On my M03 I am currently using an old Futaba S3010 servo (analog) and does fine for bashing, but too slow for any serious driving (0.16/60 6v). For old school fun, I am using a FM PCM radio from 15yrs ago on the car too. :lol:

You will want to get a better servo saver than stock. I use the Tamiya heavy duty servo saver + modified servo horn. You can buy the Tamiya aluminum horn dedicated for the heavy duty saver if you don't feel like modding.

I also used a Kimbrough servo horn with a HiTech servo on the M03 as well. Worked fine, just make sure you get the longer horn unless you want to mod to extend it.

I'm most-likely going to get another Spektrum S6040 and run Kimbrough if I decide to move my R614FS receiver from one of my buggies...but kind of on the fence as the M03 is just too old, too top/front heavy to really consider spending much money/time on it. I rather put the bigger funds toward my V2.

So I've been using the RobinsonRacing 20t on my M05 with fresh gears for a few days. I remember using RR spurs and pinions on my HPI Pro2 long time ago, nice quiet ride.

The 0.6 metric is noisy on the Tamiya's. :weird: Was hoping after break-in it might quiet down. Especially after running my near silent M-Four, my M05 almost sounds like my off-road chassis like my WR02/GF01. :lol: Hahaha.

That said, I think I'm going to try another brand pinion in my M-chassis next and use the RR in my off-road cause they are loud anyways. :D I'm going to put my Tamiya pinion back in there today.

Btw, for anyone that might care, I put a MMR 25mm fan on my M-Four.
I can run 10min no issue now with stock gearing, barely any motor heat fade. :D Ordered a MMR 30mm fan as I want a tad more power for a little more margin but I am happy for now. 4WD M-chassis FTW!!!　　:p

Learned a little about the MF-01X. Monocoque chassis, rear motor(?), shaft drive. Will accomodate the three standard wheelbases, using a central spacer and different length prop shafts. It's being marketed first with the Jimny shell and touring car sized rally block tires, but will accomodate all existing shells.

No ideas on motor or battery, or whether it's for racing or just another goofy chassis. (Like the Wheely tractor things)

I wonder if this was the thing I heard was sitting on a shelf at Tamiya HQ a while back.

Reading the blogs, the MF-01X is a 4WD lightweight and high performing easy going backyard bashing machine... no need to choose any special road surface, all terrain concept.

Battery is centrally positioned, 4 wheel double wishbone suspension.

Probably more like a m-sized rally car than the fun wheelie type trucks. Both types of cars are welcome in my book. :D

For the intended use of your M03, almost any standard size servo will do. The super fast digital servos are overkill. I use them, but not for the speed, but the superior centering. Try to stay with the standard size cause you don't want to do a lot of shimming etc that you'll have to do with the others.

Buying 2 chassis is certainly enough to last most people for years. The trees that the front body mounts come in are the ones that I might stock up on. Those do fail often if you have contact with whatever and so far, I haven't found anything that will work without punching extra holes in your bodies.

SERVO SAVER-----Use the big gas car Kimbrough. I believe it's the #124 or 125 depending on the color. Drill two holes further out or down on the servo arm--there's room--- center it so that the connectors don't rub. If they are touching, your car will not steer right. DO NOT use a Tamiya servo saver. They are pretty awful. the only thing to use them for is as guide to how far apart to drill the holes on your Kimbrough servo saver.

There are a couple of mods you should do as you build. The chassis tends do develop cracks on the bottom, just in front of the motor. There's a lug on each side in the inside of the chassis. Fill in that area between the lug and bottom of the chassis with some silicone. It is where there is a screw to hold the chassis together. It may still develop a small crack, but that area will have a silicone backing. The other main one is on the right chassis half. There is a piece that is screwed to the chassis that secures the right side of the servo. They use a 3x10 self tapping screw which is much too short. This can cause the a fracture there. Try using a 3x16, 18mm machine screw and this will keep that from happening. I usually tap that hole, but you should be able thread it in w/out tapping if you don't force it.

There are a couple of other things like some of the kit couplers are made for flat connectors and were not meant to be used with with balls. You'll be able to tell right away, cause they will bind. You won't need to concern your self too much with this until you start doing some upgrades. Just be careful on the part #s as you assemble and you'll be okay.

