept a motor with the three ‘tabs’. Do you think that’s the case? If you’ve time to answer, thanks very much as I’m getting my kit in the next few days.
Thanks! ☺️ I have very little experience with brushless motors. But with the Le Mans 240S, there isn't much room around the motor at all, so depending on the location of the tabs it might be a very tight fit. There is more space to the rear, but if the tabs go too far back along with side of the motor (towards the pinion) then they likely won't clear the gearbox casing. I don't think it will be a problem, but the only way to know for sure is to test fit.
I rotated the Le Mans 240S motor as I felt Kyosho's instructions had the sensor plug pointing forwards/down and it had no kind of dust protection on it.
beautiful videos, brings lot of memories and joys!. please do the tamiya legends!
Thanks! There are so many great Tamiya cars that have been re-released from the 80's and 90's, I think it would end up being a very long video! 😁
I like the robotic feel of my rc vehicles. I don't use drivers in anything lol. I took the interiors out of my scx6 and scx10. Terminator mode!
Given the era,, Kyosho was light years ahead of Tamiya. The Mid can still keep up with my modern track buggies.
The Mid certainly doesn’t show its age on the track. They were and remain very competitive. 👍
Love this video as well as all of your videos! They're some of the best I've seen on Kyosho re-releases! 😹👍🏁Question, for your Optima Mid, what pinion and spur gear combo did you come to use the most with your Kyosho ESC and motor? I bought the same ESC motor combo and was hoping to get the most out of it. 👍
Thanks! I thought the top end speed with the kit pinion (25T) was too slow and ended up replacing it with a 28T while keeping the original spur. It is noticeably quicker now and the ESC runs cool. I would definitely recommend it!
@@KaiCityRC Awesome. Thanks for the quick reply and info. Looking forward to watching our future videos!
Great video and very informative 👍🏼
Glad you liked it! Thanks! ☺️
Liked and subbed due tobyiir Kyosho Legendary Series coverage... going to check out rest of your channel soon as well...
Thanks for taking the time to comment and sub. Much appreciated! 👍
Hey David, the Kyosho’s look great. I’ve got an Optima that I’m looking to build, I’ve noticed that the online manual talks about the diffs having diff oil. When you built your diffs, please can you advise what weight oil you used as a baseline? Kindest regards John😊
Hi John, it's been a while since I built the Optima/Javelin. If memory serves I used Kyosho Diff Gear Grease #3,000 (or might have been #5,000). The greases come in several viscosities. Being grease they're less likely to leak out. Although Kyosho include a gasket and in the manual it is suggested you can run oil, I haven't personally filled them with silicone oil. For my usage cases (mostly light runs at the park) grease is perfectly fine.
Hope that helps!
@@KaiCityRC Hi David, thank you so much for the advice. Best wishes to you and the family 😉🙏🖐️
Great video! Dog bone tip is appreciated too. Thank you
Thanks! Yeah, the Javelin's dog bones catching at full lock had me confused as they are exactly the same as the Optima and I built them both up exactly the same! 🤔 So it is possible for it to not be an issue. Either way, the drivetrain when cornering is so much smoother with the universals in, that I feel they are a worthwhile investment.
@@KaiCityRC My Javelin made a clicking sound under full steering lock. So I did some investigating and in the Turbo Optima manual I found that Kyosho specifies putting O-rings in the diff cups. It is missing on the normal Optima and Javelin. Very weird but a easy fix. My Javelin runs fine now, but I will get the universals as I do this on all RC's anyway.
@@thesillypig785 Thanks so much for this! 👍👍 I just had a look at the Turbo Optima manual and sure enough it specifies to put o rings (part number ORG04SSBK) into the diff side drive cups! Strange that Kyosho would leave that out of the Optima and Javelin manuals. 🤔
Amazing tc build bro👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 more bashing soon bro😎😎🙏🙏🤝🤝
Thanks 👍 Well it's the rainy season here now, so the weather isn't looking too promising!
@@KaiCityRC ok bro I understand it🤝👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 keep it up brother 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🙏🙏🤝🤝
Chain streaches only a little, the belt keeps streatching more and more over time...
My Optima Mid got lost in the post :( DHL bummer. Great Content David. More Optima Mid please if you get time chap!! Have you got a recommended pinion size and spur size please? I'll be putting a 13.5T motor
I replaced the kit 25T pinion with a 28T one. The stock gearing was a little slow with a 15 turn motor. I’m still using the kit spur gear. Sorry to hear about the Mid. Hopefully it will turn up soon!
