Remote Controlled Car: Batteries Not Included

If you want to customize your own a remote controlled car, then a remote controlled car kit is the perfect accessory for you.

But which one is the best for you? First, let's look at the different components of the vehicle.

Chassis, the skeleton and main foundation of the automobile. Without it, there's no vehicle. The chassis is usually made of aluminum and may sometimes include carbon fiber reinforced polymer parts.

Suspension helps absorb any shock when running over rough terrain and after an RC car lands from a jump. Its main parts include oil-filled shocks and springs.

Drivetrain is responsible for making it move. This includes the axels, engine/motor, gears and wheels.



The Glow Starter is responsible for enabling the Glow Plug to ignite the fuel that powers the engine.

A nitro and gas ones have engines which uses fuel to operate. An electric vehicle uses a motor powered by batteries.

There are dozens of remote controlled cars out there. You can choose from European, American and even Asian brands. But no matter what brand you buy, they all have one thing in common: accessories.

Batteries are necessary, especially if you have an electric unit. Nickel cadmium or Nickel hydride are the required batteries and usually needs an output of 7.2 volts in order for it to run. This makes it run for about 10 minutes but will also depend on the driving conditions, whether on-road or off-road. Batteries are also required for the radio transmitters to run. This part requires around 12 volts to be able to operate with maximum power.

RC car tires are either sold separately or come in the original package you purchase. They are all different and vary according to the type of vehicle and the surface the car will run on. All the RC cars have their own preferred line of tires.

a. Drift Tire are for drift racing and composed of rubber and a special resin compound that ensures RC tracks will not be damaged. These are usually mounted on touring car wheels.

b. Bowtie tire are designed for hard-packed remote control auto tracks.

c. Ribbed tire provide great grip and most often used on the front wheels.

d. The All Terrain tire are multi-purpose tires and works good on any terrain. They are used both on the front and rear wheels.

e. Street tires are needed to achieve best performance when running on hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete. But the work doesn't stop there. It may be fun buying all this stuff.

But if you don't know how to take care of your remote controlled auto, then it will be all for nothing.

Remote controlled cars, whether nitro or electric, have to be properly and regularly maintained to ensure a smooth and long run every time it is operated. Always allow at least 30 minutes to perform maintenance.

Inspect it and make sure there is no physical damage. If there is physical damage, assess what is needed to be able to repair it. If there is no physical damage, clean it off with a clean towel. Use a small brush to clean off what the towel cannot.

If you're not going to be operating your vehicle for some time, drain the fuel tank. Failing to do that can build up condensation in the fuel tank and can seriously damage the engine.




Clean and oil the air filter and don't forget to add after-burn oil to keep the cylinder head lubricated for maximum performance.

Check tires for any damage. Check if there are any loose screws. Check the suspension. Check your batteries. Failing to do any of these will result in your automobiles poor performance.

All these things are important when owning a remote controlled car. So be sure that you're ready for this kind of responsibility when you decide to get one.

Andy West is a writer for Nitrotek, an online distributor of sophisticated and well made remote controlled products. From remote controlled boats to a remote controlled car, you can find it all at Nitrotek.co.uk. For more information visit them today.

Radio Controlled Cars: Uses And Types Explained

Radio Controlled Cars: Uses And Types Explained

Radio controlled cars, or R/C cars, are a model car powered through a radio control system or remote control. A transmitter, with either a joystick or a wheel with a trigger, sends inputs to the vehicle's internal receiver. The receiver transmits the signals or instructions to the electronic speed controller, causing the wheels to move or turn. There are simple ones available that just stop and go. And there are advanced models that are specifically built for competitive racing.

There are usually two categories of radio controlled cars: toy cars or hobby cars.

Toy vehicles
Toy models are the pre-assembled vehicles found in the most common discount store or retail store. These are usually the ones referred to as merely a kid's play thing. This is the cheaper type, about $50-$100 cheaper than the hobby models. They're easy to operate and relatively safe. They usually resemble real autos and have specific features that most hobby models don't have, including working lights, sounds, windows, doors and hoods that open and interiors that look like the real thing. Some even have radios and MP3 players included in the coupe.

They do, however, suffer from poor design, construction and performance. Once broken, the spare parts needed are not available to fix it. Motors are usually weak, since it's powered by cheap alkaline or Ni-Cad batteries. This usually gives them a maximum speed of about 10 to 15 mph. Steering only follows three directions, straight, full left and full right, and two speeds, fully stopped and full power. These automobiles are limited to on road use only. There are ones that are being advertised for use off road but usually deliver a minimal performance. The industry is constantly coming out with new types, but honestly for a child this car is the best buy for your money.

