Just got my bubble burst by a friend that runs mini coop's. I recently aquired a M03 mini on Ebay for cheap and was planning on running it for the first time at a local club's events. The car runs as of now but I was told that the stock ESC the TEU-101BK should be taken out because I wont be competitive with it. What would be a great inexpensive alternative for stock motor racing. Was thinking of yanking my Traxxas Slash ESC, but dont wanna keep doin the swap thing. Would like to spend no more than $50 bucks.

Your thoughts?

Your friend is mistaken - there is absoultely no reason to replace the stock Tamiya speedo for stock (silver or black can) racing. Some of the top drivers at our club use the 101BK with no issues, and we even mandate it for our spec TT-01 class with black cans (we have never had one fail).

Follow some of the basic setup advice earlier in this thread (ride height, tires, springs, etc) to give you some help getting the car to drive the way you want it to, without traction rolls.

Totally agree, nothing at all wrong with the TEU-101BK, it's a good little speedo. I run mine with an HPI Saturn 20 turn (bearing in mind the speedo is only rated down to 23 turn!) and it's been fine all season. I change it back to a black can for stock class and it's plenty competitve, hell I even run friction dampers. Mini's are all about getting the balance right mainly through using varying tyres, and refining your driving style. Oh yeah, and having a laugh too. It wouldn't be any fun if Mini's suddenly went as serious as Touring Cars.

the only reason to change out the speedo is if you wanna run Lipo - I don't believe that version has a lipo cut-off built in, but with silver can motors I seriously doubt you'll hit the 'danger' zone on a lipo

run it and see how it works you can always look in the for sale section and find someone selling off old brushed speedos fairly cheap

you planning on running at the 'Slowbirds'??

k_bojar,

For the Tamiya plastic steering I used 0.3mm of shims on one side and 0.2mm shims on the other side. This was for the bearings. I test fitted and ensured that the steering did not bind.

The amount of shims required will be dependant on the amount of play on your car. I also shimmed the top camber links between the chassis and the link and the c hub and link. again only sadded one shim to each side, by memory it was 0.2mm.

The shim set I used for the steering was either the Tamiya 5mm or 6mm set. I know that I have posted what I used previously somewhere in this thread or in the aussie mini thread.

I have since changed my steering rack on both my MO5's to the Tamiya alloy steering rack, which I like and use the outer hole on the steering pivot block as it makes the steering slower to react.

Regards,

Calvin.

thanks Calvin - I remember reading it before, but i went back fairly far yesterday, but didn't see it...So i figured it wouldn't hurt asking again

I was more concerned with WHICH shim kit it was - either the 5mm or 6mm kit - I have the 3mm set, but obiviously that won't fit the steering rack..

does the Tamiya hop-up steering set help with all the slop?

k_bojar,

The complete Tamiya alloy steering rack takes out all of the slop. The only part I did not purchase was the steering rod. The steering kit consists of three hop up parts. I know they are expensive, however they are up to the usual Tamiya quality parts. All of the parts are include in the kits. The only advice I would give is to use loctite on the screws so that your steering odes not vibrate loose. The 3Racing steering rack is also very good and cheap. When assembling add loctite to the screws.

I know that the people with this fitted to their MO5's are very happy with them. I have seen some of the plastic steering racks bend and cause steering issues.

Later,

Calvin.

cool - yeah, I know the parts are expensive but almost always worth it

what's the 3rd part? I know 54192 and 54191 - didn't know about a 3rd part, is that 54193?

Correctomundo there, the 101BK predates LiPo-tech so there is no cutoff in it.

If you wanted a cutoff you would need the TEU-104BK which is now being phased in with the M05 kits (Abarth Assetto Corse). Its available online for less than $50. We in the UK run the LRP QC3 speedo as it's lipo ready and good value for money (we pay just under £50).

You can always add a cutoff module, I think Novak and a number of other companies make them. Or just stop running a lipo once the performance drops off.

To be honest I have a 4000mah lipo pack and 4 5 minute runs on a stock Sport Tuned motor have never taken more than 1500mah out of the pack so I doubt you'd run one flat anyway.

For those who may be interested, we still have a few Red Dot silver can motors available from the production run that will ship next week.

These are killer Mini motors.

We can also provide Canada TCS legal motors that fall within their 1.3 amp @ 2 volt limit.

This will be the last production run until at least late February.

Interested parties should send me an e-mail at [email protected]

Oh yes, gets rid of it more or less entirely. Makes the steering very un-Tamiya really, almost like a proper TC. As Calvin says the parts are expensive but the quality is first rate and well worth the investment. After driving a friends M05 with the rack I have decided to have another go at one just to see if I can make it work (after I sold my first '05 last year) as his was superb. So that gives me a stock M03, and M03R, a Xevo and what amounts to an M05R (with all the bling) to choose from. Cost me loads but hell, I don't drink, smoke, gamble or chase women so what else is there to spend it on

Anyone??

Mike, my M05 rides at about 6mm and the steering links are nearly perfectly horizontal and don't touch anywhere even when wheels turn. I use the Tamiya aluminium steering however which I think is needlessly complicated but does take away most of the slop.

Yes, 54193 is the pair of posts that clamp the steering rack arms to the chassis and replace the flexible kit plastic pieces. To be honest I'm not 100% convinced they are strictly necessary but what the heck, they look nice and are actually the cheapest part out of the 3 steering upgrades. The adjustable turnbuckle between the servo and rack arm is also cheap and looks really "bling" to set the car off. It is probably one of the longest turnbuckles ever in the history of RC.

cool...after i posted my message, i went back and looked at the descriptions on each part

I found a nice deal on ebay for the 3 parts, so I ordered them today should have got the big turnbuckle, but forgot oh well