ZX-1R MOD's

[BigC123]

First upgrade to the captured hinge pins, and then to fix the hinge pin on the rear hub's use 5/32 Dubro coller and set screw, take out the plastic spacer and replace with coller, then your good to go no more "ECLIPS":cool:

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh292/BigC123ZX1R/2008_0303Rcpics0003.jpg

[vnmsgt]

I think I would still probably put the hinge pins on along with what you said for extra insurance. You got some good idea's man! BTW Where can I get that collar at?

[BigC123]

Any hobby shop that sell's airplane stuff.

[hakmazter]

That is a great idea if it is what I think it is. Maybe we should make that a standard Caster part.....

[Mr Fusion]

Yep, I like that... very slick and does the job of multiple parts. Looks like maybe a thin shim could still be used to tighten it up??

E-Clips should die :mad: :D

[vnmsgt]

That is a great idea if it is what I think it is. Maybe we should make that a standard Caster part.....

I do not see any reason at all for someone not thinking it is a good idea. I already got some on hold at my LHS.

[hakmazter]

I do not see any reason at all for someone not thinking it is a good idea. I already got some on hold at my LHS.
I bet that the guy that makes e-clips might not think it is a good idea.....

[vnmsgt]

I do not see any reason at all for someone not thinking it is a good idea. I already got some on hold at my LHS.
I bet that the guy that makes e-clips might not think it is a good idea.....

That guy is a Dumba$$ in my book after this past sundays race I had.

[vnmsgt]

Caster make a block off plate for the radio box if you do not use the on/off switches? I have a old switch in my K8Tjust to keep dirt out but not one for my buggy.

[razzor]

a alternative to the e-clip is small circlips.
http://www.cirteq.com/pdfs/M1440_G.pdf
http://www.cirteq.com/pdfs/471_D1400_A.pdf
http://www.cirteq.com/pdfs/N1402_NAB.pdf

but the best option is the captured hinge pins.

[BigC123]

The coller works great never had it come out yet

[vnmsgt]

BIGC123 where do you have rear camber links (arms) set at on the lower shock tower.

[razzor]

The coller works great never had it come out yet

Thats definately a good idea ;)

[BigC123]

all the way down and the inner most hole.

[vnmsgt]

all the way down and the inner most hole.

Cool that is where I put them. Just wanted to make sure if it was a good idea.

[BigC123]

yes that way you Camber is more progressive.?&^

[BigC123]

Here is some great info on car set up I have to put in two parts.


Buggy Setup Guide

This is a 'Quick Reference' setup guide, a cheat sheet. You can print it down for your convenience.

This setup guide assumes you have some sort of 'standard setup' to begin with. One should come with your kit. You can also find standard setups on manufacturers' websites.
It also assumes your car is in perfect working order. (Bearings spinning freely, nothing dragging the ground, no binding in the suspension,...)
Tires


Tires are always the first element in setting up a car. If you've got the right tires, you're 90% there.


Springs


Stiffer Stiffer springs make the car feel more responsive, more direct.
They also help the car jump a little better and higher.
Stiff springs are suited for high-traction tracks, which aren't too bumpy.
Softer Softer springs are better for (mildly) bumpy tracks.
They can also make the car feel as if it has a little more traction in low-grip conditions.

Stiffer Front The car has less front traction, and less steering. It's harder to get the car to turn, the turn radius is bigger and the car has a lot less steering exiting corners.
The car will jump better, and maybe a little further.
On very high-grip tracks, it's usually beneficial to stiffen the front, even more than the rear. It just makes the car easier to drive, and faster.
Softer Front The car has more steering, especially in the middle part and the exit of the corner.
Front springs that are too soft can make the car hook and spin, and they can also make it react sluggishly.
Stiffer Rear The car has more steering, in the middle and exit of the turn. This is especially apparent in long, high-speed corners.
But rear traction is reduced.
Softer Rear The car has generally more rear traction, in turns as well as through bumps and while accellerating.

