Ausmini
It is currently Tue Mar 19, 2024 9:15 pm

All times are UTC + 10 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 538 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 36  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon May 05, 2014 8:58 pm 
Offline
1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
Posts: 2690
Location: Wollongong
Looking at getting an RC mini. I'd like to get either a m05 or m03 so I can possibly race it at the local club in the mini series. I like the idea of building a kit so that I learn how it all goes together.

I have a few questions:
- what's the difference between the 05 an 03? Which is better and why?
- where is best to buy? What price should I be looking at?
- what do I need to consider when buying one?
- servos? Receivers etc? What's needed and recommended?

Ryan

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
ryan@minisinthegong.com.au
www.minisinthegong.com.au


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 1:25 am 
Offline
848cc
848cc
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:54 am
Posts: 405
Location: Jimboomba
Too bad you aren't near me otherwise i'd recommend possibly the best RC shop in australia.

It is mostly the layout. The M05 is loved by all who use it. A favourite among mini racers. Personally i think it handles just like the real thing. Weight distribution is spot on. The M03 is the predecessor and is as it would happen, worse. There are some who prefer the M03 because of the higher centre of gravity and feel of the car. I'm no expert but i race with them from time to time and this is their opinions and being so, they vary. I personally prefer the M05.

I would suggest talking to someone at an RC store who does know about these a bit better.

Depending on whether you want to go to a shop or get it online, the prices vary from about $130 to maybe $250, RTR or kit. There are aluminium kits, I wouldnt recommend it as if you want to take it racing, some carbon fibre parts are more ideal. I would give yourself a $300 budget for a decent base. You mentioned you wanted to build it yourself, great idea it really does help.

I would recommend servos made by Savox or Hitec, they are very trustworthy and make some all the way up to 1/5 scale however you won't need anything near that big. too much torque in the servo and you could snap the steering completely.

If you want to just get a good quality cheap radio, FlySky are a good bet. Their GT2 or GT3 are great examples. If you want to get one that is a very good quality, best of the best, i'd recommend a Spektrum or Futaba. That would be pushing it though as you can spend up to $400 on the radio alone. Depending on whether or not you want to put lights on it or not you will need a 3 channel radio. If not 2 channel will do fine.

I presume you will want to upgrade it slightly as well so i would recommend a full ball bearing kit as it comes with plastic bushings and they are terrible. Another is the shocks and springs. The standard ones are friction shocks and are extremely flimsy. I once flipped my mini and the shock completely disintegrated. You just push them together and they come apart just as easily. You will want some oil shocks and preferably threaded for ease of adjustment.

The next upgrade is the Steering arm. The standard one is a high load bearing area and under race conditions can break easily. I would recommend upgrading to an alloy one such as this one: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tamiya-Mini- ... a32&_uhb=1

If there is money left in the budget then you could look into a brushless motor and ESC. An alloy motor plate would be useful also. Then there is the choice of what type of battery to run. Either NiMh or LiPo. NiMh are the standard ones but LiPo provide a more efficient flow of power and can produce alot more of it. They also hold their charge longer but there is a downside. You can run the risk of them overheating and actually catching fire. However, to run LiPo you need an ESC and all decent ESCs capable of running LiPo have a charge meter and heat detector built in. an Automatic power cut off to stop them from discharging to a level too low for them to be recovered. Then you can get a decent charger to charge those batteries. then tires aswell.

If you want to skip looking for all this, This should cover most of the necessary upgrades: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Blue-alloy-c ... cd7&_uhb=1

Hope this helps! Just depends on what your budget is. You can buy a kit for as low as $100 but you can spend $1000s on upgrades.

_________________
Why Drink And Drive When You Can Smoke Dope And Fly!?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 1:36 am 
Offline
848cc
848cc
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:54 am
Posts: 405
Location: Jimboomba
Some would consider upgrading the gears to steel ones aswell, especially if you are getting a brushless motor. However if you are racing in stock class then you will have to look into what limits there are as to what upgrades you can apply.

