FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). LOOK HERE FIRST

[Numbchux]

first off...Thanks to THE EDJ for compiling most of this. I just wanted to reformat, and add some links. as well as keep this a focused thread, with just information, and no discussion. if you have something to add, whether it just be a post, or a whole thread, please, pm me and I will add it to the list.


There are new people on this forum all the time, and there are a lot of questions that come up from people who are new to xmods. These are dubbed as Frequently Asked Questions. Without further ado, here are some questions and some hopefully helpful answers!

Q: Where can I find information about xmods?
A: Well you have already found one of the greatest resources online, xmodsource.com. Search for the forums on this site and check the "stickied" threads. If you want a second opinion, there are lots of other xmod sites and forums around just google "xmods forum" and you will find lots of sites, but http://www.xmodworld.com/ is another great place to start. Another great site I have found is http://www.biline.ca/xmods.htm, it offers a lot of good information for tuning your car and upgrade reviews for a lot of different aftermarket parts. Enjoy!

Q: What mods should I get for my car to improve its performance?
A: Well that entirely depends on what you are doing with your car (drifting, drag racing, circuit racing, or just playing around). But there are a few essential upgrades that you should get no matter what you want to do with your car:

- The bearing upgrade is a must, although it is somewhat expensive, it is one of the most important upgrades to get as it reduces friction and allows the car to run more efficiently, providing better performance in every aspect.
- The suspension upgrade is also a great upgrade as it will enhance the handling of your car and give you a few more tuning options than most other upgrade kits.
- The all wheel drive (AWD) upgrade is also a great upgrade and will provide your car with better traction and more predictable handling., which is important for any kind of racing.
- The stage 2 motor upgrade is also a good upgrade as it gives you increased power and torque to go along with your increased handling. Whats the point of having a car that handles great unless you have the power to use it?
- The drift kit upgrade is also a must for those who want to get into drifting but have no experience, it is a great learning tool.

Those are just the basics! There are so many different modifications you can do, and the more you learn about these little cars, the more you realize you can do with them, everything from tire upgrades, to body kits, to some really extreme electronic modifications for extreme performance!

Q: Where can I buy aftermarket parts for my xmod?
A: Well there are a lot of different places you can get parts from, a few reputable stores are listed below for your convenience:

- Radio Shack (or The Source CC in Canada)
- EBay
- or, check here for other online vendors, and peoples experience with them

Q: I just got my xmods and it worked fine right out of the box, but now it hardly moves at all on the ground. Whats wrong?
A: Not to get you down, but it could be any number of things. These suggestions should help you figure out whats wrong, and if none of these solutions fixes your car, take it back and get a new one!

- Do you have rechargeable batteries? If you do recharge them and see if that helps. New rechargeables do not come fully charged so they will die quite quickly on their first use, recharging them should solve this issue. If you don't have rechargable batteries (NiMH batteries, or more expensive but well worth it, lithium batteries), then get some! Regular batteries get expensive to keep replacing and throwing out the old ones is bad for the environment!

- Make sure that your CRYSTALS are the same and that they are fully pushed in. There is one frequency crystal on the side of your controller and frequency crystal in your car. They are color and numerically coded, make sure you have the same color in both the controller and in the car. It is these little devices that allow your controller to communicate with the car so make sure they are pushed in as far as they will go.

- Make sure your car is fairly clean. A little bit of dust in the drivetrain or any other moving part is not really a big deal, but if the car becomes too dirty then its performance will be affected. Take the wheels off and make sure there isnt any hair or threads or other stuff stopping the wheels from spinning. Also, take off the rear upper deck and front upper deck and check to make sure there isn't a buildup of dirt or grime. If there is use a Q-tip and clean it out, or if you are feeling ambitious, take it all apart and clean each piece individually.

- If you have just installed a new upgrade, make sure that none of the parts are creating unnecessary friction, like rubbing against some of the drivetrain components or the wheels. Also, if you installed a new motor, check to make sure that the pinion on the motor is in contact with the gear on the car.

- Finally, if you have exhausted all other options, completely disasemble the car and check all the wires and make sure they are all connected. If you have any loose wires (with the exception of the antenna wire), you have two options. The first is to take your car back to the store and replace it. The second is to try soldering the wire back in place. Keep in mind however, that if you do try soldering and the car still does not work, Radio Shack may not take the car back, leaving your wallet fifty bucks lighter.

If your car still doesnt work after trying these suggestions, there may be something more serious going on with the electronics of the car. If you haven't tampered with the electronics, then take your car back to Radio Shack or the Source.

Q: Which car is best?
A: All of the xmods are exactly the same when it comes to electronics and suspension within their generation (Gen1, Evolution, Truck). The only difference between any of them is that the medium wheelbase cars (NSX, RSX, and the 2004 Mustang body top kit) have a shorter driveshaft and wheelbase, and the longer cars have a longer wheelbase and driveshaft. All RS mods fit all cars, but 180 motors, such as the XMW Stage 11 won't fit the medium cars. If you own an RSX, and you want to put in a 180 motor, you can't.

They're all very similar, the Gen1 chassis is arguably more durable and faster, but the Evo is still pretty good. the evo has a better suspension design and is easier to work on.

As far as the trucks are considered. for a rock crawler, the hummer is far better, because of it's shorter wheelbase, and better approach and departure angles. For street use, the trucks are better because of a lower Center of Gravity which help keep them from flipping while corning at high speed.

Q: Why is it that my car won't go straight, turns while throttling, or won't drift right.
A: Try these steps
1. With both the car and controller on, where do the front wheel point? are they centered?

If not, check to be sure the tie rod is seated correctly, and attached to the knuckles correctly. Check the adjustment on your controller, and the connections on your Xmods' main board.

2. with the car and controller on, lift it up off the ground, and give it a little throttle. and watch all 4 wheels, especially the front ones, make sure they all spin and stop at the same speed/time. it's very easy to get some lint or dust (or animal hair...) wrapped around the axle somewhere, and cause some serious binding. then you get some nasty torque steer.

3. if the steering is ok, and the drivetrain is ok, then I would make sure your suspension setup is the same for everything. maybe that shock is limiting the travel at that corner.

Q: I just broke a part, I'm just going to throw this out and start again...

A: NEVER DO THAT!!! Every single stock xmod part can be ordered directly from Radio Shack. Check out the Xmod Parts List in this section for more details.

they're also available at the AtomicMods website.

Q: My car goes for about 5 feet then stops, What is up?
A: You probably have fried the resistors on the receiver. This will occur if you touch the antenna to something conductive, like the batteries.

Simply buy a new EP (Electronics Package, available at AtomicMods or Ebay), or if you are good at soldering, buy the range repair kit from Atomic Mods.

[bondo]

complete threads of frequently asked questions and other useful info can be found here.
http://www.xmodsource.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=62