ZipZap - "Xmod generation" review

frizzen · Post by **frizzen** » Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:09 am

Walked into Radiohack today... No you can't help (leave me alone), just looking, ok fine (since you won't let me browse to find other impulse items) I want one of the new generation Zipzaps, the only one in the store? really wanted the vette instead, but I'll take it, Sprint, NO I don't want to upgrade my phone I just want a toy car.

So, owner of a 1967 Camaro, and not even close to late for work. (Grrr, I left time to browse a store for newly released Xmas toys, not strategic shop)

Nice body details
Many parts have molding sprue left on
Windows are a seperate piece, but molded black instead of clear?
Body glued lightly to chassis (lightly flex the glue before first body removal)
Headlight LEDs only (light board will still take tails if you add)
Body fits tighter to chassis

Cars / Transformer generation chassis
Still uses the Hubcap style rims
Still has the base level tires all prior ZZ generations came with
Still 12:1 gearing
No motor cripple resistor! (explains the "Car too fast" posts)
Hardwired motor, white endbell
New motor clip with #0 phillips instead of flat

Transmitter has no onboard screwdriver
Charge base release button seems to work better

---
My chassis has an issue with the Left steering knuckle having less vertical travel than the Right. (How can it be a Monday/Friday car when it's made in China, sweatshops don't give days off!)

Why is THIS generation tagged with Xmod, when it's one of the least MODable ones they've ever produced? Motor hardwired, the average customer can't solder, can't see small screws, limited lighting, body was glued on... Seriously, what was Cellphone Shack thinking?

Conclusion: Buy one, looks to be best performer box stock yet.

steelwoolghandi · Post by **steelwoolghandi** » Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:55 am

Yup was in Rat Shack this week also, Looked at some things, Picked up the new ZZ looked it over, set it down, walked over and bought some CAT 5 and headed home..................

I will wait untill they go on sale for $2.99 after X-Mas.

richh · Post by **richh** » Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:34 pm

Well it's not $2.99, but black friday they'll be $14.99.

I agree it's hard to pay full price after we have seen $2.99 zips and $14.99 xmods on the clearance table.

I'll probably pick one up next week though... for old time's sake.

nuggetz · Post by **nuggetz** » Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:13 pm

Great review frizzen, pretty much spot on. I'm one of the "its too fast" posters. I mopped my floors and the thing still spins out

Anyway, I like the chassis. I own all gen1 zipzaps so I'm not sure this chassis style is new or not. I too wonder why they slapped an xmod lable onto it since it's clearly not as moddable as the other ZZs.

Regarding that motor cripple resistor, is there a way to disable it on the older zips? Just curious.

frizzen · Post by **frizzen** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 2:48 am

You guys are thinking too logically. These are toys, they are new, everyone wants new toys. (Why didn't you tell me they'd be $15 next week?)

THese have the base tires, they'll spin out on most surfaces unless you've already prepared them.

Motor cripple Resistor was implemented on the Cars movie and Transformers movie vehicles; soldering iron heat motor contact, and wire on other end of resistor, set resistor aside, move wire to motor contact and heat, complain car is too fast. Before those two releases your performance limiter was the stock icky FETS and voltage until the dual cell cars, look at all the classic mods we've ever done.

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:48 am

frizzen wrote: Before those two releases your performance limiter was the stock icky FETS and voltage until the dual cell cars, look at all the classic mods we've ever done.

Stock icky transistors, I think you meant to say. True, FETs are a type of transistor, but a transistor is not a FET.

I think the major difference now is that they are finally using the battery to its potential, because it's not just the extra voltage, most of us have run dual cell cars before, it's the size of the battery. The battery is probably the heaviest thing in the car, so a battery with double the voltage, in a only slightly larger size will have an obscene power to weight ratio. Which isn't always a good thing, particularly in a car this small, I think my old dual cars with the heavier batteries felt more planted.

I realized the potential in these batteries as being over the top ever since I killed my first ZZ SE. I snagged the battery and put it in a FET modded Zip Zap and it was ridiculous. That's what I based Project Prostocker off of, I knew a 4.8v pack in that size would be ludicrous, and it is. I also have a SE battery in my CarToons Camaro bit, which is equally silly in a slightly smaller scale. I have a ZZ SE with Codesuidae's DC mod, which delivers the full voltage from the battery, I also have stacked FETs in that car, so it is way too fast, with a 5 step throttle. I wish he didn't disappear, he was going to do something with converting some reverse steps to forward, so we could have 7 steps forward, and 3 reverse, but then he disappeared.

What's my point, I don't know, I guess that I think it's cool they're using the battery to it's full potential now, but it is probably too much, I am already bored with spinning out on the ceramic tiles. Would've been better to have this speed in a ZZ SE with a better controller. I love the new bodies though.

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 4:29 pm

There were a lot of power increasing mods done, did anyone ever work on getting the power to the ground better? I know different wheels and tires were tried but I think it was mostly for looks. How about wider slot car foams? maybe widen the track a little... this too fast thing has kind of re-peaked my interest.

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 6:03 pm

sidewinder wrote:There were a lot of power increasing mods done, did anyone ever work on getting the power to the ground better? I know different wheels and tires were tried but I think it was mostly for looks. How about wider slot car foams? maybe widen the track a little... this too fast thing has kind of re-peaked my interest.

Superfly and others tried the slot car wheels (capped and foams). Most of us went with Tomy pullback tires, which some found to be too grippy, causing the car to traction roll. As I mentioned in another thread, I used to treat my floors and tires with degreaser. We used to have pretty in depth discussions about all this stuff, they often got pretty heated, we took our little cars seriously.

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:55 am

I think it may be time to build something

But not just traction

actual handling...I've got two unmolested Se's...I could use the boards

Or maybe the board from one of the new X-Treks'

How's 'bout a 3.125 ft skid pad (200ft/64) to see what kind of G's it can pull and if I could improve over the stock?

OK, it probably wont happen...

nuggetz · Post by **nuggetz** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 8:46 pm

Here's a quick video of the new car doing donuts.
[YouTube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=a2njgS-NM8s[/YouTube]

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:54 pm

Yep, needs traction...maybe some softer tires and a tiny ladder bar set up.

nuggetz · Post by **nuggetz** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:35 am

sidewinder wrote:Yep, needs traction...maybe some softer tires and a tiny ladder bar set up.

Already running the softest tires I have. Needs some weight on the back end. Tires wont fix it.

frizzen · Post by **frizzen** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:09 pm

I bet an H-plate would make 'em hook.
Sticky wide tires.
Throw in some 9:1 or 8:1 gearing, as we know 12:1 keeps too much torque.
These might even be able to push KittRacer gears 5.33:1 down to 3.43:1

Ok, someone buy one on black friday and mail it to BettyK, he'll make it into a DirtyZip. We can steal his ideas for finding traction on dirt and do it on-road.

ibjamn · Post by **ibjamn** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:24 pm

Silly question, but have you checked that left front knuckle for hair/debris? Do both front wheels spin freely and equally?

Besides that, in the video, part of the time, the wheels are turned while you are engaging the throttle.
So, there may be another issue here. Hold the car upside down (looking at the bottom) and push the foward button on the controller - what happens to the steering then?

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:26 pm

frizzen wrote:Ok, someone buy one on black friday and mail it to BettyK, he'll make it into a DirtyZip. We can steal his ideas for finding traction on dirt and do it on-road.

Why steal what has been given away? Read his 10-part series, I don't think it could get much more extensive than this.

http://bitpimps.lixlink.com/articles/ca ... on/page/3/