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Old 2018.02.01, 08:51 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thorvald View Post
Don't forget I'm talking Canadian $$$ lol. I also include the cost of the KO Radio ($370 Can for the RR right now).

The GL is nice but the stock ESC was horrible, the Swave sensored is much smoother (however it has teething issue too that will hopefully be resolved). So add another $150 Cdn approx for that.

It's nice to see the newer stock Kyosho cars have the rear damper included and a better motor mount but I'm sure people will still get the "upgrade" bug if they are new to Mini-Z.

---

I think it is a forgone conclusion, any hobby a man (and some women) gets into turns into a money pit lol!
I forget about the conversion... It can be fun to hop up the cars for a while, but when you dont have the time or the funds, and want to race, its more about getting a car on track and turning laps for the least amount of money with a good amount of competitiveness. I loved box stock racing, with only bearings, wheels and tires. Never had to wrench the car unless it got wrecked...

Its easy to focus too much on the parts on the car than what the setup is needed for the track. Try this part, try that part... Most tracks that I would go to, I would just get a good base setup, and just drive. Some of my better cars were very simple setups. Almost bare minimum, motormount (heatsinks), damper fluid/grease and springs. This is all that I would recommend for a new racer initially. If you an get a 48t motor, pack the differentials with grease, and just turn laps. As things break, upgrade them. Swingshafts and diff outdrives tend to go first. I would use alloy in rear, and stock in front for my stock class car, and full alloy in mod.

Transportation without a car racing RC is a little difficult. The good thing about the Mini-Z is everything can fit in a backpack if only running one car. I used to travel 2.5-3.5hrs each way for years via public transport every week. See what classes they run, and try to setup the car appropriately. If they are running modified cars, I think a motor around 48-50t would still be a good option to start with. If you have a lot of RC experience, then you may want more once you dial in the setup. Most important is getting on the right tires... if those are wrong, nothing else matters.
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Last edited by EMU; 2018.02.01 at 09:04 AM.
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Old 2018.02.01, 09:48 AM   #17
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Very well stated as usual.
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Old 2018.02.01, 05:02 PM   #18
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i was told that the first thing i should do is get a gyro
Gyros make driving Mini-Zs much easier but check with your club/track. I ran one a few years ago on a dusty outdoor RCP track where the sun was hitting it and traction was scarce. Worked wonders and made my car very easy to drive in the conditions, but my fellow club members would never let me hear the end of it

Quote:
Originally Posted by EMU View Post
Transportation without a car racing RC is a little difficult. The good thing about the Mini-Z is everything can fit in a backpack if only running one car. I used to travel 2.5-3.5hrs each way for years via public transport every week.
I did this while I was in school and unwilling to give up my hobby. It's comforting to know I'm not the only one

I agree with what else has been said here, don't get discouraged! The learning curve is steep but you improve very quickly once you figure out the basics. Also very strongly agree with what Arch has said about stock racing - it's honestly my favorite class too because its low effort for big fun.

Last edited by TeeSquared; 2018.02.02 at 11:47 AM.
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Old 2018.02.01, 05:28 PM   #19
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In regards to the gyro, its not a racing tool. For low traction surfaces, it can help keep the front wheels ahead of the rear, but it takes control out of the drivers hands. I will always be faster around a track without one, but a new racer on low traction may find the benefits.

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I did this while I was in school and unwilling to give up my hobby. It's comforting to know I'm not the only one
The nearest local track is about 1.5hrs away via public transport, I am getting back into RC a bit, so will be back on the train with my gear. soon There isnt much Z racing going on around here, so I am moving up scale to drive F1 and looking to see what opens up for Z racing in the area.
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Old 2018.02.01, 05:58 PM   #20
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I will always be faster around a track without one, but a new racer on low traction may find the benefits.
Not to hijack a thread, but does anyone actually have concrete data that backs this up? I see a lot of hearsay and hand-waving around gyros and they are often quickly dismissed without anyone ever providing evidence. When I run a gyro in low grip conditions, I plug in the gyro and have more fun than I would otherwise. My peers would be spinning out constantly and clearly getting frustrated.

Kyosho includes them on most new VE cars too, even the AWD. I say, if it makes the car easier to drive and saves you times and money, than go for it.
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Old 2018.02.01, 07:01 PM   #21
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I tested with a gyro for about a month or two after they came out. I was always .5s slower around the RCP track we were running on. It would reduce steering entering the corners aggressively, an occasionally on exit. I needed to adjust the setup and driving to the gyro rather than the car.

On low traction surfaces, not low traction RCP, but a tennis court or the like, it could benefit. But, personally, I would rather dial in the setup and search for grip than have something interfere with my input.
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Old 2018.02.02, 02:43 AM   #22
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Quote:
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Most important is getting on the right tires... if those are wrong, nothing else matters.
Totally agree with this... tires are first priority. Keep things simple... bearings then change things as they break... still got the plastic t plate and gear diffs on some of my cars... most important is to have fun...
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Old 2018.02.02, 11:28 AM   #23
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man i hate there is no local part companies, and that all the tracks are far away. i cant even setup a track at home (have cartpet, cats and live with horaders....long story)
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