Etiqueta: chassis

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Preparation of the MR03 Chassis for competitions LEVEL 2

LEVEL 2
 
Once our Kyosho Mini-Z MR03 has the option parts that allow us to take it to the level of perfection that we wish  (parts recomended in Level 1), it´s time to consider starting to compete with our little racing car. By competing we mean, either against other drivers or against the chronometer. 
It´s evident that, as easy as all of this Mini-z stuff might seem, without some good training sessions to let us get used to our machine plus a minimum of option parts that help us to improve the on track performance of the car, the possibilities of competing with our Mini Z won´t be feasible.
To continue with the option part process of our Mini-Z, with a focus on competing, would should bank on the following: 
1-      The durability of key parts of the car. We must be sure that nothing´s going to break during the race. 
2-      The possibility of making constant improvements to the set up of the car and the use of option parts  that enable us to increase the number of adjustments and settings. 
So therefore, in this second level of preparation of the Mini-Z MR03, we will mount parts that have a dual purpose; on the one hand they make certain sections of the car more robust, and on the other hand they help to improve the performance of the race car on track. 
Just as we did in Level 1 we´ll go section by section. In this case, the first two parts that we suggest make up part of a group of option parts whose function is to reinforce the MR03 chassis. 
 
1 – Mini-Z MR03 steering arm (Ref. MR3032S)
 
Installing this option part on our car will give us many possibilities. To start with, the steering will be made more robust and will avoid breakages following knocks and collisions. These steering arms that we propose also give us the possibility of lowering the chassis height on the front assembly and thus the lowering of the car´s center of gravity (greater velocity when taking curves and lower risk of flipping over). Moreover we´ll be able to access the  King Pin (the axle that the arm passes through) and lubricate it from the inside of the arm (you can see the cross section of the center of the steering arm).
Furthermore, the nylon housing that incorporates the steering arm that the sterring arms slide through, reduces the friction between the arm and the axle and smoothens the movement of the front assembly suspension.
As you can observe, on the MR03 chassis, when we press down on the front suspension, we alter the angle of incidence on the wheels against the floor (we call this effect a camber or fall).
 
2 –  Steering rod for the Mini-Z MR03 (Ref. MR3019S)
 
Once we have replaced the steering arms on our chassis, we must also change the steering rod. Apart from the advantages that the aluminium rod offers us, substituting the original plastic rod for an aluminium one is a good option because it´s not adviseable for the small pins of the arms to exert force against the plastic orofices of the rod (on impact, the plastic orofices of the steering rod are always what take the brunt of it).  
In addition to its sturdiness, with an optional steering rod we can also modify the car´s geometry. If you take a good look, the steering rods of the MR03 are divided into to narrow and wide ones and have different degrees of convergence (toe in) and divergence (toe out) with respect to the direction of movement. 
The car body used will «oblige» us to assemble a long or narrow type rod. In any regard, selecting a divergent or convergent rod will modify the performance and stability of our Mini-Z. 
If what we want is stable and accurate steering, especially on straight lines, we use divergent steering rods; the greater the divergence, the greater the stability. However, at the same time, we´ll lose speed on curve entry. If on the contrary, our car is already stable enough on straights, we can mount steering bars with different degrees of convergence. Converging bars will make our cars become more agitated, unstable on straights (the car trajectory will have to be continuously corrected), but much faster on curve entry.
 
 
 
Once we´ve decided to start competing and make full use of our chassis, we´ll have to have some option parts at our disposal that give us more control over certain sections of the car. At Level 1 we exchanged the original plastic suspension plates for fiber ones.  You´ll notice that when these swing laterally, they quickly and freely return to their original position and with greater or lesser force, depending on the hardness of the plate. Such a quick return can cause the bouncing of the rear assembly and as a result, a loss of grip. 
The friction of the suspension discs helps us to dampen the momentum in the torsion of these fiber T plates, thus diminishing the swing motion of the rear axle.  
By using this suspension kit we´re able to adjust the friction force of the discs (assembling springs of varying hardness) and subsequently the speed of the lateral torsion of the rear assembly. 
To achieve optimum tact on the rear assembly we can play a little with the hardness of the suspension (T) plates as well as the hardness of the suspension springs for whatever surface we may be competing on. 
 
