Tamiya Mini Cooper

[tonygray]

No external spacers required, just let the car sit on the springs. 5mm is a good place to start. Basically the arms should be pretty much level. Anywhere close to that is fine.

Blue is hardest, yellow is in the middle, red softest..I'd swap it around and put blue front, yellow rear, but to be honest it really doesn't make a lot of difference either way.


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[toonz]

thanks tony!

i find that the springs are quite hard to remove from the shocks after slotting in the spring retainer.

are there any easy way out if i need to change springs or oil or even rebuild shocks?

[tonygray]

Set phasers to 'bling' for the hottest item for your M03 this season, the Limited Edition Tokyo Hobby Show M03 Blue Chrome chassis set.

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see just what you get in this ultra-cool set.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Blue_Chrome02s.jpg



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[tonygray]

Oh BTW Toonz, unfortunately when you shorten the shock length, the down side is that its that little bit harder for change springs...


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[toonz]

thanks tony....

some force will do i guess hahaha....

BLUE BLING!!!!!!!!!!!

[Whiskey 1]

Is there a special way to break in the brushes on the 540 motor? I was told to directly wire it to one sub c cell and let it run in a glass of water to wrap the brushes around the com.

[toonz]

what is the recommended piston to use on a super mini CVA?

1 hole? 2 holes?

the m03R manual uses 1 hole. is that good enough? or should it be 2 holes?

[tonygray]

The special secret......it doesn't matter... 1 hole, 2 hole, 30 wt oil, 80 wt oil...

In the end the shocks travel is so small (3-4 mm if the car is set up right) that you cant tell the difference anyway. So don't worry about it. Use the one holes like it says in the manual if you want.
For the record my cars all use 2 hole pistons as recommended in the Super-Mini CVA instructions.

But truly, it doesnt matter.

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[toonz]

finish my suzuki build. thanks tony, for your advice :)

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/5908/sfrontdf5.jpg
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3998/srighteq3.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4329/sleftxh8.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/5739/sbackqm5.jpg
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/456/sinsidedm1.jpg

[insomniac]

Hey ho folks, nice to see things developing nicely here, guess what I'm getting this Chrimbo? The wonderful Mrs I. has picked up a Swift for me, to go with my 1:1 red Suzuki Ignis Sport. I'm going to make a rally runner out of this. I've ordered bearings, and I'm going to get a nice torquey motor (either a competition stock motor, or a drift motor, still pondering...) and waterproof servo, and I'll be waterproofing all the electronics. I'll also be fitting CVD's and longer shocks, and I'll probably lock the front diff as well.
Cosmetically, I'd like to tint, rather than sticker the windows, and I'll be making (or buying, if I can find a decent match) light buckets, and a light kit. No pics yet, but I'll post progress as I go!

@Whiskey: water dipping works, but be sure you dry it out proper after wards. some people use compressed air, others WD40, other brake fluid (just don't get any on you!)

[tonygray]

Another new addition to the gallery at rc-mini is this stunning new Swift paintjob by the legend that is Dave Bain.

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to check it out in full.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Dave_Swift01s.jpg

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[DrDiff]

Would using lungsford or any aftermarket adjustable tie rods for steering be illegal in the TCS rules?:confused:


Tamiya TCS rules plainly state all parts must be Tamiya parts. NO AFTERMARKET PARTS. :teacher:

[DrDiff]

Would using lungsford or any aftermarket adjustable tie rods for steering be illegal in the TCS rules?:confused:


Tamiya TCS rules plainly state all parts must be Tamiya parts. NO AFTERMARKET PARTS. :teacher:

[toonz]

some legal rules here :)

http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=112#mini

[Whiskey 1]

Hey on the gear chart what does: MM/rev
@59MM
mean. Is that with the D60 tire dimension?

[tony gray]

59mm is near as dammit to 60D size.
I wouldnt worry about mm/rev, it's only a factor if you're running foam tyres that change size as they wear down

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[toonz]

hi tony

i bought the tamiya 60D super grip radial tires and
60D M-grip radial tires.

which pair is for the front and which is for the rear?

and what type of inner sponge to combine with them? standard? soft? hard?

thanks!

[tonygray]

From memory (I dont use em myself) the M grip are the hardest, Super grip the softest. Like most cars you want the softest on the rear.
Use the standard Tamiya 60D inserts all round, dont get caught up in the whole different insert thing, it isn't necessary.

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[toonz]

ok thanks tony :)

sometimes just get spoiled with choices i guess :D

[josh222]

I am getting my M03 ready for some winter TCS racing:D Bought a Johnson Sliver can which i water dipped and oiled bushings. Heres what I have got ready so far.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r83/HpiJosh222/Picture010-1.jpg

I also got rid of all the Slop :D
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r83/HpiJosh222/Picture009-2.jpg

[juntom10]

toonz//nice! what servo, and options that you used for swift?
i quit rc..but want to get one car to play with.
so i will get the swift haha
thinking of swift kit + gearbox gearings + standard servo, futaba 2ph or 2pl radio.
and oil shock.

[toonz]

i basically follow the mini advice written on tony's website.

i use 2PL for my tx and servo.

some of the hop ups that i've upgraded so far are
super mini CVA shocks with TRF springs
aluminium wheel hex
universal
tamiya high torque servo saver
m03R headsink (for blink sake :)
m03R servo stay
turnbuckle
sport tuned

[trakhak]

I am going to buy a mini to start racing in a class we are trying to start, can you guys tell me what the differences are between chassis's. I am really leaning toward the Alfa, but being rear drive what will I be giving up to the FWD cars. And finally what are the advatages of the FWDs? Thanks!

[juntom10]

go to the tony's web site. www.rc-mini.net

lots of infos out there.

and i think front wheel drive is fun to drive..and easier to control...

[toonz]

are there any special fluid to clean the m-chassis type A slick tires? tiny dust tends to stick on it and its difficult to remove them....

[juntom10]

what is the long lasting tires for bashing?

[Whiskey 1]

I read about the ride height setting for the mini being 3.5mm, but where do I measure it from, It seems the lowest part of the chassis is just behind the "A" arms. Is this the place that I use to make my ride height setting?

[tony gray]

Don't sweat it, it's not critical either way.Measure at the front of the chassis, it's easiest. But 1-2mm either way makes no appreciable difference anyway.

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[Whiskey 1]

This Is too easy, Im used to fighting and guessing with my TC5.

[tonygray]

It's a Mini, if you had to do all that sort of stuff with it then it wouldn't be fun any more...

99% of a Mini is driving...

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[cnroman]

I second that!

[chuckles793]

Yeah this is my first car and it is great charge the battery put it in the car and off to the races.

Does it matter how cold it is out side for me to run my car? or can i hurt anything by running it in the cold?

[tonygray]

A couple of new updates at rc-mini.

Ever wondered which is quicker? A full size Mini Cooper, or a Tenth scale M03?
And..a new update on the latest M03 kits. It's subtle but shows that Tamiya are on the ball as usual

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to check em out in full.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/MiniMiniBattery.jpg

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[insomniac]

Yeah this is my first car and it is great charge the battery put it in the car and off to the races.

Does it matter how cold it is out side for me to run my car? or can i hurt anything by running it in the cold?

The cold shouldn't make a difference. I'd be wary of snow and ice though!

I love that Mini V MINI race!

[Whiskey 1]

I switched my Swift body to run the classic Mini body and notice that the rear tires rub on the flared fenders (looks like its due to the 2 degree toe in). What number (starting from the bottom) holes on the body mounts do I use to mount the body. I'm hoping not to have to trim away the flared fenders. :confused: Thanks. I'm using the D60 reinforced slick tires.

[tonygray]

Every car is different because it all depends on where your suspension is set. But the answer is simple anyway, just keep moving the body up one hole at a time until it stops rubbing....

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[Whiskey 1]

Are the Hex wheel mounts on a swift wider than a Standard mini's?

[tonygray]

The same....

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[toonz]

hi tony, i'm going for my first M-chassis race next month. any set-up tips and advice regarding racing on indoor carpet?

thanks :)

[Whiskey 1]

Hey Tony, I heated up the rear body posts and bent them foreward giving me the clearance to run the body lower on the chasis. That setup you guys put out is great. Finished 1st place this weekend lapping the entire field once. Keep up the good work.

[Whiskey 1]

Would harder tire inserts help prevent traction rolls? Using D60 tires with med inserts.

[tony gray]

Toonz,

We're not carpet experts, no carpet tracks over here at all. The word is though that M or S grip tyres are the gun setup. But it varies depending on your track..

Whiskey, you might need to drop your ride height a little more if your car's traction rolling. Type A's you need to come down another mm or so to compensate for the taller tyre.

