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View Full Version : MR-03 vs. MR-03s vs. MR-03 VE


arch2b
2014.05.25, 08:54 AM
well guys, looks like the MR-03 had a really good run but doesn't seem to be in production anymore. We are told through varying K USA persons that chase mode kits and boards have been discontinued. this conflicts with previous messages stating it would continue, but that's not a surprise really. doesn't make sense with the latest production run of the kt-18 and ex5-ur.

Where does this leave us? well, i hate to start a rush on chase mode parts but if your trying to maintain a current set of car or cars, your only chance will be to scoop up some chase mode stuff while it's still in stock somewhere. as of right now our club hobby shop has 1 chassis kit but plenty of places online still have some available. maybe not the chase mode pcb, but chassis or ready sets.

It looks like Kyosho will be moving forward with the VE and Sports line, both on different systems. i simply won't buy into sports series myself so looks like i'm stuck with VE moving forward. This will benefit PN and others who make their own boards as worthy option to VE only.

anyone else hear something directly from kyosho or kyosho usa? it wouldn't surprise me if they have mixed messages.

what are your thoughts? looking to pick up this topic of discussion as it really began with the entry of the i-series line, then VE and now sports series.

DMALMAD
2014.05.25, 11:55 AM
I know this is silly but since the buggy board is still the same as the mr-03 maybe there is a way to hack the mr-03 chassis to fit it.

LED
2014.05.25, 12:32 PM
do you mean somebody actually used the chase mode??
Or do you mean the entire MR-03 is being cancelled?

dwight
2014.05.25, 01:15 PM
What he means is that the board in the mr03 is going to be a mr03ve or mr03s board so either you will have to run the sport or the brushless. I have heard that they are moving towards brushess only. I really don't like that idea.

byebye
2014.05.25, 02:06 PM
I am not as in tune with the far east mini-z scene but I can't see them(far east racers) going brushless just to go brushless. The point of "chase mode" is to slow the field down so you have to create a strategy based on a limited number of "overboosts". Doesn't going brushless just make the car way faster than stock in turn contradicting their own race ideal?

I for one won't be going brushless any time soon. I do like the idea but I don't like the package. I also don't think we will ever have the space to run such a chassis at it's fullest potential. Right now I'm really satisfied with just the few days of tuning I've had with my LM car with an atomic 45t which is only being built for this upcoming BTE.

You can guarantee no Sports Series will ever get my money.

I've understood every update and change Kyosho has made so far but I've yet to see what the benefits are of this new brushless chassis at the club level.

arch2b
2014.05.25, 04:43 PM
The ve for club level works if everyone buys into it. Couples with the Eco tune or other 5k motor on set throttle levels it's fine. It just takes everyone willing to buy a more expensive kit, tune it down and deal with a chassis set that has nothing else on the market in the same transmitter line. It's not an easy sell by any stretch of the imagination.

I argued against the merit if the sports line as an entry line from the beginning as the upgrade cost to ASF is not cost friendly and only exacerbated by the now higher cost to get up to VE. I'm sure it sounded great on some marketing proposal but in the thick if it at the club level is plain sucks.

lfisminiz
2014.05.26, 12:20 AM
Not that crazy on the VE brushless either. But i will say if you run the 2 slowest PN brushless motors, its more fun. Drives nicer than the "hyper" faster brushless motors.
Sports doesnt interest me. I would rather run the PN Spektrum boards for sure.

imxlr8ed
2014.05.26, 09:28 AM
I'll be scarfing up 02 parts soon, just to keep all my maintenance parts around. At this point in my mini-z addiction, it just doesn't pay off to make the shift to the 03 let alone going brushless. I had all the hopes in the world for brushless but it just seemed that with the pricing and the wiring issues, it just never really bit me as hard as I thought it would.

If the scene takes off again, and I'm falling way behind in races... then I will make the shift but for now our current club pace is well within any chassis' limits and capabilities.

arch2b
2014.05.26, 10:40 AM
chase mode or tiki tiki is simply a reference to the most current version of the MR-03 ASF board. i don't know of any US club that uses the chase mode features. i admit to never having tried it either. it sounds like it could make for some fun racing though.

arch2b
2014.05.27, 02:22 PM
anyone else see their store sell more kits with the sports series over ASF? our local LHS has sold out every time they restock the sports series kits. it has only translated to 3 new racers in the last year but that's a plus instead of a negative change.

despite having no love for the sports series myself, they are selling at our location. it helps that we essentially demo the product for the LHS by having our racing in the store.

lfisminiz
2014.05.27, 05:54 PM
Ray, same here.

mleemor60
2014.05.27, 06:20 PM
We are moving them as well though none have turned up to race. Yet.

