Tamiya mini cooper
Tech Elite
[QUOTE=sakadachi;13939626]Hey there Granpa Honestly I don't hit much of anything while driving my cars. I sometimes scuff the body to the wall of my basement track or small cone, but the walls are all padded with thick cardboard and only minor damage to the body, no damage to the chassis at all.
I do brake often since the track is so small, that might be causing the wear...
The ball diff is set pretty loosely on my V2, and I run bevel diffs in my M05. I can't use stiff ball diff setting in my track as the turns are very tight, and traction is mediocre.
Hard braking has the same effect as "smacking" stuff cause you've got the gears under load, then suddenly changing the load. Sounds like you're a much better Wheeler than I am. I hit stuff. If it's stationary, I'll drive over it, thru it, and right into it. If it's moving, I'll take it out. But, my gear sets hardly ever wear out. I'll run the gears dry so crap doesn't stuck in the gears cause I've put lube on them, and I charge the corners and roll thru the first part so don't hit stuff under power.
If you haven't been running a worn pinion, it's the idler or the middle gear that usually goes. If it's the short gear that meshes with the motor pinion, the two main causes are a worn pinion, usually a stock Tamiya pinion, and someone not using the pinion setting tool. You'd be surprised at how many people who don't know what that is, It's the cup that has the slot cut in the side. To be honest, I didn't know when I first started till my Mentor showed me. Come to think of it, he showed me a lot and made my Mini journey much shorter and pleasant. Dennis is gone now, but I often find myself doing things that I learned from him when I'm working on my own racers. A lot of the stuff I post comes from much wiser and experienced Mini racers than I.
No need to be confused cause you probably nailed the cause for your gear problems. Sorry that I didn't think of it. It's probably cause I never brake except to avoid an accident. The set ups on my Minis have really strong front ends so brakes are not a useful driving tool. Trick is keeping the ass under the car when you're turning in that strongly.
I do brake often since the track is so small, that might be causing the wear...
The ball diff is set pretty loosely on my V2, and I run bevel diffs in my M05. I can't use stiff ball diff setting in my track as the turns are very tight, and traction is mediocre.
Hard braking has the same effect as "smacking" stuff cause you've got the gears under load, then suddenly changing the load. Sounds like you're a much better Wheeler than I am. I hit stuff. If it's stationary, I'll drive over it, thru it, and right into it. If it's moving, I'll take it out. But, my gear sets hardly ever wear out. I'll run the gears dry so crap doesn't stuck in the gears cause I've put lube on them, and I charge the corners and roll thru the first part so don't hit stuff under power.
If you haven't been running a worn pinion, it's the idler or the middle gear that usually goes. If it's the short gear that meshes with the motor pinion, the two main causes are a worn pinion, usually a stock Tamiya pinion, and someone not using the pinion setting tool. You'd be surprised at how many people who don't know what that is, It's the cup that has the slot cut in the side. To be honest, I didn't know when I first started till my Mentor showed me. Come to think of it, he showed me a lot and made my Mini journey much shorter and pleasant. Dennis is gone now, but I often find myself doing things that I learned from him when I'm working on my own racers. A lot of the stuff I post comes from much wiser and experienced Mini racers than I.
No need to be confused cause you probably nailed the cause for your gear problems. Sorry that I didn't think of it. It's probably cause I never brake except to avoid an accident. The set ups on my Minis have really strong front ends so brakes are not a useful driving tool. Trick is keeping the ass under the car when you're turning in that strongly.
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...except the V.II has the pinion set at a different depth and doesn't use the cup for setting it. Took me six months to figure that out. Duh! You can do what I did and shave down a setting tool to the correct depth. Makes attaching the pinion fast and easy.
Hard braking has the same effect as "smacking" stuff cause you've got the gears under load, then suddenly changing the load. Sounds like you're a much better Wheeler than I am. I hit stuff. If it's stationary, I'll drive over it, thru it, and right into it. If it's moving, I'll take it out. But, my gear sets hardly ever wear out. I'll run the gears dry so crap doesn't stuck in the gears cause I've put lube on them, and I charge the corners and roll thru the first part so don't hit stuff under power.
If you haven't been running a worn pinion, it's the idler or the middle gear that usually goes. If it's the short gear that meshes with the motor pinion, the two main causes are a worn pinion, usually a stock Tamiya pinion, and someone not using the pinion setting tool. You'd be surprised at how many people who don't know what that is, It's the cup that has the slot cut in the side. To be honest, I didn't know when I first started till my Mentor showed me. Come to think of it, he showed me a lot and made my Mini journey much shorter and pleasant. Dennis is gone now, but I often find myself doing things that I learned from him when I'm working on my own racers. A lot of the stuff I post comes from much wiser and experienced Mini racers than I.
No need to be confused cause you probably nailed the cause for your gear problems. Sorry that I didn't think of it. It's probably cause I never brake except to avoid an accident. The set ups on my Minis have really strong front ends so brakes are not a useful driving tool. Trick is keeping the ass under the car when you're turning in that strongly.
