S-Tuned R/C
My Old M-03
Parts Fitted
Futaba S3003 servo
Futaba R133F receiver
LRP Runner speed controller
Johnson 540 motor (as supplied in kit - with full-size tyres, it’s plenty of power for small tracks)
Ripmax Sanyo Race 2000 stick pack
Fully Ballraced
RCBoyz M-03 chassis extender (available from eBay)(takes the car’s wheelbase from 210mm to 225mm, which lets you use certain HPI mini bodies)
Tamiya TA03 Super Low Friction Damper (set of 4)(53280)(these need to have internal spacers fitted to bring them down to a shorter length - mine measure 57mm overall at the front, and 59mm at the rear)
Tamiya On-Road Tuned Springs (Hard)(53440)(also consider the Touring Car Tuned Springs (Short)(53333), which will allow you to run lower ride heights)
Tamiya TA03 Ball Differential (53267)(This is lighter than the Manta Ray ball diff, which also fits)
Tamiya Toe-in Rear Uprights (53345)
GPM UJ Driveshafts (you must remove the o-ring from the differential outdrives to fit these)
GPM Alloy Front Uprights
Kyosho Turnbuckles fitted to steering arms - around 32mm long
Modifications
Tamiya cars are notorious for the amount of play they have in the suspension components. I’ve tightened my car up by shimming most of the suspension hinge pins. After shimming, you must check that the suspension is free to drop under it’s own weight.
I’ve also used fine layers of superglue and epoxy glue to take out the slop in some plastic components, where bearing mountings were loose and where hub carriers had too much play - in particular the toe-in rear uprights. Be careful doing this - putting too much glue in the wrong place can cause the bearings to sit off centre, or the shafts to get trapped, creating more friction. There’s also the danger of gluing things in place, which we don’t want to do.
I’ve taken some of the play out of the steering mechanism, by gently filing down the front of part B12 in the servo saver, so the saver screws together tighter, while still acting freely. I’ve also replaced the screw-on ball-ends, where the tie-rod connects to the servo saver, with pop-on Yokomo balljoints.
My car is set up to run on full-size touring car tyres, rather than the mini-sized tyres. I’m using an HPI VW Golf bodyshell (225mm wheelbase), because it has flatter sides, which let the suspension compress with the big wheels on. The flared wheelarches on the standard Mini shell are too restrictive.