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[Whiskey 1]

What is the optimum racing weight on a mini? I was thinking about adding some weight to eliminate wheelspin on my mini.

[tonygray]

Don't bother dude, it won't work. Wheelspin is something that you've just gotta live with on a Mini.

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[insomniac]

Heck, wheelspin is one of the reasons I drive a mini! :D

[toonz]

wheelspin and power slide turn and somersault! nows that's MINI!

[Whiskey 1]

I'm experiencing a wear grove on my 60D Reinforced type A tires. A new set only made it 4 runs before a small hole formed on the inside tread next to the sidewall. Is this caused by too soft an insert or the way that the sway bars hold the tire angle or suspension to the ground?

[tony gray]

There is no cure....they all do it.. Some sooner than others.
The set I ran on the weekend got 8 races before they were toast, but 99% of them will do it eventually.

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[Whiskey 1]

Dang, and I thought racing minis would be cheap! Oh well, still cheaper than the TC5.

[RS4rally1124]

thats what im thinking and why i want to buy one... is it true the front wheel drive ones are faster lap times and easier to drive? im running a stock class mini so it should be fun

JT

[tonygray]

Type A's are the softest (Tamiya) tyres of all, so the trade-off is high wear. Same as in most classes.
There are higher wear tyres in the Tamiya range as well though. S grips (#53254 ) offer similar grip and dont 'groove' normally and because they're treaded will work on carpet too.

And even if Minis do go through tyres, thats just about the only thing that wears!

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[Whiskey 1]

Thanks for the update, I thought I was doing something wrong. I'll try those S grips (#53254) tires.

[Akura2]

I think that groove in the tire is a function of camber and wheel spin.... with the wheels having slightly negative camber and spinning all the time (front wheel drive cars do that) you will wear the inside tread of the tires out quickly with soft tires

[insomniac]

That's it, pretty much, as the suspension compresses, the camber increases also, so they will be more wear in the inside tread.

[Whiskey 1]

I ran the front and rear sway bars this weekend and the wear appeared to be more profound. Has anyone experienced this also?

[tonygray]

More updates at rc-mini.

rc-mini goes to Japan! Well, one of us does anyway...

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see the pics.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/tamiyatrack.jpg

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[toonz]

can see any links to pics?

[tonygray]

Ummm if you click where it says here then that is the link...

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[tonygray]

We've been working on this for some time, and finally its online now.

Our first (and as far as we know anyones first?) full IN-CAR video footage inside a Mini during a race.

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to check it out and be totally amazed. It's also damn funny too...

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/InCarStill.jpg

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[RS4rally1124]

wow man very impressed... yall have some sick minis

jt

[Kden46]

Great Job on the video tony!

That rollover around the -1:35 mark was kewl! But the lost tire at the -1:00 mark was "ClassiC" hehehe :D

[tony gray]

The lost wheel was pure luck..Couldnt have happened at a better time...

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[Rear Admiral]

Sheer brilliance.

[Whiskey 1]

Hey Do you guys have any pull with Tamiya, Because I was hoping they could make some decals for the mini with more than the #32 on it.

[Whiskey 1]

Hey Guys test.

[tonygray]

Lotsa updates at rc-mini.

A report on the latest big race for us, the Peter Stevens/HEI Masters, plus some stunning new bodyshells from Tim and Steve Rhoads...

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see it all.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Update_9Dec_07.jpg

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[RS4rally1124]

dang man stoppit... every time you post i want to buy one of these cars more and more.... friday night it was insane a few of the mini guys in the a main were running within 1 second of the average 1/10 19 turn rubber tc's.... these car are pretty freaking sweet.

johnny

[Whiskey 1]

Hey, what is the body that the yellow and black car(with the eyes) is using. Is it a Tamiya body? And what dose it take to convert the car to use a ta03 diff?

[tony gray]

TA03 diff bolts straight in, no mods necessary.

The body type for that yellow/black car is mentioned in the pics on rc-mini.

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[69cam327]

Just bought a mini cooper m-03 and extra body. Can't wait for it to get here so I can build it and start messing around with it they look like there a lot of fun to drive.

[sofast]

Glad to see my thread I started is still kicken:cool:


Hopefully soon Ill have a new mo3 mini (old school body of coarse) on my vehicle list again.. I miss that little fwd hunny... lol

[tonygray]

Good to see you back..and thinkin Mini again!


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[sofast]

Good to see you back..and thinkin Mini again!



:cool:

[69cam327]

This has prob been asked a million times but what bearings do I need I was going threw the posts and can't find which ones I need and I started getting a headache lol.

[69cam327]

I went to tower hobbies.com and it said 2-5x8mm and 13-5x11mm is that correct?

[sofast]

Here is the link to the Tamiya brand ball bearing kit on Tower for the Mini.... You need to look for the Duratrax set... They are half the cost

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXGJ66&P=7

[69cam327]

Thanks I found a kit for super cheap on ebay $8.00 shipped.

[sofast]

Thanks I found a kit for super cheap on ebay $8.00 shipped.



Good deal..

[Whiskey 1]

Merry Christmas to you guys down-under and everywhere else. Thanks for all the advise and sharing your experience with us to keep the sport affordable. Best wishes on a blessed New Year for you and your Families.

[tonygray]

Down under its already Christmas Day, and what am I doing? Building a mini....

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[HZebra]

I have been out of RC for quite a bit and the last thing I was eying was an M03 Mini and its about time I actually get my hands on one.

Looking at the current M03 I am line not sure which wheelbase I should go for and the new M03R looks mighty good to me. I also read somwhere that there were some changes made to the car with the M03M wheelbase but I am not quite sure what they are.

So here are a few questions and please forgive because I bet these come up a lot.

1. Which M Chassis car do you recomend? Fun, value and otherewise...
2. How difficult is it to switch from one wheelbase to another>
3. Can I get the parts to switch wheelbase seperately or do I have to by the M03R kit to be able to switch?

Thanks in advance and Happy New Year to all!:wave:

[tonygray]

Possibly if you went to our website and clicked on the 'Mini for Dummies' link, most of your questions would be answered... :)

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[tonygray]

More cool new paint jobs at rc-mini.

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Dettmann_Mac.jpg

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[HZebra]

Great site! Thanks Tony!

Still deciding on the which kit to get but I am leaning toward the mo3m and maybe considering the mo3r for more flexibility....and I like the colors too!

My question is, does anyone know the parts number of the different extenders that change the wheelbase?

Thanks!

[tonygray]

All those part numbers are listed in the Spares/Hotups section on the site!

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[tonygray]

What in the world is 'Double-Stuffing'? The supposed mystery trick for Tamiya 60D's...

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to find out how to do it.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Double_Warp_s.jpg

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[insomniac]

Hi Mini-fans!
I also post a bit on scale 4x4 rc dot org, and a member over there has asked bout finding an polycarbonate or hard Mini (not MINI) shell.
http://www.scale4x4rc.org/forums/showthread.php?t=16636

Would anyone know where I could find such a shell?

Also, on a completely unrelated note, I noticed that the R56 (Mk2 MINI Cooper S) is soon to be available!
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=58400
http://www.tamiyausa.com/images/product/300/58400/header_58400.jpg

[HZebra]

Universals...a quick question.

What is the difference between these two sets:

#53346
#53597

[tonygray]

One (53346) is pre-assembled (old-school)
One (53597) is assemble yourself (new school)

The 53597 are better.

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[Whiskey 1]

Does anyone know where I can find the Take Off RP30 mini tires for the M03's. If so please let me know. Thanks for your help.

[insomniac]

I thought they were a touring car tyre? Have you seen them specifically for an M sized wheel in the past?

[Whiskey 1]

Yes I have 2 sets of them. But was wanting more for our club so we all can run them.

[Kden46]

Yah I would'nt mind finding a set of RP30r's for myself! ;) I have a set of RP36r's and they work really good! But would like a set of RP30r's for when the track is stickier then usual ;)

[shaggy8]

hey guyz new to site....tony great site VERY HELPFUL!!!! if there is any one in the n ga area on here that runs minis holler at me. also i am trying to stop body roll on carpet..ordered sway bars and put on tonight do they work or no??

[tonygray]

I'd be going heavy sway bars, and super-hard (white/blue) springs. Should do the trick. Oh, and run it as LOW as possible.

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[shaggy8]

hey im set up to run hard sway bar, running blue springs, and i got it down by following your web site.......we will see p.s. im taking white springs with me just in case!:cool:

[HZebra]

So what ESC are most of you running in your minis? Just curious.

[insomniac]

Just a plain ol' TEU BK101. Since the front wheels can't take much more than a good stock motor, that's all I run.