4 – Motor mount  94 and 98 (Ref. MR2295S)
 
The motor mount is one of the vital elements of our list of option parts for our Kyosho Mini-Z. One of the advantages of the MR03, from our point of view, if the rear section of our chassis is identical to its predecessor, the MR02. Therefore all the parts that we used on our MR02 can also be used on the  MR03, including the disc suspension. 
The motor mount basically has two functions;  make the rear assembly more robust, and facilitate the fixture of the motor to the chassis. Using these  motor mounts, the micro adjustment between the motor pinion and the crown  of the differential is totally accurate and easily carried out. Other characteristics that these motor mounts (available in aluminium) offer us are:
  • The option of adjusting the height of the arm that supports the friction discs. 
  • The option of raising or lowering the rear axle through the accesories that come with the motor mount, with which we can further adjust the height of the car. 
  • The motor acts directly on the mount, meaning that, in addition to reducing the weight of the entire assembly, the metal on metal contact helps to dissipate the temperature of the motor. Furthermore, the fact that the motor runs «free» only on one side and without any type of encasement, it´ll be a good idea to refrigerate it. 
  • Strictly speaking, the motor mount, allows us to use both 94mm car bodies as well as those with a 98mm wheelbase, provided that they are in MM (Medium Motor) position.    
 
5 – Pn Racing Speedy Motor 07 (Ref.111550)
 
In order to start competing with our Mini-Z we clearly need to mount a motor with greater performance. The stock motor that comes with the original Mini-Zs are ok to start off with, but they lack some vital characteristics for competitions.
A motor like the one that we propose in this section can be set up on optional motor mounts (it includes holes in the front especially for this purpose), we can also replace the carbon brushes when they become worn without having to change the entire motor. 
The fact that it carries bearings also helps to reduce the energy consumption of the battery and extend the life of the motor. A motor with these characteristics, for use on the original stock electronics, provide us with a performace efficiency that is much greater than the original motor. We have great top speed and take off speed. 
Another advantage is that with the use of this type of motor , once we decide to modify the electronics (assembling multi FET systems) we can still use the same motor with the resulting increase in performance. 
We recommend the use of this type of motor, multifaceted, that can be used with original as well as modified electronics. 
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MR03 chassis – competition preparation – Level 1

There are a great number of spare parts and kits available on the market for the new mini-Z MR03 by Kyosho. For this reason, we have divided this article into three parts (or stages) of preparation based on the tune-up level that we want to reach.

In this case, the order of the preparation levels is important as it will help us to improve our driving skills at the same time as the performance of our race car. There is no point in driving a super modified Mini-Z if we aren´t even able to handle it with stock parts.

LEVEL 1

 This is the basic level of optional parts that all Mini-Z MR03 chasses should house. These parts will allow for improved overall efficiency plus will provide us with better handling and total control of the car. For this first stage of preparation the recommended options are:

 1- Bearings: (Ref: TRP013)

 

 

With this ítem we enable the entire set of transmission fixtures to run more smoothly. As a result, the car gains acceleration, as well as  velocity and star performance in general. We must also mention that if you want your bearings to rotate with greater ease and speed they should be cleaned with special with special degreasing liquid before they are assembled. This is because, once manufactured, they are coated with a layer of factory protective grease. If not cleaned, the end result will be that the rotating speed of the bearing  won´t be very fluid. The use of bearings that are in good condition reduces battery power consumption. Therefore that act of mounting the bearings is just as important as keeping them clean and in good running condition.  

 In total, the bearings kit consists of 7 units. The four similar bearings are to be mounted on the front rims, 2 per rim. The remaining three bearings go on the rear wheel assembly; two of which go on the motor mount and the other on the outer part of the rear rim located on the crown of the differential.

2- Suspension “T” Plates: (Ref: 10019)

By incorporating this ítem onto your Mini-Z, you will improve the lateral torsion of the rear wheel assembly of the car; thus avoiding unnecessary bouncing caused by the plastic plate. In this manner the traction, stability and grip of the MR03 chassis will be notably improved.  This kit of “Ts” (so-called given their shape) are in fact comprised of three plates of different hardnesses. To begin with, its advisable to assemble an intermediate plate first and then try the other two in order to fine tune your preferred tune-up. Generally speaking, you would want to know that on smooth, foam-type  surfaces, soft plates are used to allow for much smoother lateral torsion. On the other hand, on hard surfaces such as carpet, wider plates, which have a much harder torsion, are used.  

