Mini-Z Modder

Real Mods.
Real Laps.
Tiny Cars.

Upgrade guides, lap notes, and the parts I actually run.

Free for subscribers

The Race Day Reference Card + Session Setup Log

A printable tire compound and gear ratio cheat sheet, plus a fill-in-the-blank tuning log for your pit bag. Drop your email and both PDFs land in your inbox in a minute.

Popular right now

MR-03 vs MR-04 Buyer Guide Bearing Upgrades Guide Best RCP Track Tires MR-03 Upgrades Under $50

Mini-Z pit setup with stripped MR-03 chassis, three body shells, tools, and transmitter on the bench

New to Mini-Z? Start with the basics. We'll help you pick a platform and make your first mods count.

Which car should I buy? → What to upgrade first? → Best upgrades under $50 →

PDF Guide · 15 Pages

From Box Stock to Podium

The complete Mini-Z racing progression guide — 5 stages from your first RTR unboxing to competitive modified class. Setup tables, tire charts, and the exact upgrade order that gets the most speed per dollar.

$9 one-time Get the Guide →

Tips & Analysis

Latest Articles

Nobody Got Faster From a Nicer Pit Box

Pit gear is the second money pit in Mini-Z racing, and the one nobody calls out, because spending on it looks like professionalism.

Mini-Z Modder Aug 17, 2026 →

Everyone at the Track Has Advice. Most of It Isn't for You.

Six people will diagnose your Mini-Z in twenty minutes at club night. Here's how to filter free advice, and the better question to ask instead.

Mini-Z Modder Aug 10, 2026 →

Your Motor Isn't the Problem. Your Batteries Are.

Most Mini-Z racers spend big on motors and run whatever cells are loose in the bag. That's backwards, and the last lap of every heat proves it.

Mini-Z Modder Aug 3, 2026 →

Your Club Is One Person Away From Not Existing

Somebody laid that track, ran the timing software, and unlocked the door. When that person burns out, the club goes with them.

Mini-Z Modder Jul 27, 2026 →

Step-by-step mods

Most Popular Guides

Best First Mini-Z Upgrades: 5 Mods That Matter

New Mini-Z owner? Start with these 5 upgrades. Ranked by impact per dollar. The first mod transforms how your car drives for under $15.

MR-03 · MR-04 · MA-020 · MX-01 →

MR-03 ReadySet: First Upgrades Shopping List

Mini-Z MR-03 vs MR-04: MR-03 Wins for Most Buyers

MR-03 · MR-04 →

How to Paint a Mini-Z Lexan Body Without Ruining It

MR-03 · MR-04 · MA-020 →

Mini-Z Chassis Weight Tuning: Where to Add Grams and What Changes

MR-03 · MR-04 · MA-020 · MX-01 →

Free for subscribers

Two PDFs.
On Us.

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PDF

Race Day Reference Card

2-page printable cheat sheet. Tire compounds by surface, pre-race checklist, setup symptom/fix table, essential tool sizes. Lives in your pit bag.

PDF

Session Setup Log

4-page printable log sheet. Baseline setup, per-run tracking with change/result fields, qualifying summary, session debrief, and pattern tracker. Print one per race night.

New guides every Thursday

Platform-specific tips and tuning notes

No fluff. RC people only.

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The Pit Box

Gear I Actually Run

Everything here is in my pit bag. Affiliate links, but I'd tell you if something sucked.

See full kit →

Fast Eddy Sealed Bearing Kit (MR-03)

Sealed bearings for the MR-03. What I run on mine. Drop-in replacement, sealed so they do not grit up.

PN Racing Mini-Z Slick Tires (Front)

What I run up front. Slicks give a cleaner bite off the carpet than the stock radials once tire prep is dialed in. Sold through RCMart; no Amazon.

PN Racing Mini-Z Radial Tires (Rear)

What I run out back. Radials give forgiving rotation without breaking loose under power. Sold through RCMart; no Amazon.

Kyosho MZW404S Carbon Rear Suspension Plate

The Kyosho-branded carbon T-plate I run on the MR-03. Consistent flex, durable, fits the stock geometry without drama.

Raybrig NSX Auto Scale Body

The Raybrig NSX is one of two bodies I run. Clean Super GT livery, looks right on an RCP track, wears predictably. Verify wheelbase before ordering.

EBL 1100mAh AAA NiMH Rechargeable (6-pack)

What I actually run. 1100mAh AAA gives more runtime per charge than Eneloop at a lower price. Rotate two sets and they last forever.

ISDT N8 Smart Battery Charger (8-bay)

What sits on my bench. 8 bays means a full fleet charges at once, LCD shows individual cell state. Overkill for one car, perfect once you have a pit bag.