_________________
Why Drink And Drive When You Can Smoke Dope And Fly!?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 5:59 pm 
Offline
1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
Posts: 2690
Location: Wollongong
Thanks for the replies.

So I guess the m03 vs m05 is personal preference. I've read plenty about both being preferred. It appears the m05 is easier to get your hands on.

Would most RC shops be able to order these in? I'm thinking about buying the pro kit.

How much have radios developed over the years. I have an old one that's pushing 20years old. It still works well but would it be compatible? I'd only use it to get me started.

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
ryan@minisinthegong.com.au
www.minisinthegong.com.au


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 8:37 pm 
Offline
1098cc
1098cc

Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 8:17 am
Posts: 1964
Location: san remo nsw
Don't forget the Mfour Tamiya.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 8:39 pm 
Offline
1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
Posts: 2690
Location: Wollongong
The mfour isn't listed as being eligible for the class that I would want to run in.

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
ryan@minisinthegong.com.au
www.minisinthegong.com.au


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 8:42 pm 
Offline
1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
Posts: 2690
Location: Wollongong
I'm a bit confused as to how the radios, receivers etc all work.

Are they all compatible with all cars? What stops my controller operating another car.
I guess receivers and radios have to be matched by brand to work. Eg a fatuba radio won't work with a flysky receiver?

What does rx and tx stand for?

How do receivers connect to the car?

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
ryan@minisinthegong.com.au
www.minisinthegong.com.au


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 9:47 pm 
Offline
848cc
848cc
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:54 am
Posts: 405
Location: Jimboomba
Ok there are a few questions there. First off, i have no idea why they called them tx and rx. Just essentially transmitter(The remote) and the reciever(the bit that goes in the car).

You are right in assuming that you could control someone elses car. However that was using analogue radios. they used crystals to become compatible with the car they were controlling. Very unreliable if someone else at the race is running the same crystals as you.

These days(all the radios i suggested), they are all digital radios or 2.4ghz. Being the digital frequency, it can assign itself an unused frequency and prevent anyone else from using it. If another radio is turned on, it will recognise that frequency is taken so it searches for another one.

Most cars these days will have a radio box. The electronics on a car consist minimally of a receiver, battery, motor if it's electric(if it is electric then instead of a second servo, there is an ESC or electronic speed controller) and at least one servo. The servo controls the steering. if it is gas/nitro powered then it will have at least one more to control the throttle. With an electric motor the signal to accelerate is just a current so it doesn't need mechanical aid to open and close a throttle.

On the M05 there isn't a radio box. The battery is located transversely in the centre of the chassis. On either side of the chassis in front of the rear wheels are the mounting plates for the ESC and Receiver. the servo is mounted upright and lengthways in the middle of the chassis at the same point on the chassis. Basically it isn't waterproof. alot of the new rc's today are but the M05 is i believe 10 years old. may not be that much but anyway.

Any good and new radio will come with installation and "binding" instructions but most will come with the receiver and will be prebound. It is wise to check though with the wheels suspended before driving it in case you need to reverse the servos as sometimes the servos work in the opposite direction so steering left would make the car go right.

Some radios are compatible with other companies receivers, however it is wise to stay within the same brand. Depending on the store you should be able to get some money back as, if you upgrade the motor and that sort of thing, you can trade the one that comes with it and get a discount on the next one.

If you want to compete in mini classes, no, the M04 won't be eligible. It was never originally sold as a mini. they only sold the M01(now collectible), M03 and M05. Pro kit could be ideal and yes, most places should be able to order one in if they dont already stock them. most will, it is a great starter kit for on road racing.

To summarise, you can get a good flysky combination(digital) for $50. you can probably use your 20 year old radio but i would advise against it. that is most definitely analogue and is actually slower. The digital is alot more responsive and faster. in a busy "field" where there are alot of people racing with digital radios, it can slow down but it is still much faster than analogue. i believe the average time difference between command and execution is about 4 milliseconds. Just talk to your rc shop. They can demonstrate it and they specialise in them. they can show you why some are better than others and apply your needs and specifications to suit. I just know how it works and know what works best for me.