@@KaiCityRC So the Optima Mid arrived a couple of weeks after this. I've been staring at it waiting to build. I'm going to build a Turbo Javelin I think, the Turbo body will be racing green and I'll pair it with gold componentry. The jav will be white or mint.. Or would black go with the gold better... hmmmm
Good luck with the build! 👍@@lawrencewinter
i had a beagle back in the 80s which was an optima copy, couldnt afford an optima
Slow good information ❤
Thanks for the video David.
I'm trying to decide between: The Javelin (4wd) or the Ultima (2wd)
I'll be running almost exclusively on carpet w/ jumps, and I may enter a few races. I plan on running brushless and lipo. I like the simplicity and challenge that the 2WD Ultima offers, but I also really dig the look and control of the 4WD Javelin. Which would you suggest if I can only have 1, and I can't buy another one in the future.
That's a tough one! I'm a huge Javelin fan, so it would be my choice. 👍 They'll both run brushless and lipo without issue, and they're both great to build and run. But the Javelin is just better, IMHO. 😁
That said, a few things to consider if you plan to run it in races: What classes are available (2WD / 4WD) and also maintenance and parts availability. They're both tough, but in racing things can and do break. The Javelin is likely to be easier to source spares for, as it shares a great deal of parts with the Optima & Turbo Optima. But being 4WD belt drive, it will require more maintenance. The Ultima on the other hand will require less frequent maintenance, however, while it does share some parts with other buggies, it also has quite a few unique parts that might be harder to come by.
Hope that helps!
@@KaiCityRC Thanks. I'll talk with my local track owner and ask his opinion as well (as to which class is more popular). Good points on maintenance.
I'm still leaning towards the Javelin, and will be sure to do the universal-joint swap up front and the pinion tooth increase as you suggest in the video (I'll check with the track owner, as pinion/spur tooth may be regulated as well). Or maybe I'll make an abomination: Ultima w/ a Javelin roll cage. lol.
I'd got for the Javelin too! 👍 A couple of other things I've learned from running on a high grip carpet track: tires are really, really important, so you may need to replace the kit tires. Also, the stock springs might be a little on the soft side causing excess body roll in the corners and bottoming out on higher jumps. Try it out in stock form first, but you might need stiffer springs at some point. Front universals are a must I think! Good luck! ☺️👍
@@KaiCityRC Well bummer: Javelin seems to be sold-out and Kyosho USA said: "we currently do not have a production schedule for that model, and there are no active PO's to reference." I'll keep hunting around, but you may have another collectors item in your collection now. ;-)
@@joshpit2003 I wouldn't worry. Kyosho seemed to have settled into a routine of running off a new batch of each of their Legendary Series buggies around once or twice a year. They tend to sell out rather quickly when they do, but I would expect a fresh run of Javelin's probably around spring time next year. (That said, I have no idea how long they'll continue to do so and with newer re-releases being added to the series, it is entirely possible that earlier Legendary Series buggies will cease production completely at some point.)
awesome buggies indeed!
Thank you! ☺️Yeah, the Kyosho Legendary Series Buggies are pretty special and I'm fortunate to have them.
I'm an optima fan, but the javelin does jumps better than the optima because of the wing
BTW David, I have a Javelin, and have you had any problems with the plastic part that connects the two steering bellcranks on these chassis? I'm talking about the solid plastic piece that connects to the balls on the steering cranks, part# OT203-8. On my Javelin I broke it immediately after snapping it on. I also have the anti-roll bars which using similar pieces and I also broke one of those right after popping it on the ball screw.
I personally haven't had any issues with part number OT203-8, but I remember reading somewhere someone had issues with the anti roll bar part breaking. I guess it may have something to do with the hard plastic Kyosho uses.🤔
Oh, just in case you were looking for replacements, but having trouble sourcing them: for some reason Kyosho list part tree OT203 as being discontinued. However, they now sell part #OT203B which appears to be exactly the same. It's possible they've just changed part numbers. Hope you get it sorted! Thanks.
@@KaiCityRC Thanks for the info, but I already got it sorted. What I did was order OT203 but instead used the ballends, you know, the ones that go to the steering knuckles. Same size but much better plastic. Also, I found that some old Tamiya ballends are the same size.
Regarding the Optima/Javelin dogbone issue, have you tried small springs instead of o-rings or foam spacers? AYK used springs in the diff drive cups, presumably to address the same issue, in their Pro Radiant (and possibly other buggies) and it seemed to work quite well. And I'm just guessing at this point, but are the front and rear dogbones the same length? Maybe the reason why the problem is more pronounced in the Javelin is because the front/rear bones are swapped.