[tonygray]

OK, sometimes we do things that we're..well we're not even sure ourselves why!

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see one of the strangest, funniest, weirdest...whatever, paint jobs you've ever seen on a mini.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Pony_Mini_s.jpg

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[insomniac]

OMG, that is so cute LOLLZERS!!!!1!!!one! :D

[chuckles793]

Man... thats how i was going to paint my swift. oh well i guess i have to come up with another paint scheme.

[tonygray]

I don't mind if you do...it's not like I'm ever gonna do it again!
:D:D:D:D

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[shaggy8]

hey tony.....i've heard of questionable horsepower but......this is a little to far ain't it??? P.S. my daughter would love it!

[tonygray]

Arrgh the bad jokes!!!!

Even older girls/women seem to love it. But Jay's a 24yo old male, albeit one who's a little bit warped

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[shaggy8]

well as long as its fast he could wear a dress and claim yall got beat by a girl!! also how many times should i run my motor in water to break it in?? i've run a full pack full and it blacked the water, but i was wondering if that was enough??

[tonygray]

Probably more than enough... I only recommend 30 sec or so!

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[tonygray]

Just bought a Mini? An absolute noob on all things Mini? Then our new update is just what you need. It's a step-by-step run through of building a race spec M03 from start to finish. It'll give you the best possible head start to getting your Mini off on the right track.

It's not necessarily the only way to do it, but it's the way we do it anyway!

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see just what you need to do

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Build_Logo.jpg

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[shaggy8]

great article tony. again you and your guys....(yes the one with the my little pony car included) have edumocated us in the fine art of mini racing.:teacher: just wondering where you guys find the all the time to test and tune???:huh: if you ever get across the big pond come race with us, till then i owe you a fosters for the info:D

p.s. if you go to youtube and look up "primetime hobbies mini cooper" you can see out indoor carpet haven..no as cool as your tracks but fun still the same..(im not in any of these films i was in building and repair at the time..)

[tonygray]

Thanks for the big rap Shaggy... Always nice to get some positive feedback on what we're doing.

Where do we get the time? Well there are 3-4 us doing stuff so that helps. Sadly only one bunny (me) doing the web bit though! Some things take ages to do but it's worth it in the end.

And your tracks pretty cool, at least no rain dramas like we have (or stinking heat like we're going to have this coming weekend!)

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[toonz]

tony...race spec mo3 linky not working for me :(

[tonygray]

Will be fixed in 10 mins. They're doing a server upgrade.

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[tonygray]

Correction, is fixed now!

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[toonz]

thanks tony!

[shaggy8]

its great to have the quick tech..i am just a weekend warrior, so any time i can save at track is great. also if you just look up primetime hobbies they have carpet indoor, asphalt outdoor, dirt oval, and dirt course, so pretty neat and close to home. the reason the cars seem slow is we run stock motors....with any tamiya hop ups

[toonz]

tony, just a question regarding the race spec m03 article...

you mentioned
"Resist the temptation to add extra shims or anything to 'lock' the diff. It accelerates wear dramatically and...it's cheating.... You'll find that the normal diff action is fine."

does that mean its not necessary to add the 2 pieces of shims on both sides of the gear diff even if it's stated as part of the build in the instructions?

[tonygray]

Note the specific use of the word 'extra'

Which we felt meant 'Use the ones they say to use, but no EXTRA ones'

Some people put extra ones on each side which is what we feel isn't necessary, well certainly for most situations anyway..:teacher:

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[insomniac]

That page is a great resource Tony, thanks for compiling the build list!

[toonz]

i see...i was just about to remove it....thanks tony:D you're the man!

[tony gray]

That article and the photos etc were done during a very hot Xmas break in Australia... I was cursing at times. But the feedback has indicated that it was worth it. Thanks guys.

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[shaggy8]

well got everything in and put on my mini except my bearings.................when i ordered they said they were in stock, now i get a notice they are back ordered.....THEN my lhs gets a shipment in.......WHAT IS THIS WWII..............HAVE WE BOMBED MORE BALL BEARING FACOTRIES OR WHAT????????????:mad:

[shaggy8]

where did everyone go? oh well getting ready to go practice with new setup...let ya know

[chuckles793]

When i spray out my bearings, should I use motor spray or what?

[shaggy8]

what i used was brake parts cleaner, and then put a drop of good oil in each one, then spun..tony's web site goes into better detail. if you have seals in your bearings, what i did was pull seal outta one side only then put unsealed side towards the hub to keep dirt out.

[tonygray]

Is there an alternative to the trusty Silver Can and Sport-Tuned?
You bet there is...

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to check out the full story

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/SpeedPassion02s.jpg

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[Whiskey 1]

Hey have you guys have a manufacturer and part # for that Mini truck body?:)

[tony gray]

Due out Mid February from ABC Hobby... Initially on the Genetic chassis, bodyshell out a month or two later..

Start lining up now boys!

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Mini_Ute01.jpg

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Mini_Ute02.jpg

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Mini_Ute03.jpg

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[Whiskey 1]

Will it fit a M03 chassis?:confused:

[serpent17]

Actually you can move the gts and spektrum inside the rear bay. Use double tape and lexan plastic ( 1 inch x 2.5 inches ) to mount gts and spektrum. Low cg and secure :cool:

Here is mine :

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/asw7576xx/IMG_0501.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/asw7576xx/IMG_0498.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/asw7576xx/IMG_0494.jpg

very nice minis!! check out my mini here!!:



http://youtube.com/watch?v=SLX0EOdiln8

[serpent17]

anyone here have one, or am i the only one.

check mine out http://youtube.com/watch?v=SLX0EOdiln8

[Whiskey 1]

Will the HPI Mini Cooper body (part# LXMX02) fit the M03 Chassis? It's about $10.00 US Cheaper than the Tamiya replacement body.

[swannco]

i've got a battery fit question: my stick pack leads cause the body to bow out. could somebody show me a picture of how you route your leads to avoid this? or is this perhaps just the way it is?

sounded like walter kronkite there for a minute. :roll2:

[serpent17]

Will the HPI Mini Cooper body (part# LXMX02) fit the M03 Chassis? It's about $10.00 US Cheaper than the Tamiya replacement body.

THAT BODY SURE WOULD FIT! CHECK THIS OUT...

http://rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/M03_Reviews_and_How_To.html#TXTOBJ7D7756B281E1090

[serpent17]

i've got a battery fit question: my stick pack leads cause the body to bow out. could somebody show me a picture of how you route your leads to avoid this? or is this perhaps just the way it is?

sounded like walter kronkite there for a minute. :roll2:

ill post a pic later when i get home there is a way you could do that.

first check the "L" shape bracket to the batt holder there's going to be a little oval piece . cut your leads (at the connector) then pass the wires through the oval hole. then re solder.. this will cure that annoying bulge!

[tonygray]

Will the HPI Mini Cooper body (part# LXMX02) fit the M03 Chassis? It's about $10.00 US Cheaper than the Tamiya replacement body.

Ummm, yep.


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[chuckles793]

Man i feel dumb. I ordered the super mini shocks, but failed to read it is only a pair. so now i only have s shocks and have to re-order pay shipping again and wait for another PAIR to come in.

[serpent17]

Man i feel dumb. I ordered the super mini shocks, but failed to read it is only a pair. so now i only have s shocks and have to re-order pay shipping again and wait for another PAIR to come in.

lol yeah??? damn man that really sux! I've bought a set of four aluminum with threded bodys and anodize caps but the prings were crap so i used the tamiya tune prings that came with the m03r they are the best!

[rigby]

Dumb set up question: I have a standard M03 Mini. The LHS did not have dampers on hand so after my first race outing where it was apparent that the COG was too high - can you say traction roll - I cut 5mm spacers from aluminum tube stock and reduced the damper throw to lower the car. Worked a treat.

Last Saturday, while racing at a different shop I was able to buy one set (one pair) of Tamiya mini dampers. All set up and happy. I also bought a pair of springs to suit. The problem is that the damper bottoms out before it begins to bear on the spring, so effectively no springing. Adding spacers to load the spring resulted in a near stock ride height.

For the moment I solved the problem by swapping the lower control arms left for right, which moved the damper mounting point below the arm and let me get an appropriate ride height with the long damper eyes installed and all of the spring preload clips in place.

Something is not right, however - how should the shocks be set up?

[tony gray]

Sounds to me like you've bought short springs, and long shocks.....


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[serpent17]

what brand shocks? you should buy some m03 3racing shocks just put them together and there fine.

do the shocks have droop? are they threaded? are you sure there for the mini?

also i can't really put your in reality! in other words you don't discribe the problem good anough for an answer.

