Hex Conversion Kit for Tamiya DT-02 / DT-03

Hex Conversion Kit for the Tamiya DT-02/DT-03 Buggies

Hey everyone,

I’m an RC enthusiast who recently dived into the world of 3D printing during the thanksgiving sale (Bambu lab P1S), and I wanted to share my first major project with you all—a functional Hex conversion kit for the Tamiya DT-02/DT-03 1/10 buggies. After spending some time researching and experimenting, I designed this kit to allow me to use modern buggy wheels on my Tamiya RC car, inspired by the newer buggy setups.

As many of you know, the Tamiya DT-02 and DT-03 come with a fixed wheel axle setup where the bearing for the wheel rotation is housed directly in the wheel itself. On the other hand, modern buggies have a more versatile design where the wheel axles rotate within two bearings mounted in the wheel caster block, while the wheel itself is bearing-free. This setup is more common in newer designs, making it easier to find a variety of compatible wheels at your local hobby shop.

With this in mind, I set out to design a conversion kit that adapts the Tamiya’s setup to work with modern hex wheels. I’m excited to share that I’ve successfully tested the design with PLA material, which worked fine for initial use, but for better durability, I’d recommend printing the parts with PETG, ASA, or ABS if possible. 

In addition to printing the C-Hub and caster blocks, all you’ll need to buy are;
1. Traxxas Front Axles (#TRA3637, Traxxas Front Axles (2) [TRA3637] - AMain Hobbies),

2. Traxxas 12mm Hex Wheel Hubs (#TRA7154, Traxxas 12mm Hex Wheel Hubs w/Axle Pins (4) [TRA7154] - AMain Hobbies),
3. Tamiya 5x5mm Hex Head Ball Studs (TAM53968, Tamiya 5x5mm Hex Head Ball Studs (5) [TAM53968] - AMain Hobbies).

To mount the conversion kit onto the suspension arm, I used the stock screws along with stock 5x11x4mm bearings. I chose Traxxas parts because they’re more readily available at hobby shops and generally cheaper than equivalent Tamiya parts, making the kit easy to replicate for everyone.
 

As a beginner in 3D printing, I’ve learned a lot along the way, and I’ve optimized the model as best as I can with my current knowledge. The design should work well on a Bambu lab P1s using a 0.4mm nozzle and 0.16mm quality settings, with no supports required. To ensure a clean print, I slowed down the print speed for overhangs, which helps prevent any issues during printing without supports. If you find better print settings, feel free to share the improved print profiles on this page so everyone can benefit!

I hope this design brings joy to other RC enthusiasts and helps you enjoy your Tamiya DT-02/DT-03 even more. Thanks for reading, and happy RCing! 

– Rohit