Tamiya Bruiser (2012)

The Tamiya Bruiser.  If there was one kit that I ever wanted more than any other when I was a kid, it was the Bruiser.  The iconic picture of the Bruiser (58048) jumping over a sand dune at full speed always made my heart race.

The original Bruiser went out of production sometime in the late 1980's.   Since that time, it has been one of the most desirable kits for collectors and enthusiasts to have.  Even after the Mountaineer (58111) was released, the Bruiser maintained its status as a must-have vehicle.  I remember calling hobby shops all over the country looking for a Bruiser kit to no avail in the early 1990's.  Of course, this was before web browsing and eBay existed (the dark ages).

Then, in 2009, Tamiya released the High-Lift series of trucks, and along with them removed any hope of a genuine re-release of the original chassis design.  Everyone started calling them the "new" generation of 3-speeds.  The High-Lift chassis was totally redesigned with straight channel rails, plastic cross members, plastic axles, and a new 3-speed transmission made out of mostly plastic.  The body was in the same general shape as the mountaineer, but with holes, mounting plates and lenses added for LED lights.  It had some features that made it handle better than the old chassis, such as gear differentials front and rear, but the look was different enough that it could never substitute for the original.  Hobbyists kept pressuring Tamiya to re-release the classic.

Finally, Tamiya relented.  After keeping it completely under wraps from start to finish, Tamiya revealed the Tamiya Bruiser (RN36) (58519) at the 2012 Nuremberg Toy Fair.  According to Tamiya, fans were asking for a re-release of the Bruiser for over 12 years.  

The box art remains very similar to the original.  A new 3-speed gearbox cutaway picture shows the new planetary gear design utilized in the re-release version.

The kit comes with full ball bearings, including the entire 3-speed transmision and axles.

While the original Bruiser came with a pre-built 3-speed transmission and RS-750SH motor already mounted, the new Bruiser has additional build steps in the manual to assemble the transmission from all of its component parts.  The basic operation of the new 3-speed transmission is the same as the original, including 4WD mode only being active in low gear while 2WD mode operates in medium and high gear, but it is more compact in design through the use of a planetary gear system.

The parts presentation is a bit different from the original.  No blister packs this time, but the chassis frame and axles are mounted on top of a cardboard platform designed for display.  Some people were disappointed Tamiya did not use blister packs like the Buggy Champ and Sand Scorcher re-releases, however it is likely due to the extra cost involved.  The new Bruiser is very expensive, and blister packing would have added even more to the cost of production.

The new axles house gear differentials which is all new for the 3-speed chassis.  The original Bruiser and Mountaineer had a solid rear axle and one-way front hubs, but no differentials.  This added some stress to the drivetrain although made it better for navigating over rough terrain.  With the new design, it is now possible to lock the front and/or rear differential if desired using a locking pin that is externally accessible on the pumpkin of each axle.

The red and blue bristled brush is included in the first production run.

Nice heavy 36 page manual

The cap is a separate piece that screws on the bed.

The bench seat and dashboard.  Driver figure is not included.

The rear bed is from the 2009 Toyota High-Lift.

And the front cab is also from the 2009 Toyota High-Lift.

The frame is black instead of natural steel

There has been some discussion about the new Bruiser's tires.  It is my opinion that the new tires are softer than the originals.  Many people argue that the original tires were the same hardness and the original tires have hardened over the years, but I definitely remember the original Mountaineer tires were quite hard and non-flexible right out of the box.  The new Bruiser has slightly softer tires.

The tires have the same size and tread pattern, but they are softer than the originals.

The windows are slightly tinted, but not nearly as dark as the 2009 Toyota High-Lift.

Two sets of 'G' parts (gears) are included in the kit (top right). One set is for spare parts.

The new Bruiser includes a standard Mabuchi RS-540SH motor instead of the RS-750SH that came with the original.  The claim is that the new Bruiser weighs less than the original and is more efficient in design due to the full ball bearings and redesigned transmission, so does not need the extra torque.  The manual even says to not use any other motor than the stock 540.  No reasons are given, but I think it has to do with stress while shifting and wear on the gears and differentials.  Higher-power motors will stress the transmission shift gates and drive dogs more than the stock 540.  Also, more strain will be put on the gears in the differentials leading to premature wear.  However, I believe that with reasonable driving procedures higher power motors can be utilized to enjoy the higher performance they offer without too much extra wear and tear on the drivetrain.  For example, only shift gears under minimal load, and don't go crazy with the throttle on jumps and up hills.  I plan on using a Tamiya GT Tuned 25T motor because it has a little bit higher rpm range than the stock 540 (around 17,000rpm instead of around 15,500rpm at best efficiency), plus 500g/cm of torque instead of the stock 540 motor's 200g/cm of torque.

The radio box and cover appear to be the same as the original

This is one of those re-releases from Tamiya that shocked everyone.  It is a faithful reproduction of the original Bruiser, but with enough improvements and changes to differentiate it from the classic so it does not upset that market.  It is truly a great time for Tamiya enthusiasts that never got a chance to own an original Bruiser to experience the joy of seeing that huge box for the first time and build one of the true classics of radio control.