Deeply confusing...

[Col]

I have an original zx5 and am slowly upgrading to SP spec. Purchased today were the SP front and rear wishbones and the SP front and rear C-hubs.
Obviously I am going to need longer driveshafts and new front wheels as well, but what else is needed? (I'm not bothered about the shocks)

Will my upgrades mean that I have the LAW 34 conversion included?
Why is Kyosho never simple?

[RogerM]

As you say you need the driveshafts front and rear and the front wheels, other than that you need the SP kingpin set and that is it .... ready to go.

That said by the time you have bought everything you will have spent a lot of money and would probably have been better off selling your old car (or keeping it for spares) and buying a new one.

When you say you are not worried about the shocks I assume that you already have the tripple caps shocks on ..... if not they are a huge improvement over the orginals and worth every penny .... more over if you go for the latest coated versions the ID is slightly smaller giving a little more pack for any given piston / oil combination. If you want to share set-ups with other SP drivers you will be looking at increasing 5wt on oil to get a similar static feel but still won't be getting the same overall effects.

The LAW34 was the older "mid-rear" conversion (which included the tripple caps) and NOT the SP conversion ... that was LAW35 but I don't think it is available anymore.

I personally think that the Kyosho approach to continual improvement is the best way. You always get an up to date car without having to build a new kit every few months and they always hold the conversion packs open to help people upgrade in one go for a sesnible amount of time (about 6-8 months usually). It's much better than having to buy a new car every couple of months (as the Xray on road boys seem to have to) or waiting 5 years plus for a new car (like AE) every time the opposition makes a big step forward.

Have a look on line for the SP manual, I think PetitRC have it, and you will see what you need to do. You won't regret it as the SP is just so nice to drive!

[Col]

SP kingpin set. Nice one Rog, Cheers!

[Gaz_Stanton]

Originally Posted by RogerM

That said by the time you have bought everything you will have spent a lot of money and would probably have been better off selling your old car (or keeping it for spares) and buying a new one.
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I personally think that the Kyosho approach to continual improvement is the best way. You always get an up to date car without having to build a new kit

[RogerM]

I take it you were rading the two comments as a contradiction but it's really not. Re-read the original post and you'll see I state that the LAW35 upgrade kit is not available for fresh supply.

Kyosho had the upgrade kits available for something in the region of 9 months .... it's a fair assumption that anybody who wanted one would have gone for it by then, especially as another option kit will be available in the next few weeks (the FS saddle chassis).


I was simply saying that buying the parts to do the upgrade, now the LAW35 kit is no longer available, is not the most economically sound approach .... it was when the LAW35 was on the shelves ..... now a new kit is the most economic option, especially at the price DC Racing (and some others ... so I don't get lots of other shops shooting me and clogging this thread) can offer it at and remembering any ZX5 around now will be 9 months older than it was when the SP was first released!!!!!



I still believe that giving owners a choice to upgrade their current ride for a fraction of the cost of a new kit, at the time a new kit is released, is a great bonus.

[Ted Maul]

Agree with Roger. If you own Car A, you can buy an upgrade kit to Car B, or you can buy parts piecemeal or you can buy Car B and use Car A as a spare or cannibalise for spare parts. Your choice will depend on available funds and how necessary you deem the upgrades.

I have a std zx5, which I hope will make a guest appearance at Batley or Bury before the season is out, but family commitments preclude regular racing for the next few years. I won't bother with SP hop ups, why would I? By the time they can make a difference to my racing, Kyosho will have released a zx-8 sp9 or something. I'll spend my money on a brushless combo and some bits and bobs to tweak the setup to help me remember how to setup a car and get a handle on the latest technology.

As a Lazer owner you have 3 choices to upgrade (or 4 if like me you choose to do nothing) which if you are selling your products to seasoned racers, newbies and everyone in between, is a sensible part of a business model. Now the politics is done with.... couple of questions:

Will the new saddle conversion simply be a chassis/bulkhead swap, or are there other changes too (i.e. geometry) to make best use of the change in balance? Will Kyosho include or make available proper seating for saddle-pack lipos rather than just nimh?

[RogerM]

It is just a chassis / center drivetrain conversion. Geometry is pure SP.

No idea on the lipo question

[mes]

Today I had my first try with a mild Brushless (Speed Passion 9.5) and a LiPo battery (Robitronic hardcase 5200). The only changes to my setup were putting the rear shocks back into the upper center hole and lowering the height, and, of course, adjust my driving. I would not be shocked to see the FS disappear as soon as LiPos will be legal to race worldwide. The SP feels very nice with the LiPo, all you really have to do is use your brain and your Dremel...and keep a spare front wishbone at hand while adjusting your driving