Lazer zx-5, what should I upgrade/replace next?

[littlened]

I bought the lazer as an RTR last june, and it's only been raced once (I've never had time to go). In the meantime I've been changing bits and bobs every now and again.

So far;

Proline Body Shell
7.5t Brushless Motor, Orion Votex Speed Controller
Acoms 2.4Ghz Kit with new Server
New rear wheels, I read the RTR wheels were made from poor plastic

I've also made some changes to make it more like the SP.
SP front wheels
Front and rear diff shafts to replace the plastic ones
Replaced the bearings in both gearboxes.
SP front and rear driveshafts
SP Front/Rear wishbones & hubs etc
Aluminium suspension holders on the front (I broke the plastic ones in my only race so far)
Set of front and rear shocks

So I'm wondering what I can do next, or is it about as good as I can get it? I know I've probably spent a fair amount on it so far, but just upgrading it has been a hobby in itself, which has taught me alot about the car.

Some possible upgrades I'm thinking of are to get a set of hex screws, and I'm possibly thinking of getting the carbon fibre top desk and chassic, but I've read that the standard chassis is actually better (more flexible?). I could probably do with some aluminium suspension holder things on the rear as well, as I don't expect the plastic ones to last long. Is there anything else?

Here's some pictures of it so far...

[Col]

So it seems you have an SP spec car?
I'd stick with the original tub chassis personally, but would invest in a front brace (covers the weak part in the chassis)

Other than that it seems the same as mine that I raced for 2 years with no major problems. Enjoy!

edit: I always had my shocks in the middle hole on the towers - gave me better grip in the corners.

[littlened]

Thanks for the tip regarding the shock hole.

What is the front brace you're talking about? Sorry, I'm not up to speed on the names of everything yet.

[JCJC]

Looks like one we used to race as well, but cleaner !!

Front brace - looks like you have a silver ali one behind the front bumper, locks the wishbones in position, the old plastic one took the gearbox housing with it when it broke. great car.

[littlened]

Originally Posted by JCJC

Looks like one we used to race as well, but cleaner !!

Front brace - looks like you have a silver ali one behind the front bumper, locks the wishbones in position, the old plastic one took the gearbox housing with it when it broke. great car.

ah I've got ya. Yeh, I fitted an ali one when the plastic one snapped. I thick I caught the front wheel against a wall which smashed the plastic one. Both the front front braces are ali. I'm looking at getting some for the rear as well, although I don't think the rear will take as much bashing as the front?

[RogerM]

I'd recomend a front tower brace from Atomic Carbon to make the front end of the car near bullet proof then go and have fun

[mattb]

what about some hard ball cups part no UM112H they are a lot better than the standard black ones and some titanium turnbuckels i always used to bend the standard ones,also if you want a top quality stainless screw kit for it pm TYSON on here mate he does them

[RogerM]

In all seriousness I think the biggest upgrade you can make now is a good set-up!!!

I'd look at getting the Kyosho shocks so you can share set-ups with everybody else and they are simply the best shocks in 1/10th offroad at the moment!

[kyfran]

if you want to make some changes, you can also switch your rear shocks to the front of the shock stay like the FS, it's better with low/med traction

I have also reversed the position of the front and rear shock tower to make them more vertical

All the rest (carbon fiber parts) is for fun

[mof]

Maybe replace the screws with quality hex screws.

Oh, you could read these (don't know if the products are available or not anymore...):

http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/zx5/
http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/zx5/tiscrews.html
http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/zx5/atomiczx5.html
http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/zx5/a...x5chassis.html

[littlened]

I'll certainly be looking to get some titanium hex screws, the standard screws are murder to work with.

My Orion Vortex ESC packed in at the weekend (raced once and bashed 5-8 times since June 09), so I spent another £130 getting an LRP ESC. I'm kind of a bit skint now, so anything spent in the next couple of month is likely to be to fix anything I break

[RogerM]

I'd stay away from the titanium screws, most I have seen are very soft and round quickly, not to mention th price

There is nothing wrong with Kyosho's hex screws at all (not the philips ones in the RTRs but the ones from the race spec kits) and I either use genuine Kyosho hardware or the stuff supplied by MicroTech depending on what is easily available when I needed it. I've had nothing but good results from both.

[RogerM]

As for ESC I can recomend the Speed Passion stuff, reliable, smooth, easy to adjust and all at a great price. I've had a GT2.0 LPF in my 4wd with a 5.5 and it was perfectly happy, only swapped it with the GT2.0 Pro as I got a great deal on one and thought it would be better to have the top spec in the 4wd and the LPF in 2wd.

Last time I looked the GT2.0 LPF was under £115 posted from MicroTech.

I personally don't think there is any better out there than the Speed Passion stuff which makes it amazing value for money.

[RogerM]

On a personal note the last thing I would want is the shocks more vertical, you want to keep the shocks travel perpendicular to the wishbones. Also many people are mounting their shocks on the rear of the wishbones on the FS as it frees the suspension under compression loads.
I built my FS that way and am more than happy