IntegraCL

iTrader: (52)

I know there are several variables that come into play but, in general, how long should I expect a set of tires to last racing a stock MR03? and for mod, I assume that the tire wear is increased significantly?

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

[QUOTE=IntegraCL;15559986]I know there are several variables that come into play but, in general, how long should I expect a set of tires to last racing a stock MR03? and for mod, I assume that the tire wear is increased significantly?[/QUOTE

Its difficult to put a number on. I pushed a set well over a 1000 laps between race and practice, only when car would not turn, wheel was digging into track. Did I finally change them.

I find the treaded Kyosho tires easier to judge wear. Slicks are difficult to judge. They can look good, but not perform. Just this week I changed tires on the RM Mr03, cut times by over 2 seconds.

LJH

iTrader: (2)

What surface are you running on? That will be the biggest variable. I am currently running on the smooth side of RCP and I just started running a Box Stock car in the Mini96 World Challenge. I am running PN KS Softs in the rear and PN KS Mediums in the front. An educated guess is that the fronts have 3ish hours of run time and have a diameter of 23.6mm and a new tire is right around 24.1mm. I am going to guess the rears have double the the amount of time on them and the tread is just barely visible. If you are running on the rough side the I bet the wear will be almost twice as fast and obviously faster cars will wear tires faster, both my Pro-Stock car and GLR will wear the tread off the rears in a day if I am running a lot but that does not necessarily mean the tire is done.

Cheers,
Jim

EMU

iTrader: (3)

This can be a touchy subject for some...

in general, in competitive racing almost all are running 98, with the next most 102 (at least at the tracks that I visit). Occasionally there is a 94 car on track. The 90s are almost never on track unless the is a special class for them.

When I am planning to travel to competition races, for the most part I look to the modified classes, or superstock classes first, which would permit lipo use. My day of hanging up AAA cells is on the horizon... this doesn't mean that I won't race mini-z, but that im looking to not use the nimh tech in the next couple of years. The consistency in the AAA just isn't where lipo is. For me it's not the power of lipo fgay I am after, but the convenience of not needing to back-time my charge to my races to have the speed that is needed.

generally, I only use AAA for stock racing these days. And if I am running stock, I need to bring an extra radio, cars, parts, and cells... which is basically doubling my load. It is also easier and faster for me to dial in the setup on the GLR than the mini-z, but that is a slightly different discussion.

What I really do like about mini-z, is the versatility. But, in competition, that versatility really isn't needed since the envelope of performance has narrowed considerably to only a handful of bodies at 98mm. When you go to a big race, and look at the top 2 mains, you will typically see only 4 bodies in them. Mclaren 12C, Audi R8, Jomurema JGT1, and Sauber or Mazda at 102mm. The new vette has crept its way in the a bit, but I don't feel that it's an S tier body as these others are. I think it's an A tier. It can come close in speed, but is not forgiving enough to really be in the top tier. The S tier bodies all have the pace, and are forgiving in contact, which is why they are the most used bodies.

Cars like the GLR or other pan style one off designs can all use these bodies... and with the majority of the modified classes using lexan bodies, these hard bodies are relegated to superstock or stock classes.

I have been using lexan bodies with my GLRs, but plan to work a setup with at least one GLR with a hard body for a superstock car. I also intend to continue development with my mr03 based lipo chassis as well, using EVO electronics. But, this would be relegated to similar grouping as mini-z, since it requires my mini-z radio and parts. If I am going to a club race where I want to travel light, and run stock/ modified, I might opt to bring this over my GLR.

My biggest issue with the EVO right now is that it has no Sanwa support, but that's a slightly different discussion. If it did, my tone might be somewhat different. With Sanwa support, my load could be a lot lighter, and all I would really need would be a few packs of cells and a charger for a light trip to a somewhat nearby track. As someone who travels by public transport to almost all races, every item brought adds up... my load changes for every race that I attend depending on the classes and what I intend to race.

so, if I need to choose one car to bring to a race, and have the most ease of preparation and racing, right now that is the GLR. I have become much more comfortable tuning and wheeling it than a mini-z.

when I went to Detroit for their midwest champs, I didn't bring a mini-z, and depending on classes for the PNNAC in April, I do not intend to bring one either. I am not planning on dropping the mini-z, in fact I just purchased another mr03 evo and ma030 evo... I am a tinkerer and development driver, so that really is what I enjoy about mini-z. But, as a competition driver, I find more consistency with lipo, and the ease of operation with the GLR and GLA once the base setup is dialed in.