Damping


Heavier Thicker oil (heavier damping) makes the car more stable, and makes it handle more smoothly.
It also makes the car jump and land better.
If damping is too heavy, traction could be lost in bumpy sections.
Softer Soft damping (and springing) is better for shallow, ripply bumps.
It also makes the car react quicker.
Damping should always be adapted to the spring ratio; the suspension should never feel too 'springy' or too slow.
Heavier Front The turn radius is wider, but smoother. The car doesn't 'hook' suddenly.
The car is easier to drive, and high-speed steering feels very nice.
Softer Front The steering reacts quicker.
More and better low-speed steering.
Heavier Rear Steering feels quick and responsive, while the rear stays relatively stable.
Softer Rear Feels very easy to drive, the car can be 'thrown' into turns.
More rear traction while accellerating.
If one end of the car has slightly heavier damping than the other, then that end will feel as if it has the most consistent traction and the most stable when turning in and exiting corners.
A car with slightly heavier rear damping, or slightly lighter front damping will feel very stable turning into corners on bumps or whoops sections. It won't feel 'touchy' at all.

Caster


More More caster aids stability, and handling in bumpy sections.
Less Less caster increases steering drastically.
Steering feels much more direct, the car turns tighter and faster.

Ride Height


Higher The car feels better in bumps, and jumps better.
It can feel tippy, or even flip over in high-grip conditions.
Lower The car feels more direct, and it can potentially corner a bit faster.
It's also harder to flip the car over.
Lowering one end of the car, or putting the other end higher up, gives a little more grip at the lowest end, but try to avoid big differences in ride height between the front and the rear.

Wheelbase


Shorter A short wheelbase makes the car feel very nimble, and good in tight turns.
This is a good idea for very small and tight tracks, without big jumps or bumps.
Longer The car becomes a lot more stable, adn better in wide, high-speed turns.
This is good on wide-open tracks.

Anti-Squat


More More anti-squat generally makes the rear of the car more sensitive to throttle input.
The car has more steering while braking, and also a little more powering out of corners.
On high-traction tracks, it may feel as if the car momentarily has more rear traction accellerating out of corners.
A car with more anti-squat can also jump a little higher and further, and it will soak up bumps a little better, off-power.
A lot of anti-squat (4° or more) can make the car spin out in turns, and make the rear end break loose when accellerating.
Less Less anti-squat gives more rear traction while accellerating on a slippery or dusty track.
It also gives more side-bite.
Less anti-squat will make the car accellerate better and faster through bumpy sections.
Very little anti-squat (0° or 1°) makes the rear end feel very stable. It also makes power sliding a lot easier.
Note that anti-squat only works when you're accellerating or braking, it does absolutely nothing when you're coasting through turns.
The harder you brake or accellerate, the bigger the effect of anti-squat is.

Shock Pistons


The assumption is made that if pistons are changed, the viscosity of the oil is also adapted, to give the same static feel. (Same low-speed damping)
Smaller Holes Smaller holes mean more 'pack'. Pack means the damping gets very stiff, or almost locks up, over sharp bumps, ruts, or landing off jumps.
Small holes are good for smooth tracks, with big jumps or crummy jumps with harsh landings.
Bigger Holes Bigger holes mean less pack. The point at which the damping gets stiff (where the shock 'packs up') occurs a lot later, at higher shock shaft speeds.
Big holes are very good for bumpy tracks. The car is more stable and has more traction in the bumpy sections. It won't be thrown up over sharp bumps, the suspension will soak them up a lot better.

Smaller holes in front The car jumps very nicely, a little more nose-up.
It feels easy to drive.
Bigger holes in front Can give a subtle feel of more steering and more consistent front end grip if the track isn't perfectly smooth.
Always use the same, or about the same shock pistons front and rear. Big differences in pistons make the car feel inconsistent, and not very smooth.

?&^?&^

[BigC123]

Here is the 2nd part of setting up a Buggy.
Lower Shock Mounting Location


Bear in mind that changing the lower shock mounting location changes the lever arm of the shocks on the wheels.
So mounting the shocks more inward makes the suspension softer at the wheel, and mounting the shocks more towards the outside makes the suspension stiffer.
Front more inward More low-speed steering.
Usually makes the car very hard to drive.
Front more outward Makes the car very stable, but it has a lot less low-speed steering.
Rear more inward Makes the car soak up bumps a little better, and can make the car corner a bit faster.
Can be good for bumpy, low-grip tracks, but general stability is greatly reduced.
Rear more outward Feels very stable.The way to go for high-grip tracks.

