Are XMODS worth it?
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lovedoctor
- bitPlaya'
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Are XMODS worth it?
Hi all,
I just ran into a tiddy amount of cash and am considering getting into XMODS.
How do they perform? I used to like the zipzaps, but the issues with unequal turning radiuses and the fact you have to charge the car every 5-10 minutes made me lose interest.
which upgrades are worthwhile? Do any of them really give an improvement in performance? Specifically, who knows anything first hand about the suspsension upgrade and chassis upgrade?
How about the AWD upgrade? I remember early on some guys had real beefs with it--power was robbed yet handling was only minimally improved, if at all.
so tell me guys...should I plunk down $50 only to get sucked into a money pit I won't be fully impressed with in the end? Or are these cars really kick-a$$?
Almost forgot, what about track material? If I bought enough of RS's material to make a track I wouldn't get bored with, it would cost a fortune. Any cheap alternatives? I guess old shipping boxes from appliances are a good start. Of course cardboard is really slippery.
Can parking lots work? are the cars too close to the ground?
I know, lots of questions...maybe some already answered elsewhere. I tried looking in FAQ, but didn't find any answers to my questions.
Props to the bigguns,
No splittin' wigs in my juris diction, yo.
The Love doc
I just ran into a tiddy amount of cash and am considering getting into XMODS.
How do they perform? I used to like the zipzaps, but the issues with unequal turning radiuses and the fact you have to charge the car every 5-10 minutes made me lose interest.
which upgrades are worthwhile? Do any of them really give an improvement in performance? Specifically, who knows anything first hand about the suspsension upgrade and chassis upgrade?
How about the AWD upgrade? I remember early on some guys had real beefs with it--power was robbed yet handling was only minimally improved, if at all.
so tell me guys...should I plunk down $50 only to get sucked into a money pit I won't be fully impressed with in the end? Or are these cars really kick-a$$?
Almost forgot, what about track material? If I bought enough of RS's material to make a track I wouldn't get bored with, it would cost a fortune. Any cheap alternatives? I guess old shipping boxes from appliances are a good start. Of course cardboard is really slippery.
Can parking lots work? are the cars too close to the ground?
I know, lots of questions...maybe some already answered elsewhere. I tried looking in FAQ, but didn't find any answers to my questions.
Props to the bigguns,
No splittin' wigs in my juris diction, yo.
The Love doc
He who will not reason is a biggot,
He who cannot is a fool,
He who dares not is a slave.
--Sir William Drummond
He who cannot is a fool,
He who dares not is a slave.
--Sir William Drummond
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betty.k
- bitPimp
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read through every thread in this forum
http://bitpimps.lixlink.com/pages/phpFo ... m.php?f=38
then read all of this
http://bitpimps.lixlink.com/pages/phpFo ... m.php?f=47
anything is as good as you make it
http://bitpimps.lixlink.com/pages/phpFo ... m.php?f=38
then read all of this
http://bitpimps.lixlink.com/pages/phpFo ... m.php?f=47
anything is as good as you make it
i used to be cool
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filelicker
- bitNinja
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sg219
- bitPimp
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LBRC
- bitGangsta'
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All depends on you.
What do you want it to do for you?
Where do you plan on driving it? Street, garage, living room, track?
Compatability Test:
A fully blown Vette is not a practical car, it has some serious limitations, and for the price you can buy a “real race car.”
• If you want the "real race car" the 1/28th scale Kyosho Mini-Z, Iwaver, 1/24th scale DTM-X4, or 1/18th scale Micro RS4 or Xray-M18 might be a better choice.
• For a more traditional off road micro/mini experience try a Losi Mini-T, or RC18T.
• If you just like the irrational idea of putting a 4:71 GMC blower on something that was never designed for it, then try an Xmod.
A hard core Xmoder will try to put that blower on a Honda Civic.
I love Xmods but you can buy every Rat Shack upgrade and your still not going to have a race car. On the other hand modding them is a hobby unto it’s self, the RC equivalent of tuning or street-roding, adictive and expensive too.
Dam SG, you might need a few more.
