Oops, bought a clanger ZX

[cas22]

I guess after buying enough cars you occasionally get a clanger.
Initially I thought "wow" alloy arms, nup.
Just painted over original arms that were more missing than there.

[cas22]

The drive train felt like it was gravel inside it, missing shocks and driveshafts, actually one of the cvds had been soldered back together and painted over.

[cas22]

The nice mixture of imperial and metric hardware, with a sprinkling of wood screws.
I particularly liked the hand carved front shock tower. And of the 6 or so bearings that were not upgraded to bushings most were siezed.

[cas22]

Put it at the back of the cupboard but then JC Racing started stocking Lazer ZXR arm sets, and I found some NOS top plates that I never used. And some used towers from a previous zx I replaced with Fibrelyte items
So off we go again....

[cas22]

Found "tough racing" from Korea do a replacement belt set, so got one at the same time for my Triumph.
And then some flanged bearings for the steering, and a local guy gave me a set of ZX6 titanium turnbuckles which are very close, if you don't have those offset links (which I don't,) and so went that way.
Turns out a bit of a parts bin raid, surprisingly everything I needed was pretty much there.
Not built many lazers before, This one has a ball diff in the front, gear diff in the back.
Replaced all the bearings even the "idler roller bush" the belt runs against.
There were none in this kit.
Not sure if they are unnecessary? Or power robbing? Or just waylaid over the years.
Replaced them with some new m3 shafts anyway.
Are they even required?

[cas22]

Chassis was a bit rough
, but cleaned it up as best I could,cut a new servo mount plate from g10 as there was none, new alloy servo mounts, servo arm and new hardware being fitted slowly,
Shocks NOS from a hobby king closeout bin. And slowly started piecing it all back together, managed to get COVID again so a few days off work pushed it along as I was so bored.
Just trying to suss out the cvd's and replacement front arm bracket, as there was a home made aluminium piece there when I pulled it down.
Also no idea why there is a mix and match of gear and ball differentials, rebuilt both as I had no others.
But that layshaft splitter seems overly complicated?

[cas22]

Can someone please advise me around these diffentials?
I'm just going to run it stock, so very low power?
I was planning on basically locking up the front very tight, but any advice welcome.
My other lazer ZX came with a solid nylon layshaft and gear diffs.

[treystoys]

Nice build, I had one in the early 90s that I recieved on a trade, so it was already assembled. I do remember the driveline not being very free, which is probably why it was not wanted. I disassembled it, cleaned it up, ran it once then sold or traded it. That one time run was at a local sand pit, which made it very impressive to run, but cleaning it after is probably why I gave it up. I was big into 1/10 on road, so the lazer was a bit more complex than what i was used to, and I understood really quick why the driveline would become tight! Wish I could give you some pertinent info, but that’s all I’ve got lol. Looks like you’ve got it covered though!

Trey

[cas22]

Thank you Trey
Appreciate the help, I'm hoping it will free up with some running.
I've read people using compressed air gun and running air over spur gear teeth to gently turn the drive train over.
It's got new belts that are not factory so probably tight too.
Cheers
Craig

[treystoys]

Sounds like a solid idea with the compressed air. Heck when I built my Jay Halsey kit, not having to much experience with the 6 gear transmission, I built it as precisely as possible, but when it still felt a bit tight for my liking, I clamped the diff shaft into my cordless drill, set it up on the bench and let it run in like that for a while lol. It free’d up quite a bit though.

[cas22]

I spent hours with bags os 0.2, 0.1mm shilms trying different clearances, tightening the gearboxes down in different ways, new bearings, wayy better, but not as smooth ads my rere mid

[cas22]

Never been a huge fan of velcro straps on off readers, Marshalled too many cars where the cells had slid out 3 minutes in.
I found these clamp style ones on shapeways, but since they've gone I can't find any more.
They were possibly 3DRC ? But are for low CG lipos and I fitted some to my mid.
Trying to get some more, the schumacher ones are similar, (U7202) but still ovaloid for the nicad shape.
I had contacted the printer to see if they could model a standard hard case lipo height, rather than the low CG as that would be handy too.
But never heard back.
Micheal Vollmar used a pair on his Kyosho optima build so tried him too.

[cas22]

So grabbed my last pair and made these straps up, used G10 as the original gearbox plate support and servo plate were un usable.
Made these from G10 as it was more period correct, and I had it lying around.

[cas22]

Bit of jigging but got them fitted.
I commissioned the Triumph chassis from Bezek RC and also got some M3 threaded inserts off them at the same time.
They worked great, 4.5mm pilot and used some washers and a high tensile bolt to pull them home.
Clearing the saddle pack cutouts and using the original chassis holes. This old girl has been cut up enough.

[cas22]

I had a NOS lazer xx top plate pair, so they went on, along with ZX6 ball ends and new turnbuckles, not 100% happy with the front cvds, I'm not convinced where they came from, but so far so good.
There was nothing wrong with the alloy towers, the original front one had been butchered, so was replaced.
New fasteners, gearbox cover from TBG