Australian RC Forums banner

The Official Tamiya Mini Thread

26K views 70 replies 16 participants last post by  GTOJOE 
#1 ·
Hey guys

This is the place to post up pics questions and info regarding the Tamiya Mini. Chassis' like M03 and M05.

I have recently bought this little ripper from another member on this forum. It was built for someone who never came and paid or picked it up for that matter, so it is 99.9% brand new.

It has full bearings through out, blue alloy front and rear steering knuckles and the blue plated chassis set.

I have added a trackstar 60A ESC and a EZ-RUN (HK copy) 10T motor. This little beast really rips along now, maybe a tad too fast (if there is such a thing!)

I do plan on buying a 13T motor to see if it feels better or not.

Currently it has 1/10th wheels on it but I have just bought a set of tamiya mini wheels (just waiting on tyres)

So here are some pics


Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Window


Car Tire Wheel Vehicle Window


Wheel Tire Vehicle Vehicle registration plate Car
 
See less See more
3
#3 · (Edited)
And somre more pics....

Motor vehicle Electrical wiring Automotive exterior Gas Cable

The turnigy trackstar ESC is a nice fit on the chassis.

Tire Wheel Product Automotive tire Racing

I dont have any lipos that fit so I have just used a lipo that was previously used in my merv, a zippy 2200mah.

I will have to get onto the HK website and see if ther are any lipos that will fit nicely, the hardcase 5000mah I have almost fit but about 1mm or 2mm too square.

Wheel Tire Motor vehicle Automotive tire Plant

Pretty blue chassis

Wheel Tire Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive tire

I like white wheels but they are too big for my liking
 
#6 ·
Its an M03, Pete you too actually said that 10T might be too quick!

I will try a 13T and see if it is better, I have turned down the punch setting on the crappy program card for the trackstar ESC and have added the most amount of drag brake also.

The 10T motor and front wheel drive is fun to drive in its current state. Many years ago I used to own a 1:1 Mitsubishi Cordia Turbo, was front wheel drive and had lots of power, got great torque steer just like this mini!

When I pull the throttle it pulls too one side and when I back off it straightens up again.

Next thing I need to do is work out what lipos I am going to use. I need the added weight down low for better COG, I did have one big roller over mainly due to a sharp turn at high speed.

I am not able to hit full throttle in my street, so I guess that might mean its a little too fast!
 
#7 ·
LD ask around on the adelaide onroad thread in rctech alot of mini racers on there, might be able to help ya out with battery sizes that will fit. Have watched these race and they look like fun
 
#8 ·
I have always wanted one but never got around to buying one. Since I wasnt using the Hyper TT much I thought I would sell that and buy a mini. Lucky there was a member who had one sitting around doing nothing! :)

Ill have to ask around at HH as I have seen a couple of guys there with a mini.

They handle pretty well, better tha nI had thought and turn so sharp.

Ill have to mount the GoPro HD on board and go for a spin around the track
 
#12 ·
Been reading on the net and watching Youtube vids, seems lots of people mount there ESC and RX in the chassis at the back to get a lower COG, I like this idea also as it makes every thing look much neater. Ill have to try it and see if my trackstar ESC will fit in there.
 
#13 ·
Just the other day I was the the hobby shop and was looking through a M06 box. Had to bite my fingers and walk out of there. I don't know why I wanted it so much, especially since I am selling my Hobby Xpress Mini. I guess I just like building kits.

Anyway congrats on the addition LD. Looks great.
 
#14 ·
I like the fact that my M03 is getting on in age now as there is so much info on the net about them, not to mention lots of hop ups.

Zoomer has just pointed me in the right direction for even more info which is great! Thanks zoomer
 
#15 ·
I just pulled the rear end apart to see if my trackstar ESC would fit inside the chassis, it seems a little too tall and a little too wide. I might if I had of pulled the 2 rear halfs apart, but I have to head off to work.

I read that the ESC and RX on top of the chassis dosnt really affect the COG, its more too do with the battery if anything. That and shocks.
 
#16 ·
if you're running TC size wheels noway you can get rideheight low enough for good handling,
you want to run mini size wheels & tyres to drop it to about 5mm chassis lowest point above ground

set it right and it will never tractionroll unless you hit a bump; wrench the wheel any way
at WOT and the tail will just follow the nose with a hoppityhop not turn turtle rubber side up.



some ppl run the M or L spacers to give them more room inside the tail, but its just cosmetics

EZRUN 13T on 35A ESC you can afford to amputate the fan, it'll never get hot.
Not sure with the 25A but some guys also run that, can't tell by laptimes.
 
