More than happy to be corrected, I'm certainly not an expert on full-size stuff. My assumption was based on British Touring Car stuff from a while back where most of the FWD cars seemed to be running locked diffs.

The reason I remember it is because we were playing with Tamiya FF02 FWD's at the time (that shows how long ago it was) and it prompted me to experiment with diff locking way way back then!

I have a suspicion that the reason the 'turning issue' doesn't arise so much with M03's is that the tyres slip half the time anyway therefore providing the necessary 'give' that the locked diff doesn't provide on its own.
That said..I don't run a locked diff anyway. It aint legal, so I don't do it.

Tony,

Thanks a lot mate and I do hope that there would come a day where I can drive my Mini in the land down under.....
BTW are u guys anywhere near Melbourne?

BTW for you M03 ers out there hers something for you to enjoy..as I have enjoyed it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFRsmens3jc


WOOF WOOF

rgds

Near Melbourne?

We're IN Melbourne!

There is a group of us in Bendigo (Central VIC) too.....racing this sunday

Are you finally starting to catch on?

No worries Tony. I am a psychotic car nut, which is why I know this stuff. lol. I think you may be on to something as to why it may not affect M03s. It could also have something to do with the light weight of the vehicle. I think it would be fun to test it and find out why. Anyway, a couple of years ago I was monkeying with my TC3's diff setup and I noticed that when I tightened down the front diff as much as possible, the thing had horrible turn-in characteristics. I realized that setting up your diff is as much art as it is science. You need to work to find that happy medium....

On another note, does anyone know when the VW Bug version of the M04L is going to be released here in the US? I really want to get my hands on one of those. Tower Hobbies has it down as late June, but I wanted to know if anyone had a more concrete date. Thanks.

odd. my LHS (tammies hobbies) has had it for the last two weeks or so..

I understood it had been on general release for about 3-4 weeks now. Certainly all of the Jap and HK shops have had it that long...

Hey Tony Gray, This is a little off the subject but the the BTCC racers used to use viscous diffs in the FF racers. This is a liquid filled diff that worked a alot like a torque converter in an automatic transmission, the more torque put on the diff the tighter it got, it was a exotic & expensive set-up and helped end the series the way we knew it and give us what we have now WTCC(I think this the new name), boring, under powered stock type racer with off the shelf limited slip diffs among other things.

So..we need one of them in an M03 then...right?

Or maybe something like the new magnetic dampers use with infinite adjustability via electronics?

Naaah... I think I like M03's the way they are..

I really would like a better diff though!

It's been on "coming" status for awhile now..

http://www.3racing.com.hk/x_products...20Tamiya%20M03

"Product Descriptions:
This Ball Differential Shaft can adjust the gear ratio depending on your own favor. You can just adjust the elasticity at the centre of the wheel.On the other hand, you can even tune the quick tune so as to adjust the clearance."

I'm kind of with Tony on this one...the last thing the Mini needs is more complication. If people want wonder diffs, multi-adjustable shocks, etc they already exist. In Touring Cars--go knock yourself out. As for me, I've had a HOOT playing with my cars that have the standard friction shocks, etc.

My LHS has had at least one in stock for a couple weeks now.

Exactly....keep Minis SIMPLE! (like me...)