Lazer ZX-5 upgrade help
 

Hi all,

I've got the RTR version of the ZX-5, so far this is what I've done.

4.5t brushless motor & ETC (it's not running anywhere near it's max because I can't handle it)
2.4Ghz radio gear
New wheels, tyres and foam inserts
I'm put some traxxax shocks on because the originals leaked
I've had to replace the plastic bars on the front of the car with alloy ones as the originals broke (suspension holders?)
A new shell? It's not the bullet style one and I can't even remember where I got it from :blush:

Anyway, obviously I know that many of the parts on the car probably won't last very long, so what I would like to do is plan to upgrade the car gradually, but I know some parts are very much dependent on other parts before they can be fitted.

Next on my list is to replace the plastic CV's? with metal ones (front and rear), and I'm just wondering what parts I need to completely fit these? Do I need new wishbones and driveshafts? Hubs? Wheels? Is this what I should be doing next, or is there another upgrade you would say would be more important?

I'd just like to know what to buy to complete the job, especially when some parts take 2 weeks to be delivered, I don't want to get the parts delivered and wait 2 weeks for me to realise I need another part.

Does anyway have a kind of upgrade path? i.e. what you'd replace first (and part numbers), so I could upgrade in stages?

and before anyone mentions, yes long term I might have been better off buying the FS kit rather than the RTR, but at least this way I get to work on the car bit by bit.

Definately change the driveshafts.

As long as you get the complete CVD set you won't need anything else to change them, it should be a direct fit in replacement of the dogbone and zheel axle.

4.5T is a little bit mental in a buggy, I'd suggest trying something slower like a 6.5.

Thanks, don't suppose you know the part number for the complete CVD set do you?

Although the motor is 4.5t I've got it restricted via the radio gear I'm using to a speed which I'm comfortable with.

A 4.5 is silly fast and near completely useless in a 4wd buggy, especially a Lazer RTR. Even if you're limiting it via the transmitter it won't be helping your driving any. You'd probaby be a lot more comfortable driving something like a 7.5.

Your best bet would be to keep your eyes out for a decent second-hand Lazer and break it up for parts. Would probably be a fair bit cheaper than upgrading your RTR Lazer.

So would you recommend buying something like this?

http://www.oople.com/forums/showthre...ghlight=kyosho

I was thinking of buying all of the bits to convert to an SP, but it would be just as expensive as buying another car. Although I like the idea of everything being new.

That is a good buy.

I had to have a quick check there just to make sure you were not the seller :D

I'm trying to source a price for every part needed to convert to the SP, then I'll weigh up the best option. My problem is I bought the RTR on a budget, have spent loads on it replacing the electrics etc. If I buy another car I have to hide it from the wife....she'd go nuts, where as if I buy all the parts, it's much easier to get away with.

Women eh!

buy a new kit and ask the shop to get rid of the box and post all parts int their bags :p

can't really afford a whole new kit to be honest, especially not at £290

I found an unbuilt SP on ebay US for £140 + delivery, but the guy doesn't want to post it abroad...what a bummer, would have been perfect.

But expensive

£140 expensive for a brand new unbuilt sp?

Looking elsewhere I'm looking at £300 for the kit.

ok, I've had a look around and put together a list of things I need to do to the RTR to more or less make is an SP, apart from the chassis which I'll change later to a carbon fibre one. I've not planned to replace the shocks, as I've already replaced them.

W5201 x1 - Front wheels
LA254 x 1 - Steering knuckles
LA255 x 1 - Front & rear A-arms (full set)
LA252 x 1 - Rear hub
LA257 x 1 - Front universals (these seem expensive at £30)
LA258 x 1 - Rear universals (again, £30)
LA256 x 1 - King pin
UM129 x 1 - 4.8mm ball shaft
W5194-01 x 2 - Plastic shock parts
1368 x 1 - Hex screws
1378 x 1 - Hex screws

The above seems to be what I need to sort out the suspension area, apart from the shocks.

I'd also like to replace the plastic shafts on the car to the metal ones, I'm not 100% certain what parts I need for this, but from comparing the diagrams I think I need the following;

LA201 x 2 - Steel differential shaft set
WBD04 x 2 - Pressure plate set
LA223 x 2 - One way shaft
96647 x 2 - Shim set
BRG014TS x 2 - Teflon bearing

Can anyone confirm if I'm missing anything.

Also, where's the best place to buy all of this?

just get all the shells painted the same colour my misses cant tell the difference between them then lol

edit.

I converted mine from an original zx5. Your parts list sems right to me. Cost was about £100 without the shocks if I remember right.
In hindsight I would have bought a secondhand one.

I've considered buying a used SP, there's on on here for sales that's a standard ZX converted to the SP for £130. It seems a good deal, the only thing putting me if is the wear and tear on a used one. I bought used a long time ago and found myself replacing bearings and other worn things left right and centre.

The one I found on ebay US would have been ideal, brand spanking new, but like I say, the guy won't send it abroad.

Wouldn't worry too much about that. Mine is an original converted and some of it is 5 years old now without any problems.

My advice would be to save up, enjoy the car you have and when you get the cash together get an FS.

Just keep in mind the FS will need saddle pack cells if your buying any (you can always tape them together to form a stick for use in your current car).

