Mini 4WD

Mini 4WD is a powered toy car generally 1:32 in scale equipped with 4WD.

Rising Trigger from Tamiya and upgradeable components
Racing Mini 4WD Dash-3 Shooting Star from Dash! Yonkuro
5 lane track taken in 2014

From 1986 to 2020, the term is popularized predominantly (99%) by a 1/30 (1:30) scaled, AA battery powered plastic model race car without remote control. This particular type of Mini 4WD uses horizontal side rollers to guide the vehicle along the vertical walls of the un-banked track for steering, providing speeds from 14 to 65 km/H (9 to 40 mph) on the track.

History

In 1982, Tamiya, a Japanese manufacturer of plastic model kits, introduced Mini 4WD race cars. A Mini 4WD race car is a 1:32 scale build-it-yourself kit featuring four-wheel drive powered by an electric motor using a pair of AA batteries. A single electric motor turns both axles. These kits snap and screw together without the need for glue.[1] Of the first vehicles were a Ford Truck and a Chevrolet Truck.

In 1986, Tamiya introduced their Racing Mini 4WD (レーサーミニ四駆) series as a powered variant of their plastic automobile model kits. Based on the company's 1/10 scale R/C buggies, these highly modifiable racing model kits are larger at 1/30 scale, although still marketed as 1/32 scale.

In 1988, Tamiya Japan began hosting the Japan Cup national championships for Japanese Mini 4WD racers with a 150-meter, 5-lane wooden track.

In February 1989, several American and Japanese companies unveiled their versions at the annual toy fair in New York.[2] In late 1989, it was reported that an average Japanese boy owned 8 to 11 of miniature 1:32 battery powered race cars.[3]

In November 1989, Jesse Ventura, retired U.S. Navy Seal, retired professional wrestler and former governor of Minnesota, USA, participated in a nationally televised competition near Chicago, USA which was provided by Hasbro, makers of the Mini 4WD, Record Breakers: World of Speed.[4] There were several versions of their Record Breakers: World of Speed series kits.[5]

In 1994, in a town of Sicily, Messina, a group of kids began experimenting street racing inspired by the anime Dash! Yonkuro. This category of racing grew into a worldwide success by 2017 and continues to grow in recognition and participation.[6]

In 1999, Tamiya Japan temporarily suspended the Japan Cup national championships for Mini 4WD racers until the year 2012.

By the 2000s, at least twenty-eight (28) other companies had ventured into the Mini 4WD market, and famously included Tokyo Marui, Kyosho, Academy, Circuit no Ōkami, Aoshima Bunka Kyozai, Matchbox (brand), Revell, Hot Wheels, Tonka, Hasbro, and Bandai.

Beginning again in 2012, Japan holds National Mini 4WD Championships in Spring, Summer and Autumn each year using 5-lane wooden track at lengths from 170 to 225 meters.[7] By 2015 Mini 4WD was popular in more countries including Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Canada, Germany, Italy, Russia, India, China and the United States.

From 2012 to 2015, Tamiya America, headquartered in Irvine, California, in the United States, held the USA Mini 4WD Championships at Marukai Corporation U.S.A. in Gardena, California using 5-lane plastic track at lengths up to 283 meters.t

In 2019, Street Mini 4WD category began being officially supported by the Tamiya Italia agent.[8]

On June 23, 2019, a mini 4WD racing event was held inside the Glorietta shopping mall in Manila, Philippines. The event, called Tamiya Mini 4WD Asia Challenge was attended by over 200 participants with 87 attending from outside Philippines.[9] Winner of that championship went to the world championship held in Japan in November the same year.[10] Tamiya released a 1:32 scale mini 4WD car of the distinctive Jeepney named "Dyipne" to commemorate that event.[11] It was initially released in Philippines with the plan of releasing it globally after a months.[12]

Longest Mini 4WD Track World Records

According to Guinness Book of World Records, the world record for Longest Mini 4WD Track was created on 3 November 2019 at 3,191.58 meters at Amagi Dome in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan.[13]

Date Meters Feet Track Country
2019 November
3,191.58
10,471.06
 3-lane foam by Kimura by Kimura Foundry Co., Ltd. at Amagi Dome in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan

Race Types

There are a few race types within the Mini 4WD racing scenes: Circuit Racing, Endurance Racing and Street Racing.

