Laser ZX-5 Braces avilable at www.glowplug.com!!!!!

[Crim3Wav3]

Hey guys...new guy here from the great USA.

Keith@glowplug.com has laser braces, black anodized, for sale. Send him an email and he will provide further info. Thanks!

[Crim3Wav3]

Just want to let everyone know that www.glowplug.com aluminum braces will be made in the stock-looking blue anodize in a week or so...stay tuned for more info. :wink:

And for now, you can still get the black anodized pieces from www.glowplug.com

these things are going fast so get yours today! :D

[jimmy]

Almost like an advert ! :shock:

I dont mind people pimping their stuff as long as they have something else to contribute, but just coming on to flog something is a bit weak like.

how about some photos etc ? any more parts in the works ? :roll:

[DCM]

As it is Jims site, and he does reveiws, a freebie(bribe) should be offered but he calls it as he see's it.... heehee

[jimmy]

far be it for me to beg for bits :drunken: , but youre welcome to join in the discussions, its more appreciated than just selling something which isnt really what the forum is for. Like i said, post some photos and info on your products thats cool..

[Crim3Wav3]

Alrighty then...

I have been running my ZX-5 in the US (massachusetts) on a VERy technical indoor track with a mostly dark clay surface. www.rcexcitement.com. The layout tends to be fast with one large table top jump ( a TIMING NIGHTMARE) and a couple sets of doubles and 2 crossover jumps (scary marshalling).

I run the Novak 6.5 brushless in the car using 3800 IB cells with the stock gearing...although i have been playing around with different gearing, the stock setup tends to hookup well with the brushless and GTB.

I have had several VERY bad cartwheeling episodes and to date have broken a few things that have been very easili fixed with this brace.

I have moved the rear shocks to the 2nd hole in on the tower and inside hole on the arm...you have to dremel the shock mount on the arm to move in on the tower.

I have moved the front shocks in 2 holes on the tower and the inside hole on the arm...this setup gives nice body roll for tighttracks , while providing the stiffness needed for American "jumpy" tracks.

I set the slipper a little loose...mostly because of the surface we run on and a little because of the 6.5.

The diffs are tighter than I thought in the beginning...after some use, and with the assiciated barbide balls, i have them super tight and it is still very "rotatable". Not the best for tight tracks, but when you have the wheelspin i have, you'll figure out what i mean.

For tight tracks, i put the battery to the rear...this thing has enough stearing as it is.

BROKEN STUFF
- the stock brace itself breaks pretty much every hit straight on...we are running in the winter here, which tends to be around 20*F ...so pretty cold. The indoor track is in a part of the building that used to be a warehouse...and its old...so heating is not up to par. It is about 40*F in there!

- The rear upright has broken but that was one of the bad hits.

- the diff balls are garbage, imo, and need to be replaced with the associated carbide balls, at the very least.

- I have been running the front oneway diff and have been getting awesome traction....just make sure you put the o-ring over the center shaft "pin" or you'll lose it..lol

- after installing the brace, as Jimmy did right away, all the front end breakage has ceased.

I have broken an arm since then, but that was a head on from some bonehead going the wrong way down the straight, trying to jump the pipes.

So....i do have stuff to add

[Crim3Wav3]

I will see about pictures of the braces tonight...but seriously...im not trying to pimp my wares, but this upgrade is seriously a "must" and I think im really helping people out with access to a part that they continually break...and it takes the whole lower gear diff case with it...which is a SERIOUS pain to fix.

So...seriously guys. I am truly sorry to barge in here and make these posts...but the people here have been asking for a solution. I have provided one.

Thanks for your time guys, see you on the stand.
:)

-Crim3 (Doug-E)

[JCJC]

Hard to find the reference on the glowplug forum, remember looking in December when originaly posted, this is link to the thread:
http://www.glowplug.com/YaBB.cgi?board=2;action=display;num=1133992894

This is a link to a picture in the thread: http://www.glowplug.com/zx5braces.jpg/100_0538.JPG

The shock tower brace at the bottom of the thread I have seen on an auction site........just type in Kyosho ZX-5.....

Hope this is helpful :) JCJC's Dad

[Crim3Wav3]

Just to clear things up.

The picture that JCJC posted of the braces are the prototypes made on a NC machine...basically hand done.

The production pieces are full CNC and anodized black with blue to come. I am trying to get a pic to show the quality (which is top-notch)...stay tuned.

And the pic of the shock tower mount is indeed from a guy in Hong Kong...sold on ebay. I make no claims on the usefulness of this piece or its quality.

The post on the glowplug forum is under the "East Templeton Model Raceway" thread. look for ZX5 Braces.

Thanks guys, see you on the stand.

[jimmy]

They look good !

