Lazer zx sport build

[Brocklee]

Well I picked up another kyosho after getting my zx5, and I think the kyosho bug has bitten me. I picked up this lazer zx sport with the intentions of turning it into a modern racer



After getting this and driving it a bit I've devised a list of what I'll end up doing to it.
1. G10 chassis/shock towers, to get rid of the current wet noodle chassis, I plan on running saddle packs and moving them 3mm to the center as I've heard that helps, I also plan on extending the wheelbase ~1mm, this is mostly to increase the front belt tension and make it slightly more stable with modern brushless systems. For the shock towers I'll be adding more camber link positions, and possibly 2 more shock mounting positions.
2. Put ball bearings throughout. This was the worst thing about driving the car, the bushings currently have tons of slop and it makes the car dart around
3. Slipper, now I've heard of people making shafts for the vts slipper but I haven't seen any. This is the route I would like to go but if the price is too high for someone to make the main shaft then I'll just run a zxr slipper.
4. Modern cvds, no more dog bones popping out. I still need to get the length front and rear
5. New shocks, they will most likely be some losi small bores.

So what do you guys think, anything I should add or change? I hope to have this finished by this winter but we will see. Our second child is going to be born any time now so some my hobby funds will get repurposed.

[Coelacanth]

Nice project there. As far as shocks go, I'd go with Kyosho Golds. You'll never need anything else and they're arguably the best-performing shock for that car. If you're on a budget or can't easily score a set of Golds, 3Racing's damper set for the Lazer ZX-5 are pretty nice, and cheap as dirt. They're a bit stiff out of the box but that can be tweaked by opening up the piston ring holes a tad and going with a lighter weight oil. You can also adjust the overall lengths by using different ball ends or putting little plastic spacers under the piston rings to limit the travel.

http://www.rcmart.com/3racing-zx501bu-alum-front-rear-damper-p-24955.html

[rccars4sal]

You could pretty much take odds and ends parts from the lazer family,, zx and zxr, like shocks, shock towers, center shaft clutch system, diffs.. As for the chassis, possibly just lengthening the screw holes for front axle box might make close to 1mm length increase. Otherwize,, im currently working on lazer carbon fiber chassis parts. Should have a full set available soon.

Personally, I like lazers! Would like to have an example of each sport, zx, zxr, zxrr, zxs.

[Brocklee]

It's been a fun car this far. As for extending the holes, it might be interesting to make diff mounts more of a slot to adjust the belt tension with but I'd also have to build some adjustability into the top plate. Possibly a two peice top plate that over laps and bolts together so I can make an adjustable slot in it. Interesting idea

[Brocklee]

Nice project there. As far as shocks go, I'd go with Kyosho Golds. You'll never need anything else and they're arguably the best-performing shock for that car. If you're on a budget or can't easily score a set of Golds, 3Racing's damper set for the Lazer ZX-5 are pretty nice, and cheap as dirt. They're a bit stiff out of the box but that can be tweaked by opening up the piston ring holes a tad and going with a lighter weight oil. You can also adjust the overall lengths by using different ball ends or putting little plastic spacers under the piston rings to limit the travel.

http://www.rcmart.com/3racing-zx501bu-alum-front-rear-damper-p-24955.html

I've had good luck with the losi shocks and that's what they put on the zxrr(or was it the zxr mk2. I've also glanced at the 3racing shocks, how do they compare to the golds or losi small bores? I don't mind having to drill out the pistons or changing oils, I'll end up doing that anyways for the track I'll be racing on. Are there replacement pistons for the 3racing shocks so I can drill out a few sets in different sizes?

[Coelacanth]

Nice project there. As far as shocks go, I'd go with Kyosho Golds. You'll never need anything else and they're arguably the best-performing shock for that car. If you're on a budget or can't easily score a set of Golds, 3Racing's damper set for the Lazer ZX-5 are pretty nice, and cheap as dirt. They're a bit stiff out of the box but that can be tweaked by opening up the piston ring holes a tad and going with a lighter weight oil. You can also adjust the overall lengths by using different ball ends or putting little plastic spacers under the piston rings to limit the travel.

http://www.rcmart.com/3racing-zx501bu-alum-front-rear-damper-p-24955.html

I've had good luck with the losi shocks and that's what they put on the zxrr(or was it the zxr mk2. I've also glanced at the 3racing shocks, how do they compare to the golds or losi small bores? I don't mind having to drill out the pistons or changing oils, I'll end up doing that anyways for the track I'll be racing on. Are there replacement pistons for the 3racing shocks so I can drill out a few sets in different sizes?

I found the 3Racing shocks could be adjusted to be just about as smooth as Golds. Golds are about the smoothest, best-performing shocks I've ever used, but I can't compare to Losi shocks unfortunately. The 4-pack set comes with extra piston rings so you can play with different configurations, but for that price, you could buy 2 packs and have all the spare parts you'd need.