[rigby]

Yep - short shocks, long springs. I bought them from the shop hosting the mini races on the owner's say so - wrong. Oh well. With the arms flipped things work out fine

[chuckles793]

Im building my swift to the mini race specs, ive got the super mini shocks. You say to use the 2 hole pistons. are they the best or does it even make a difference. Also do i need to use all 3 spring tensioners?

[tonygray]

The full build-up story says..

Now, build the shocks according to the instructions. Use the 2 hole pistons, or use any others if you want. Oil? The stuff that they come with is fine.
What the? Are you kidding?
No we're not. The bottom line here is that an M03 doesn't weigh very much, doesn't go all that fast, and more importantly the shock travel is going to be maybe 3-4mm maximum, if that. And, over that tiny distance the oil weight and amount of piston holes simply don't have time to have any significant impact on the shock performance. Yes there will be a difference between maybe 10wt and 80 wt, but what you need to remember is that there are other factors (like driving!) that will have way more impact than what the shock oil and pistons will have. How do we know? We've done back to back tests again and again....and it truly doesn't matter. Which is cool, one less thing to worry about!

Spring spacers only set your ride height, thats all, nothing else. You use them only as you need them to get the right height.

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[chuckles793]

awesome that was a fast reply. I guess i should have read more carefully.

[rigby]

I'm sure that the answer to this question is in the tread somewhere already, but my search skills are proving inadequate to the task...

How do you guys maintain your tires? I find that my fronts get coated with a nasty glaze of tire shreds and carpet fiber. The mix is very sticky on the night that it accumulates giving great traction but cures into a hard, slick, coating. Its worst on which ever tire spins more - on road course nights its on both fronts; on oval nights, like last night, its worse on the inside tire. I assume this is because the inside is lifting and spinning.

I sat there last night with a hobby knife and shaved the tires clean. Is there a better way?

[Whiskey 1]

I found that if you use a rag with acetone on it, it'll loosen it and then you can roll and rub it off. Don't soak the tires in Acetone, because it will melt the plastic rims and weaken the CA glue that holds the tires on the rims.

[Bnoland]

Due out Mid February from ABC Hobby... Initially on the Genetic chassis, bodyshell out a month or two later..

Start lining up now boys!

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Mini_Ute01.jpg

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Mini_Ute02.jpg

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Mini_Ute03.jpg

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Is this avalible for the M03 chassis?? Where can I order it? Thanks

[Karadjas]

I have visions of that Mini Pickup with some 2.2 slicks tucked under the bed :D

[rigby]

I have a tire question. Since reducing the ride height on my mini I have induced wicked negative camber with the resulting wear to the inside edges of my tires. I am trying to determine at what point to replace the tires. (There's the question - you can skip the rest if you like)

What's not clear to me is the effect of the worn shape of the tire on performance. It seems to me that the unworn tire standing on its edge due to the camber will turn in quickly and that as the car rolls into a turn the tire will roll onto its tread providing excellent cornering grip but compromising straight line acceleration.

On the other hand as the tire wears it assumes a conical section. At the beginning the wear is limited to the inside edges of the tires but ultimately the tire profile will be such that the wear reaches the outside edge. At that point you would have a full contact patch which ought to enhance traction.

My gut tells me that fresh tires are faster but can't think out the logic.

I suppose I also ought to ask if there is a way to adjuster camber.

[rigby]

As a secondary question it seems that there is a conflict in choosing optimal tire insert hardness for the front end: a firm insert results in less loss due to tire deformation while a softer insert at the front would reduce the effect of camber on the contact patch. Ideas?

[rigby]

While I'm asking questions to the void, I'll add another: I'm having a terrible time with traction rolls and I am wondering about cornering technique. Ride height is not the problem - couldn't get lower without scraping. We race on carpet. Set up is track standard which is m grip radials on the front, reinforced slicks on the back. Particularly in a sweeper I just cannot keep the car right side up.

The issue is worst off the throttle I think - lift mid corner and the car is almost certain to roll. Ideas?

[rigby]

Now I'm having conversations with myself - my theory of the morning on the traction rolls is that when lifting the throttle in a corner the weight transfers forward which unweights the rears. The car wants to rotate but with well prepared slicks on the rear can't. The rotational force is transferred to linear force tangent to the curve. The tires hold and the car rolls. The solution would seem to be to keep the fronts boiling through the turn. That would induce understeer. The inertial force would then be more forward than sideways and would prevent the roll. Make sense?

[swannco]

i just figured i was going to fast and the car's cg was too high... :rolleyes::p

[rigby]

There is that...:)

Seriously, though its not that simple. The other guys' cars are no lower than mine and no slower and do not traction roll through the corners - at least not often.

I'm actually starting to wonder if the issue isn't that the rear is too low making the rear end too rigid. I have dropped the rear end by the expedient of putting spacers in the friction shocks. I wonder if the issue comes when the car rolls into the corner and lifts the inside wheel too easily. With all the weight on the outside at that point if it stays hooked up its easy to see the roll coming. The issue is that for the most part the car is otherwise fast.

I'm going to try simply staying hard on the gas through the sweeper to see what happens.

[Whiskey 1]

Hey Rigby, look at page 82, your tire wear issue was addressed there. We (in N.C, USA)think the wear is caused by the soft rubber being stretched under the reinforced sidewall and basically being cut. Why it doesn't happen on the outside of the tire is a mystery . We had limited success sanding the tire side wall thinner and rounding the tire some with a dremel tool. Another theory is that the inner belt is to narrow and does not cover enough area to support the contact area of the outside of the tire that is in contact with the road surface. I myself believe Tamiya is satisfied in selling an inferior product that must be used to remain in the TCS rules. Thus not having to fix a problem and still earn profits from their loyal customers. Shame on you Tamiya.

[Whiskey 1]

If your racing on carpet, do not remove the glaze that builds up on your tires, this allows the car to slide more while providing good grip once the tires heat up.

[rigby]

Whiskey, thanks for the input. Your second post suggested some tire prep questions I hope you won't mind answering. We are racing on carpet. Radials on the front and slicks on the back seems to be the trick set up. Paragon Traction Action is the track compound. I'm wondering how you prep your tires. It strikes me that maybe I'm better off without compound?

As far as the wear goes, thank you for the reference but I don't think that's the issue I'm having. I'm talking about wear that matches the camber. I'm not surprised that its wearing; it really couldn't not wear given the degree of negative camber induced by the ride height reduction. What I'm wondering is when to toss the tires. (Also - how can I demount the tires and salvage the rims?)

What do you think about allowing some more travel in the rear end to allow a little more roll before the rear end becomes rigid?

[Whiskey 1]

Each car is different, I run what Tony and the guys at RC-mini.net say. I mostly run on asphalt and only have run a couple of times on carpet. The wheels are basically toast after you CA them to the tires. Acetone will breakdown the acetone but destroys the wheels. Not worth the effort for me. I really didn't change my setup, I just used the standard treaded tires that were double stuffed. They got a carpet and rubber residue built up on them by the 3 qual and were great in the main when they heated up. Just don't over tighten up or over shim the car, its not designed to work like that.
good luck. Also throttle control can make you flip, if you let up on throttle in a curve the car will unload and possibly cause the traction roll, also maybe too much tire traction.

[rigby]

Thanks Whiskey - I will try running without compound and see what happens. As far as the traction rolls go, letting up on the throttle could be the issue.

[tonygray]

As promised a few weeks back, Dyno figures for the Speed Passion Exige brushless and the Novak 13.5. Just how fast ARE they?

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to check em out.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/DynoSheet_s.jpg


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[tony gray]

Finally...YOU can be part of rc-mini. Our new 'Mini Fan' page is for your pics of your ride.. Send em in to us at rc_mini@iprimus.com.au

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/MiniFanLogo.jpg

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[rigby]

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the track other than racing there, and loving it

Cooper folks in New England, there's good racing to be had coming up. Maximus Raceway in York, Maine - about 90 minutes north of Boston - hosts weekly Cooper racing. We are seeing between 15 and 19 cars weekly, with several recent purchases we're expecting back soon. Its worth coming for.

Most worth coming for, however, is the New England Mini Cooper Champs scheduled for Saturday, March 29, 2008. We're expecting an additional crew from the track in Falmouth and guys up from Mass and N.H. Its a good time in the making - come!!

[swannco]

Hey guys, what do you all think of the Tamiya quick release battery holders [sku 53346] are they a good upgrade?

[Maximus Raceway]

Visit Us At TeamMaximus.com (http://www.teammaximus.com)

http://www.teammaximus.com/online_images/web_page.jpg

[swannco]

???

is that a question, a statement or just plain old spam?

it sure looks like our reliable canned meat favorite to me.