I only ran mine the first race without a brace, and hearing of breaks i quickly had it made up and ofcourse since then ive not had it break..
The brace breaking doesnt sound bad, but taking the gearbox out as well, hmm, dont want that do we!!
apart from the screws, this would be my first upgrade i think, just to make sure.

The only break ive had so far has been the front hub carrier thingy, just got my landing a bit wrong off a jump, i was "playing" though, not racing, when im racing im usually quite calm and dont take many chances. So i rarely break stuff (fingers crossed)


Dont worry about it doug, youre clearly a fanatic, your post was sounding more advert than information is all but youre clearly a genuine chap which is good! :D
I hope you can see where im coming from, Just want to make sure the site doesnt get abused by "bad uns".

[Crim3Wav3]

no worries :wink:


I'll keep up with some updates on setups in the near future as well...we should all strive to keep ourselves on top of the Kyosho game.

TTYL,
Dugg

[BluesFan]

I'll vouch for Dugg's aluminum brace. :D If I would have seen this thread last night when I was at home, I would have taken some pics of the brace for you all to see. It is very well done as Dugg has mentioned and it completely saves the front end from 'bad' breaks. Like most people, I had to run my ZX-5 for many race days using the stock plastic brace. Every crash I would just cringe and hope the plastic brace didn't break. Jimmy, you'll notice how the hinge pin brace screws into the bulkhead, right? Well, when the brace breaks, it snaps right in half. As a wheel continues to pull back from clipping a pipe, it would take the front bulkhead with it since it was screwed into it. I actually considered allowing the hinge pin brace to just 'float' there with no screws just to prevent the bulkhead from breaking! Needless to say it didn't work.

Anywho, I've only raced once since replacing the brace with the aluminum one and I'm happy to say I haven't broken yet. I am curious though what will break more often when a break does occur. The brace obviously is fine and I believe the front bulkhead is now protected and will stay secured... but will there be more strain on the hubs, a-arms,.... or chassis? I guess we'll see. I can report though that a cartwheel-type crash was an almost certain hinge pin brace break with the plastic piece. I had a few of those the other day and the car just kept running.

[JCJC]

Just recieved a front brace from Keith at glowplug, looks just like the kit plastic ones (sizewise) nice blue finish, good fit etc.

Keith is good on the email, quick replys, answers questions and now seems to be selling on eBay for much the same cost, item number 6032539273.

He suggests running a second (same front brace) upside down as leading brace in the rear, "we use the brace for the leading side in the rear upside down, and use longer bolts with lock nuts (traction tip: don't use any shims) Bolt length is 14 mm."

The front brace has the same hole centers (for stering pins) as the kit BR rear leading brace approx 36.25mm, the BF (I assume an alternative to BR) is nearer 38.5mm.

I make the other "trailing" rear brace A15 at 37.5mm, A25 at 39mm and A30 at 40.5mm.

I can see changing the angle on the rear suspension arms (moving the wheels forwards & backwards) is interesting, but how would you apply this to setups and circuits ?

I hope people find this usefull, I am not trying to plug or sell Keith's brace, it just looks good to me, and the service was good as well.

[jimmy]

Those do look really good indeed, stick a photo up with it on the car.
Having seen mr shillitos gearbox break when his brace failed I think its needed for sure.

[darners]

just got my front braces from glowplug, will put em on tonight and post a pic

[tony1034]

I ordered mine the other night off the Ebay auction. Should have it today along with my Novak GTB 6.5, tires and a bunch of spare parts. Looks like I'm finally going to build this bad boy this weekend :)

Tony P.

[jimmy]

I trust you'll be putting some tonys screws on it too :p

[darners]

My Zx5 with glowplug front brace and alloy shock tower mount

[OldTimer]

Nice looking car Craig ;) btw i will soon be stocking blue aluminium front braces.

[darners]

Cheers Jonathan, think its the carbon fibre that sets it off ;)

[nick oliver]

Yer makes it look much more bling!!! I gotta get some soon Nick.

[Northy]

Those two pictures look the same to me! :)

[tony1034]

I trust you'll be putting some tonys screws on it too :p

You betcha! ...LOL :D

The ZX-5 has turned into my hottest screw kit in the last 3-4 weeks. That tells me there are a LOT of people running this car, and that's GOOD!

Kendall Bennett at amainhobbies.com can't keep parts in stock...

Tony P.

[Crim3Wav3]

Tony,

Your brace was shipped today...I am sorry for the delay but I got a little sidetracked at the track on Saturday and UPS closes there satalite location at 2:00pm...i made it there at 1:59 and the bastids closed the door on me!

So it should be there in a day or two.

sorry again,
Doug

[tony1034]

Thanks for the update Doug!

Tony P.