How To Upgrade Tamiya Konghead 6X6 For Speed

Paul Onorato October 31, 2024 Stories

ABOUT THE TAMIYA KONGHEAD 6X6

Tamiya Konghead 6X6 (G6-01)—#58646

If you are a Tamiya fan, you will surely see the resemblance of the Konghead 6X6 to an old Tamiya monster truck…the Bullhead. The Konghead 6X6 was the very first of the Tamiya off-road 6X6 vehicles released and came out back in 2017. Unlike the ABS plastic body of the Bullhead, the Konghead body is molded out of durable polycarbonate that will stand up to abuse better than the hard plastic body of its forefather. To help complete the look of the Konghead, Tamiya included metal plated chrome parts like air cleaners and exhaust stacks. Continuing the chrome accent theme, chrome-plated deep dish wheels are spec’d for this 6X6.

Resting underneath the tough-looking tractor truck body is the ingenious Tamiya G6-01 6X6 chassis. Unlike other 6X6 trucks out there, Tamiya did not go with a shaft- or belt- or chain-drive mechanism and rather developed a clever fully gear driven drivetrain for the G6-01 chassis. This allows the chassis to be a relatively compact setup. It ends up pulling double-duty where the chassis acts as an oversized gearbox to enable full-time 6WD performance. The photo below perfectly illustrates how Tamiya made the Konghead function as a 6X6 rig and this success let to three other releases that utilize the G6-01 platform.

Tamiya did not skimp and made sure there was a durable gear differential for the front, center and rear wheels. This will help the big 6X6 to corner more smoothly. Once the gearbox is screwed together, it is fully enclosed and protected from dirt and debris. Mounted on the right side of the chassis behind the front wheel is a Tamiya 540 brushed motor that drives all six wheels. Each wheel is equipped with independent double-wishbone suspension where there is a robust lower H-arm paired with stout fixed upper links. Providing the damping are six friction shocks attached to each H-arm. A servo is mounted hanging off the left side of the G6-01 since the inside of the chassis is loaded with drive gears. The servo activates a 2-piece steering link setup and it is adjustable.

TAMIYA KONGHEAD 6X6 SPECIFICATIONS

Scale: 1/18
Length: 16.5 in. (420mm)
Width: 10.6 in. (270mm)
Height: 11.0 in. (280mm)
Chassis: ABS plastic
Drivetrain: 6WD, gear driven sealed gearbox
Differential: Front, center and rear gear diffs
Bearings: Plastic bushings
Suspension: 6-wheel fully independent double wishbone
Shocks: Friction type
Motor: 540-brushed type
Speed control: Not included

REQUIRED TO COMPLETE

2-channel radio system
Steering servo (second servo needed for 4WS)
Speed control
7.2volt battery pack
Charger
Paint for polycarbonate

TAMIYA HOP-UP OPTION PARTS TO INCREASE SPEED

Tamiya UGT-Tuned 24T Motor—#54391

The most obvious hop-up option part in this how to upgrade Tamiya Konghead 6X6 for speed is replacing the stock motor with a faster one. Some may feel that a motor upgrade can be too costly and it can be if you are jumping from a brushed motor up to a brushless motor system. If you stay with a brushed motor, you can benefit from a motor swap and it can cost around $35. For example the Tamiya UGT-Tuned 24T motor shown here. It is a lower turn than the silver can brushed motor that comes stock in the G6-01 chassis and will make these 6X6 trucks much quicker. Instead of a closed endbell, this motor can be easily maintained since there is unhindered access to the brushes as well as the commutator for cleaning. The endbell has a heatsink design and is equipped with heatsink brush holders along with a detachable inboard capacitor.

Swapping out the stock silver can motor for a new more powerful motor is pretty easy. Unplug the wire leads for the motor and then unscrew the two screws that hold the motor onto the chassis. Once the motor is removed, take of the pinion gear, motor plate and install it on the new UGT-Tuned motor. Make sure the pinion is the correct distance from the can of the motor so that it aligns properly once it is installed into the G6-01 chassis. Tighten down the two screws to secure the motor, plug in the wire leads and you are done.