_________________
Why Drink And Drive When You Can Smoke Dope And Fly!?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 9:56 pm 
Offline
848cc
848cc
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:54 am
Posts: 405
Location: Jimboomba
I believe they have done 3 different types of mini kit. the Rover racing, standard mini with a union jack roof and the '94 monte carlo tribute. all rover based and the body is the same. they give you the option whether or not to add bumpers and how much to trim the arches by. I chose the monte carlo because i plan to take mine on an offroad track and i wanted the spotlight rack on the front. heres a pic of mine after i finished it.

this is how the kit is supposed to look:
http://www.rcscrapyard.bizland.com/clas ... lo-M05.jpg

And here is what i did with it:
Image
Image
Image

_________________
Why Drink And Drive When You Can Smoke Dope And Fly!?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 10:39 am 
Offline
Yay For Hay!
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:27 pm
Posts: 15856
Location: Wodonga - Vic/NSW border
TX and RX is just abbreviations for Transmit and Receive

this'd be the go wouldn't it?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tamiya-1-10- ... a19&_uhb=1

and then buy this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Blue-alloy-c ... 845&_uhb=1

and this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tamiya-M05-P ... 21f&_uhb=1

and one of these

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3Racing-M06- ... d96&_uhb=1

I'm always looking at these and thinking "I really really really want one to race!" but there are so many other things that need money spent on them! Poeee was in Wodonga last weekend racing his - it does look like fun, and once you're set up, pretty cheap

_________________
did I tell you that I won a trophy?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 1:17 pm 
Offline
848cc
848cc
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:54 am
Posts: 405
Location: Jimboomba
I'd recommend not buying it from hong kong, keep it in australia if you can but yes pretty much. On top of that you just need batteris, a radio and reciever, maybe upgraded motor and paint for the body. i don't know if the metal diff is legal in some classes but it is a good upgrade.

_________________
Why Drink And Drive When You Can Smoke Dope And Fly!?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 4:20 pm 
Offline
1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
Posts: 2690
Location: Wollongong
Thanks guys, this is really helpful.

Still trying to decide if I should buy a Mini Cooper kit or go with the pro kit and buy the body separate. I guess I could always upgrade to bearings later if I do actually enjoy racing.

It's hard to tell sometimes with the different adds, but do the kits come with the motors and ESC?

What servo do I need?

LiPo vs Nicad?

I like the reviews on the flysky gt3c radio and reciever and the price is right.

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
ryan@minisinthegong.com.au
www.minisinthegong.com.au


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 7:51 pm 
Offline
1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
Posts: 2690
Location: Wollongong
I'm thinking these two.

https://hobbyco.com.au/tamiya-electric- ... rlo-m-05-f

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FS-RC-Car-Bo ... 0322985174

Still need to sort the rest. Who are good online dealers?

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
ryan@minisinthegong.com.au
www.minisinthegong.com.au


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 9:32 pm 
Offline
Yay For Hay!
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:27 pm
Posts: 15856
Location: Wodonga - Vic/NSW border
ryan wrote:
Thanks guys, this is really helpful.

Still trying to decide if I should buy a Mini Cooper kit or go with the pro kit and buy the body separate. I guess I could always upgrade to bearings later if I do actually enjoy racing.

It's hard to tell sometimes with the different adds, but do the kits come with the motors and ESC?

What servo do I need?

LiPo vs Nicad?

I like the reviews on the flysky gt3c radio and reciever and the price is right.


they do come with motors, but don't come with an ESC

Lipo battery

I'm reading that the orange gt3c has a fault where the on/off switch is in the centre of the steering wheel and it doesn't work properly. They fixed it on the green one

_________________
did I tell you that I won a trophy?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 9:40 pm 
Offline
1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
Posts: 2690
Location: Wollongong
Thanks for the tip.

What's the go with ESCs? How do I know what I need?

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
ryan@minisinthegong.com.au
www.minisinthegong.com.au


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 538 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 36  Next

All times are UTC + 10 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  

© 2016 Ausmini. All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.