#18 ·
if you're running TC size wheels noway you can get rideheight low enough for good handling,
you want to run mini size wheels & tyres to drop it to about 5mm chassis lowest point above ground

set it right and it will never tractionroll unless you hit a bump; wrench the wheel any way
at WOT and the tail will just follow the nose with a hoppityhop not turn turtle rubber side up.



some ppl run the M or L spacers to give them more room inside the tail, but its just cosmetics

EZRUN 13T on 35A ESC you can afford to amputate the fan, it'll never get hot.
Not sure with the 25A but some guys also run that, can't tell by laptimes.
Good advice again from Zoomer! thanks mate.

I have mini wheels but waiting for the tyres to turn up in the mail!

The TC wheels are seriously no good, I took my mini to the track today for the first time. I couldnt even hit half throttle as when I did the corner would come up so quick and I wouldnt have time to wipe some speed, most corners ending with a tractionroll, was pretty annoying. Hope the tyres turn up tomorrow.

I might take the fan off my ESC and then see if it fits in the a55 of the chassis.

Will prob also get some adjustable shocks.
 
#19 ·
Lupin, care to share some pics and info on your setup! Even though yours is a M05 and mine is a M03, I am sure some things would be similar.

Like what motor and ESC are you using? Tyres etc also

Cheers, oh and body looks cool as
 
#21 ·
Running the 13t hobby wing. As this is what we all run when racing.
Tires vary a bit depending on the day but it's a hard on the front and a soft on the rear.
If you want it to handle then you also need to look at springs as these can make quite s bit of difference.
 
#41 ·
I use the Tamiya TRF shocks on mine.

You either need a softer tire on the rear or add some weight over the rear, that will stop it spinning out so much. Also put a fair bit of weight in the front to help with traction.

How fast can a mini go? well, really fast, this was in melbourne a few years back, migh try and take the slash there sometime.
And the scary thing is Tim's normal race mini is almost as quick as that one.
 
#23 ·
Well last night I found 3 brand new traxxas 7 cell nimh batteries. I cut the end batterY off and resoldered the tap across the end. Taped it all up and it worked! Perfect fit in the mini also!

I'll give them a charge and see if it improves handling, hope those tyres come today!
 
#24 ·
Just took the mini out for a spin with the 3000mah nimh battery in, I also took the sway bars off.

Man......what a difference this both made to handling! I was able to hit full throttle (sure the nimg dosnt have as much juice to gieve the ESC as a lipo) and can now turn pretty hard and sharp with a decent amount of speed! This is still with the TC wheels on.

Aus post says my tyres are on board with driver, so next step Ill have the mini wheels on then see how this handles.
 
#25 ·
Just after my last post the mail man came with some bits. I bought some front universals, to repalce the dog bones in the front which seem to shatter on full lock. On that note I have adjusted the EPA on my tx to 85% as 100% was far too much.

The tyres came also, they are yeah racing tyres, it will be interesting to see how they perform, if they are good Ill buy a whole heap more.

Tire Wheel Automotive tire Light Motor vehicle


Hood Automotive tire Bumper Font Automotive lighting


Tire Wheel Automotive tire Motor vehicle Toy


The mini sits so much lower to the ground now with the extra weight from the nimh and the small mini wheels.

Ill take it for a spin after work. Just letting the glue set on teh tyres.
 
#26 ·
And here are some pics of the Mr bean mini. Mr Bean's mini dosnt have a whihte roof or black side skirts but that was my little touch. I wanted to paint white racing stripes but Mr bean dosnt have them.

Car Vehicle Hood Toy Motor vehicle


Automotive parking light Vehicle Tire Wheel Vehicle registration plate


Car Tire Land vehicle Wheel Vehicle


Automotive parking light Car Wheel Vehicle Tire


This body was the first successful time I used liquid mask. I have only used it once befor but it was a horrible outcome. I blade the liquid mask I used at the time.

This time I used Parma liquid mask and it was great. The mini body is hard to mask up etc as it is so small inside.

I was very happy with the out come. I only used liquid mask on the front grille and the bumpers. The roof and windows I used tape.

The annoying thing about the frewer mini body is it dosnt come with window masks, I just used electrical tape. Worked well
 
#27 ·
Well as soon as I took my work shoes off I was out to test the new mini setup.

What I haev now done is replaced the servo with a spektrum servo, it is much faster than the HPI one I had previously, I have removed the sway bars, fitted the mini wheels with the yeah racing tyres and fully charged the nimih batteries.

On first impression...............WOW! it handles like its on rails now! I can hit full throttle up and down the street and yank the steering and it dosnt flip! Now if I am going too fast and turn too sharp, it will spin 180 or do a little power slide! Its awesome! It handles like it should now. The TC wheels and sway bars will not be going back on!

Now to take it back to the track.

Awesomenuss (if that is such a word!?)

Here are some pics and a quick video is being uploaded to youtube now

Cloud Sky Vehicle registration plate Vehicle Grille


Wheel Tire Sky Car Vehicle


Automotive parking light Wheel Tire Car Vehicle
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top