[iti20090]

Hi Rigby

My experience in trying to keep up with our local asphalt club pensioner Mini driver covers all your concerns in one foul swoop - driving discipline.

The pensioner fellow runs an extremely tight budget but has the experience of a couple of decades of flat pan gas gar experience to draw from.

1. His car is jacked up substantially over ours (no shock spacers), height wise, thus little or no inside negative camber induced tyre wear - I would not start this way, though. He runs his A's and S's on a packing of 1.5 layer hard foams (a steady hand and new blade for splitting the foam is useful ;-) which I have recently reverted to.

2. He manual brakes for just about all mainstream corners and half throttles most of the sweeps that we just whack through. He has modded his wheel transmitter throttle from 70:30 to about 85:15 to give longer thus smoother throttle on exiting the corners and literally dabs the brake for a nano second before turning in. He has even built an adjustable manual brake stop on to the ancient transmitter so he can adjust the amount of dab for each track, not that he travels much. The upside is he can run way, way less steering rate than the rest of us for same turn result.

We all know from full size that it is suicidal to brake and turn or simply pitch in to a corner but that's how 99% of Mini drivers do it cause our four wheel drive brethren get away with it.

3. I have battled to come to terms with manual braking in trying emulate him but when in the groove on rare occaisions the car feels slower but hugs the apex and the times come back to me, much to my surprise. I initially ran a little running brake on the advice of a gas fundi, which helped me until I got used to the manual braking side.

4. To address the super glue to rim problem, he only uses and reuses (many times) the Tamiya black reinforced rims as those are no problem with acetone and tyre removal. We both look after these rims like gold as they are disappearing from the shelves fast in favour of the more expendable gaudy plastics - but is an excellent cost saver if you can get old stock.

5. We both reverted way back to the stock diff from ball diff as the car was way less nervous to drive, the stock diff gears layered with that really sticky Tamiya grease to give the drive. The drum noise and ongoing maintenance (manual braking takes its toll eventually) does mean we will re-visiting the quieter ball diff option, though it may take me longer to adjust than he. Worth starting with the stock option, though.

6. Of course there is none of that glitzy metal gunk in his Mini, only adds unnecessary weight, especially the all too common silly heat sink. All the radio gear is inside the tub not on top, even that stock black Tamiya speed control he gets excellent use out of, fits.

He ran the stock friction shocks for a while before changing to oil and I recall he came up with a neat trick to stop the node that develops on and kills stock shocks when the car stands - but going to the short Tamiya oil shocks is worthwhile anyway.

We went to an away social race meet recently and the pensioner took out an old set of three year old S grips for fun - worn to slick but dead even. His tyre life is nothing short of remarkable.

His front end wheel spin is minimised through incredibly smooth driving - most irritating as he is still on four year old 1700 nicads against our new 2400 nicads and 3300 nickles....

Not easy to get five competitve minutes out of 1700's and the sport tuned motor unless there is real disciplined throttle management. How he gets the same spark out of the 1700's, as when new, is another story altogether.

Fortunately he is only a club runner, so the rest of us can at least look good at provincials etc. ;-)

He is totally open about his car set ups and most folk walk away shaking their heads, like many readers here will do -seems corny but is damn effective, try it.

Cheers
Dave

There is that...:)

Seriously, though its not that simple. The other guys' cars are no lower than mine and no slower and do not traction roll through the corners - at least not often.

I'm actually starting to wonder if the issue isn't that the rear is too low making the rear end too rigid. I have dropped the rear end by the expedient of putting spacers in the friction shocks. I wonder if the issue comes when the car rolls into the corner and lifts the inside wheel too easily. With all the weight on the outside at that point if it stays hooked up its easy to see the roll coming. The issue is that for the most part the car is otherwise fast.

I'm going to try simply staying hard on the gas through the sweeper to see what happens.

[rigby]

Dave - thank you for a great post. I will continue to practice...

[tony gray]

And..it also sums up what I'm sick of telling people...

Stop spending hours and hours fiddling around unnecessarily altering shock weights from 30 to 35, changing ride height by 1mm, and playing with single, double and triple inserts and all that sort of ********.

Just get a half decent base setup and stick with it. And spend your time DRIVING. The 'setup' counts for 30% of your Mini, the guy DRIVING counts for the rest... :teacher:

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[rigby]

True enough, Tony. The problem is that here in Maine, USA, there is feet of snow on the ground, many inches on the road, and nowhere to run a car except at the track - which is 75 minutes away. So there's an awful lot of messing with the car time to be had but not so much driving time...

[BLPpoweredTRX]

Hi Guys! I just ordered a M03-M Suzuki Swift kit today. Is this the proper forum to post in?

[chuckles793]

Yeah everything that they say about mini's can be directly applied to the swift.

[BLPpoweredTRX]

Ok, sounds good! :D

[BLPpoweredTRX]

I have often heard the HPI X-Patterns recommended. It appears that they are discontinued now? What would be the best tire still available for bashing around unprepped parking lots? If memory serves, I remember the kit tires being poo on the M-03 I once had. I have the M-03M Swift now (on it's way).

[Sedonaite]

I picked up a kit on the forum and decided to secretly build it up for my wife to use at the LHS track once the carpet is in.
So over the last 6 weeks I have been slowly accumulating the extra bits and working on it when ever she was out of the house.
I suprised her with it on Tuesday this week.
Here is the end result
M03-L Chassis and Body
Castle Creation Sidewinder ESC and 4600 Motor combo, chose the sidewinder so I can flip the BL out and go with the stock brushed motor if we are able to get a Tamiya race series going at the track.
Universal Shaft Upgrades
2 degree Rear Toe-In Uprights
CVA Super Mini Shocks
Full Bearing Set
Hard Gear Diff Cups
Custom Antenna Carrier
Carbon Fiber Roof

[z-man280]

WOW!!! very nice Phil!

[Sedonaite]

Thanks Ron, now you see what I was talking about the secret build and why I was keen on getting a Swift, next on the table is the Tamiya M04-M Alpha Romeo, just waiting for it to arrive.

[swannco]

was your wife happy with it? it looks to be a stunner! well done mate. :)

[Sedonaite]

Finally arrived today, the Blue M-03 chassis a perfect match for the Smokey M-03R chassis I just finished. Just have to pick bodies now, debating about using the Alfa Romeo body on the M-03R.
Still have the M-04M to finish up,

[willus]

Great looking stuff! would hate to run it and have it get all scratched.

[BLPpoweredTRX]

I have often heard the HPI X-Patterns recommended. It appears that they are discontinued now? What would be the best tire still available for bashing around unprepped parking lots? If memory serves, I remember the kit tires being poo on the M-03 I once had. I have the M-03M Swift now (on it's way).

I posted this question a week ago. I wasn't sure if nobody knew the answer or it just got bypassed. I'd like to order some tires. Thank you!

[Kden46]

Well X-Patterns are off the list unless you are lucky enough to find a set? Since HPI no longer makes them. Have heard that they are supposed to start making them again but have not heard when that actually will be?

I used the kit tires from My Swift when I first got it for bashing around on a basketball court. This was with a Silver Can motor and it worked o.k. The tire life is not very long for these tires though.

Maybe Tamiya S-Grips #53254

[tony gray]

Your main problem will be FINDING tires.. Right at the moment there is a huge problem sourcing tires of any type due to a shortage of some particular chemical that is used in pretty much all the tires that we run.

Tamiya have no M grips, S grips or Type A 60D's and no indication when they will have again. HPI make M compound radials but they're rubbish. Spice tires are available (from Hong Kong) but even they are in short supply. Rides are currently out of production, as are RP and Pit Shimizu.

So at the moment, it's just 'get what you can' I'm sure that within a month or so things will return to normal but for a while its going to be interesting.

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[BLPpoweredTRX]

Thanks guys. Wonderful....... A car you can't get tires for. Makes me glad I bought one, LOL.

[tony gray]

Latest updates - A Crash Test Mini for Tom March, and a Caterpillar out of its element from Ash Cobb.

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to check em out.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/MarchCobb.jpg


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[BLPpoweredTRX]

Pros and cons of the mini:

Con - can't get tires

Pro - can get a caterpillar body

LOL

[BLPpoweredTRX]

I ran my M03-M Swift today for the first time. A few random thoughts out loud:

I was really pleased with it. I have had a 3 or 4 Tamiya Mini's in the past, but had not had one in a few years. I don't race, just have a few decent parking lots I run. Anyway, I forgot how much M-Chassis cars make the kit motor feel less anemic. Little rascal was actually scootin' along pretty well. I was using a cheapo Reedy 2400 Ni-MH and it pretty much ran till I was dizzy.