With this ítem we enable the entire set of transmission fixtures to run more smoothly. As a result, the car gains acceleration, as well as in velocity and star performance in general. We must also mention that if you want your bearings to roll with greater ease and speed you they should be cleaned with special degreasing liquid before they are assembled. This is because once manufactured they are coated with a layer of factory protective grease. If not cleaned, the end result will be that rotating speed of the bearing is concerned won´t be very fluid. The use of bearings that are in good condition reduces battery power consumption. Therefore that act of mounting the bearings is just as important as keeping them clean and in good running condition.  

 

 3- Front shocks: (Ref: TRP016)

 

 To adjust the performance of the front part of the car to your liking, you´ll have to try different types of front shock with their different hardnesses. For the front of the car you should use the hardest type so that the front of the car will tend to slide out on wide , open corner. We will also mount softer shocks as we want the front of the car to close in tighter when it swerves. As with the suspension plates, it is worthwhile beginning with the shocks of medium hardness and later on try other hardnesses in order to put the finishing touches on the car tuneup. The function of the suspension is closely related to the type of tire that you use. A bad fitting in the combination of shocks and front tires will make your car undriveable, way out of control and very difficult to manuever.  

 The combination of very soft tires with shocks that are somewhat hard or vice versa; (harder tires with softer shocks),  in many cases is the key to a good tune up.

 

4- Ball differential: (Ref: TRP011)

The stock differential used by the Mini-Z MR03 is the planet-satellite type which is the reason for which it doesn´t come with a regulating component. As a result of this, depending on the surface on which it runs, the use of stock differentials can cause continuous over swerving or even spinning if the surface is somewhat slippery. In order to avoid this effect, the assembly of a ball differential is vital, given that it enables us to change the power supply of the motor to the wheels. On slippery surfaces we can leave the differential a little loose to prevent the wheels from skidding when gas is given to the motor and we can then gain  greater control of the vehicle.

 This differential, made of steel (axle and discs), aluminium (volts and disc supports), delrin (crown) and ceramic (ball differential), comes already assembled and greased, ready for use on your Mini-Z MR03, together with conventional 6T, 7T, 8T, 9T, 10T sprockets.

 5- Wheel nuts (Ref: TRP010)

 

   

 

Every time you assemble and disassemble the rims of your car, the nuts that come with the original kit must first be loosened and then tightened. These original nuts are made of plastic and tend to quickly lose the braking effect, making them difficult to tighten them to your liking.  For this reason we recommend aluminum brake nuts. You can fasten and loosen them over and over again and will also give your Mini-Z a more stylish look.  

 

 

6- Tires:

 
 This first level of preparation is recommended for when, once you have carried out the modifications of your chassis, described previously, you begin to to look for tires that improve its traction. If the car is used for racing around the house you ought to know that the grip will be seriously compromised. This is why there are no specially made tires for surfaces like wood or ceramic tiles. In such cases one would have to opt for mouting soft tires (generally speaking) onto the rear assembly (between 10 and 20 degrees by any manufacturer) and harder ones on the front assembly (around 40 degrees), so that the performance of the car  could be smoother and easier to handle.

 Other common surfaces, for use in competitions such as carpets or tracks made of foam come with rubber tires made specially for this purpose.

Coming soon we will be continuing with the development of our chassis with additional possible options. This will be Stage 2.

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Kyosho Mini-Z Drift

The drift is currently one of the most popular disciplines of auto modelling and in this article we´ll give you a bit of insight into how to set up your drift 4×4 mini-z awd. The parts that we will explain have been tested out by our official drivers such as David Moret,  Uri Vadé and others; which is what gives us an added guarantee of performance and reliability. If this is the sort of style  that you´re into and if you really like controlled skidding then this set-ups article is for you.

