Choosing Your First Remote Control Truck

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

If you are thinking of buying your first remote control truck, here are some things you need to keep in mind. I would advise you pick yourself up an RTR (ready to run) kit to begin with. These RTR RC trucks often come fully assembled, or require only minimal assembly like gluing the tires to the wheels. Most of these models now also include a 2 channel radio and the servos pre-installed, saving you the hassle of trying to match a radio to servos.

Ready to run kits may be slightly more expensive than their basic unassembled kit counterparts, but if you do not have the building experience, it will save you weeks of work in assembly time, frustration and errors.

Imagine being able to bring home, or have delivered to your door, your brand spanking new RC nitro truck, removing it from it’s packaging, inserting some batteries and filling with nitro fuel…..and being able to hit the dirt track straight off! This is the beauty of RTR RC truck kits.

Some more experienced racers, or even some very adventurous newcomers, may want to build their RC monster truck from scratch, so that they get to know all the components and how they are assembled. But even with a RTR model, you will gain this knowledge anyhow by maintaining, modifying and tweaking your truck once you start to use it. If you do plan to build your own truck then allow yourself 3-5 days to put it together.

You can expect to pay $50 - $100 more for a ready to run RC nitro truck and you will probably be looking at paying $300 - $500 for a good level reliable RC truck.

To fully get going right off the rails, you will need some extras which you should remember to add to your order, or you won’t get your truck out on that first day! You will obviously need some nitro fuel and a fuel bottle is a better option for refuelling to avoid any fuel spillage. As well as this you will need a glow plug heater and you may need an electric starter pack if your truck does not have a pull cord start. It is also recommended to have some oil for routine lubrication maintenance after its first run. All in all these extras should not cost you any more than $50 - $100.

Most major manufacturers now produce fully ready to run monster trucks including Traxxas, CEN, Tamiya and Team Associated.

Yes, this can be an expensive hobby, but weigh this up against the adrenalin pumping action of these RC monster trucks and there is no contest! After all – it’s only money!

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Tips on How to Store Radio Controlled Cars

Sunday, June 27th, 2010
radio control
Caroline Miller asked:

First things first! Why is it important to clean and properly store radio controlled cars? Do you remember the reason your mother always told you to clean yourself up, clean your room, wash the dishes, etc.? That is - to keep you clean as well as up and running.

The same is true with radio controlled cars. The following are effective and necessary tips to store and keep those vehicles in great shape.

Believe it or not, the fuels used in nitro trucks or cars as well as in radio-controlled cars contain lubricants. The lubricants in these cars actually serve to protect the engine. This is due to the fact that not all of it gets burned when the engine runs. This therefore results in a chassis that is coated with a lot of oil which made its exit from the car's pipe.

The way to remove this as easily as possible is by using a cleaner: one example is Simple Green. However, it is best to first remove all and any radio equipment before cleaning; after which, plug the inlets onto the engine. Another option is by removing the engine itself.

The chassis should then be sprayed down lightly. Use a brush that has a firm bristle to knock away any grime. Once the chassis has been cleaned, use a towel to dry it. Then, re-install the removed components.

The majority of radio-controlled cars have an electric starter. The bearings in this starter should always be oiled and cleaned at least every week or two.

The starter should then be removed as carefully as possible. The use of a screwdriver is an effective way to keep the pressure on the mechanism as the starter is pulled off the plate's back.

Spray the bearing with engine spray in order to clean it. Oil the bearing in order to keep it running smoothly. You will discover that once the engine and starter is reassembled, it will work almost as good as new.

Fuel should be stored in a place that is dry and - as much as possible - away from pets, children, or anyone else who could mistake the fuel as washer for the windshield.

All in all, when fuel is stored, it could absorb water vapor over a significant amount of time, especially if the container is not sealed perfectly. It is best to store bottles on a cardboard and not on the carpet directly or on cement.

Cheap Beach Holidays.

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