The kit tires worked fine today as I was just running in a big oval most of the time. I'd say 2-4 more runs of that llength and they will be slicks. I didn't bother to glue them or use the foams. I'll probably throw the foam inserts in for the next run, though they were fine without for what I was doing. The tires wore very evenly. The parking lot was big and clean enough that coupled with the kit motor I just never really found the limitations of the box stock setup. I was actually surprised that even when I made tighter turns, body roll was non-existant. Those pogo shocks are pretty stiff though I guess... It seemed like it was on rails. I'm sure when I install a hotter moter (if I do) then I will have to tweak on the chassis a little, lower it, get some oil shocks, etc for it to handle as well as it did with the kit motor.

For the extra bored forum reader:

- I used an Airtronics BL2DR AM radio system and installed the included micro receiver in the bottom of the tail section towards the far rear. Very basic, Tx has dual rate, charging jack, and the usual trims and reversing on both channels, mechanical trigger throw adjustment, a "thingy" to attach a neck or wrist strap, solid feeling antenna. Balanced and solid feeling for a entry level radio. The micro receiver that they are now shipping with is very tiny. Like many of the new breed of micro rx's it lacks a BEC circuit. Be advised it will not work with the kit esc as is the only esc on the market I know of that requires a BEC equipped rx.

- Airtronics standard 94102Z servo. Worked fine with more than enough yank for the application. I may swap it out for something slightly higher up the food chain later just for the fact I prefer something that returns to center with a little more accuracy. It's really fine though.

- LRP AI Runner ESC. This is the little bugger that is about the size of a quarter. It's fine but I will likely swap it for my trusty MC230CR. The Runner doesn't use an on/off switch. This requires you to remove the body to turn the car on/off by plugging/unplugging the battery. since I live close to my main parking lot I often take cars over there just to run one battery pack and with the MC230CR I can mount the switch where I won't need to remove the body. I am disabled and it's not always easy for me to find a spot to sit the car down to remove the body, this wouldn't be an issue for most people.

- As mentioned, I used a Reedy Wolfpack 2400 Ni-MH battery pack. I more less just picked it up to reach the free shipping total on my Ultimate Hobbbies order where I bought the Suzuki kit. It's a cheapo pack but actually was a nice fit for the M03 and the kit motor. In ran seemingly forever. I could tell the cells were fairly matched (for an unmatched pack) as they didn't have that typical "loose one cylindar at a time" feel of most unmatched stick packs. For $17.95 minus whatever it saved me by making free shipping, I was pleased with it. If I bought a second one, it would probably be a dud. Those kinds of packs are a crapshoot at best. Will likely use a Orion/Peak 3200 lipo or similar in this car in the future.

- I used fairly stiff lithium grease in the gear diff and the pogo shocks. Ran the tranny gears dry as I often do with tamiya cars. One thing I did do different than I have done in about 19 years since I started building tamiya kits, is I used some oilite bushings. I used the kit included hub bearings. I put tamiya 5x11 bearings I had on hand for the outdrive sockets. For the other two tranny gears I used the 2 included 5x8 bronze oilite bushings and also used two 5x11 oilite bushings I had a draw full of after many years of kit building instead of those plastic bushings that come with the kit. I will be replacing those bushings with bearings the first time I tear the tranny back down. I lubed those with lithium grease also. Everything spun very free. I cannot say how long they will last, though I have an air machine at home and the fan has those exact same oilite bushings. It has been running 10 hours per day for 5 years without any maintenance. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pushing bushings and it was simply a matter of build it now or wait a week for bearings. Since all but the very first of the 200+ RC kits I've ever built had bearings I thought it would be interesting to see how they worked and held up.

That's about it. I used Pactra Competition Orange spray for the body and my usual boring one color paint job. What can I say, I lack artistic talent and there are lots of 1:1 cars on the roads with one color paint jobs! :p I hate those #$&^@! window stickers tamiya includes these days, that's just me I'm sure. I wish they would include some vinyl masks or even their old masking tape masks. I used Dan's body mounting foam disks as I do on everything. Something else I'm a firm believer in but did not use (yet anyway) are the DuBro body klip retainers. They saved my hide many a time. I want to get a HPI Honda Civic body when Tower gets them back in-stock. Overall I liked the swift body. I need to get some black spray for the roof spoiler and mirrors, so I didn't install them yet.

I normally buy a bunch of hopups with the kit, especially with Tamiya. This time I decided to slowly add them one at a time to experiment a little. as I said, I don't race and just do this stuff for my own amusement. I plan on adding universals, a hardened pinion, a sport-tuned motor, some clamp-on hexes, oil shocks, and a few other doo-dads in the future.

Maybe someone who is just getting into the hobby might find something useful in this rambling.... LOL :D I'll add some pics when I get a chance.

[tonygray]

Latest update - When is a Swift, not a Swift? Just why do the Tamiya Swift bodies look 'wrong'?

Click here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to find out.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/2SwiftsCrop.jpg


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[tonygray]

Latest update - What the Hell is a POWERTUBE?

Well, if you're utterly embarrassed by your total inability to solder, or sick of having to buy crap battery packs because you can't put your own together, or your best pack has just dropped a cell so you've had to chuck it in the bin then you need to read this (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to find out just what to do.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/DSCF0830.jpg

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[Kden46]

Yet another great article Tony!

Man I wish I knew about these a couple of months ago! I had 2 SMC IB3600 stick packs go bad on me! (1 had one cell dead the other 2!)

I ended up getting a new pack for the Mini and using the good cells to make a pack for my Pro4.

[tonygray]

Having cells go 'off' is what lead us to these things in the first place. We were killing cells right, left, and centre and although I can pull mine apart and resolder it was getting pretty tiresome.

With the Powertubes you can pull one apart in a minute... They're a great idea and have actually been around for years.


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[rigby]

New England folk - Saturday is the Mini Cooper Champs at Maximus in York. No - I have no interest in the track. Yes - you should come! Its great fun and more people at the party can only be more fun.

[buggyb]

Yet another great article Tony!

Man I wish I knew about these a couple of months ago! I had 2 SMC IB3600 stick packs go bad on me! (1 had one cell dead the other 2!)

I ended up getting a new pack for the Mini and using the good cells to make a pack for my Pro4.

One good alternative to save some grace and pocket money in the long term is to swith to LiPo! :) I gave up on NiMh as i rarely have the time to maintain them. I have had great run with my rusty one year old Orion 3200 LiPo and just added another 3200 from Yeah Racing. Caveat is to ensure the voltage of the pack does not fall below 6.0V. Considering i am running Sport tuned motor with my mini, easily it gives a safe 15 minute run per charge. LiPo is great...

Regards,

[tonygray]

Agreed, but a large percentage of places don't allow Lipo for racing yet... Hence the need for NiMh still.

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[BLPpoweredTRX]

I agree with both of you. Keep in mind that everyone isn't into rc for the racing. In fact statistics have shown most people don't race, and for those who can afford the switch, lipo is far superior and in my mind cheaper over the long haul though I gave up on arguing that with people. But yes, if you race where they don't allow them you don't have a choice other than race somewhere else.

[Kden46]

Yah we have a small club racing mini's (as well as TC and 12th scale) We run in the parking lot at a lhs and are limited to Nimh still :(

I am looking forward to the day we get to run LiPo for sure! But will deal with Nimh until then.

[savagekid94]

do the minis handle well

[savagekid94]

what is the difference betwen the M-03 and theM-O3L(f

[Sedonaite]

About 29mm in length

M-03 short (210mm), mid (225mm) and M-03L long (239mm) wheel bases

[tonygray]

So....exactly how much is the difference in weight between a 'normal' Mini Cooper shell, and the special new 'lightweight' one?

Go here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to find out.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/Mini_Weight.jpg


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[z-man280]

Sedonaite!!!!!! look what ya made me do!!!!

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P3170052Small.jpg

the little Cooper is loaded with some nice stuff too......:D


time for a new lid and some wheels..any suggestions?

[Sedonaite]

That's good one Z-Man, "What I made you do", it is an addiction you can't help it, the dreaded M-series habit I'm sitting here biting my nails waiting for a new Eunos Roadster shell from the Great Frozen North Quebec, all the while working on the M-03R chassis, after just completing the Alfa Romeo and contemplating why I don't need the BMW Roadster, while coming up with all new reasons for the wife why they are all different and maybe we should go to Hong Kong on vacation and I can shop for M-03 parts. :D

[z-man280]

okay, maybe i need to read more, but where did you score the "see thru" shocks???

MUST HAVE SHOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sedonaite]

The Shocks are standard on the M-03R Chassis Kit, Tony's website has a great write-up about it http://rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/M03R_Review.html Awsome kit, chrome frame, chrome wheels, see-thru shocks etc.