Sammich
2014.07.23, 08:12 AM
anyone have a pic of the difference of the chassis side by side to compare differences in all three? curious to see the ease of swap-ability of MR03 components in a 03VE and a 03S

mleemor60
2014.07.23, 08:27 AM
It appears that the only significant difference is in the top cover. The new replacement chassis is the same with the exception of servo motor retention while both the top covers for the 03 and o3VE come in a separate package. Aside from the electronics I have not been able to ascertain any difference between the 03 and 03S. It is kind of a one size fits all with a board and top cover swap plus the motor pod for the VE.

arch2b
2014.07.23, 08:54 AM
see the conversion thread. all you need to know is there. changes include: top cover, servo motor retention clip with new tiny screws

Sammich
2014.07.23, 09:56 AM
see the conversion thread. all you need to know is there. changes include: top cover, servo motor retention clip with new tiny screws

sounds like what you're eluding to is the converting the 03 to a VE or S, which isnt what i'm talking about necessarily, but in case it isn't, i'll go look for the thread

i'm wanting to know about the board and servo and what not fitting into a S or VE black chassis...i know the clear variations of the 401 chassis are still available, i'm just curious if it's anything major or if i can just swap the 03 guts into a fresh VE/S chassis without issues

scoobyrs25
2014.07.23, 12:07 PM
It all swaps just fine.

Sammich
2014.07.23, 12:56 PM
so no shaving or anything necessary to drop it in there?

Traveler
2014.07.23, 01:39 PM
I'm interested in this topic too, but couldn't find the conversion thread. As I understand it, the new chassis parts available for 03/03S/03VE are as follows:

MZ501 - Kyosho Mini-Z MR03VE Main Chassis Set OR MZ501SP - Kyosho Mini-Z MR03VE SP Main Chassis Set if you want the 'gold' terminals.

You will also need MZ502 - Kyosho Mini-Z MR03VE Upper Cover Set which includes the new one piece top cover (one narrow, one wide), the new servo holder and a little plate to cover the gyro.

The part I'm not clear on is whether I can continue to use my Reflex alloy top covers with the former stock plastic front covers on the 'new' MZ501 chassis. Also not sure of the source for the new tiny screws to hold the servo holder in place.

Where is this coversion thread??? :confused:

arch2b
2014.07.23, 01:59 PM
here (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39010)

describes parts kits required to go from mr-03 to VE/Sports. note, all mr-03 now use the parts kits debuted with the VE. the original mr-03 chassis part has been discontinued.

Traveler
2014.07.23, 02:16 PM
here (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39010)

describes parts kits required to go from mr-03 to VE/Sports. note, all mr-03 now use the parts kits debuted with the VE. the original mr-03 chassis part has been discontinued.

Thanks Ray! I was reading it just now and it answers the question about the tiny screws, but it does not address my main question about fitting the Reflex top cover to the new MZ501/502 chassis.

I suspect many racers that are currently running the MZ401 chassis (stock black MR-03) or the MZF401/402 chassis (option clear or SP gray) will have this same question when they break their current chassis and figure out they will have to switch to the new MZ501/502 chassis.

I will pick one of the new chassis up next time I'm at my LHS, but that may be a while. So if anyone knows if the Reflex cover will fit and what if any mods need to be done, please post up.

Thanks!

Traveler
2014.07.23, 02:30 PM
Looks like MZ411 - Upper/Servo Motor Cover Set for the MR-03S contains the former style two part top cover, but the new style servo holder WITH tiny screws. If MZ411 is designed to work with new MZ501 chassis then I'd bet the Reflex top cover will fit just fine.

Traveler
2014.07.23, 02:38 PM
Excerpt from MR-03 Parts List below confirms MZ501 for main chassis plus MZ411 for top cover for Sports model. Feeling better about Reflex top cover working with MZ501 chassis.

PDF of complete parts list located HERE (http://www.kyosho.com/jpn/support/instructionmanual/mini-z/pdf/MR-03S-T01_SP.pdf)

http://mini-zracer.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=34304&stc=1&d=1406144236

arch2b
2014.07.23, 02:45 PM
same shape, etc. it comes in a single piece instead of two. no reason why any front end for the mr-03 won't fit on the VE/sports chassis.

Traveler
2014.07.23, 02:50 PM
same shape, etc. it comes in a single piece instead of two. no reason why any front end for the mr-03 won't fit on the VE/sports chassis.