Upper Shock Mounting Location


More Inclined Has a more progressive, smoother feel.
More lateral grip.
Less Inclined
(More Vertical) More direct feel;
Less lateral grip. (side-bite)
generally a bit better for jumps and harsh landings.

Front more inclined than rear Steering feels very smooth.
A little more mid-corner steering.
Mounting the rear shocks very upright can result in the rear end sliding in the middle of the turn, especially in high-speed turns.
Rear more inclined than front Feels agressive turning in.
The car has a lot of side traction in the rear, and the turn radius isn't very tight.

Roll Center / Camber links


Long Link A long link gives a lot of body roll in turns.
It feels as is the body is willing to keep on rolling, until in the end, the springs prevent it from rolling any further.
The car has more grip in corners, especially the middle part.
Short Link A short link makes that the body doesn't roll as far, its tendency to roll drops off as it rolls.
This can stabilize a car in bumps and curved sections.
It feels as is the car generates a little less grip.
Parallel Link
(Parallel to lower arm) A parallel link gives a little more roll than an angled one.
It feels very smooth, and consistent as the body rolls in turns.
Angled Link
(Distance between arm and link is smaller on the inside) An angled link makes it feel as if the car has a tendency to center itself (level, no roll), other than through the springs or anti-roll bar.
It gives a little more initial grip, steering into corners. It makes it very easy to 'throw' the car.
The body rolls a little less than with parallel links.
On bumpy tracks, it could be possible to use softer settings for damping and spring rate than with parallel links, without destabilising the car.
Beware that you should always keep an eye on the balance of your car; large differences in roll center front vs. rear will make the car feel less consistent and less confidence-inspiring.

Longer Front The front rolls and dives more in turns.
Lots of steering in mid-corner.
Could make the car hook.
Shorter Front The front feels very stable.
A little more turn-in, but less steering in mid-corner.
Longer Rear More rear traction in turns, and coming out of them.
Rear end slide is very progressive, not unpredictable at all.
Make sure that there's enough rear camber though, or you could lose rear traction in turns.
Shorter Rear The rear feels very stable. It breaks out later and more suddenly, but if it does, the slide is more controllable.
It makes the front dive a little more, which results in more steering, especially when braking.
More Angled Front Turn-in is very agressive.
The front feels as if it wants to roll less than the rear.
More Angled Rear The rear end is rock-solid while turning in. It feels very confident.

Camber


Camber is best set so the tires' contact patch is as big as possible at all times. So with a stiff suspension you'll need less camber than with a soft one.
If the tires wear evenly across their contact patches, camber is about right.
On really bumpy tracks, adding a little more negative camber (2 to 3 degrees) can help traction and reduce the chances of catching a rut and flipping over.

Toe


Front Toe-in Stabilizes the car in the straights, adn coming out of turns.
It smoothes out the steering response, making the car very easy to drive;
Front Toe-out Increases turn-in steering a lot.
But can make the car wandery on the straights;
Never use more than 2 degrees of front toe-out!
Rear Toe-in Stabilizes the car greatly. It makes the rear end 'stick', but more toe-in makes the difference between sticking and breaking loose bigger.
Rear Toe-out Rear toe-out is never used. It makes the rear of the car very, very unstable.

Anti-Roll bar


Anti-roll bars are best used on smooth, and high-traction tracks only.
If you must use one on a bumpy track, try to use a very thin one.
Adding an anti-roll bar, or stiffening it, reduces traction at that end of the car. So it feels like the opposite end has more grip.
If the track is smooth enough, it also makes the grip level feel more consistent.
Anti-roll bars reduce body roll in turns, so they make the car feel more direct, and make it change direction quicker.

Stiffer Front An anti-roll bar at the front of the car reduces low-speed steering. The turning radius will be larger, but very consistent.
It reduces 'hooking' by preventing front end roll.
The car will have more rear traction in turns.
Stiffer Rear Adding an anti-roll bar to the rear of the car gives more steering. the car steers tighter, also at low speeds.
On a very smooth track, it can make powersliding easier. It can also make powering out of turns and lining up for jumps a little easier.
Ackermann


More
(Bigger difference in steering angle
between the two font wheels) More Ackermann makes the steering more consistent, and smoother.
It just feels right, also at low speeds and in tight turns.
Less
(Smaller, or no difference in steering
angle between the two font wheels) Less Ackermann makes the steering more agressive at high speeds.
The car turns in more agressively.
It doesn't work well when either traction or cornering speeds are low.

