Granpa, I think the one you posted is one I took pieces from and used in my setup. My mini is pretty closer to what I call perfect. I have taken tq in the last 3 series races if I remember correctly. I know it was 2 for sure, anyhow its really close and for the most part a good all around competitive car as it is. Just need its last little bit lol. On a bonehead note I realised that I have preload clips on the car. So that is something that I will mess with during practice next weekend. Without the current clip in place it sits about 3.5mm I'm the back. But I have others that I can use to find a good spot.

Brian, You did suggest that and was why I posted the question on here to get a general consensus. You my friend were correct. I look forward to having another close one with you next weekend. Its the last race of the series and should be a good one.

Jason

Going off what your friend posted, it sounds as if your car is "tweaked". If a car hops going to the left, it should hop going to the right. The only thing that may be wrong with your car is that.

That your Mini is tweaked, is a safe bet cause they are all tweaked. Checking for tweak on a mini is "old school". You know, lift the car in the middle with something like an X-acto knife and seeing if one wheel lifts before the other. Then adjusting the shock clips or collars on the other end till the wheels come off at the same time. Needless to say, the shocks have to freely extend with no binding. A tweak station or weighing at each tire is more accurate, but the crude lift method works pretty well.

That is one thing I will look into. Hadn't thought to check that this week. But as a side note it will do it both ways. This week it was because both hairpins were left hand turns. 2 races ago it was doing it to the right when both hairpins were to the right. It really only does it on those nasty sharp corners. The droop tips I found back in the thread helped stop or reduce the hopping in broader and 90° corners. Either way I will check tweak though. Thanks for that.

Jason

What do you feel are the necessary upgrades or $$ that needs to be put in to the M05? I've been running a stock M05 (except for CVDs and oil shocks) for a year now. Just wondering what I should add to it.

Thanks,

Oooo...good question. I'm still running my M03 but will be buying an M05 next month.

This question seems to get asked every 5 pages or so. Opinions vary, but I've got my M05 race Mini sitting in front of me and this is what it has. In one of it's last races it finished second with me driving, which is a big handicap. Also it had a box stock Silvercan, TQ'd, fastest lap, and the winner was using a Red Dot motor. In short the car is really fast.

1. Ball Bearings
2. TA03 ball diff
3. R1 Wurks universals
4. TRF shock
5. Option front shock mount
6. Rear roll bar
7. Aluminum front steering uprights
8. Tamiya aluminum steering and motor mount
9. M05 battery holder off set 6mm to the right. M03 holder on the left
10. Adjustable rear camber links
11. #53333 short TC spring set yellow front blue rears
12. Sweep 33 premounts.

This car started out as a regular kit and not as one of the option kits. I don't think I missed anything. For the TCS purists, just substitute a Tamiya part for #2 and 12 and you'll be TCS legal. I routinely run the R1 Wurks universals for all my races and practice except for the TCS events.

For those interested, Speedtech and TQ stock the R1 stuff.

Anyone have any tips on getting more on-power steering on a M03?

nice

you mean #3 and 12

Ok checked the tweak a few minutes ago and all wheels come down at the same time front and back. So to me now seems like I just need to practice like crazy before the race trying different preload clips till I find the sweet spot. Thanks for all the help granpa. You have a few things in your setup I do not and will put in the list. I have most of your list save for the diff (stock on mine), cva's, and sway bars. Mine runs Tamiya tires medium front, soft rears with stock Tamiya inserts all the way around. Oh and my springs are same type as yours except mine are blue front, yellow rear with Losi 40wt oil.

Jason

It's always a tradeoff between steering and out of corner launch. The current hot setup, for WCICS carpet racing at least, is a shimmed diff or a spool, soft springs up front, harder springs and possibly an anti-roll bar at the back.

The suspension setup is to compensate for the pig the car becomes when a spool is installed. Some are recommending the double jointed CVDs, but I don't think they're needed. I've watched guys win without. Spring steel components in the CVDs would likely be a good investment, though, as the stress through the driveline can create early wear on the outdrives.

I can PM you more detailed instructions on shimming a stock gear diff or about brands of spools you can get. Let me know.

jim

Good to know, I believe I am responsible for Granpa "repeating" himself :D about his setup. I put CVA's on the list as the TRF's are cost-prohibitive and its nice to know I can run with the stock diff in place, as the Manta Ray TA-03 diff is getting harder to find, it also saves a bit of money.

I am sussing out the cost of going racing TCS style but it seems this might be the most affordable route. All the others call for more expensive hardware and brushless motors, despite being lower cost racing formulas (VTA for example).

Well for the exception of my tc6.1 worlds car my mini is the highest dollar car. Sad part is the TC only wins by maybe $100 and it was $400 out of the box. So the mini keeping it tcs legal is not cheap but to me is worth it. Plus honestly its less stressful and more fun to drive than the tc. It may have more to do with the drivers and their attitudes about the cars and class in general.

Jason

Jason I'm just the reverse I don't like racing my mini as much as GT TC I mini racing is stressful to race a M06 on slick track is a tough road to hoe! 17.5 is super stressful I haven't found a setup I like for my Xray and making the change to a TC6 is not going to be a walk in the park but it is the journey that is the fun part. The guys that run Gt are touchy at times but that comes from running cars that are so close in speed. The only car that I have seen that seems to have out of spec speed is casey. He hit everything and still was catching me! I thing you put to much pressure on yourself in GT and are not taking advantage of the resources available. You need to get the setup from Rick or Gary or Nick those guy's TC6 really work and they will put you on the right path that is why I bought one no one was running Xray but me so I was on my own. i copied there setup this week I hope to get on the pace.
I had been out of RC for 10 years till last summer except for an oval race every now and then. I can drive ok but my setup skills are 10 years behind!

Brian, You are probably right about the tension. I messed with success last weekend and payed the price in gt. But I think you are too hard on the mini and should give it a chance. You had an awesome weekend last series race. We battled it out to the end which was great. What I was getting at in my last post was we laugh and joke on the driver stand, and put on a fun show for our spectators in mini. Your mini looks to run great just keep at it. Believe it or not you are the one we all are after to beat, lol.

Jason