I'm not talking about front ends :confused: but I think I've managed to answer my own question, so no worries. :)

arch2b
2014.07.23, 03:44 PM
how does the VE chassis accept a 2 piece top cover? the 2 forward main cover screw points were eliminated with the VE chassis kit. does the servo cover snap to the chassis serve to hold it in place? sure enough, the official product images show a two piece top cover. i've never really paid much attention to it myself as i don't own one.

i'll be disappointed if Kyosho told us the MR-03 chassis kit was discontinued only to find it was re-run for the sports series.

Traveler
2014.07.23, 04:00 PM
I can't answer your question Arch, as I don't have an MR-03Sport or VE, nor do I have the new MZ501 main chassis.

I believe that the new MZ501/501SP chassis is for all MR-03s (03/03S/03VE). Based on the MR-03S parts list I posted earlier, I further believe that MZ411 is the new top cover for the MR-03 and MR-03S. Because the VE has a different size board, from what I've read, it needed a different sized/shaped top cover, enter MZ502 as the VE specific top cover.

Purely speculating, but this excerpt from the VE parts list sort of confirms it for me.

http://mini-zracer.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=34305&stc=1&d=1406149187

Complete parts list for VE HERE (http://www.kyosho.com/jpn/support/instructionmanual/mini-z/pdf/32760_MR03VE-T02_SP.pdf)

arch2b
2014.07.23, 04:31 PM
the VE chassis kit removed the main top cover screw points thus the single piece cover vs. 2 part. i don't believe there was any drive behind that besides accommodating the VE PCB.

we were previously told by kyosho that the original mr-03 chassis kit would no longer be available and that the VE kit would be the replacement moving forward. it seems that is not the case if the sports series continues to use a 2 piece cover.

Traveler
2014.07.23, 04:58 PM
I've ordered the parts to check this out myself.

Traveler
2014.07.23, 05:16 PM
we were previously told by kyosho that the original mr-03 chassis kit would no longer be available and that the VE kit would be the replacement moving forward. it seems that is not the case if the sports series continues to use a 2 piece cover.

If the VE kit they were referring to is the MZ501, then that is consistent with the parts lists I posted earlier. Again, I'm guessing MZ501 is the common denominator and we have a two piece top cover for 03/03S and a one piece cover for the VE. Only outstanding question for me is the one you raised about removal of main screw points on the new MZ501 chassis. I will look into and post more when I get the MZ411 and MZ501SP that I just ordered.

byebye
2014.07.23, 05:40 PM
If the VE kit they were referring to is the MZ501, then that is consistent with the parts lists I posted earlier. Again, I'm guessing MZ501 is the common denominator and we have a two piece top cover for 03/03S and a one piece cover for the VE. Only outstanding question for me is the one you raised about removal of main screw points on the new MZ501 chassis. I will look into and post more when I get the MZ411 and MZ501SP that I just ordered.

You will need to modify your RR aluminum top or a stock plastic one in order to run a two piece cover on the VE.

http://mini-zracer.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=34306&stc=1&d=1406155018
http://mini-zracer.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=34307&stc=1&d=1406155018

I plan to make an aluminum version at some point that is similar to that stock plastic one hacked up in the pic. I just have to sell more of the aluminum ones I've already made(item# 131185287487) :o. I'm asking my machinist if he can make these modifications to the ones I already have so they can work with the VE.

Traveler
2014.09.17, 12:04 PM
Looks like MZ411 - Upper/Servo Motor Cover Set for the MR-03S contains the former style two part top cover, but the new style servo holder WITH tiny screws. If MZ411 is designed to work with new MZ501 chassis then I'd bet the Reflex top cover will fit just fine.

Forgot to post an update. I can confirm that for transplanting MR-03 ASF or FHS board into a new chassis, MZ501 or MZ501SP plus MZ411 is what you need to order. The Reflex top cover also works fine with this combo.

Hope this helps others that end up with a broken stock black MR-03 chassis (MZ401) or option clear or SP gray chassis (MZF401/402).

HammondCheese
2014.09.17, 06:38 PM
One other conversion question I havent seen Anyone know what size the bullet plugs are for the motor connection? Ive seen Kyosho release spare wires with connectors for the ESC side but for someone with an Atomic or PN motor whos not in the mood to solder directly to the board just yet... what should I be looking for?

mleemor60
2014.09.18, 05:32 AM
Check with arch2b. I believe he has the number.

arch2b
2014.09.18, 08:18 AM
I searched high and low and could not find the same plugs Kyosho used. I did find a suitable replacement though but will need to check my order history for the parts tonight.