Kyosho Mini-Z FAQ
Kyosho Mini-Z Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the different types of Mini-Z chassis?
- What batteries do Mini-Z run on?
- What batteries do you recommend?
- Can I put lithium-ion/Lipo/Life batteries in my Mini-Z?
- What is the average speed of a Mini-Z?
- What is a Firelap (iWaver) 0.2?
- What's better, a Mini-Z or a Firelap (iWaver)?
- What chassis should I buy?
- How good is a stock Mini-Z MA-010 at drifting?
- What is MM, LM and RM?
- MM, LM or RM?
- What gear ratio is best?
- What is a wheel offset?
- What are tyre compounds?
- What tyres do you recommend?
- Where does the seventh bearing go on my Mini-Z MR-02?
- What is the Mini-Z ASF or 2.4GHz?
What are the different types of Mini-Z chassis?
They are available in 4 different chassis types known as;
- MR-015, MR-02 and F1 (all 2WD)
- MA-010 AWD chassis
|
MR-02 |
MR-015 |
|
F1 (Special Edition Chassis shown) |
MA-010 AWD |
What batteries do Mini-Z run on?
4x AAA rechargeable batteries for the car and 8x AA for most controllers or 4x AAA for the 2.4GHz KT18 controllers
What batteries do you recommend?
For racing we have found the Orion range to be the best, 900HV for punchy tight tracks, 1100RT for longer tracks or endurance races and finally the 750SHO for those that want all out power for an 8 minute race.
Of course you can use most other brands for bashing around and getting started but be aware X battery stating 1300mAh, in our experience will never be 1300mAh (often more like 600!)
Generally the lower rating will give the most punch at the cost of run time, for drifting we recommend higher capacity as the punch is not really needed
Can I put lithium-ion/Lipo/Life batteries in my Mini-Z?
Yes you can and it has been done before. However, keep in mind that adding lithium-ions will render it illegal in many different types of Mini-Z racing, such as the World ranked How Fast Are You points series
What is the average speed of a Mini-Z?
Most stock Mini-Z's will travel at around 15-23kph, dont sound like a lot but this equates to scale speeds of above 500mph.
You can make it faster with a stock safe motor like the PN Racing Speedy series or the Kyosho X-speed
If you want absolute speed over anything else then a modified/custom built motor is the way to go but be aware your FET's will need upgrading.
A FET is used to control the speed of the motor,the factory ones are fine but running anything under 40 turns is pushing them to the limits.
What is a Firelap (iWaver) 0.2?
They are cheaper replicas of the Mini-Z MR-02, in our experience don't last very long and 9/10 have problems with bad solder joints or poor quality control.
Most of their upgrade parts are compatible with the Mini-Z MR-02.
What's better, a Mini-Z or a Firelap (iWaver)?
A Firelap is much cheaper than a Mini-Z and is a good place to start the hobby. However, the electronics and plastic lack quality and the controllers lack range making them obsolete when used around Mini-Z controllers. Furthermore, the cars have more of a tendency to loose radio connection unpredictably.
What chassis should I buy?
If you want a competitive track race car, then the Mini-Z MR-02 is for you right out of the box.
With just tires and bearings added the MR-02 is a great way to get into racing and helps larger scale drivers with reaction times (even if you practice with one of these it will help with lap times)
If you are prepared to put a little more time and money in for racing, then you may want to invest in a Mini-Z MA-010, just as technical as an MR-02 but with AWD a well set up MA-010 will beat a 2WD chassis on most tracks.
The Mini-Z MA-010 is also the best option if you wish to build a drift car (see below)
How good is a stock Mini-Z MA-010 at drifting?
With some drift tyres or insulation tape on your regular tires, a stock Mini-Z MA-010 will drift very well.
We do recommend using some thick silicone oil to slow the differential action down (2000wt and above) or put at least one ball differential in the front.
What is MM, LM and RM?
A MM(98mm bodies) and LM(102mm bodies) places the motor in-front of the rear wheels whilst a RM(94mm bodies) places the motor behind the rear wheels. This only applies to the Mini-Z MR-01, MR-015 or MR-02.
A mid mount 94mm is possible with either the Atomic motor pod or the PN Racing motor pod
MM, LM or RM?
Each mount style suits different drivers, cars and tracks. MM is better for stability, control and holding higher speeds, whereas RM is better for traction.
What gear ratio is best?
As with MM and RM each gear ratio suits different drivers, cars and tracks. A lower gear ratio will provide you more acceleration and speed on the infield, whereas a higher gear ratio will provide you with more speed on the straights. However, if you have a motor with lots of torque it is a good idea to use a higher gear ratio to soften the acceleration and vice versa for motors with more speed than acceleration.
What is a wheel offset?
A wheel offset is how much a wheel sticks out from the axle. So if it's a +3 offset, the wheel is 3mm wider than a regular (0 offset) wheel. Different bodies are different widths and require different offsets to meet the outer walls of that particular body. It is important not to exceed the walls of the car as wheels will be more vulnerable to catching the barriers which may result in losing tires, breaking a wheel, toe bar, knuckle or worse.
Generally a wide offset body (Enzo) will be more stable but a lower offset body (Mclaren) will be more nimble round tight twisty tracks.
The same rules apply to the length of the body you choose,the longer the body the more stable it will become, at the cost of fast rotation around tight corners although this can be dialed out using different tire and suspension setups.
What are tyre compounds?
Tyre hardness/softness is measured in degrees, these represent the compound. Harder compounds last longer but have less grip. Softer compounds do not last as long but have more grip. Most tyre companies give their tyres degree numbers, like 8, 10, 15, 20, etc; the lower the number, the softer the compound. However, not every company uses the same numbers. For example, a Kyosho 20 would be the same as a PN RCP 8.
What tyres do you recommend?
Depending on the surface you run on,
If its RCP track then any rubber tire will work the best,we run either the Reflex range or Kyosho 20° on the rear and usually Kyosho 30-40° fronts.
For polished floors and carpet,silicone seems to work the best although some of the softest rubber tires will work (Kyosho 10°)
The best we have found for carpet is the Atomic Carpet rear or the Atomic Comp rear,on the front go for either 20° or 30° AW Groove's
Where does the seventh bearing go on my Mini-Z MR-02?
The four bearings go in the front two wheels whilst two of the larger bearings go inside the motor mount. The final bearing goes on the wheel closest to the gears and differential.
The other side uses the factory bushings since it rotates with the shaft.
What is the Mini-Z ASF or 2.4GHz?
The new range of Mini-Z ASF or 2.4GHz allow you to run your car without having to worry about old school crystals or an ariel.
Special controllers work with the cars to automatically select the clearest frequency allowing you to race up to 24 cars at a time!!
If you want to run a high end controller KO-PROPO make the necessary module to use in either the Helios or EX1UR range, we also have the PN Racing conversion boards in stock to run Sanwa or Futaba controllers, please ask for compatibility
Please check out our Forum for more info on the cars, parts, race meets and setup tips.
