Difuser - Can you share some info on getting that 540 up to speed. At last years TCS I over water dipped my handout 540, The RPM's went way up but on the track the car was slow slow slow. Anyhow, if you can PM me any info I sure would appreciate it

I had both mo3 and m04 and guess what I still have.?An m03. I just like the mini tires and fwd. Having the m04 is like having a wannabe touring car. Defeats the purpose of what the class calls mini. I expect mini tires/rims and fwd in a MINI class. So, there was more m03 at the Aliso V. track / Was it m03 or m03l ? I like the way the m03 handles. It's a fun class. It will be more fun if we only allow fwd not mix the m03 and m04. In our local track it didnt matter last sat race. An m03 won over an m04,ta04 and ff01[they were all placed together]. Tight race and pole spot was swapped positions all 5 minutes. You can see the ta04 and m04l was better in the straights but the m03 ate them in the corners.Always the most exciting race of the day if done right.

sipaboy - the regular M03.
I agree the M03 and just the mini class in general is the most fun

HPI x patterns work very well in our area. Aside fromt he hpi x pattern, is there any tiire that worked great out there[aside from tamiya type a]. Inserts you guys use? I ended up buying most of the remaining hpi hard and soft molded foam insetrts in one of our LHS. Not sure which to use.

I don't know if you can get them anymore but I used to have some Ride mini tires that worked awesome!!

i think they are still making them, rainbow ten is selling them, perhaps i will buy some.
which compound do you recommend?
4423444200027,RIDE,900YEN,TMS54-S M CHASSIS NARROW TIRE S,
4423444200030,RIDE,1000YEN,TMS54-V M CHASSIS NARROW TIRE V,
4423444200031,RIDE,950YEN,TMS54-G M CHASSIS NARROW TIRE G,
don't know what those S/V/G letters mean...

I think the SVG are the temp ratings, I don't recall which ones I had.

thanks minicooper

I have another problem, my front tires are wearing out faster on the outer edge, I'm not sure if its happening from the accerman effect (on a tight right turn the right tire tends to touch the road with the outer edge from the huge caster caster, and viceversa for the left wheel)
or if its happening because the suspension is too soft and the car is rolling excesively leaving only the outside edge of the tire gripping the road.
I constantly switch the tires around and even reverse them on the rims to get even wear.

I'd suspect your Ride Height is Too High - what is it?

I ahve a pair of M03s sitting at somewhere between 3mm & 5mm
(the dogbones sit flat level to the gound) and the tyre wears
perfectly. Yes the front ones do wear out first but there's no
difference between L/R.

you're right, I have it too high, the shocks are too long! the only way to lower it would be to put o-rings in the shocks under the piston, is that ok?

The o-rings would work. you could also thread your shocks down, provided they aren't already.

Does any one know where to get the tuned speed gears for
M-03L besides Integy. They never have them in stock. Thanks....

Stock (friction) shocks can be lowered by adding a stack of 3mm washers inside. They are also a bit too long to allow full compression of the suspension... so you might want to do your own investigations as to how to increase suspension travel.

If you've added oil shocks... yes, the standard "Mini CVA" or any of the alloy equivalents is same length as the friction originals. I use the "Super Mini CVAs" which are shorter-bodied, to allow full suspension travel. Yes, insert spacers, washers or o-rings inside the shock to reduce rideheight.

btw, there is zilch handling difference between a mini with friction shocks and one with oilers. They still just drive the same!

With rideheight at 5mm and allowing full suspension travel, your tyres run flat & you will banish all chance of traction-rolling even with grippy HPI Mini X-Patts.

how would one thread the shocks? you mean with a tap and die set? what part would I thread?

Thanks! I'm using the stock friction shocks. I thought these cars where non adjustable, I was wrong. WOW! the handling is so much sharper! Almost like the 1/12 scale pancars. I also put in some stiffer springs. This little Mini is the most fun rc car I've ever driven!