LJH

iTrader: (2)

I think this just goes to show how varied interests can be within the same platform which is pretty darn cool. For some it is all about the fastest lap and form truly follows function, for others it is all about perfecting a Swedish flick and drifting, then there are others who love collecting bodies, and some who like the detail offered in the bodies and like to see some of these iconic offerings making hot laps.

I think it is pretty well known that I fall into the last group. I know that having a race prepared body in 98/102mm is going to be way faster then one of my fully detailed bodies in 86 or 90mm but I personally love seeing an iconic car turning hot laps as well as spending the time tuning this slower configuration to go faster even though it will never be as fast as other configurations. This may change to a certain extent when I finally get to run on a bigger track against other cars as I have always been competitive in everything I have done from racing sailboats, Cars, skiing, to maxing out a flight in competitive RC Soaring, and turning a fast laps with a 120mph pylon plane but I will still love running my detailed cars at home where I don't live or die for every tenth of a second......Alright, there are times running the M96WC that I get seriously frustrated after missing a fast stint by a few tenths ;-).

All in all there are no rights or wrongs.....Some of us may look at a Lexan TC body on a GLR and think "OMG...that thing is hidious", or look at a drift car with absurd amounts of camber and think "That is the stupidest fad in all of the automotive kingdom, or see a fully detailed SWB body on a MR03 and say "That thing is a pig". At the end of the day we all enjoy the hobby but from different vantage points.

Cheers,
Jim

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

Some of us just like driving.



Fused app video with the brushed RM snd MM. both are now running 7T pinion. The 7T also did quite down the MM a bit. Less the 4 second seperate them on a 40 lap run


https://m.facebook.com/groups/401521...rc=email_notif

EMU

iTrader: (3)

you pretty much nailed it.

traditionally, I have always enjoyed running the niche bodies and setups with mini-z. Often ridiculed to a certain extent by the top drivers for going against the grain. I would be competitive, but not in the top of the field when doing so. In a sense I still did this at my last race in Maryland by running the 90mm AWD.

I would often run narrow 90mm cars in the stock class, because where I worked club race, the only class where we used 70t motors was a narrow class, and I loved my f355 body. I could come within a tenth of the fastest cars on track at large events, but the forgiveness wasn't there when dealing with larger more stable bodies. Through the tight sections, I could more easily straight line the sector, but would struggle on high speed corner entry.

I would purposely avoid the common race bodies, just to be different and look for possible advantages in some of the lesser used bodies. I feel that if you really like the appearance of the body you are using, it's worth a couple tenths in itself. But, when the level of competition is very steep, it is better to fall back on a comfortable body that you know how to tune and eek out every bit of performance from.

I have used just about every mini-z body outside of a few of the latest ones, and that f458 that has eluded me (since I'm not willing to pay the big bucks for one now). I might just need to pull one of the ones I like the style and appearance of more than just choosing it for how it runs for the next race.

superfly05

I sort of came into Mini Z in a roundabout way. A friend and I were really into semi-vintage HO slot cars, late 60s Aurora Model Motoring, and 70s AFX. While we had some of the G Plus formula cars that were ridiculously fast, we gravitated to the old 60s cars that weren't as fast and would fall off the track much more easily. Generally speaking, slot cars are two people / two lanes, and the thing that ends up being the most important is pairs of cars that are evenly matched. Around 2003 (I think), HO scale r/c cars came out, Bit Char G, Microsizers, Zip Zaps. It was like slot cars without the track. Awesome. Toe dipped in r/c world. Zip Zaps led to X-mods, X-mods led to Mini Z. The one factor that has carried over with all of them is striving for evenly matched cars.

I enjoy the club racing, with qualifying, mains, lap counter / clock, etc, but the time when I have the biggest grin is the rare moments when I have 2-3 lap stretches of door-to-door action with an evenly matched car. Our club runs fairly limited classes, the idea being to not make it cost-prohibitive to participate by needing to own 4-5 cars. Still, I enjoy just about every configuration, both for the bodies that can be used, and just the challenge of driving a challenging car. It's fun to run a 98mm +3/+3 and know you will never tip over or slide and can focus on other things, but it's also fun to run a 90mm RM and know you could roll the car in every single corner if you're not careful, and you actually have to slow down for turns.

I just did an inventory, and I had 12 cars in my kit.
4x 90mm; a brushed 911 GT3 narrow RM (Sport), a brushed 911 GT1 MM (MR02 dasMikro ASF board), a brushless 911 GT1 MM (VE), and a brushed F40 RM (MR02 ASF)
2x 94mm; a brushed Ferrari 575 (ASF MR03), brushed Ferrari F430 (MR02 dasMikro ASF board)
3x 98mm; a brushless Mosler (PN chassis, dasMikro VE Pro board clone), a brushed Audi R8 (PN Chassis, ASF MR03 board), a brushless Ferrari 458 (EVO)
3x 102mm; a brushed 962 LH (ASF MR03), a brushless 962 KH (VE Pro GP limited chassis), a brushless C9 (VE Pro GP limited chassis).