Tamiya GF-01 Aluminum Oil Damper—#54670

Tamiya spec’d their easy-to-build, easy-to-maintain and cost saving friction shocks for the G6-01 chassis which are used on many of their kits. The downside of these units is they tend to make a vehicle bounce around a lot when traversing off-road terrain. The ideal cure for this trait is to swap out the friction shocks with these high-quality aluminum, threaded body, oil-filled shocks from Tamiya. Just remember that you will need two packages to completely outfit the G6-01 chassis since there are only four dampers included in each set.

Inside the package you will find that Tamiya includes everything you need to assemble the shocks and then install them onto the G6-01 chassis…even the damper oil. The quality level of these shocks is first rate and will provide silky smooth performance. Each aluminum cylinder has a silver finish which contrasts nicely with the blue anodized caps and ends. Once installed, you will find that the ride will be much smoother as the oil-filled shocks offer superior cushioning on rough surfaces thus eliminating the unrealistic look of the 6X6 trucks bouncing as they drive around. As an added bonus, your Tamiya 6X6 will look much cooler because you will be able to see these sweet shocks since the bodies sit quite high on the chassis.

Tamiya Optional Sealed Ball Bearings—#42368 (850), #53008 (1150)

How To Upgrade Tamiya Konghead 6X6 For Speed — #42368 (850)

If you compare the Tamiya UGT-Tuned 24T Motor mentioned above, upgrading to a complete set of sealed ball bearings will not give you the visually obvious performance increase, yet the benefits are definitely worth your time and money. Tamiya specs plastic and metal bushings for the Konghead 6X6 which are decent and keep the overall price of this kit lower. Upgrading to Tamiya hop-up sealed ball bearings will enhance performance and help reduce wear in the drivetrain by reducing friction. Tamiya offers a vast selection of sealed ball bearings that are high-quality and spin incredibly smooth. It is a time consuming process to switch out the plastic and metal bushings for Tamiya optional sealed ball bearings, nevertheless it is well worth the effort.

Following is a list of the sealed ball bearings that are needed to completely upgrade the Tamiya Konghead 6X6 truck. If your Konghead 6X6 is setup with the optional 4-wheel steering, you will need to add two more of the 850 bearings.

Konghead 6X6 ball bearing list:

Qty. 2 — 5x8x2.5 — (850) #42368
Qty. 36 — 5x11x4 — (1150) #53008

Tamiya WR-02 Assembly Universal Shaft—#54394

Following the ball bearing upgrade to boost overall speed, consider adding the Tamiya WR-02 Assembly Universal Shaft to the Konghead 6X6. Don’t be concerned with the reference to the Tamiya WR-02 chassis, these universals will work on the G6-01 platform. The Assembly Universal Shaft will reduce friction loss in the drivetrain and ensure smooth power transfer to the wheels compared to the stock dogbones.

The Tamiya Konghead 6X6 will require three pair of the universal shafts to replace all the dogbones. They come unassembled yet go together effortlessly thanks to the clear instruction sheet and the fact that Tamiya includes a hex wrench for the tiny grub screws and the grease to complete each unit. Since these axles spin on the stock plastic bushings, consider making this upgrade at the same time as adding the ball bearings mentioned above. This way you will only have to disassemble these parts once.

Tamiya GF-01 Aluminum Servo Lowering Guard—#54644

The Tamiya GF-01 Aluminum Servo Lowering Guard can be one of those hop-up option parts that you may just skip over, but that would be a mistake. There is a clear improvement to the Konghead 6X6 truck when you add it, although it is not as a drastic change as something like adding a hotter motor. First of it will protect your crucial steering servo from impacts as the stock setup offers zero protection. The second function is the one which will help the Konghead 6X6 in the handling department. With the servo lowering guard installed, it will give you an optional lower attachment position for a more direct steering response. This change is key for a 6X6 vehicle since they are known for not easily making smooth direction changes. Tamiya expertly constructed the lowering guard from durable and lightweight aluminum. It come anodized in Tamiya’s beautiful bright blue. In the package is all the mounting hardware to help make install a breeze. There is no hand fitting involved and you can have the guard in place and servo repositioned in minutes.