Mini Mayhem - Some Basic Rules - TECHNICAL

Ok guys, apart from the normal courtesy that mini drivers offer each other around the track we will at some point need to even things out, and make sure the playing field remains level.

Ultimately, the idea of mini racing is to attract more people, and make it more fun. Unfortunately, this means that even though most of us know the advantages of upgrading motors, gearboxes, batteries and shocks, we dont want to frighten away the new guys, and the people that dont want to, or dont have the means to spend money on what can very easily become, a very expensive hobby!

So I am going to make some suggestions, and hopefully all involved can reach a middle ground.

Motor - Stock Silver Can
ESC - Any (for now)
Pinion - 20T, 18T or 16T (as per chassis allowance)
Battery - Any type up to 7.4V
Wheels - Any designed for Mini's (NO TOURING CAR WHEELS)
Tyres - Any Rubber (NO FOAMS)
Suspension - Any commercially available
Differential - A diff action must be evident (No locked diffs)
Chassis - As per kit (No cutting, drilling, removing of material)
Overall Weight - Min 1350g - Max 1550g

Of course this is a starting point, we can also graduate up to Brushless Motors if you want, but we will either create a class for them OR insist on the use of a 16T pinion in the same class.

Please feel free to make comments or suggestions, but I would like the main objective to make this as CHEAP and as accesible as possible to EVERYONE.
If there are enough takers, we can create a mod class or an 'anything goes' class.

Stay well

Seems all very reasonable to me.
I think with these sensible rules it should keep everyone with very similar performance but still allows people to hot-up their machines if they feel the need. Fiddling with bits is all part of the hobby so we should not restrict too much. I'm sure we could still spend a reasonable amount in tricking up a machine, but in the end it still comes down to the driver.
Maybe you need to add Front Wheel Drive only or M01, M03, M05 chassis......... forgot the obvious one.

Half, or maybe 75% of the fun of this hobby is 'tinkering' and 'pimping' the ride, so yeah pimp away.
No limits are placed on the amounts of shiny stuff you could add

I am not so sure about limits on front wheel drive...if someone wants to bring a RWD car into the racing, bring it on I say. I think the only reason to say no, is to stop any embarrasment felt by the FWD drivers for being beaten by some one with a RWD....they are quite a bit more difficult to drive quickly.....I would stop and say no to 4WD though....that would be an unfair advantage.

I have been looking at the TT-01 conversion to M-chassis...I think it is a 3 racing kit for around US$50....seems like the best thing to do with a TT-01 apart from use it as a drifter LOL.....but it would not be welcomed at a 2WD event.....still, fun tinkering project.

When things do get hotted up, the default motor upgrade which is still competitive is either a Tamiya Sport Tuned (Black can) or the Hobbywing/Yeah racing 13T brushless. More efficient (longer running) and they are very similar in torque and revs.

@andy,

your suggestion are ok and i agreed with it, specifically the motor specs for M03, Stock Silver Can is the ideal for mini racing and the suggested upgrade motor is the Sport Tuned Motor.

As per my experienced last saturday, I tried to used the Tamiya Super Stock R motor and result is not ok, i have a problem with the handling. it is not suitable to use a high power motor for M03 on the dusty track conditions we have in zabeel park. it affect the traction that's why now i decided not to use it for my M03.

Also, kindly advise if the Manta Ray Ball Diff is acceptable. I'm using the said ball diff and as you have noticed when i run my mini there is unusual sound coming from the gear box. now i'm planing to use the stock differential gear to check if the unusual noise will be eliminated...

Hey Martin,

Yeah the racing was a blast, and I agree 100% with you on the handling. I had the Blue Streak out on Saturday and as I suspected, it is like bullet on the straight with a hotter motor, but as soon as you hit the corners, that all changes. Actually it is better with a little dust than with good grip, with no traction, you slide, with good traction, you would roll.....sliding is better (the drifters will agree here )
I have no problem with the ball diff, it is perfectly acceptable. I have read that through hundreds of interent forum threads and they all agree, the ball diff makes no difference to the speed, but it does make a difference to the way the car handles and you thus need to adjust your driving technique. We were at gate 5 this evening haveing a bit of a run and I was trying a std diff, which I had tightened up a bit using washers and I noticed that with the tighter action, you lose some turning ability but you gain some speed out of the corners. I was a little slower, but as I adjusted the way I went into the corners I started getting a little quicker....but certainly no advantage. The bottom line to diffs is - as long as there is a diff action, it is allowed, just no LOCKED diffs.
I am keeping the swift in line with the 'rules' and I am doing some experimenting with the old mini...brushless motor, tight diff etc etc, just so that I can see the difference.....I think the BL motor will need to be tuned down on the EPA settings on the radio though..too much power, even with 13T (equivalent to a Sport tuned in revs and power).

One big difference I have noticed in today's run, is that I got the back to stay tucked in, through the addition of weight. I weighed the car with a NimH battery compared with the LiPo and it is lighter by about 130grams!!! So Iadded weight to the LiPo until it was the same weight....and it seems to handle a lot better in cornering.

All in all, it would be nice to get some more mini drivers and it needs to remain affordable and simple enough for all to join. It is weird how the more you get to know the cars and their behaviour, the more the tuning can aid you.....not all beginners know these simple techniques, and mini's make it easy to learn and is as much fun for a beginner as it is for the 'old hands'

Let me know if you would like to join the mid-week session.....it is a simple 'if you can make it, great!' thing.

Regards

@Andy,

Sorry I can't make the midweek session.

My mini is under service.

i found the cause of unusual sound from my M03 gearbox, when i opened it the counter gear and spur gear has a damage and also there is no grease inside the Manta Ray Ball Diff. see below pix.

[IMG]https://2img.net/h/i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac299/Nitram_mini/DSC03988.jpg[/IMG



additionally, the hexagonal plate cover of ball diff is quite loose which causes the rattling sound, maybe due to lack of grease.



Fortunately I got a spare M03 gear parts from Hobby Center at very cheap price, only AED10.00 (actually SRP is AED15.0).


see new gears box with stock differential gear. I'll try it and later on I will use again the manta ray ball diff...


Problem is there's no available Ball Diff Grease from Hobby Center and I cannot do a test run to check the if the unusual noise has been eliminated.

let me know if you have a spare ball diff from your tool box, can you lend me some.... this coming saturday.

best regards.

is it time that we UPGRADE the mini class to Sport Tuned Motors?

in the recently concluded Automodex event ...... (from my point of view) ..... there wasnt much Mayhem in the mini class .... for 2 reasons i believe ....

1. the drivers got better (GOOD) which explains better handling and less chaos on the track

2. the straights in the tracks were too long which in turn showed that the silver cans were just not enough .....

.... i believe everyone has UP'd there game a notch and is capable of handling the ST's ......

your thoughts on this suggestion please ......


another thing is ..... the GT vs Mini thingy would be a better grudge match as well ......