What do you want it to do for you?
Where do you plan on driving it? Street, garage, living room, track?
Compatability Test:
A fully blown Vette is not a practical car, it has some serious limitations, and for the price you can buy a “real race car.”
• If you want the "real race car" the 1/28th scale Kyosho Mini-Z, Iwaver, 1/24th scale DTM-X4, or 1/18th scale Micro RS4 or Xray-M18 might be a better choice.
• For a more traditional off road micro/mini experience try a Losi Mini-T, or RC18T.
• If you just like the irrational idea of putting a 4:71 GMC blower on something that was never designed for it, then try an Xmod.
A hard core Xmoder will try to put that blower on a Honda Civic.
I love Xmods but you can buy every Rat Shack upgrade and your still not going to have a race car. On the other hand modding them is a hobby unto it’s self, the RC equivalent of tuning or street-roding, adictive and expensive too.
Dam SG, you might need a few more.
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lovedoctor
- bitPlaya'
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Thanks for the info guys
Hey betty, If I had the time to read every post to every discussion, I'd be either too poor to afford an XMOD or too rich for $100 to break my budget.
As for the rest of you guys, thanks for the input. I broke down and bought the Acura NSX, the light kit (not the ground FX lights), and the tire upgrade.
Maybe I'll get the bearing upgrade when I get more cash. The advanced wheel upgrade with the fake brake rotors looks pretty cool, too.
Any opinion about the alluminum wheel upgrade? Doesn't seem worth it, though the idea is pretty cool.
I don't think there's an XMOD racing group in my neck of the woods, so I'm waiting until I get a residency position--It'd be real cool runnin' that bad boy up and down the hospital floors after hours.
Props to the bigguns,
silla,
Love doc
As for the rest of you guys, thanks for the input. I broke down and bought the Acura NSX, the light kit (not the ground FX lights), and the tire upgrade.
Maybe I'll get the bearing upgrade when I get more cash. The advanced wheel upgrade with the fake brake rotors looks pretty cool, too.
Any opinion about the alluminum wheel upgrade? Doesn't seem worth it, though the idea is pretty cool.
I don't think there's an XMOD racing group in my neck of the woods, so I'm waiting until I get a residency position--It'd be real cool runnin' that bad boy up and down the hospital floors after hours.
Props to the bigguns,
silla,
Love doc
He who will not reason is a biggot,
He who cannot is a fool,
He who dares not is a slave.
--Sir William Drummond
He who cannot is a fool,
He who dares not is a slave.
--Sir William Drummond
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LBRC
- bitGangsta'
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Don’t they sort of frown on using radio transmitters in hospitals?
For bearings consider going with the VXB bearings even with shipping they will come out a little cheaper for a much better ball bearing, there are other after market ball bearing options too.
If you decided you had to have aluminum wheels I would probably go with machined aluminum wheels like the TopCad’s or other aftermarket aluminum Xmod wheels that use Mini-Z tires.
Here's a link to RC mart for photo's.
For me there are 4 mandatory Xmod upgrades:
1. Lights of course, an Xmod just has to have lights. I put it as #1 because of the price and ease of instillation.
2. AWD, else why not get an Iwaver or Mini-Z. They do have to be installed correctly which is not always easy, and often have to be exchanged until you get a perfect kit. But when working it’s worth the effort.
3. Ball bearings. Best installed at the same time as the AWD kit, the car is too heavy and the drive train has to much friction not to have good bearings.
4. The steering fix, either the 4.7K surface mount or the 3.3K inline mod. I prefer the surface mount but it all depends on your soldering skill. This is actually the first mod I do on any Xmod but because of the soldering I put it as #4.
Then I think about a motor, the problem here is you need a motor kit just for the gears not necessarily the motors.
If you are going to use other than Xmod motors a pinion gear puller is a mandatory investment but that’s not such a big deal since they are only about 5 bucks at a RC aircraft LHS. A good motor is great but something to remember is that a super hot motor is not always more fun to drive. Just my opinion but hot motors are best left to second cars.
