Modifying the
Mini-Z
Its always more fun and better to have a fast car. But faster means
u need a more powerful motor and better grip tires.
I have shortlisted a list of items that is good for both starters and
advanced driver.
1.) Transmission
2.) Tires
3.) Suspension
4.) Ride height
5.) Chassis/Body
6.) Power
Transmission.
A set of ball bearings will be nice as they will provide smoother runs
and last longer than convectional bushings.
But remember to oil them!! and clean them after every 10-15 runs.
Ball diff gives smoother corners but its expensive in my opinion. There
are many after market thats half the price of the original upgrade but
many say quality isnt as good.
Delrin gears is another item that can be used to smoothen the transmission.
But choices are limited and most of them works only for the Ball diff.
Tires
"Power is nothing without Controll" thats very true. having more
grip will give you better traction and transmit more power to the ground.
Tires are indicated by numbers and the softest i have seen for Mini-Z is
15 and the hardest 60
Suspension
Having a lighter spring on the front means the cornering will be better
as the inner tire can be compressed easier.
The rear suspension is govern by the H-bar and it can really make the
diff in which how the car handles.
the best way to get maximum out of the suspension is to try out different
settings and choose the best out of the combinations
For carpet, i recommend soft springs on the front and medium on the
rear. it works for me.
Ride height
Ride height means how high is the car above the ground. Common sense
is that lower means better BUT lowering the car without the chassis rubbing
the ground while allowing the suspension to travel freely does not only
need customs parts but also careful caculations and tests.
To date, i have managed to lower my beetle by 2mm which is a great improvement
but many of the parts have to be stripped off / filed off to maintain full
suspension travel.
Chassis
A lighter car will acclerate faster, turn faster and have a higher
top speed. However, it may not be as good cos for a small car, too light
means it will flip over easier. One Guy from HongKong did a marvellous
job by drilling a hell lot of holes in the chassis, battery clips, etc
(u name it, he drilled it)
More to come.... some info above may not be complete!!
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