Thanks for the comment. 👍 It never occurred to me to try a small spring in the drive cups! It would certainly help to solve the issue. I'm not sure why the problem was more pronounced on my Javelin than Optima. The dog bones are identical all round (#OT228). At some point I may pull the dog bones out of the Optima and compare them with Javelin's...perhaps there was a manufacturing issue. And, when I (eventually) get around to building the Turbo Optima it will be interesting to see if it also suffers from the issue.
Really enjoy the videos. Keep the coming. I had the same issue with my Optima. If you lookat the Turbo Optima manual they actually use rubber O rings in the diff drive cups. Part no. ORG04SSBK. I ended up buying some and it solved the problem.
Also to add, you are the first person I have found acknowledging the issue and I thought I had built it incorrectly. Not sure why the Javelin and Optima did not include the rubber o ring's as per the Turbo Optima.
I also purchased the universal drive shafts for the front, but struggle to get the screws out of the alloy steering arms due to the threadlock. Hence the o rings 😀
@@ianbaldry554 Thank you for commenting. I am sure that this issue must be quite common, so it is surprising that there is little mention of it online. I had the exact same problem when trying to remove the screws also, and ended up damaging the knuckle arms and having to buy replacements! 😩
I had the same issue in 1986 with the turbo optima front dog bones. As a resourceful 12year old I trimmed some ball point pen springs. Worked pretty good.
Thet javelin white cages is a night mare to get hold of and the white wring
Kyosho run off a fresh batch every year or so, but they tend to sell out quickly.
Chains for show, belts for a pro.
Great 🤙
Thank you!
David, what do think mid or turbo optima next in my collection, i already have the regular optima and turbo scorpion, can you get a ESC with fan into a mid ?, how do you like your turbo optima ? thx
That's a tough one! The Turbo Optima is very close in design to the standard Optima, so I'd have to say go with the Mid. The build is quite different, and so is the performance. But there is very limited space for electronics. The space between the lower deck (which curves upwards at the edges) and the upper deck is about 29mm. Only a small ESC will fit under there. I don't think an ESC with fan mounted on the top would work, but you could probably remove the fan and mount it to the side of the ESC somehow if you really needed the cooling. There's more headroom on the top deck where the driver cockpit is, but the belt cover means you have a 24mm wide piece of FRP to mount an ESC. I have my receiver mounted there.
I have yet to build the Turbo Optima - it's been sat in a box waiting for about a year now! Work is real busy at the mo and any free time I have, I've been working on the my circuit racers (Grasshopper, DT-02, TT=02B and YZ-2). But I will get it built over the winter holiday. 🙂
@@KaiCityRC thanks !, Yes i am leaning towards the mid as something different from my base Optima. I have seen a few MIDs with the ESC with a fan somehow mounted on the top deck, I have access to a 3d printer and design software in my spare time so could always make some brackets etc to somehow mount the ESC in the cockpit area. Just finished a HotShot build but the weather in the UK is so bad it's not had a run. I wish the turbo Optima was somehow more different, I think you said in the video it's a Optima with bling, and I'm on the fence if that is worth the investment and space in the shelf ,😆
There’s no doubt when it’s all built up, the gold in the Turbo Optima looks fantastic! 😎 I’d say go with the Mid for now…and then get the Turbo Optima at some point in the future 😊😁
@@KaiCityRC sounds good, Christmas coming up, always need some gold at Christmas ! :)
I built the Javelin recently. I got the same dog bone problem. Not sure if XTRA SPEED universal drive set can solve the problem. Do you have any idea? The original one is too expensive.
I can't comment on the XTRA SPEED universals as I've got no first hand experience with them. But if they're designed to fit the Javelin or Optima, then they should work well and solve the problem. The cheapest option would be to try some small o rings or foam spacers, or dial back the end points on the steering. Hope you get it sorted!
@@KaiCityRC Finally, I used the cheapest way. I put a little round rubber pad inside and it works perfectly.
Glad you got it sorted! 👍
Where did you find the universal shafts, do you have a part number?
I picked the parts up locally. Part #OTW125B. Link to KYOSHO homepage: rc.kyosho.com/ja/otw125b.html
Thanks!
I really wanted to hear the cars lol
😁
As I shoot at a higher frame rate and slow the footage down, most of the time it sounds strange!
What transmiitters do you use?
I use Futaba 7PX. 👍
Believe it or not belt drive is better than chain .
Switch to a 3S lipo, 2200mah 100c.
Itll wake up.....
Kyosho manuals are far better then tamiya haha