RE: What are the most important things to do to an xmod if you have a tight budget?
If you have some soldering skills and an soldering iron, you can hardwire your motor, and shorten the jumper wires for your battery trays. This helps to not only clean up the chassis but also improves performance since it allows a more efficient transfer of power to the motor than the little plugs. Also if you have a way of removing the pinion gear from your motor, do it and put the pinion on a Crest spinbrush motor and put it in instead of the Radio Shack motors. The spinbrush motor is faster and has more torque. Like everyone said the bearings are a must do.