That's all I can think of at the moment. Oh, another good idea is to reinforce the front of the body with some window screening and silicone. Run the reinforcement along the front and up over the front wheel wells.

Good Luck, have fun, and welcome to the world of Minis. Hope the above is useful to you. I do those things to all of my personal cars plus a ton of other little mods to increase their durability, adjustability and ease of servicing.

For clarity, the Tamiya Hi-torque servo saver #50473 (white or black) is the one I recommend + aluminum horn or moding it yourself. do not use the standard servo saver.

Kimbrough worked great too from previous good results.

#54120 for the M-chassis aluminum horn for the Tamiya Hi-torque servo saver if you go this route.
But the Kimbrough is a much cheaper route and just as effective so it's up to you. If you have 24 spline servo (Hi-Tec) definitely go with the Kimbrough as Tamiya does not offer 24 spline base.

Here's a quick illustration of what is causing leaks on CVA dampers. They leak from the outer side of the o-ring, not the inner side unless you damaged them by not oiling the rings or the shaft threads during assembly. Some do not leak, but most often than not, they pretty much all start leaking after a while due to binding o-rings.

Root cause: A combination of gap inside the o-ring compartment and o-ring deformation. CVA's damper shafts do not travel very straight due to its cheap design. O-rings are under stress each time the dampers compress/extend due to misalignment causing them to bind to the shaft and loose its shape. Especially the red o-rings are terrible as they are soft and not very slick.

My solution: Illustration on the right. By lightly compressing 50 durometer x-rings during assembly there is no gap/play inside the o-ring compartment, x-rings keep their shape better than the o-rings by design, material allows less friction to the shaft = no distortion to the seal; therefore, no leak.

http://www.rctech.net/forum/members/...-explained.jpg

For Jamesd848 It seems as if sakadachi and I have been going round and round on servo saver thing for the M03 for longer than necessary.

I did some research for you because as a newbie to Minis, you might not know where to look. The aluminum servo horn, #54120, can be found at TQracing. It has the pricing of $17. The tamiya heavy duty or hitorque servo saver is $10 from the same source. Total $27. These units need to be assembled. I've tried this particular combination, and while pretty, had a little more play around center than I liked. I threw them in the trash or I'd send them to you to try.

The Kimbrough 121 and 124 can be found at Stormer Hobbies for $7. I bought Mine at Hobby people, but don't know if they have them in stock. They are approx $20 less than the Tamiya combo that sakadachi is highly recommending and have a more solid center.The other advantage is the units come assembled. The disadvantage is that you do need to drill new mounting holes in the servo saver arm to duplicate the stock steering geometry.

To summarize----one is $20 more costly and is a little "soft around center. The other is $20 less and is more positive around center, but needs you to drill 2 holes in the servo horn.

As always, these are the facts as clearly as I can present them and are for your consideration and analysis. I will not belabor this any further as I have better things to do than discuss this servo saver thing any further. Incidentally, if you are working with a TC, a Tamiya servo saver is perfectly adequate. It's the combo of the #54120 and the HT servo saver that doesn't work. I do have to retract one statement I made. I did not throw it in the trash, I gave it to a fellow racer who wanted to try it and he threw it in the trash.

Isn't that just a shorten TL01?

Granpa - haha! How you owned me ;) with your comment on dampers, wonder why I have 12 or so of these Tamiya Hi-torque servos with no issue (even used on crawlers) yet you had problems on the one you assembled? :lol:

I don't highly recommend either one or the other, just posting my success with both.

Have a great Sunday!

Hummmmmmm! That just could be it. I've seen custom TA02 conversion to M-Chassis so..could be a factory version. :D

Guys, what length sensor wire are using on your M05 and V2? :confused:
I measured about 150mm to 175mm..


I'm looking to try the Sonic 21.5T on my TBLE02S. This is for my V2. :D

Like I said, I will no longer post on this subject. I don't have have great days anymore due to health problems. I am in constant pain so am usually irritable and don't need this kind of irritation. I've had my say and don't need the last word.

Granpa- Hope you feel better. I am sorry if I irritated you, but please do not think I am some dumb newbie at RC. :D
I am just not caught up yet from my 15yrs hiatus..