The FS is practically a new car, it shares very little with the original ZX5 and performs more consistently than either that or the SP.

As Neil has stated on another thread the ZX5-FS is a true 1 box purchase, even the springs are usable (although not optimum) for the UK. Now they have the price down to sub £300 again I think that is something to consider!

Yeh, I've been looking at the FS, and for the sake of simplicity I have thought of just buying the FS and selling what I have as spares to someone. I could probably convert my batteries to fit the FS as well, just a case of getting some battery bars.

ok, I've decided to stick with what I have and upgrade it bit by bit to make it a better car.

I've ordered the parts needed to replace the plastic diff shafts with metal ones. That should help the car cope with the non-stock motor it's got in it.

From what I've read the plastic the car is made from on the RTR isn't as good as the SP, I don't know how true that is, but whatever I break will get replaced and I doubt the quality of the plastic is going to make much different to my driving (which isn't good by the way).

RTR cars and top end cars at kyosho are made in different places, with different materials, that is 100% true.

I've got chassis, bodyshell, top deck, gearboxes, centre shaft, lashaft etc from the SP I'm not using. They're in a box looking useless, you can have them cheap :D

How much is cheap?

I'm going to try not to do too much work on the car until I'm pushing it to it's limits, i.e. my driving gets better but the car handles like crap.

For the handling you are best off looking for set-ups for the original ZX5 (on here, look for posts by Niggs98 and Petit RC).

The original car isn't in the same league as the FS or indeed the SP but it'll be fine with a good set-up on it to learn to drive well.

Thanks Roger.

Having only raced a few times in 14 years, I'm just looking to get back into the swing of things and just want the car to be decent enough to help me improve.

Although I'd love to have the better cars like all you pro's :D

zx5
 

if i was you mate id ebay that rtr youve got and buy that sp of here it would save you a fortune trust me that sp is a steel at 130 with all what comes with it i bet youd get £50 for your rtr on ebay

I've just received the steel diff shafts and shims this morning, just waiting for the diff plates and the one way shaft (LA223).

A couple of questions...

What is the one way shaft? They look so small on the exploded view, but I've ordered them because they appear on the SP exploded view but not the ZX-5.

The other question is, because I have the RTR and the parts are of a lesser quality, should I also order new gear set (la200), ball bearings (ul120) and new sets of bearings for the front and rear gearboxes(brg014)? Will these parts be better quality than the parts already fitted, or are they the same parts? The part numbers are the same, I'm just worried about the quality.

If it's recommended that I replace the bearings, is it worth getting the bear sets you see by 3Racing? or should I just order the Kyosho bearings?

My main aim is to replace the plastic diff shafts with metal ones, but while I've got the gearboxes apart I might as well replace anything in there that could be better quality.

Ta

one way shaft
 

you can only use that one way shaft mate if you have the one way bearing fitted these fit at the front of the main centre drive shaft if you use them when you let of the throttle the car loses drive to the front wheels this gives you more off power steering and when you go for the brakes you only have breaks on the rear to fit this in the car you remove the front centre drive cup which is just pushed in put in the one way bearing and then the shaft goes into the bearing but make sure you get the bearing the right way round or your car will be 2wd and have braking on all 4 wheels lol also those shafts are used in each side of the one way diff.As for those parts mate if the part numbers are the same the materials used for the parts will be the same

Thanks mate,

All I'm waiting for then is the pressure plates and I can fit these steel diff shafts.

"As for those parts mate if the part numbers are the same the materials used for the parts will be the same"

I'm not sure that's true, the chassis numbers between the SP and the RTR are the same, but apparently the RTR is made of a cheaper plastic.

I'm been a right pain the arse here but, does the SP come with the one way bearings? or is that something you can add on, it's just the one way shaft (la223) appears on the SP exploded view, so I'm assuming that SP has the one way?

The SP did NOT come with any form of 1 way.

A lot of the top drivers seem to have gone away from one-ways now prefering the late braking advantage of a diff. The one-way will be coming out of my car as part of the prep for this weekend.

If you can learn to drive with out one then a lot will tell you its the fastest way around (certainly doesn't seem to hurt Pidge any with his B44 or Kev Lee with his Pred)

one way
 

ive tried the one way diff and the bearing in my sp and i dident like either myself

Just ordered the wishbones, wheels and hubs etc to replace the standard ones with the SP ones.

Thanks to Matt above who recommended I look on ebay for the drive shafts, they're almost half the price of over here, though I've only been able to order the rears for now as there were no fronts on ebay.

My business credit card is taking a hammering....I'll put it down to sponsorship :D

diffs
 

also mate when you put your new diffs back in the car youl notice the two shims each side behind the bearing put two silver shims behind the teeth on bevel gear and the other silver and the brass one infront of the teeth this meshes the gears i little bit tighter it will help stop you stripping the bevel gears with your 4.5t motor lol

Now that you're upgrading to SP be very wary of 3racing parts. Most are for std zx5 and rtr

thanks for pointing that out

i was going to get a servo saver replacement for my standard zx5 (part number la221). but noticed that there is a newer part - la221b, apparently for the FS?
does anyone know the difference between the 2 parts? i would've thought the servo saver stayed the same throughout all the zx5 versions.