Internal Travel Limiters / Droop / Downtravel


More
(less droop/downtravel) The car changes direction faster, and corners flatter. It feels generally more responsive.
Adding a lot of travel limiters is only advisable on smooth tracks.
Less
(more droop/downtravel) Less internal shock spacers give better handling on bumpy tracks, and more and more consistent traction on difficult tracks.
The car also land better after jumps.
The end with the least downtravel will feel the most stable, and the most direct. But try to keep a balance (front and rear end droop about the same), especially on low-grip tracks.
Adding more internal travel limiters is a very effective way of reducing traction rolls, if not the most effective way.

Wings


Rear Adding rear downforce by changing to a bigger wing, or mounting he wing higher or at more of an angle increases rear traction at speed.
This can be very useful on slick tracks with fast, sweeping corners.

Pinion/Spur


Smaller Gear Ratio
(bigger number means smaller ratio) More punch and accelleration.
More runtime.
Lower top speed.
Bigger Gear Ratio
(smaller number means bigger ratio) Less punch, but more top speed.
Less runtime.
Smaller Pinion Gear Smaller gear ratio
Bigger pinion Gear Bigger gear ratio
Smaller Spur Gear Bigger gear ratio
Bigger Spur Gear Smaller gear ratio
Overall Ratio Overall Ratio = (Spur/Pinion)*Internal Gearbox Ratio
Rollout
(mm/rev) Rollout = (Pi*Tire Diameter)/Overall Ratio

?&^?&^

[rrmccabe]

Thanks Clayton. Yea you would think the manual would come with basic setup but mine sure didnt.

It's on my agenda this weekend to go get the competitions manual and setup my ZX-1R using that. That will be my basic setup. Cam said something about posting setups but hasn't dont it yet.

[vnmsgt]

Now that is alot if info!! Will be printing that out! Thanks.

[razzor]

Down load the Xray XB8 manual and from page 43 onwards is usefull setup info.

[rrmccabe]

Down load the Xray XB8 manual and from page 43 onwards is usefull setup info.

That doesnt surprise me. I just bought a Xray NT1 and the manual is beautiful.

?&^

[BigC123]

Hope you all like the info.:D

[rrmccabe]

Lots of reading today :)

Downloaded the XB manual. Makes me want the new 808...

[hakmazter]

How do you ban an administrator?

So what did you see that was so impressive? I'm on slowspeed at home for the last day.....lol.

I looked at the chassis plate and it looked similar to our upgrade one.

[Mr Fusion]

Xray makes beautiful cars for sure. They are something to drool over. Too bad the only thing wrong with them is they aren't that fast on the track. Just a small issue though right? LOL.

That's what is cool about the Caster car.... it might have a few small bugs that we are working on improving, but the car just WORKS on the track. Even with a couple flaws, it's fast.

That's one reason why we may not see the big bores become standard equipment. It will be a great option, but right now we don't know if it will actually make the car better on every track. Some top drivers (other brands) prefer standard shocks, and only do big bores when a track is blown out.

:D

[rrmccabe]

How do you ban an administrator?

So what did you see that was so impressive? I'm on slowspeed at home for the last day.....lol.

I looked at the chassis plate and it looked similar to our upgrade one.

Mike not speaking about the cars, but the manuals...

Xray sets the standard for how manuals should be written. First they have a super nice assembly manual that is first rate. Then you get a totally separate setup manual with all the details and "how comes" to go along with it.

I dont know anything about their buggys, but was just speaking of the manual.

Although, I have heard the new 808 buggy is supposed to set new standards. Guess time will tell if its hype or not.

Tidbit for you.. Xray owns the worlds largest indoor RC track !

[hakmazter]

Then we need to send a manual to Mikey so he can see it. I thought the Caster one was fine, but I have never seen an x-ray one. I'll download it tomorrow......lol.