If you haven't been running a worn pinion, it's the idler or the middle gear that usually goes. If it's the short gear that meshes with the motor pinion, the two main causes are a worn pinion, usually a stock Tamiya pinion, and someone not using the pinion setting tool. You'd be surprised at how many people who don't know what that is, It's the cup that has the slot cut in the side. To be honest, I didn't know when I first started till my Mentor showed me. Come to think of it, he showed me a lot and made my Mini journey much shorter and pleasant. Dennis is gone now, but I often find myself doing things that I learned from him when I'm working on my own racers. A lot of the stuff I post comes from much wiser and experienced Mini racers than I.
No need to be confused cause you probably nailed the cause for your gear problems. Sorry that I didn't think of it. It's probably cause I never brake except to avoid an accident. The set ups on my Minis have really strong front ends so brakes are not a useful driving tool. Trick is keeping the ass under the car when you're turning in that strongly.
I have 7 new gear sets #50794 in my parts bin so it should last me a while. I think it is my braking that's doing it. It's really no big deal replacing the gears. I got use to it now that I took apart the V2 and M05 several times.
Okay, my stabilizer set for my M05 arrived today so I will install that tomorrow. I also got my R614FF-E for my M-Four as well. I should be getting the chassis and the batteries tomorrow along with the S6070 maybe Saturday. I'm not sure exactly yet how I'm going to mount the battery, so I bought fiber reinforced packing tape and heavy duty velcro as well.
The width of the teeth on pinions can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, so rather than take the measurement that Tamiya give in the manual, measure the exact distance when building the car. With my setup my pinion is 16.75mm from the front face of the motor plate.
I was just pointing out the inconsistencies..
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How do you tell? Hard to see through solid plastic.
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Maybe he has xray eyes?
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...could assemble the motor and spur to the motor plate, without the car being closed up, I suppose. X-ray vision is cooler though.
For me, the wear on the spur was what told me I had to place the pinion like 0.5mm farther from the motor.
Sometimes I do wish I had x-ray eyes... would make diagnosis and repairs go so much faster!
Sometimes I do wish I had x-ray eyes... would make diagnosis and repairs go so much faster!
Tech Elite
Well, that's good to know. If I ever get a v2, 16.5 mm from the motor is where the pinion is placed. Been away too long. As soon as the shop is reorganized------the wife took it over during my illness and her junk is piled all over my bench---I'll have to get a v2 and see what all the fuss is about.
It's funny tho, at the Tamiya USA track, the M03 is still faster. The v2s that are o pace are in the hands of some highly skilled wheelmen.
It's funny tho, at the Tamiya USA track, the M03 is still faster. The v2s that are o pace are in the hands of some highly skilled wheelmen.
Well, that's good to know. If I ever get a v2, 16.5 mm from the motor is where the pinion is placed. Been away too long. As soon as the shop is reorganized------the wife took it over during my illness and her junk is piled all over my bench---I'll have to get a v2 and see what all the fuss is about.
It's funny tho, at the Tamiya USA track, the M03 is still faster. The v2s that are o pace are in the hands of some highly skilled wheelmen.
It's funny tho, at the Tamiya USA track, the M03 is still faster. The v2s that are o pace are in the hands of some highly skilled wheelmen.
Now waiting patiently (?) for my M-four to arrive today...
M-Four just arrived. I will seal the edges along the carbon fiber later today and let dry overnight.
Also received a few more electronics. I was surprised by how small 1/16th batteries are.
Also received a few more electronics. I was surprised by how small 1/16th batteries are.
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Good gawd, I'm bored. Race season is over, I'm waiting on parts, me and my smarter half have a cold. BORED!
Anyway, since my car is apart anyway, though I'd address the question of gear mesh. The answer: Meh, there's room to fudge built in. Setting the pinion to the recommended depth for the V1 and V2 gives roughly the same mesh. The pinion (this one's a Kawada) is narrower than the spur, so it's got room for error.
Interesting thing to note is how, in both cases, the skinny end of the pinion is very close to the motor plate, but never actually touches. The fat end does have some very minor contact with the inside of the chassis.
Anyway, here are V1 and V2 motor plates with pinions set to recommended depth. I'm throwing the V1 plate in there to see if it addresses the warm motor/gear noise thing I was talking about.
Anyway, since my car is apart anyway, though I'd address the question of gear mesh. The answer: Meh, there's room to fudge built in. Setting the pinion to the recommended depth for the V1 and V2 gives roughly the same mesh. The pinion (this one's a Kawada) is narrower than the spur, so it's got room for error.
Interesting thing to note is how, in both cases, the skinny end of the pinion is very close to the motor plate, but never actually touches. The fat end does have some very minor contact with the inside of the chassis.
Anyway, here are V1 and V2 motor plates with pinions set to recommended depth. I'm throwing the V1 plate in there to see if it addresses the warm motor/gear noise thing I was talking about.
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Melbourne, Australia. Home of rc-mini.net
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Updates Jim? I personally haven't touched/driven a Mini since Oct 2013....and I think this is about the first time I've been on rctech since as well!
moneyracing- Is that black stuff grease?