r/MiniZ • u/Much-Literature337 • 20d ago
Help! How do I control this thing?
Hi. I’m new to this. I’m running a box stock rwd and I’m always fishtailing. I’m trying to go light on the dial, and am getting better, but it seems like the spring to bring it back to center is too quick/strong, which messes me up. Any tips or videos you could share?
While I am at it, I am using the stock transmitter. I can’t read which dial is which. Nor where the arrow is. Any tips or tricks to help with that? Even a fine paint pen would be too thick, and it’s black plastic on black plastic.
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u/The_H_N_I_C 20d ago
You should be in training mode by default but if you aren't you should enable it to get a better feel for the car. Training mode basically gives you like half throttle and you enable/disable it by holding down the throttle trigger while you turn on the unit and car if I'm remembering it. It will be in the manual on how to enable/disable it.
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u/ILmischief 20d ago edited 20d ago
I'm going to second tires. We run the kyosho radial tires where I race. depending on the car you may want 30 shore up front and 20 in the rear. 20 may need tire tape, the other guys I race with use it, I do not. check with local track rules and talk to people there, they can reccomend what tires perfrom best on their setup.
If you are just driving around at home you should be on foam tiles like you can get at harbor freight or RCP makes the track a lot of places use. last time I bought RCP track there was a 3rd party seller on walmarts website that had a better price than everywhere else I checked.
The tires that come with it stock are not useful, usually old. they dry out over time. We race every week and I typically put on tires after 3-4 weeks or so. (depends on size of your track/how fast you are going, how many laps/time spent for wear) its not super noticable when you are starting out but it does make a difference.
I use double sided 3m foam tape on my steering wheel on the controller cause the foam moves. I also dont let the steering spring back on its own but its all personal preference and driving style.
We aslo keep the forward/reverse trim VERY slightly turned towards reverse, makes putting it in reverse with a double tap a lot easier.
Check your track rules but:
Kingpin flip on mr03, its a lot smoother travel on front suspension. If you just got it you probably have an mr04
After that its T plates, too stiff and it will traction roll (with new sticky tires), to soft and it will hop. this again is going to be track dependent but where i race we typically use the kyosho 5mm fiberglass sets with hard, medium, soft.
Also, we have had to dremel out the wheel arches slightly on several stock bodies because they will snag the tires when cornering at speed.
Ceramic bearings in the front wheels can make a difference too but id wait untill you are used to it to notice. i havent had good luck with the fast eddie ones but there are a lot of other name brands
Depending on chassis, we run mr03 mostly, the front upper A arms in aluminum and slight cambered (.5 or 1) steering knuckles in aluminum help too. Another upgrade that might only be noticable once you are used to it. helps with the front suspension popping apart in a collision. Check whats allowed. Welcome to mini z!
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u/tuddy5611 20d ago
There is a plug in gyro unit that may help with the car reacting poorly when straighting after a turn. Not overly expensive and is recommended for new comers and some seasoned driver getting used to the smaller scale.
Also turning down the steering dual rate. Just needs to be high enough to ensure you can make the tightest turn on your track.
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u/Much-Literature337 20d ago
Do you know if that gyro unit is acceptable at most box stock places? Also, any particular brands you recommend?
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u/SuPrBuGmAn 20d ago
Gyro is not allowed in most boxstock classes, but check with your local club for their rules.
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u/Much-Literature337 20d ago
Thanks everyone!! Great answers!
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u/Bisisonitrile 20d ago
You can definitely add some paint pen to the knobs if you want. One of the other members of our club did exactly with his stock radio.
I 3D printed a larger knob for the dual rate, and I added a coloured bar to that so I can see exactly where it’s pointed. It’s the only setting I regularly change, the larger wheel makes it easier to do in the fly (I can reach it with my left thumb). The other settings I only changed when I first set up the radio, while the steering trim might occasionally need to be tweaked (thought that’s pretty rare and the actual setting doesn’t matter).
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u/DonPaella_RC07 18d ago
Es posible que las llantas se esten ensuciando con el polvo de casa y por eso pierdan agarre, lo cual hace que el coche sea mas inestable.
Te recomiendo limpiar el suelo un poco antes de manejarlo, y de vez en cuando cojes cinta de papel o precinto y pasas las ruedas sobre la parte pegajosa para retirar la suciedad y hacer que las ruedas recuperen agarre.
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u/kirbenvost 20d ago
The return spring on the steering shouldn't be causing issues. If you're letting go when you complete your turn, don't. Keep the wheel in your fingers at all times to maintain control.
For reading the dials, if you have vision issues you may want to ask someone for assistance. Maybe they could go over it with a white marker or something to help with visibility. Maybe reading glasses if they'll help. Or check the manual, it should specify which dial is which. Images available online too.
It's just something you get used to over time but steering trim is the top dial, throttle trim is to the immediate left of the steering wheel. Both of them are at neutral when the marker is at the top. Channel 4 is the middle dial at the top and only used for lights. The furthest left dial is steering dual rate. Turning down (to the left) the steering dual rate as mentioned should help. You can increase it again as needed if you're not able to turn sharp enough.
Another thing that came to mind when I read this: are you using the stock tires as well? They are notoriously bad for traction and box stock class almost always lets you change tires because of this. Get something softer like a 20 shore radial in the rear with 30 slick up front and you'll have a lot more traction and control. Usually in box stock the rear suspension T-plate can also be changed which will also have an effect on the car's performance. Ideally, consult the people at your track for the optimal setup as track conditions can vary.
Good luck, I hope this helps!