xmods,miniz

[Action B]

Originally Posted by Doc Moddin'

Geez, Action B...you're just not getting it....

Trust me I understand. There is a difference between not understanding and not agreeing.

Originally Posted by Doc Moddin'

Yes--getting near to the price of a mini-z by modding an XMOD to beat a stock Mini-Z is the point...it's not just about winning races, it's about being RESPONSIBLE for the improvements...getting there is half the fun.

I hope it's not just about winning races, because at a real 1/28 scale racing event, that won't happen. Though, the people that DO win them, do you think they haven't spent as much time as you on their Mini-Z? You think they didn't work hard to tune and build their car to be a winner?

Originally Posted by Doc Moddin'

Here's a more concrete way of looking at it....

1. A guy buys a stock Mini-Z for $130

2. Another guy buys a stock EVO and puts in motor, FET, AWD, bearing, and suspension upgrades, does all the "free" mods mentioned in this thread and ends up spending the SAME $130 that the first guy spent.

3. According most, these two cars are now evenly matched...according to some, the "fully" modded XMOD will blow the doors off the stock Mini-Z.

4. The difference? The second guy has the satisfaction of being responsible for the improvements, of having the fun of putting in these upgrades. The first guy just opened the box and put batteries in FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY. Maybe you don't agree, but it really is fun to do the tinkering. You said, "That's alot of work to put into an XMOD"...yes, it is! That's the point! Working on cars is FUN! I said it before, I'll say it again: "Getting there is half the fun."

Okay, I'm done now.

If in my lifetime, I was only going to spend $130 dollars on this hobby, I would quite possibly have an Xmod. I do think its fun to work on the cars.

However, this is a long term hobby for me, I'm going to be putting money in this little by little every month for entertainment purposes. My fascination is the competition. Really, you don't even know if your good unless you compete. Competition harbors skill, not only driving skill but car setup skills and maintenance skills. I want to show up to these races and have a challenge, A REAL challenge. I want to win! With an Xmod at a real 1/28 scale race, the mini-Zs aren't stock and I wouldn't have a chance at it.

So given the fact that I expect to be doing this over the long run, I'd save my 130 and buy a Z. Then I would, as you like to do, see how fast I can get the car to go versus what it started as, just in the end, I'll be a little poorer and a lot faster.

[bosco72]

I have a Q. take out the electronics in both cars.Just look at the lay out of the chassis which one do you think has a better lay out.

[SkylineLvr]

I agree w/ Action B. I started out with Xmods just to dink around and have fun. But now that I got a Mini-Z, I really don't mind spending the money for a better quality car.

[Action B]

Originally Posted by bosco72

I have a Q. take out the electronics in both cars.Just look at the lay out of the chassis which one do you think has a better lay out.

I'm assuming your reffering to the AWD model, so I will compare Xmod evo and MA-010.


Well, there is a couple things to be said about the chassis layout. Certainly the weak point of the MA-010 is the fact that its weight is not well balanced, and has a higher center of gravity when compared to the Xmod evo.

Motor placement in the Xmods evo is not so good, there is no airflow to the motor for heat dissipation. Mini-Z motor, especially with heat sink has constant airflow and much better dissipation

As expected from the Zs, the Mini-Z is for the most part trackside friendly. The board is easy to get to for adjustment, steering rod is held in by a single clip and also the motor is just a clip as well. These make minor adjustments on track day pretty simple, as long as you don't have to get into the servo which I don't even want to talk about right now . The battery compartment is designed for easy pry out of the batteries. Xmod is less trackside friendly with the exception of the xmod evolution battery compartment, which are easier to remove.


Then I'd look at the rolling chassis, In awd form the Xmod evo has too much rotational mass. The driveshaft is a great magnitude larger than could ever be necessary, while the mini-z is much more lightweight. In fact, the entire car is considerably lighter I think. I don't have a scale but Ive held both in my hand and I think the Xmod needs to go on a diet. Of course theres slop in the xmod, i'm sure you've heard that a lot. This slop results in power loss due to vibrational and frictional loss.

If we could combine the chassis, that'd be pretty rad.

MA-010 motor heat dissipation
MA-010 trackside modularity(maybe i made that word up)
Xmod evo low center of gravity
Xmod evo chassis balance


That'd look pretty good. HERE is a thread from another forum aimed at making the ultimate 1/28 scale chassis.

[bosco72]

that and i would put the motor like the GEN1 xmod so you get rid of 2 gears.

Originally Posted by Action B

I'm assuming your reffering to the AWD model, so I will compare Xmod evo and MA-010.


Well, there is a couple things to be said about the chassis layout. Certainly the weak point of the MA-010 is the fact that its weight is not well balanced, and has a higher center of gravity when compared to the Xmod evo.

Motor placement in the Xmods evo is not so good, there is no airflow to the motor for heat dissipation. Mini-Z motor, especially with heat sink has constant airflow and much better dissipation

As expected from the Zs, the Mini-Z is for the most part trackside friendly. The board is easy to get to for adjustment, steering rod is held in by a single clip and also the motor is just a clip as well. These make minor adjustments on track day pretty simple, as long as you don't have to get into the servo which I don't even want to talk about right now . The battery compartment is designed for easy pry out of the batteries. Xmod is less trackside friendly with the exception of the xmod evolution battery compartment, which are easier to remove.


Then I'd look at the rolling chassis, In awd form the Xmod evo has too much rotational mass. The driveshaft is a great magnitude larger than could ever be necessary, while the mini-z is much more lightweight. In fact, the entire car is considerably lighter I think. I don't have a scale but Ive held both in my hand and I think the Xmod needs to go on a diet. Of course theres slop in the xmod, i'm sure you've heard that a lot. This slop results in power loss due to vibrational and frictional loss.

If we could combine the chassis, that'd be pretty rad.

MA-010 motor heat dissipation
MA-010 trackside modularity(maybe i made that word up)
Xmod evo low center of gravity
Xmod evo chassis balance


That'd look pretty good. HERE is a thread from another forum aimed at making the ultimate 1/28 scale chassis.

[Action B]

Originally Posted by bosco72

that and i would put the motor like the GEN1 xmod so you get rid of 2 gears.

That could be positive and negative. While it is simpler and more efficient design to have less gears, your reducing the gearing options you would have.

[bosco72]

not really you would have the same as the evo.The motor would have to be raised or lowered.The motor would be a little high but it will be in the middle rear of the car with all the batteries on the bottom.The motor would be the same set up as the radlines.

[Skv012a]

Evo w/ AWD is about 20-25 grams heavier than MA. Also, on average, MA is about 20 grams heavier than MR. Xmod, if it can keep up, has a horrible weight advantage and can smash through Zs with ease. On the flipside MR can easily outrun any Xmod by a mile.