This article was re-published with special permission from RC Car Action.

10 steps to a blazin’ fast mini
BRUSHLESS POWER is the future of electric and there are many great systems on the market, but there’s more to a brushless conversion than just dropping a sick-fast motor into the chassis. It’s important to make sure that the drivetrain will be able to handle the extra power and it’s equally important to make sure you can control your mini at high speeds. I’ll take you through every step of the conversion using a Team Losi Mini-T and a Castle Creations Mamba brushless motor system, and I’ll show you how to dial it in, too.

Disconnect the wire leads that connect the motor to the speed control by pulling the bullet connectors apart. Then remove the gear cover on the tranny.

Remove the pinion gear from the motor. It’s pressed onto the shaft, so you may have to use a flat-blade screwdriver to pry it off.

Remove the two screws that hold the motor on its mounting plate, and remove it from the vehicle.

Installing the Mamba motor is as easy as removing the stock motor because it’s a direct fit for most minis. Slide the brushless motor into where the stock motor was, and reinstall the stock screws to secure it. If the motor holes don’t seem to line up, just rotate the motor until they do. The can is drilled for all the popular hole spacings.

Unlike the one on the stock motor, the new motor’s output shaft isn’t splined. You should pick up an aftermarket pinion gear for it because the stock press-on gear will likely slip on the shaft. Golden Horizon and Robinson Racing make aluminum pinions secured by setscrews that are ideal for brushless motors.

Finish by installing the two motor-mounting screws, but don’t tighten them all the way yet because you’ll want to be able to slide the motor back and forth to adjust the pinion- and spur-gear mesh. You want a tick of play between the two gears. To check this, hold the pinion gear with one finger and rock the pinion gear back and forth to see how much play there is. When you’re happy with the gear mesh, tighten the two mounting screws.

With the motor installed, it’s time to hook the electronics up. The Mamba speed control will not work with the all-in-one receiver/ speed control that Losi provides with the Mini-T, so you’ll have to remove it.

You’ll have to remove the stock servo because its four-prong wire lead will not fit into the standard radio equipment that you’ll need because you removed the stock receiver and speed control. To remove the steering servo, loosen the four screws in the servo strap and remove the small screw that holds the servo-saver so that you can remove that as well.

Make sure that the top plate is clean and that there isn’t any residual adhesive left from the stock equipment. Temporarily arrange the Mamba speed control and receiver on the top plate to figure out how they should fit. Having figured that out, stick them down with servo tape.

The servo-saver Losi supplies only fits Losi servos, so buy the right one for the steering servo you’ll be using. Center the servo before you install the servo-saver. Do this by hooking the servo up to the receiver and turning the radio and speed control on; the servo will center itself.

DONE! Now you’re ready to enjoy your new brushless power. Read the instructions that came with the brushless system you chose to set it up properly, and run your vehicle only in a large, open area. You’ll find out in a hurry that your newly converted vehicle will need space—and lots of it. My Mini-T is now quite the powerhouse, and I’m glad that I installed that wheelie bar.

Written by Tom Puma
Photos by Pete Hall