Decided to do a general hardware refresh like I'm doing with my Lazers.
I was glad to find that the YZ-2/YZ-4 ball studs are the same size as the YZ-10's, so I'm going through those with modern hex head type studs and through-hole rod ends. Also similar dimensions are the shock end balls. The new ones are hard coated aluminum but have larger faces on the ends that'll resist digging into the plastic.
I'm replacing the stainless hardware with black oxide because of my experience with SS being soft and rounding out. There are a few screws that thread into plastic that I'm trying out replacing with Kyosho TPH hardware. I'm hoping they have enough material to hold properly after they had M3x0.5 screws.
Kyosho also had 15mm turnbuckles that I substituted for the long setscrews for the front end camber adjustment. When I get it back together I'll see if I can adjust them like I need. These are steel. I went looking for titanium parts but the smallest were 16mm and I wasn't sure that extra mm would cause problems, though I guess I could grind them down. I'm also using Kyosho's low profile (3.3mm) lock nuts throughout the chassis, though I'll use fancy blue ones in places outside the body.
The conical washers I added for looks like I did my Lazers. When I ordered more after running out I found the new batch had larger outside diameters than the previous which prevented using so many on the front end, so I had to swap some off one of the Lazers so all the front shock tower screws could be swapped over.
Soon I'll build the new shocks. I'll carry over the YZ-10's aluminum caps as well as the spring cups and shock ends, as those are the unique YZ parts. I did manage to find blue spring adjusters on eBay so I'll be able to accent those as well. Wish I could get blue shock cartridge caps as well.
I currently have silver springs. I don't recall what brand, I assume associated since it's been (checks thread), hold crap, ten years since I started this. Lol! They're a bit heavy but, like my other cars, I expect it'll run just on hard surfaces.
Before shocks, though, I might dive back into the differentials as I noticed they're stiff and gritty. I did have this running at one point and thought I had cleaned them up, but maybe I didn't or I chewed them up.
So, I saw a refreshed "YZ10R" is on the market, now, from Trickbits. Does anyone know if they'll sell discreet parts? Would love to use their motor mount with integrated front belt tensioner, and maybe their wider belts if they have the same pitch and profile. I asked on their FB page, but didn't get a response. Being what look like hobbyists, I gather all the parts they order go into their kits.