Stedi Model Nipper (Flush Cutter)

Ultra-thin sprue cutter. What I use for king pin flips, body mount trim, and anything that needs a clean cut instead of a crushed one. For files and rougher stuff, Harbor Freight works fine.

Race Near You

Featured Tracks

US tracks → All 49 →

Houston RC

Houston, TX

Madison Mini RC

Fitchburg, WI

R/C Madness

Enfield, CT

Mini Z Knox

Knoxville, TN

Join the Scene

Racing Clubs

All 8 clubs →

PDX Mini-Z

OR, US

Mini-AZ R/C Racing Club

AZ, US

DFW Mini-Z Car Club

TX, US

Madison Mini RC

WI, US

Essential Reading

Top Guides This Month

Mini-Z Tire Guide: Compound, Width, and Surface Tuning

The definitive Mini-Z tire guide: compound selection by surface, width and offset rules, symptom-based tuning, and a 3-pass testing method that actually works.

Mini-Z Battery Guide: Which Cells to Buy and How to Charge Them

Skip the alkaline trap. Which NiMH cells club racers actually run, when LiPo is worth the switch, and how to charge both without wrecking a pack.

RCP Track Setup: Layout, Surface, and Gear

Home RCP layout: 24-60 tiles. Club-size: 70-120. Covers tile counts, layout design, barriers, EasyLap timing setup, and surface prep for Mini-Z racing.

Best First Mini-Z Upgrades: 5 Mods That Matter

New Mini-Z owner? Start with these 5 upgrades. Ranked by impact per dollar. The first mod transforms how your car drives for under $15.

MR-03 ReadySet: First Upgrades Shopping List

The exact parts to buy first for a Kyosho Mini-Z MR-03 ReadySet: tires, bearings, T-plate, and the free kingpin flip mod. Under $50 total with Amazon links.

Mini-Z FET Mod: MOSFET Replacement and Stacking

What a FET mod actually is, which Mini-Z platforms need it, how to do it safely, and when it's worth doing at all. The complete reference for club racers.

Mini-Z Suspension Setup: Spring Rate, Droop, and Camber Explained

How to set Mini-Z spring rate, droop, and camber for RCP, carpet, and AWD. Read the chassis and dial in a neutral, planted setup instead of fighting it.

Shop by Car

Browse by Platform

RWD MR-03 Indoor RCP track racing Guides → AWD MA-020 Indoor racing, beginner-friendly Guides → RWD MR-04 Indoor RCP racing, GT-style builds Guides → AWD MX-01 Indoor crawling, scale terrain Guides →

By Skill Level

Pick Your Track

Mini-Z upgrade guides organized by where you are in the build path. Start where you are; move up when laps say you're ready.

beginner Beginner Mini-Z Mod Guides First bearings, body fitment, what to upgrade in week one. All beginner guides → intermediate Intermediate Mini-Z Setup Guides Spring rates, T-plate tuning, club-night setup basics. All intermediate guides → performance Performance Mini-Z Race Tuning ESC tuning, FET mods, race-day prep, podium-level setup. All performance guides → buyer-guide Mini-Z Buyer Guides Which car, which tires, which battery: exact part numbers. All buyer guides → reference Mini-Z Reference Tables & Specs Gear ratios, compound charts, compatibility tables. All reference guides →

By Platform and Part

Find Guides for Your Car

Browse upgrade guides and curated part picks for each Mini-Z platform and part category.

RWD MR-03 Upgrade Guides The flagship racing platform. Bearings, T-plates, motor swaps, and race setup. All MR-03 guides → RWD MR-04 Upgrade Guides Narrow GT chassis. Same upgrade logic as MR-03 with platform-specific parts. All MR-04 guides → brushed · brushless Mini-Z Motor Upgrades Stock replacement, brushless conversions, pinion gearing. What actually makes you faster. Motor guides → gyro · ESC · servo Mini-Z Electronics & ESCs Gyro setup, ESC tuning, servo upgrades. The control stack that separates fast from consistent. Electronics guides → tools · gear Mini-Z Gear I Use Bench tools, track bags, chargers, and accessories that earn their place over time. See full kit →

Find the right upgrade

Browse by Part Type

All categories →

First mod · Universal upgrade

Compound · Width · Surface

T-plates · Springs · Sway bars

Brushed · Brushless · Pinions

Painted · Unpainted · Lexan

Gyro · ESC · Servo

Transmitters & Receivers

Transmitters · Receivers · ASF

Hex · Nut Drivers · Tweezers

Batteries & Chargers

NiMH · LiPo · Runtime