[z-man280]

SHAWEEET! Thanks Phil!

[z-man280]

My lil' Coop....

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P3170051Small.jpg

running :


Integy ultra-hi-speed servo w/ heatsink
CO27 motor
Tazer 15T rev. esc
Tamiya tuned spring set
oil dampers
titanium hinge pins
lightweight front carrier hub screws
carbon shafts
full ball bearings
hi-torque servo saver
Tamiya CVDs


anything else you guys could/would recommend for me?

[cpee]

ron that looks hummmmmmmmmmm!!!

[Kden46]

My lil' Coop....

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P3170051Small.jpg

running :


Integy ultra-hi-speed servo w/ heatsink
CO27 motor
Tazer 15T rev. esc
Tamiya tuned spring set
oil dampers
titanium hinge pins
lightweight front carrier hub screws
carbon shafts
full ball bearings
hi-torque servo saver
Tamiya CVDs


anything else you guys could/would recommend for me?


Looking Good Man!

Only thing I can recommend is GO DRIVE IT!!!! :teacher::D;)

[z-man280]

lol, oh and i do!! That CO27 had the magnets zapped from what i was told,( and believe!) and it freaking moves!!! she will see battle scars this weekend at the races:D

[chuckles793]

get some universals. They are definately worth it

[z-man280]

already in it....:D

[Whiskey 1]

Tony, I saw the Mentos trick for motors, Did he rinse or clean the motor after this proceedure?:confused:

[tonygray]

Ummm, Sorry dude, I think you might have been taken in my our little April Fools joke I'm afraid.....:)

The whole story is just a joke... oops.:rolleyes:

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[chuckles793]

haha nice. I was wondering about that one

[Whiskey 1]

Darn!!!!! You got me......now I got to eat these mentos!!!!!

[tonygray]

No you don't. Just do it at the track and suck someone else in!
:cool:

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[chuckles793]

Whats any body's opinion on the best battery to run. (not Lipos)

[z-man280]

i run GP3300's in mine, and LOVE them.

[chuckles793]

yeah I have a GP pack that i got from radio shack. but i also have the fake imitation that they sell also that i bought before i knew the difference. There is a huge difference in the performance of the two.

[dirtoval1010]

where is the best place to get MO3 parts online?

[Sedonaite]

I've had good luck with Tower Hobbies getting hop-ups and other parts

[chuckles793]

yeah for everything but tires right now. but they are hard to find anywhere

[z-man280]

looks like late/mid april for Tower

[tonygray]

So Kool, OLD SKOOL!

Yep, a blast from the past with an old story on the hot M01's back from '96

Go here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see them.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/OldSkool06s.jpg


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[tonygray]

So just WHAT is this all about?

Go here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to find out exactly why Jays car has an 'interesting' body shell.
It's the HARRIS R/C Classic race report, online now

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/PancakeCar.jpg

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[swannco]

so...are there 2 different sizes of tires for the mini; low profile and tall profile?

i bought the xb monte carlo mini and the tires are very low profile compared to the kit that i bought afterwards. when i swap tires or try to replace the xb's worn out tires they rub the body like crazy and don't seem to fit. :(

the body posts are set the same height, and i can't see any difference in shock set up or chassis or anything, but why does the kit built sit so much higher than the xb and what's up with the different size tires?

any help appreciated. thanks. :)

[Team Minimus]

The XB has the smallest tires. Tamiya 50568 I think. Then there's the kit tires which are a little bigger. Next is the 60D monsters.

So I'd say there's at least 3 distinct sizes from Tamiya, without getting into the other brands.:teacher:

[swannco]

that would explain a lot. the monte carlo xb body is trimmed differently and the larger kit tires don't even fit into the wheel wells correctly.

is this just a cosmetic thing, or is there some reason for the smaller tires / smaller wheel arches on the xb? :confused:

do the smaller tires give a performance advantage? they don't wear too good that's for sure.

[tonygray]

The XB has the smallest tires. Tamiya 50568 I think. Then there's the kit tires which are a little bigger. Next is the 60D monsters.

So I'd say there's at least 3 distinct sizes from Tamiya, without getting into the other brands.:teacher:

Close...but not quite there... From checking all of mine it appears...

The 50568 are indeed the tires that the XB uses, and the only other Tamiya tyres of that size are the Super Slicks. They all measure in at around 56mm which is the same as virtually all of the aftermarket tires.

The kit tires are 50683 and they are themselves 60D's just like the Type A's.

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[swannco]

tony,

are there some recommendations for other tires / brands with the same size as the 50568s. i'm not asking for the "best" tire because i know that is a can of worms, i'm just looking for a brand & style that will fit under my xb shell ok.

the stocks are ok by me since i don't race and performance is not critical. i just tear around the parking lots and some orange cones and want just three things:

1. to be able to get them
2. to fit properly under the shell
3. to last awhile and have some grip

number three is the least important. :rolleyes: mostly i just need to make sure i've got something to drive my new mini around on besides the rims!

thanks!

[tonygray]

Number 1 is the hardest at the moment - GETTING them...
Mini tires are damn hard to get, no matter what compound type.

But rcmart in HK have a few

The standard 50568's HERE (http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_283&products_id=17410&pname=Tamiya%20(#50568)%20M-Chassis%20Radial%20Tires)

Xpress Mini tires (surprisingly good) HERE (http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_283&products_id=24246&pname=Xpress%20(#XPA-118)%201:10%20Mini%20Rubber%20Tire%20Set%20(2Pcs))

or Kawada radials HERE (http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_283&products_id=20494&pname=Kawada%20(#TUM-03)%20Normal%20Radial%20Type%20For%20Mini%20Car)


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[swannco]

thank you tony, much appreciated! i will buy a few pair because parking lots eat them up pretty quickly.

i've never run slicks, are they ok on unprepared asphalt or will the little stones & dust cause them to have no grip?

[tonygray]

All those tires listed are treads.....

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[swannco]

yeah, that's what i've been running is treads but i was just wondering if slicks would work in parking lots for bashing too. if so i might buy a few pairs if i find any since the tires are hard to get at the moment.

the stock tamiya tires seem to last about 3 battery packs and then they are toast. i know, i know, some of that is my bad driving, but hey, i'm still learning throttle control :rolleyes:

[graeme_rsa]

Ummm, Sorry dude, I think you might have been taken in my our little April Fools joke I'm afraid.....:)

The whole story is just a joke... oops.:rolleyes:

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Is it? While some of the ideas are debatable :roll2: .....

#1 When cleaning out bearings I always separate the good spinners from the medium spinners and discard the bad spinners. I don't go technical just put them on a paint brush (nice tapered shaft - fits lots of different sizes of bearings) and give them flick - easy to see which are best etc.

#4 The newer wheels don't have these cross supports which may hinder seating of the moulded insert - get rid of them!

#5 Don't know about balancing - but who knows it just might work! Not lead - just a spot or two of super glue!

#7 Shocks - I've always run my Mini shocks upside down to try to lower the centre of gavity - the rest = hype?


Haven't tried #8 because first of all you failed to state the flavour of the Mentos that you must use :D
The Mentos + Diet Coke reaction is one which has been widely documented on the Internet!
Also you did not include a health warning :teacher:

http://eepybird.com/history.html
http://eepybird.com/science.html
http://eepybird.com/dcm1.html
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/mentos.asp
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/

[graeme_rsa]

Due to the shortage of Mini tyres, has anyone resorted to converting TC tyres to Mini by cutting and glueing?

I've made sevaral pairs of "off -road / rally" Mini tyres by cutting and super glueing 'full size' tyres to fit.

I have lots of HPI X Pattern TC tyres + others that I am not going to use for their intended purpose - should I cut and glue them?

The following Mini tyres seem to be freely available on the Internet.

Which ones are an acceptable replacement?

ABC
3 Racing
Kawada

[tonygray]

Some new, and some updated paint schemes on rc-mini.

Go here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to see them.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/3Minis.jpg


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[serpent17]

Any one interested in a mini club? los angeles county only!!!

ONLY front motor, front wheel drive.

mini cooper, swift, 06 mini cooper. and every wheel base but FF!!

make a track, prizes!!!, (bets!!! lol), auctions!!! .

(special mixed races with all types of cars!!)

ON ROAD ONLY.!!!

that would be cool!!!

contact info: juggalo17@tmail.com or reply!

[tonygray]

http://home.iprimus.com.au/anthonygray/VWFerrari_s.jpg

Have you got a Ferrari dream but only a Beetle budget? You just have to check out this amazing build-up story on how to convert an M04L to a stunning Ferrari-bodied M04SS super-short wheelbase. Using only Tamiya parts too!