[EvolutionRevolution]

For the shock towers and chassis brace, you could use the FibreLyte parts.

You probably should also replace the pivot blocks by alloy ones.

[Welshy40]

Fibrelyte already make a tub based on the original prototype for the zx/zxr so should be fine if the gearbox parts are identical to the zx/zxr. This is the best and in case you were unaware comcom and wasp and others all bought from fibrelyte.

Alloy pivot blocks are needed but am a bit unsure on your stretching the front belt idea, just tension the front belt via adding a touring car tensioner on your top deck and job done, but better still ive also designed an L brace tensioner and shown loads of pics on oople under the Lazer zxr thread.

As mentioned carbon fibre towers front & rear. Alloy ones bend easily.

Driveshafts - ok front i bought 2x LA232 which is a 65mm long bone, then I bought 2x LA-231.02 axles and two rebuild kis and built, this is for a wider front end for a more stable drive. For the rear i bought a pair of LA245 but if you want as per original ujs as per kit the just buy a set of LA245.

Shocks, kyosho velvets are by far the best but i personally have a set of associated small bore shocks on and work really well. However with different seals the kyosho gold shocks are just as good.

Layshaft, yes ive been testing proto types and hope to be receiving the last design soon. I believe it will be a perfect fit for either the twin pad B4 slipper or what i used to make the top ten at Maritime the VTS slipper which makes the car better to drive.

[Coelacanth]

However with different seals the kyosho gold shocks are just as good.

What was wrong with the Kyosho Golds' seals? I've disassembled several decades-old Golds to find they were still full of clean oil. Seals were never an issue with Golds, IMO. In fact, I don't think Golds had any issues, when not overly abused, anyway.

[Welshy40]

However with different seals the kyosho gold shocks are just as good.

What was wrong with the Kyosho Golds' seals? I've disassembled several decades-old Golds to find they were still full of clean oil. Seals were never an issue with Golds, IMO. In fact, I don't think Golds had any issues, when not overly abused, anyway.

Found they werent as free, i put mip seals in and made them almost as good as trx 1 shocks.

[GoMachV]

However with different seals the kyosho gold shocks are just as good.

What was wrong with the Kyosho Golds' seals? I've disassembled several decades-old Golds to find they were still full of clean oil. Seals were never an issue with Golds, IMO. In fact, I don't think Golds had any issues, when not overly abused, anyway.

I don't think he means they have a problem, simply that with the newer kyosho grooved o-rings they are even better. I haven't had a chance to try the new rings yet myself

[Welshy40]

However with different seals the kyosho gold shocks are just as good.

What was wrong with the Kyosho Golds' seals? I've disassembled several decades-old Golds to find they were still full of clean oil. Seals were never an issue with Golds, IMO. In fact, I don't think Golds had any issues, when not overly abused, anyway.

I don't think he means they have a problem, simply that with the newer kyosho grooved o-rings they are even better. I haven't had a chance to try the new rings yet myself

Im not dissing them, only since ive got the car going with brushless the trx1 & golds were a nightmare to get set right even with my iriginal settings as the torque is much more, which cost me so I went to the associated B4 shocks slim bore and was instantly better, down side is the rear shafts are slightly shorter and means less droop. Yes the new velvet o rings are supposed to be the best at the moment and am using with my shocks. I suppose its down to surface as well.

[Brocklee]

Just thought I would do a quick update, here's some more pics of how the car sits currently









Also thanks for the ideas everyone, however I still want to build my own chassis vs buying a fiberlyte as I'm not positive about the mods I'll be making to the chassis and I'd hate to spend the money on a carbon fiber chassis and waste it, also I really enjoy projects like this and I have all the equipent to make one fairly easily. However the project has been pushed back some because my wife has spent the weekend in the hospital so I've got other priorities now funny how something always pops up when you get a project planned. However I'd still like to start cutting out the chassis and shock tower in the next 2-3 weeks. We will see how it goes

[EvolutionRevolution]

Hope everything turns out right with your wife.

With regards to belt tension and the chassis, on my Lazer Alpha build (that I need to finish) I had the same problem and solved it by installing the ZX-R left gearbox plate. The problem with the softer chassis plates (as found on the ZX Sport and Alpha) is that the chassis flexes between the rear gearbox and the center mount, and does so more at the left than at the right (where the motor mount stiffens things up). This causes the front belt tension to drop. A carbon side plate fixes the issue.

So if you lengthen the chassis and stiffen up the gearbox/center mount connexion, your belt will likely snap due to too high tension.

[Welshy40]

Thats a good plan, thats what I did with the zx & R plus the zxs, and a lot of fun designing and pimping your ride. Keep us updated on what you do. If you need help just ask.