I do like an Xmod with 2 lithium-ion batteries, not for speed but for the lower center of gravity, handling wise it’s a big improvement. But again here you run into problems like body width, charging, and money it always boils down to money. So this is also a two car option in my opinion.
For bearings consider going with the VXB bearings even with shipping they will come out a little cheaper for a much better ball bearing, there are other after market ball bearing options too.
If you decided you had to have aluminum wheels I would probably go with machined aluminum wheels like the TopCad’s or other aftermarket aluminum Xmod wheels that use Mini-Z tires.
Here's a link to RC mart for photo's.
For me there are 4 mandatory Xmod upgrades:
1. Lights of course, an Xmod just has to have lights. I put it as #1 because of the price and ease of instillation.
2. AWD, else why not get an Iwaver or Mini-Z. They do have to be installed correctly which is not always easy, and often have to be exchanged until you get a perfect kit. But when working it’s worth the effort.
3. Ball bearings. Best installed at the same time as the AWD kit, the car is too heavy and the drive train has to much friction not to have good bearings.
4. The steering fix, either the 4.7K surface mount or the 3.3K inline mod. I prefer the surface mount but it all depends on your soldering skill. This is actually the first mod I do on any Xmod but because of the soldering I put it as #4.
Then I think about a motor, the problem here is you need a motor kit just for the gears not necessarily the motors.
If you are going to use other than Xmod motors a pinion gear puller is a mandatory investment but that’s not such a big deal since they are only about 5 bucks at a RC aircraft LHS. A good motor is great but something to remember is that a super hot motor is not always more fun to drive. Just my opinion but hot motors are best left to second cars.
I do like an Xmod with 2 lithium-ion batteries, not for speed but for the lower center of gravity, handling wise it’s a big improvement. But again here you run into problems like body width, charging, and money it always boils down to money. So this is also a two car option in my opinion.
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betty.k
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sg219
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LBRC
- bitGangsta'
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Sorry to hear thatbetty.k wrote:i don't recommend the topcad rims. i got a set and they were wobbly as fuck! i tried but never got them to run true, they just sit in my box now.
, I don’t have any of the TopCad Xmod wheels and have only seen one set in actual operation, although I have several of their Mini-Z sets and love them. The set I saw didn’t appear to have a problem but I would now scrap the recommendation until there are enough good sets around to insure that off-center sets are rare.
Like the GPM Front Arms sometimes companies just leave the bad sets out there and don’t bother fixing the problems, and sometimes they get them fixed right away. Hopefully there are only a few bad sets but unless you have a convenient way to return them I wouldn’t risk it.
To run Mini-Z rubber on my Xmods I put the wheels on the rear without tires and let them spin on sandpaper until the center ridge is gone, then I glue the tires on. Swap the front out and repeat.
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lovedoctor
- bitPlaya'
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Thanks, LBRC.
I'll need to practice my soldering before I attempt to fix the steering. A friend of mine is a journeyman electrician and he offered to teach me.
As for the wireless ban in hospitals--I've talked to a number of doctors on this issue. Not one has said unequivocally that wireless interferes with hospital equipment.
Would I risk it on a telemetry unit? HELL NO! But neither do I think it's as bad as that episode of ER when the guy with the cell phone causes the pacemaker and electric wheel chair to go out of whack.
If I'm in the doctors lounge afterhours and nothing is going on AND I've caught up on my reading, I might break out the bad boy for 5 or 10 minutes to kill the monotony.
Again, thanks for the tips. I got the foam tire upgrade and only one or two of the tires was mounted to my satisfaction. The other two weren't stretched evenly across the rim and now I have a car that "bounces" along the ground. It has gotten a little better with use, but I'm thinking of just switching to rubber instead.
Later,
love doc
I'll need to practice my soldering before I attempt to fix the steering. A friend of mine is a journeyman electrician and he offered to teach me.
As for the wireless ban in hospitals--I've talked to a number of doctors on this issue. Not one has said unequivocally that wireless interferes with hospital equipment.
Would I risk it on a telemetry unit? HELL NO! But neither do I think it's as bad as that episode of ER when the guy with the cell phone causes the pacemaker and electric wheel chair to go out of whack.
