Q&A: Why do mini-t's suck?

stampede_dude · Post by **stampede_dude** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 6:40 pm

Ok, so as some of you know, I got a nice deal on a lot on ebay for an rc18t and a losi mini-t. I didn't really want the mini-t, but it was basically free and the lot was still a good deal even without it so I bought it. All comes. The mini-t's turnbuckles are bent out of the box. The motor is locked up. Fine, I can deal with that. Nothing some upgrade turnbuckles can't fix. One of the body mounts on the rear is not there. A new tower is included, and I had some spare time, so I start to replace it. All of the screws come out except the one on the bottom of the chassis, even though I took it loose and hand tightened it with the same screwdriver 2 hours earlier. In the process, I lose an axle pin. Then I loose a ball end. In a fit of rage, I finally just break the chassis in half to get the damn thing off, and then I throw the rest of it on the ground. Almost all of the ball ends on the front end of it come off??? WTH were you thinking losi? The screws suck ass, the plastic does too, and it is slow on top of that? Just go get yourself an Associated.

SHAUN · Post by **SHAUN** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 12:48 am

I like my mini T, but the only stock thing left neo is the chassi, elec's motor, and diff. And I made another 75.00 so I'm going back to my LHS to go crazy again.

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:59 am

sounds like you:

a) bought someone else's problem

and/or

b) didn't get/didn't read the manual.

i wouldn't be so fast to dismiss the mini t based on that experience. i think you just got a dud

stampede_dude · Post by **stampede_dude** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:45 am

Maybe so, but it sure is discouraging when you can bend the camber rods with 2 fingers.

micromatch · Post by **micromatch** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:53 pm

my mini t has been a money pit since i bought it as well. i might sell it and go RC18B eventually (quark 33a and C4 9200kv

)

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:54 am

To answer your original question, three words, Made In China.

Ball joints are made to pop off, it protects your car. After market ones are very cheap. Your problem is probably being compounded by the bent turnbuckles. You think the turnbuckle are bad on the Mini T? On my XXT Sport , I could bend them just by looking at them. Titanium turnbuckles are not too expensive, and should be one of your first hopups. Overtightening screws is one of the biggest issues with RCs, and when buying a used one, I'm not surprised it had issues. All you have to do is put a drop of superglue in the holes. When I used to build kits I would put the whole car together, being very careful not to overtighten anything. Then I'd pull the whole car apart and fill the holes with glue to strengthen the threads I just cut. I've already done this to my Mini T and most of my Mini LST.

Sorry to hear about your experience, but I gotta say that this is 1. the reason I'm leary of used RC, because I know at least 90% of the population doesn't take the care I do, and 2. The reason I'm dead set against RTRs. Sure RTRs help generate more sales and helped take the hobby to the next level, but I maintain that if you're too lazy to build a kit then you're probably too lazy maintain your car well, and therefore you probably wont get along with the hobby well and end up selling your car on ebay.

Also I don't understand the complaints of Mini Ts being slow. All I did is use the battery from my Mini LST w/ a Deans plug, and replace the motor wire with 14 guage, hardwired to the motor, and it pretty much screams. I just added a Trinity Mini Machine Termination motor, which is a very mild mod at 30 turns, and my car is barely controllable. You know the 1/10th scale kits I used to buy with those Mabuchi 540 motors in them would only top out around 16 mph. An after market stock motor would get it in the 18mph range. The hot modifieds would get it to about 25-30 mph and that was difficult to control in a 1/10th scale vehicle. It seems people nowdays expect to do 20 mph out of the box and these cars are half the size. I don't get it.

Anyways, the only real problem I've had with my Mini T was the plastic pinion and that was an easy fix. I think you inherited someone else's problem, and I think its unfair and inaccurate to say Mini Ts suck.

micromatch · Post by **micromatch** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:18 am

dont get me wrong, i love the hell out of my own mini t. but i know the RC18B is for me. ive even got to drive an RC18T,B, vendetta, and my mini t. i liked the 18B best of all. but i happen to own the mini t. i will probobly sell my mini t around christmas. cause i might get a RC18B Kit (build/paint your own, no elects included) and a brushless C4 9200kv, 9.6 rc18 battery, an airtronics micro receiver, and a brushless Quark 33A pro car ESC for Xmas. then i could sell the mini t for parts

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:07 pm

Nothing wrong with liking the RC18B. I still want one, and I agree the Losi can be a money pit, it's just that I've read such completely negative stuff about it, and I don't see it. I missed Stampede_dude's original post before, and now that I read it, I felt it was uncalled for, and misleading, since he's dealing with a used car. Sounds to me like there's a reason it was basically free.

Bird · Post by **Bird** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:27 pm

I got my mini t used too, but I got a nicely upgraded one from someone who knew what they were doing, for a steal, so I had no complaints from the get-go...

I've been real lucky like that with used stuff, either in knowing that the person that I'm buying from isn't selling me their junk, or just grabbing a deal for a specific thing I want in the package and being pleasantly surprised by what I end up getting...