3 of the 90mm, both of the 94mm, and 2 of the 98mm are HFAY spec. The 911 GT3 is the most challenging to drive, with a narrow offset and stock motor, and the C9 is the most beastly, with a 7500kv motor. I enjoy driving all of them. It's fun, too, to use cars as handicapping. When turning practice laps with less skilled drivers, put them in a easy 98 or 102mm, and try to keep up in a slower, narrower car.

mugler

iTrader: (3)

Not having a GLR and looking outside in and comparing it to my PN chassis car the main turn-off for me is how much longer it would take to change camber and toe settings compared to an AA arm which is a snap to get done on. In the rear end same thing, takes 5 seconds to refresh or apply different viscosity of silicone oil to DDS disc(s) vs having to dismantle the two GLR side shocks, clean them out and apply the messy greases. if like the GLF the GLR’s toe bar cups pop out when you turn to adjust then in my mind thats makes messing with the front end a stressful task on a busy race day . Without exception i mess with camber, toe and rear damper grease at every new track or trying different brand of front tires or when temps are too different from the usual running days.

Having said all of that GLR’s pivot suspension transfers most of the handling tasks from front of the car to its rear end which compared to a t-plate design is always going to be better all day long under all conditions IMO. (having driven both t-late and link F1 cars with rubber tires on carpet). The equalizer with PN/MR chassis is the AA arm w/zero camber gain and what not. Also a new significant improvement in the works (pic released on FB by PN driver) having to do with sending a lot of the weight to bottom of the chassis which theoretically should be a marked improvement. For me if KO steps out of mini-z board manufacturing good chance i will not continue with MR/PN chassis at that point so hoping the new PN design still accommodates Ko boards . I know of PN drivers having phenomenal success with modular electronics on their PN2.5W's but after trying it out myself I simply didnt dig it for several reasons which is a different discussion.

When it comes to fun classes which there could be so many but like 90mm / 94 mm or body or theme specific races those will need to be on the supply side from race organizers. bigger non-PN events with pre-announced classes will be a good place to kick start these trends. PN series focus by choice has always been about fastest of the fast possible. if a 10th scale analogy was to be drawn PN races would be the On Road Reedy Race of Champs only for TC’s and barrier breaking speeds from year t year …for Mini-Z “other” classes organizers have to shift their thinking to model after TCS where the character of the class not ultimate speed is the focus.

Scionara05

iTrader: (2)

Well I got the glr all built and ran and I will say that 3500kv on lipo is equivalent to a 5250kv on lipo in an awd car. I was not ready for it. Threw a sanwa reciver into both gl cars and it felt like I was home feeling more connected to the car omg how I missed that feeling. The kt432 is good but when u go from using that radio fo 2 months straight and nothing else and then switch back u can see where it lacks if connected feel of the radio. Base setup with some neg expo on the throttle and I was able to turn laps without sacrificing power in the esc

Scionara05

iTrader: (2)

I would like to see trailer racing. Now that looks like a butt load of fun and laughs

zxcvb1t

I think the current US format is better than what we have in China. Since mini z is not very popular here, we follow offical kyosho rules. only kyosho hours and electronics.

The motor rules of the class is also confusing. For the sports car class (94mm narrow, prodiction car only), the class allows 4100kv, 5600kv, stock mibachi and x speed to compete at the same time, with gearing to equalize them. Maybe it's just me but how can a mibachi compete against 5600kv motor, with only kyosho's gearing to choose from.

The organizer also does a poor job in informing racers. At first , the allow the 5600 and 4100 to compete at the same time. But suddenly, they banned 5600 motor. It was due to racers' protest that they pushed motor rules to next year. The open class also have similiar issue (free motor and chassis). A lot of people purchased pn2.5 as their base chassis with their choices of electronics, then out of the blue rules changed to allow only kyosho PCB..... This is not fun if someone already spent time and money to prepare the race...

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

probably fun once. Then would be just silly

Scionara05

iTrader: (2)

I could see this for club races or maybe at a trophy race as a funster class like what euro truck or fwd is supposed to be before they got competitive

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

FWD never caught on in my area. One runs the Tamiya class when they get enuff people.

I can’t get anyone interested in FWD MiniZ