Super Mini 4WD Series Guide
"Super Mini 4WD" means two related but different things in Tamiya's own materials. In the official Race Regulations it is one of the explicitly permitted machine types, listed alongside Laser Mini 4WD, Mini 4WD REV, Mini 4WD PRO, Racing Mini 4WD, Fully-Cowled Mini 4WD, Aero Mini 4WD, Mighty Mini 4WD, R/C Mini 4WD and Truckin' Mini 4WD. In the chassis catalogue it is the informal umbrella for a run of chassis — Super-1, Super-II, Super X and Super XX — released as the direct successors to the Zero Chassis, before the current MS, MA, ME and VZ lineup. Treating any "Super" kit as one interchangeable platform is the most common mistake buyers make, because the chassis differ in length, wheelbase and tread by several millimetres each. This guide separates them by their published dimensions, explains where the series sits in the current rulebook, and covers what to check before racing or reselling an older kit.
Four chassis under one family name
Tamiya's chassis reference calls the Super-1 Chassis "the next generation of the Zero Chassis," at roughly 5mm ground clearance. The Super-II Chassis is "the next generation of the Super-1 Chassis," adding a reinforced bumper and dual-switch rear stay, with a slightly taller 5.3mm clearance. The line then splits toward stability: Super X widens the tread and stretches the wheelbase for "great durability and stability thanks to its wide tread and long wheelbase," and Super XX is "an evolution of the Super X Chassis" with clearance cut to 1.9mm. A related rear-motor line, Super TZ and its evolution Super TZ-X, favours "batteries close to the ground and a flat underside" for a low centre of gravity, and Super FM does the same job for front-motor layouts. None of these chassis share a parts list by default.
Super chassis specifications at a glance
| Chassis | Length × width | Wheelbase | Tread | Ground clearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super-1 | 131 × 90mm | 80mm | 64mm | ~5mm |
| Super-II | 150 × 97mm | 80mm | 64mm | 5.3mm |
| Super X | 156 × 92mm | 84mm | 70mm | 5.2mm |
| Super XX | 153 × 98mm | 84mm | 70mm | 1.9mm |
| Super TZ | 147 × 90mm | 82mm | 68mm | ~5mm |
| Super TZ-X | 148 × 90mm | 82mm | 68mm | — |
| Super FM | 144 × 90mm | 83mm | 64mm | — |
Super-1 and Super-II share a wheelbase and tread and differ mainly in length and bumper hardware, while Super X and Super XX share the wider 70mm tread and longer 84mm wheelbase later cars adopted for cornering stability. Super XX's 1.9mm clearance is the outlier — clear of the regulation floor, but tight enough that a mass damper or an uneven joint on a home track can cause bottoming a Super-1 or Super X car would clear. Check the clearance column before finalising a roller setup on a bumpy or DIY track.
Where Super Mini 4WD sits in the current rulebook
Every machine, regardless of series, must stay under 105mm wide, under 70mm tall and under 165mm long, weigh at least 90g including motor and battery, keep at least 1mm ground clearance, run tyres between 22–35mm diameter and 8–26mm width, and use only Tamiya-branded AA (R6/UM3) batteries. All four core Super chassis fit comfortably inside those figures, so age or family name alone does not disqualify one. What can disqualify one is a home-made chassis or unauthorised cutting: modification is restricted to "cutting away plastic material or cutting holes" in stock parts, and homemade chassis are prohibited outright.
Stock Class racing adds a tighter layer: additional parts are "limited to Tamiya Mini 4WD, R/C Mini 4WD, and Dangun Racer parts," chassis cutting and shaving are not allowed, and no new screw holes may be added. That matters for Super-series builders because an adapter bridging a Super chassis to a newer part is often third-party or 3D-printed — exactly what Stock Class excludes, even if the car otherwise fits the dimension and weight rules. None of this transfers automatically to BMAX or a locally organised class; that legality is set by the organiser's own document. See the official rules and technical inspection checklist before entering a Super-series car — on-day inspection and the organiser's decision are final regardless of what any guide, including this one, says.
Buying, building and racing an older Super chassis
The practical risk with Super-series kits is cross-generation compatibility, not legality. A stay, roller set or gear cover designed for the MS, MA, ME or VZ generation was not engineered against Super-1 or Super X mounting points, and even within the Super family, Super-1/Super-II parts do not automatically fit Super X/Super XX because of the wheelbase and tread differences above. Check a part's listed compatibility rather than assuming a "Mini 4WD" label fits every chassis. The chassis compatibility list guide covers how to read those notes systematically.
All four core Super chassis are single-shaft, standard-motor cars driven through a propeller shaft, not the double-shaft layout used by Mini 4WD PRO's ME, MA and MS chassis, so the standard motor lineup — not PRO-branded motors — is the correct family to shop from; see the motor guide for which ones remain tournament-permitted. If reviving a Super-1 as the direct descendant of the Zero Chassis, the Zero Chassis guide covers the shared lineage, and the vintage Mini 4WD guide covers inspecting stored kits — gear covers, axle holders, clips and screw holes all age, and a complete-looking chassis is not automatically race-ready without that check.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Super Mini 4WD chassis still race-legal?
Yes, as a machine type: Super Mini 4WD is named directly in the Race Regulations alongside Fully-Cowled, Aero and the other permitted series, and all four core Super chassis fit within the current dimension, weight and clearance limits. Legality for a specific build still depends on which parts are fitted — check Stock Class rules or the organiser's BMAX document before assuming a modified vintage car will pass inspection.
Can I mix parts between Super-1, Super-II, Super X and Super XX?
Not automatically. Super-1 and Super-II share an 80mm wheelbase and 64mm tread; Super X and Super XX share an 84mm wheelbase and 70mm tread. A stay or bumper sized for one pair will generally not bolt onto the other without an adapter, and that adapter may itself be excluded under Stock Class's parts-origin rule. Check the specific part's listed compatibility rather than assuming "Super" is one fitment.
What motor and battery does a Super chassis take?
Standard single-shaft motors, the same FA-130-based family in the motor guide, because all core Super chassis use a propeller-shaft drivetrain, not the double-shaft layout reserved for ME/MA/MS PRO cars. The regulations require Tamiya-branded AA (R6/UM3) cells across every permitted series, Super included.