If I'm in the doctors lounge afterhours and nothing is going on AND I've caught up on my reading, I might break out the bad boy for 5 or 10 minutes to kill the monotony.
Again, thanks for the tips. I got the foam tire upgrade and only one or two of the tires was mounted to my satisfaction. The other two weren't stretched evenly across the rim and now I have a car that "bounces" along the ground. It has gotten a little better with use, but I'm thinking of just switching to rubber instead.
Later,
love doc
He who will not reason is a biggot,
He who cannot is a fool,
He who dares not is a slave.
--Sir William Drummond
He who cannot is a fool,
He who dares not is a slave.
--Sir William Drummond
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filelicker
- bitNinja
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lovedoctor
- bitPlaya'
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 1:14 pm
- Location: Off da hook
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Problems!
Man, don't ask me how it happened, but the bottom pin of the steering knuckle on one side just broke off!
I only run my XMOD in the basement with stock everything--how could this have happened? I'm beginning to see why some of you guys switched to alluminum knuckles.
My fix? I took one of the "left over" screws that came with the car (mine's the NSX, btw) and screwed it into the hole and the screw acts as a suspension pin. The bracket that the "pin" slides on gets stuck on the threads of the screw, so I took a piece of the rubber that was on the screws for the wheels (pack-rats of the world unite) and slid it over the screw. It still doesn't travel as well as the original knuckle, but it'll tide me over until I get replacement parts (whenever that is).
Otherwise, my day's been fine--how was yours?
Silla,
Love doc
I only run my XMOD in the basement with stock everything--how could this have happened? I'm beginning to see why some of you guys switched to alluminum knuckles.
My fix? I took one of the "left over" screws that came with the car (mine's the NSX, btw) and screwed it into the hole and the screw acts as a suspension pin. The bracket that the "pin" slides on gets stuck on the threads of the screw, so I took a piece of the rubber that was on the screws for the wheels (pack-rats of the world unite) and slid it over the screw. It still doesn't travel as well as the original knuckle, but it'll tide me over until I get replacement parts (whenever that is).
Otherwise, my day's been fine--how was yours?
Silla,
Love doc
He who will not reason is a biggot,
He who cannot is a fool,
He who dares not is a slave.
--Sir William Drummond
He who cannot is a fool,
He who dares not is a slave.
--Sir William Drummond
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pimpsmurf
- bitGangsta'
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:20 pm
I love xmods. I own 2.5 (one if half burnt from a lipo "issue")
Do not, I repeat, do not buy one if you have a problem with self control when it comes to money. It *will* cost you least $500 to make your first race car without in-person help from a serious xmoder. You can't cut corners on much if you really want to be in the 45-55mph club.
Basically it is like this:
Xmod Starter (long chassis only! need the room for stuff. preferably a STI because it has lots of room in the body!) w/ AWD Upgrade, suspension upgrade, tire upgrade (need hard tread and slicks unless you like glueing!)
Bearings (Abec-5 from Ebay)
Lube (Gunbutter.com best in the world)
Motor (30-60$ undergroundxmods.com (X2LSPE owns all other motors period. teammnm.net great motors. atomic mods.com good from what I've heard.) If you really want a cheap and fast approach read about the plasmatomic on woahnelly.com
Power v2.2 or woahnelly (1.3/deluxe/latest creation) or stacked FETS (crappy!!!!!!!!!) I prefer a v2.2 board from atomicmods.com for many reasons.
Wheelshims (atomicmods.com *ONLY*!!!!! Ebay has scammers selling "shims" you have to put on the outside of the rim. Defeats the purpose.
Lithium Poly cells/charger. Cheap charger on batteryspace.com and many other sites. Great lipo battery pack at undergroundxmods.com
you need 3 feet of red and black 18ga superflex wire from atomicmods.com for various stuff (antenna lead, etc)
You need GPM Rear driveshaft (cups), wheelshafts (where the wheel screws on) Driveshaft (or Carbonfiber from atomicmods.com (trust me, his shafts really are worth the extra $8), GPM alloy AWD Components (very hard to find. I have them of coarse ) also Alloy front cups and tierod.