The Circuit Racing is a usual type of race, where cars were put into a 3 or 5-lane race track made of either plastic or wood. Circuit racing is divided into several classes with different restrictions regarding types of cars and modifications that racers can use in the race.

The Endurance Race is similar to the Circuit Racing, but instead of determinate the racers' position by whoever cross the finish line first, it determinate the position by the amount of laps that a racer's car had done over a limited amount of time. Just like Circuit Racing, it can be divided into multiple classes.

The Street Racing category, inspired by the race featured in the Dash! Yonkuro manga, is where the cars run on the off-road track where no fence were present. Racers must use a guide stick to maneuver their cars in the race.

Mini 4WD Design

In a standard 4WD design, the separate four wheels are allowed to rotate at different speeds through the use of differentials. This is important for cornering to eliminate binding. In a Mini 4WD, this is not a standard design and is only achieved through optional one-way wheel sets. Thus, the standard Mini 4WD utilizes a direct drive to all 4 wheels even around corners. Chassis' are designed to hold the motor and batteries in differing arrangements. There are sideways motors positioned in the rear. There are sideways motors positions in the front. There are in-line motors positioned in the middle. Rear and Front position motor designs position batteries side by side in the front or rear of the motor placement. Middle position motor designs position the batteries straddling either side of the motor. Rear and front position motor designs utilize a propeller rod extending from the main motor gear box that drives both the front and rear axles. Middle position motor design powers both the front and back wheels through separate gear boxes eliminating the need for such a propeller rod.

Chassis are designed with front bumpers, optional side and rear bumpers designed to hold guide rollers that interact with the track's 58mm high walls.

The body is designed from hard plastic or soft, transparent Polycarbonate, known by the trademarked names Lexan, for special or limited editions, which attaches with a catch-type lock at the back of the car, distinguishes one model from another.

Motors

There are three specifications that characterize all motors: RPM, torque, and power-consumption.[14] RPM is the speed the motor provides, and the torque its strength. A higher RPM means higher maximum speed, higher torque gives more acceleration and allows the car to better withstand the difficulties of climbing slopes or running through turns.

The motor is one of the important components a mini 4WD racer need to make the car move, There are two types of motors: single-shaft or double-shaft motors.

Gears

Different types of gears have different ratios of rotation of the motor and the wheel, and they include (3.5:1), (3:7:1), (4:1), (4.2:1), (5:1), and "Special" (ratio varies but are usually 6.4:1). The higher the ratio, the better the acceleration rate and torque; the lower the ratio, the better the maximum speed.[15]

See also

References
  1. Onorato, Paul (2019-05-31). "The Tamiya Mini 4WD Phenomena". RC Driver. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  2. New York Magazine
  3. Harrington, Richard (1989-11-24). "HOTTEST TOYS UNDER THE TREE". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  4. TIME Magazine
  5. New York Magazine
  6. Street Mini 4WD
  7. Tamiya Japan Cup Schedule
  8. Street Mini 4WD official Rules on Tamiya Italia website
  9. Martin, Lije (June 28, 2019). "Tamiya holds Mini 4WD Asia Challenge in Manila". Topgear Philippines. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  10. "PH gears up for Tamiya Asia challenge". CNN Philippines. June 14, 2019. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  11. Arcadio, Ryan (2019-06-03). "Tamiya creates jeepney Mini 4WD kit". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  12. "Japanese Toymaker Tamiya Releases Special Edition, Jeepney-Inspired Model Kit". sg.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  13. Guinness World Record for Mini 4WD
  14. Mini 4WD Motor Specs
  15. Mini 4WD Gearing Specifications
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