[rrmccabe]

Well in my opinion it has two issues. One its a couple years old and doesn't match todays car (Cams words) so there are inaccuracy's. And secondly, it doesn't have anything for setup info. So you are totally on your own to use the competitors setups.

Here is 5 pages out of the Xray manual for the NT1 I just built. I cut it to 5 pages for dial up users. LOL

http://www.ss-shootout.com/rc/sample.pdf

[razzor]

Xray manual has been updated so setup info is from page 36 onwards.
http://www.teamxray.com/teamxray/showfile.php?file_id=2167

[vnmsgt]

Here is a easy mod I did to my Zx1-R to stop the steering rod ball ends from popping off when you land wrong and stuff. Here is what I used. 1 set of Traxxas rod ends that come with the ball ends PART #2742X, a longer bolt to go through them and reuse the stock nut form the original ball end. Also used a small nut to space up the ball end (the original ball end sits a little higher). You could use washer instead of the nut if you want to. ***NOTE*** I DID NOT USE THE TRAXXAS ROD END IN THE BAG. Believe me you guys want to do this. I had them pop off twice on me during a race before and it sucks!

PS the two bigger ball ends you see in the bag are the stock ones I forgot to take out so disregard them.


http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii47/vnmsgt/ZX1-Rmod002.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii47/vnmsgt/ZX1-Rmod003.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii47/vnmsgt/ZX1-Rmod005.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii47/vnmsgt/ZX1-Rmod004.jpg

[Mr Fusion]

Nice, thanks for the info and pics. So these allow full movement without binding? Even at full droop....

[vnmsgt]

Nice, thanks for the info and pics. So these allow full movement without binding? Even at full droop....

Yes but you have to put the spacer (nut that I used) under the ball. If not it will bind and not allow full droop. That is why I put the nut in. I did it without it and it was not good.

[vnmsgt]

Here are some skid plates I just got off of ebay. Cost only $7 for a set of 3! They are from DERACING.NET. They are for the Mugen MBX5R and 5T. They are a direct bolt on and protect the chassis.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii47/vnmsgt/chassisskidplates002.jpg

[razzor]

A few mods i have done to my buggy when i rebuilt it.

Added CVD boots to the center and rear CVD's
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/razzor13bt/img122.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/razzor13bt/img125.jpg

Caster CVD boots had to be stretched a bit to get them on and once on a drop of CA holds them in place. I then used some Tamiya antiwear grease and squirted it in from the dogbone side of teh boot so no more dirt CVD'd :)

I have also tapped all the ball suspension balls and fitted longer screws with a washer and lock nut.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/razzor13bt/img136.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/razzor13bt/img137.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/razzor13bt/img126.jpg

Center braces have also been made stronger with a lock nut added on top.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/razzor13bt/img120.jpg

also the droop screws have been swapped out for button head cap screws mounted from below.This is a bit more work but i prefer it as the grub screws damage the chassis plate.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/razzor13bt/img121.jpg

[vnmsgt]

Those are really nice upgrades on how you did it I like it. But wont the droop screws be hard to adjust like that on the bottom once the chassis is bolted to it?

[razzor]

Not at all. Just lift up the arm and adjust with ball end allen driver.

[dskredbarron]

Yeah BigC, "thanks man " !!! Thats what it is all about-helping one another.

[Craig1]

Got some of the big bore shock for my ZX-1R from JPM Racing here in Australia the other day.

I was fitting them up and found a few small problems that some of you might want to check.

I put them together and lubbed up the o-rings to put the shock shaft through but I couldn't get them as free as I thought they should be.

I found that the plastic washers that go each side of the o-rings had an I.D that was a little small and would drag of the shock shaft and make the shock feel tight.

I opened them up a "little" with a small dremel bit and they were much better.

I also thought that the circlip ran too close to the shaft as well so I ground a little away from the tail of it just slightly.

[razzor]

Usually i just bend the circlip so it doesnt touch the shock shaft.
Had a customers car that had teh shafts worn badly from the circlip rubbing it.

[skeller]

Usually i just bend the circlip so it doesnt touch the shock shaft.
Had a customers car that had teh shafts worn badly from the circlip rubbing it.


All I did to mine was bend the clip back....smooth as butter now.;)