Car choice is important given that of all the mini-z cars the Mini-Z MA is the only one that comes equipt with integrated traction on all four wheels. There are several possibilities but the most recommended is by the chassis and car body set. Even though the car bodies supplied may not be what you´re looking for you can always select the chassis and car bodies separately.

It´s important to know that the only car bodies that are valid for this mini-z model are the 90mm and 94mm ones as indicated by the symbols and icons on our web page.

The next step is to incorporate a motor that can be mounted without manipulating  the electronics and overheating the motor, given that with this model the motor is housed within the chassis and is poorly cooled. Therefore a good choice would be a stock AWD motor or even a stock ATOMIC motor.

  

By clicking on these links you can access the technical specifications of these motors.

You can then make these compatible with the rear wheel assembly incorporating a 2 degree aluminium rod so as to converge the rear wheels.

Another vital part are the drift tires. These are tires that are made of a very hard, non-flexible material. They are made of PVC which means that the car won´t have any grip on the ground surface and will allow the car to skid more easily. There are two references with regard to the type of rim to use; either wide or narrow. The wide rim tends to have a base width of 11mm whilst the narrow is 8,5mm. Drift cars normally use the narrow rim, but without a doubt, the wide rim gives a greater showiness to the car.

                              

                               

You always have the option of using nice-looking wheels, but if you change them, be sure that they have a 20mm exterior diameter because if this isn´t the case, the drift tires would´t fit onto the rim.

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PN Racing launches a new bracket for the suspension «T»

This new retaining flange is made of worked aluminium and incorporates two countersinks and grooves for holding the chassis in place. The set also incorporates the necessary screws with plastic configuration. All of these features reduce the movement in the rear track of  this new and exciting Mini-Z MR03 by Kyosho.  The assembly instructions are very simple; the flap has two positions, but it also can be mounted using two additional positions which is what makes it compatible for use on Mini-Z 94mm, 98mm and 102mm cars.  As you can observe in the graph, with this part you can set up 3 different configurations. It´s also worthwhile to note that the aluminium plate is designed so that the screw can enter perfectly into the aluminium without pertruding and therefore does not interfere with the carbon or fiber «T».

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Secrets of the Kyosho Mini-Z MR03

Thanks to the collaboration of Pemar Model, importer of Kyosho products for Spain and for Kyosho Japan we have found out that product samples have been sent for testing. We´ll be able to see first hand some of those features that amaze us so much about this new Mini-Z chassis.

In the meantime you can take a look at some of  these photos of the chassis and you may also like to know that at this very moment, an explanatory film about the car is being shot so that you can uncover its best kept secrets.

In this next video that will be published on our  Mini-Z Channel, David Moret shows us the similarities and differences with its predecessor, mini-Z MR02.  As far as the optional components, its compatibility with optional parts of different manufacturers, as with its technical characteristics and electronic devices,  are compatible with these new electronics. We can also tell you in advance that for those who have the giroscope by dNaNo, you can install it on your Mini-z just like the plug and play model.

Our hope is that you may watch this next video with the same excitement as we did and we invite you to make use of our forum to ask any questions that you may have about the chassis.  Mini-Z MR03 Forum

 

 

 

 

 

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Kyosho announces new car bodies with the Mini-Z MR03

 As far as we are aware, the new MR03 cars will be supplied in the same wat as the  2,4 Ghz ASF. In other words, with chassis,+electronics+car body and the transmitter will have to be bought separately.  

Naturally, for those already using the Mini-Z MR02 this is much more practical. 

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Now available the limited edition of of the Mini-Z F1

As you can see, at our on-line store we now have available the new Mini-Z F1 chassis with ASF 2,4 Ghz electronics. Limited 1000 unit edition.

Optional components:
Motor Mini-Z Xspeed V
High grip MFT01 -30F front tires and MFT01 -20R rear tires.
High quality Kyosho Mini-Z F1 ball bearings.
Adjustable ball differential by Kyosho for the Mini-Z F1 anodized red color.
Black black colour, competition type chassis.
Battery terminals with gold finish for better contact.
ASF 2,4 Ghz electronics.
Motor cooler in special red Mini-Z F1 aluminium color.

To operate it needs:
ASF 2,4 Ghz transmitter
AAA recargable batteries, 4 units.
Car body