A side note to engines: If you want to stay with standard brush motors, you can get up to 60-70 on a dyno and 45-55 on the street. If you want to go brushless you can get up to 70 with insane torque. You will need an DC:AC ESC and a mamba 180 brushless motor (unless you want to get really tricky). you still need the V2.2 though!
Basically you are looking at LOTS of money. There are ways to do it cheaper, but if you want to sink in $300 and then be able to upgrade later then xmods is a choice. But if you have $300 to spend initially, you money is MUCH MUCH MUCH better spend on a traxxas or other high-end upgradable (Team Losi, Mini-T, etc) car. Traxxas has a car retailing for $299 that does 60 on the street stock. 1/12 or 1/10 if I recall.
Way too much info... sorry, I'm fiending to have my xmod running again.
-JNY
Do not, I repeat, do not buy one if you have a problem with self control when it comes to money. It *will* cost you least $500 to make your first race car without in-person help from a serious xmoder. You can't cut corners on much if you really want to be in the 45-55mph club.
Basically it is like this:
Xmod Starter (long chassis only! need the room for stuff. preferably a STI because it has lots of room in the body!) w/ AWD Upgrade, suspension upgrade, tire upgrade (need hard tread and slicks unless you like glueing!)
Bearings (Abec-5 from Ebay)
Lube (Gunbutter.com best in the world)
Motor (30-60$ undergroundxmods.com (X2LSPE owns all other motors period. teammnm.net great motors. atomic mods.com good from what I've heard.) If you really want a cheap and fast approach read about the plasmatomic on woahnelly.com
Power v2.2 or woahnelly (1.3/deluxe/latest creation) or stacked FETS (crappy!!!!!!!!!) I prefer a v2.2 board from atomicmods.com for many reasons.
Wheelshims (atomicmods.com *ONLY*!!!!! Ebay has scammers selling "shims" you have to put on the outside of the rim. Defeats the purpose.
Lithium Poly cells/charger. Cheap charger on batteryspace.com and many other sites. Great lipo battery pack at undergroundxmods.com
you need 3 feet of red and black 18ga superflex wire from atomicmods.com for various stuff (antenna lead, etc)
You need GPM Rear driveshaft (cups), wheelshafts (where the wheel screws on) Driveshaft (or Carbonfiber from atomicmods.com (trust me, his shafts really are worth the extra $8), GPM alloy AWD Components (very hard to find. I have them of coarse
) also Alloy front cups and tierod.A side note to engines: If you want to stay with standard brush motors, you can get up to 60-70 on a dyno and 45-55 on the street. If you want to go brushless you can get up to 70 with insane torque. You will need an DC:AC ESC and a mamba 180 brushless motor (unless you want to get really tricky). you still need the V2.2 though!
Basically you are looking at LOTS of money. There are ways to do it cheaper, but if you want to sink in $300 and then be able to upgrade later then xmods is a choice. But if you have $300 to spend initially, you money is MUCH MUCH MUCH better spend on a traxxas or other high-end upgradable (Team Losi, Mini-T, etc) car. Traxxas has a car retailing for $299 that does 60 on the street stock. 1/12 or 1/10 if I recall.
Way too much info... sorry, I'm fiending to have my xmod running again.
-JNY
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crazydave
- bitPimp
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I couldn't have put it better, 'cept I don't really love Xmods. I want to like them, but they are not super fast even with the stage 2 motors, and bearings. My iwaver monster was faster out of the box than the Xmods with all the RS hop ups. That aint right.LBRC wrote:I love Xmods but you can buy every Rat Shack upgrade and your still not going to have a race car. On the other hand modding them is a hobby unto it’s self, the RC equivalent of tuning or street-roding, adictive and expensive too.
I'm actually at that point now, where I was thinking of upgrading the Xmod further, with FETs, faster motor, lighter body, but then it just started to seem like a better idea to get an iwaver. So that's the direction I'm leaning in now.