lazer zx-r

[rob m]

Hi, please could anybody be able to tell me if the special blue unicrank set (part number 39655) is any different then the standard kit steering set. If it is, what is different about it?
Thankyou.

[Welshy40]

Originally Posted by rob m

Hi, please could anybody be able to tell me if the special blue unicrank set (part number 39655) is any different then the standard kit steering set. If it is, what is different about it?
Thankyou.

It raises the steering plate and basically stops bump steer. Also is stronger than the standard kit item. Worth getting.

[rob m]

Thanks for the fast reply welshy40. Yes i noticed the bump steer when i built the car back up, and made new spacers at work to raise the plate. Would the blue ones give less flex aswell as being stronger? The standard ones seem very flexable. Would you recommend anything else to change/upgrade before using my zxr to race?

[terry.sc]

The blue ones are stiffer. As you have found out any bump steer is easily fixed, the suspension geometry I ran meant the standard setting only gave a slight bump steer at full compression. The blue ones have more material on them, in 10 years of racing Mid and Lazers I never broke one, but then we always ran servo savers.

The only upgrades it really needs is a front shock tower that is bridged across the top to join the two ears together. This distributes the load across the gearbox better if the car rolls and lands on the shock mount, so it doesn't lever off the mounting point on the gearbox meaning you then have to find the very rare front gearbox mouldings. Fibre-Lyte make several different types but the one on this page is the most popular choice. Secondly, replace the wishbone mounts, especially the front ones, with alloy upgrades. Not as important as the shock mount as spares are a bit easier to find and you can make temporary repairs to them if needed, but if you hit something solid with the wheel there is a good chance it will rip the pivot pin out of the mounting blocks.

[Welshy40]

Originally Posted by rob m

Thanks for the fast reply welshy40. Yes i noticed the bump steer when i built the car back up, and made new spacers at work to raise the plate. Would the blue ones give less flex aswell as being stronger? The standard ones seem very flexable. Would you recommend anything else to change/upgrade before using my zxr to race?

Steering wise as long as you have the blue bits and are screwed together correctly then should be fine. Im in the process of developing a belt tensioner for the rear gearbox as the belts will snap with brushless so in a couple of weeks be selling with instructions on how to fit.

Too much to really say so would recommend going thru the Lazer thread, but ujs would be a good bet as well as bearings. Reduilding the ball diffs correctly and if up for it using ceramic balls. Tub chassis ( pics on the last page of lazer thread). Front mount and alloy pivot blocks as per Terrys post. Front mount i have never broke one and have broken every other item so is strong. Also a medium kimbrough servo saver which youll need to cut down to to fit and is the best servo saver available

[rob m]

I will get the upgrade unicrank set, Alloy pivot blocks ive seen on ebay.....does anybody else make them ? Front shock tower with bridge i have but the fibrelyte item that terry sc recommended does look better as its rounded on top making me think it will help roll the car back onto its wheels. It says the front tower is for the zx but will the longer zxr shocks be ok to use with it? Also welshy40 your belt tensioner sounds interesting so i will be keeping a lookout for that. Tub chassis will have to be on my wish list at the moment but does look great.

[Welshy40]

Originally Posted by rob m

I will get the upgrade unicrank set, Alloy pivot blocks ive seen on ebay.....does anybody else make them ? Front shock tower with bridge i have but the fibrelyte item that terry sc recommended does look better as its rounded on top making me think it will help roll the car back onto its wheels. It says the front tower is for the zx but will the longer zxr shocks be ok to use with it? Also welshy40 your belt tensioner sounds interesting so i will be keeping a lookout for that. Tub chassis will have to be on my wish list at the moment but does look great.

The tower on the link with half circle handle is the one we both recommend and is the only thing i havent broken in 22 years so worth buying from fibrelyte. It roll perfectly and it works with the longer shocks on the front.

Tub is £120 and should be for sale on Tuesday should my build and test go well and belt tensioner will need some cutting to the rear gearbox but will not stop motor movement for use of bigger pinions and will mean you dont have to worry about snapping the belt. Will update soon. May be a good idea to post all ideas on the Lazer thread rather than here as more people keep track of that.

[rob m]

Originally Posted by Welshy40

The tower on the link with half circle handle is the one we both recommend and is the only thing i havent broken in 22 years so worth buying from fibrelyte. It roll perfectly and it works with the longer shocks on the front.

Tub is £120 and should be for sale on Tuesday should my build and test go well and belt tensioner will need some cutting to the rear gearbox but will not stop motor movement for use of bigger pinions and will mean you dont have to worry about snapping the belt. Will update soon. May be a good idea to post all ideas on the Lazer thread rather than here as more people keep track of that.

22years! That is a good buy. I will put one of them on my list. Who was making a new layshaft to fit the b4 slipper assembly, Is it now complete? .Whats the problems with the original slipper set up? All i can see whats differant to todays cars is the washers inplace of a spring. I was thinking of making a new nut that will take the b4 slipper spring (has anybody tried this?), only thing is i cant make it a lock nut so will have to use a grub screw in the end making it a pain to set.

[terry.sc]

Originally Posted by rob m

Whats the problems with the original slipper set up? All i can see whats differant to todays cars is the washers inplace of a spring.

There's nothing wrong at all with the original slipper, some people just have to have the latest of anything even though it makes no difference to performance. With the B4 slipper you have the same range of adjustment, but with the B4 spring you have a few turns of the nut to adjust it instead of a single turn on the ZX-R. A B4 slipper has the advantage of easily available replacement pads, but it's not difficult to cut new pads from a sheet of PTFE.

[rob m]

Originally Posted by terry.sc

There's nothing wrong at all with the original slipper, some people just have to have the latest of anything even though it makes no difference to performance. With the B4 slipper you have the same range of adjustment, but with the B4 spring you have a few turns of the nut to adjust it instead of a single turn on the ZX-R. A B4 slipper has the advantage of easily available replacement pads, but it's not difficult to cut new pads from a sheet of PTFE.

the slipper does seem ok from the few test runs i have done. think i will leave it as it is for now and see how it goes up against new cars over winter.
thanks for everyones advice.

[Welshy40]

Originally Posted by rob m

22years! That is a good buy. I will put one of them on my list. Who was making a new layshaft to fit the b4 slipper assembly, Is it now complete? .Whats the problems with the original slipper set up? All i can see whats differant to todays cars is the washers inplace of a spring. I was thinking of making a new nut that will take the b4 slipper spring (has anybody tried this?), only thing is i cant make it a lock nut so will have to use a grub screw in the end making it a pain to set.

No, i only use the B4 spring with the proto layshaft but as Terry said the washers are good.