It's one of our best ever articles and it's online now

Go here (http://www.rc-mini.net/MiniWeb_Online/Main.html) to read all about it.

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[slow]

Hi all, just got my M-03 yesterday and it's fun, handles, stops, and crawls better than my M-04L! Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. I put 2 and 2 together and came out with 3...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00817.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00819.jpg

Wheelbase is just slightly shorter. They didn't bolt right up together either, I'll have to go and do it more professionally next time. Stock silver cans are wired in parallel. I've got a locked front diff and open rear diff, running stock Tamiya gearing, 20 in the front 17 in the rear. Unfortunately do to Tamiya's gearing options I can only get them within 1 tooth of each other. However, it still handles, stops, and goes better than the M-03 or M-04L

Here's the body I'm going to put on it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00820.jpg

[serpent17]

very nice project!!! i thought of this but didn't try it.

BUT you could take my idea if you don't mind hacking those cases =/ ... of keeping the cases like that take out the rear motor and the adler gears. making a 2 or 3mm aluminum chassis/plate. and run a tamiya or serpent belt diff to diff.

Hi all, just got my M-03 yesterday and it's fun, handles, stops, and crawls better than my M-04L! Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. I put 2 and 2 together and came out with 3...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00817.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00819.jpg

Wheelbase is just slightly shorter. They didn't bolt right up together either, I'll have to go and do it more professionally next time. Stock silver cans are wired in parallel. I've got a locked front diff and open rear diff, running stock Tamiya gearing, 20 in the front 17 in the rear. Unfortunately do to Tamiya's gearing options I can only get them within 1 tooth of each other. However, it still handles, stops, and goes better than the M-03 or M-04L

[slow]

very nice project!!! i thought of this but didn't try it.

BUT you could take my idea if you don't mind hacking those cases =/ ... of keeping the cases like that take out the rear motor and the adler gears. making a 2 or 3mm aluminum chassis/plate. and run a tamiya or serpent belt diff to diff.I think I'll stick with the twin motors, this thing PULLS even with the slow silver cans. I bet it'd be pretty fast with some 19t's or something along those lines.:D I trimmed up the body and fitted it, fits MUCH better than the Mini Cooper body. I think I'm going to paint it a glossy blue/white like the VW Motorsports Mk2 rally GTI.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00822-1.jpg

[serpent17]

ohh i see!! that's cool.

you should put twin mods in it with hpi xpattern tired and push it to the limite!! slam the suspenion tho or you'll flip!!

why the diffrent pinion size?? I'm sure you'll get extreme tire wear because the front will fight with the rear, the front would wanna go faster and drag the rear!

[slow]

ohh i see!! that's cool.

you should put twin mods in it with hpi xpattern tired and push it to the limite!! slam the suspenion tho or you'll flip!!

why the diffrent pinion size?? I'm sure you'll get extreme tire wear because the front will fight with the rear, the front would wanna go faster and drag the rear!I'll put some new motors in once I get some money, same with pinions. I have a ton of extra 2.2 and 1/8 buggy tires I can cut up to make tires but I'll need some glue. As for slamming it, nope, I just made a ghetto raise so I can get it to go through grass. I think I'm going to buy an extra diff and lock it so I can swap it out with the rear one whenever I want.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00824-1.jpg

I never took a pic of my M-04L with the oval window Beetle body but it was so low that I couldn't move on carpet. Thing have changed.:D

[serpent17]

ohhh!! offroader!! that's cool ok then keep the stock 540's!!! lots of torque and chill power!! if your going with the offroad/trail m03 then put full size shocks with very soft springs!! it will be rock crawlin!! is any fast how it is??

[Kden46]

Very kewl Serpent.

If you want to run the same pinion gears front and back you can drill out the motor screw holes on the case a little bigger (forget the exact size) This will allow you to either run the one tooth higher in the M03 case or one tooth lower in the M04 case.

I did this on my M03 Drag car so I could run a bigger then 20t pinion gear in it.

Any close up pics of the connection between the M04 rear section to the M03?

Tony that M04ss is a great article! I would'nt mind giving the M04S wheelbase a try! Especially if I can get my hands on a ABC 510 body :D

[slow]

It's quite fast, I don't think any 2WD M chassis car can hang with it on the same motors. I did have the rear screwed on but they stripped out so i pushed some nails through and shimmed them. So far it's actually working better.:huh:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00825.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/crawlin8/DSC00826.jpg

I also put the Mini Shell back on, the GTI body just had too much wheel gap for my tastes, and I'm growing fond of the Mini.

[serpent17]

hey slow!! once again nice project car!! so on road now? NICE!!

i feel pretty "stupid" because i asked why the diffrent size pinions!! i checked my old m04l rear case and its 21,19,i think 17 alsoo. =] sorry! ahaha


it might be somewhere else on the this forum but i love mini conversation! i run my m03r on a smooooth black top street but it has little tiny "waves" in the street and it causes the car to bounce I'm running brushless in my m03r to its QUICK i had 1 hole pistonts front and rear. and hard trf springes in the front and midiums in the rear. i put 2 hole pistonts all around so its more flowing suspension will this cure my problem i can't run until i buy a new charger i broke my cheapo one. =[

[Kden46]

ThanX for the pics slow.

serpent I think the change to 2 hole pistons will help handle the waves on the street.

Anything that will allow the suspension to move a little more freely and quickly will help. So you could also try a softer spring upfront and maybe lighter oil in the shocks?

[serpent17]

hey, thanks KdEn that's some helpful advice there. I've went from 80wt cilocone in the front and 40 in the rear then i put 40wt all the way around and it help but the problem wasn't full gone. ill put lighter springes in the front. if it still not good enough ill go 3 hole pistons hope it works. i still have to go to the hobby shop for a good charger this time =/.


what mini to you run kden? setup?

my first m chassis car was a porsche m02l with a tobee craft belt drivin rear end so smooth so fast (stock) but it got away from me back in 2001. =[[


ThanX for the pics slow.

serpent I think the change to 2 hole pistons will help handle the waves on the street.

Anything that will allow the suspension to move a little more freely and quickly will help. So you could also try a softer spring upfront and maybe lighter oil in the shocks?

[Kden46]

No problem :D

I am new to Mini's having just got into it last year to go racing with the local club.

Started with an M03M Swift Kit.
Setup was as follows
3Racing TA05 shocks with 5mm spacers inside. 35wt. oil front rear.
Tamiys Blue Springs front Red rear. Ride height was around 5mm maybe 4mm?
HPI X-Patterns but now RP36r's
Black Can Motor and Quantum 2 esc

Now I am racing an M04M with the exact same setup that was on the M03M.
I liked both cars but just liked how the M04M drove.

My M03M had been on the shelf for awhile now and was just recently turned into a FWDragger! :D It is now more of an FF-02 then a M03M with a TL-01 LA arm kit and FF-02 chassis extension piece. Running 10th scale foams upfront and slicks out back and a Mamba Max with 6900kv and 2S LiPo!

Now back to your regularly scheduled Mini Cooper discussion :D

[serpent17]

you made a ff02!!! i thought about making my m03r into one but nahhh

i have a tamiya ff01 with the jacks honda accorod body.


i like the swift but i just love short body mini i think there more scale look!! i live the rover body!! i like the way at high speed they get twitchy but then takin the corner FAST!!!!

hmmmm!?!? 35wt oil huh!! i think ill try that all the way around since its too stiff maybe go 35wt and little stiffer springs i don't know.

I've always love the mini class over all my other vintage tamiyas because there just soo small and built correct could out run any car in its class even bigger cars. what's funny all my other full 1:10th scale cars can hang with any new $400 car these days!!

people from japan who biuld rc cars are very detale at there rc!!!

have you ever thought about rover mini cooper short chassis?



No problem :D

I am new to Mini's having just got into it last year to go racing with the local club.

Started with an M03M Swift Kit.
Setup was as follows
3Racing TA05 shocks with 5mm spacers inside. 35wt. oil front rear.
Tamiys Blue Springs front Red rear. Ride height was around 5mm maybe 4mm?
HPI X-Patterns but now RP36r's
Black Can Motor and Quantum 2 esc

Now I am racing an M04M with the exact same setup that was on the M03M.
I liked both cars but just liked how the M04M drove.

My M03M had been on the shelf for awhile now and was just recently turned into a FWDragger! :D It is now more of an FF-02 then a M03M with a TL-01 LA arm kit and FF-02 chassis extension piece. Running 10th scale foams upfront and slicks out back and a Mamba Max with 6900kv and 2S LiPo!

Now back to your regularly scheduled Mini Cooper discussion :D