Hobby Cars
There are two kinds of hobby automobiles: nitro-powered models and gas-powered. Nitro-powered offers several speeds: maximum power, medium and a slightly slower speed. A nitro-powered engine is powered by fuel and may be refueled and back to action in a matter of seconds. These cars are air cooled and you do not have to worry about having to take a break for the car to cool down. Nitro-powered operates similar to a full-sized fuel vehicle and in turn, with the exhaust containing more unburned oil, coats the chassis, which will need lots of cleaning.

Cleaning is relatively easy, with just an air blower and some alcohol. But to be able to maximize the potential of the hobby radio controlled car, proper maintenance is needed. Mechanical wear is also more likely with nitro-power because it can be driven for a longer period of time. Higher speed collisions are also more likely because of the ability to maximize the vehicle's speeds. But always remember, because of its strong design and components, nitro-powered models are more durable than its electric counterparts.

Gas-powered automobiles run using pre-mixed gasoline and oil. They're more expensive than nitro-powered and electric automobiles, with a retail price ranging from $1,500 to $3,000. They're bigger and needs more space to operate freely. They don't have very fast speeds but they do have high power and uses less fuel to run. The also require less tuning and last longer than the nitro-powered radio controlled automobiles and electric vehicles. While both great buys, beware: you must operate with caution. Always read the manuals provided and supervise children playing with such devices.

Who knew buying a radio-controlled automobile can be so complicated? As with everything you want to buy, you have to know what factors you want to prioritize when choosing what item to buy. Is it durability? Easy maintenance? Price? Design? All these factors have to be considered carefully before you can decide what kind of radio controlled cars you should buy.

By: Andy West

Nitrotek, is an extremely reputable online distributor of the best variety of remote controlled vehicles. From remote controlled boats to radio controlled cars, you are sure to find what you are looking for! Visit Nitrotek.co.uk for more information.

Finding the line! RC Car Racing To Win!

Finding the line! RC Car Racing To Win!

by: Todd Levi

What's the point of practicing from a racers perspective? I mean, why waste all this time and car wear? Yeah, right! Practicing is one of the core components to becoming a good driver. This is the time where you get to discover how your car, and your driving style adapt to a new track or layout. Take the first few laps slow, think of your car going from corner to corner hitting your target spots. We will call them targets because it's a target that you will want to place the inside front tire of your car on every lap. These targets are normally a few inches from the edge of the board at each corner. The distance out from the board where you aim to target is dependent on your skill level. Remember: the goal is to drive such that your inside tire passes directly over all of these target points every lap. The more confident you become of your targets location and the better you get at judging these targets, the more your lap times will drop.

Tip: Always remain on or outside your targets. If you find yourself going inside your target then two scenarios will have happened: 1. You are finding that you crash a lot, or 2. You may have become a better racer and need to set your standards higher (or targets closer to the board). It is important to remain outside your target to ensure you are hitting your target well (not dodging in or mistakenly missing your target).

The best line to drive on entirely depends on finding the best set of targets to hit on each corner. During those first practice laps, don't even try to go fast but simply concentrate on accurately placing the car within a foot of your targets. With each lap you will develop confidence of the location of these targets and a feeling of how to place your car near them. You will begin to drive a tighter line with the eventual goal of consistently hitting every target point on every lap. The most important thing to take away from this sort of practicing is to commit to memory all of these targets so you can make judgments and alternative routes when there are pile ups, lap traffic or corner marshals in the way.Your trying to get a feel for the line you want to take.

Get comfortable with the targets locations and then you can start to build on your driving skills. When you drive through a corner decide how well you took it in accordance with your target and speed. Pay close attention to the sticky section of the track and then branch out. Focus on the ares of the track that require the most attention. While you are practicing, spend your time thinking about the two or three corners that you need the most help with and only worry about those corners until they feel comfortable. It's a good idea to constantly evaluate your performance in each corner while you're racing, and with each lap try to get closer to your target while carrying as much corner speed as possible.

It is important to use your race heats and main to improve upon your target/speed strategy. Use these races, just like you do practices, as tools to help you become a better driver overall. Even evaluate your lap times with the heat posts to see how consistent you where.

About The Author
Todd Levi of TeamDogFight.com has been racing RC cars for years. Visit our new RC site at http://www.teamdogfight.com.