Beginners Guide For Remote Control Trucks

You’ve been giving some serious thought about dabbling with remote control vehicles as a hobby and your attention is pretty much focused on getting a beginner remote control truck. The only problem is this is your first time and you don’t have a clue what to look for. Granted, the RC industry has become quite the hobby.

Unfortunately, most of us work for a living — and a lot of hours at that. So we don’t always have the time to devote to a hobby or the more intricate aspects of one, such as building our own remote control truck (or other RC vehicle). So for now, you’re going to have to settle on buying one.

But what do you look for when you’re buying a beginner remote control truck? Before you decide which one of these RC trucks to buy, here are a few things to consider in order to make your decision a little easier.

First and foremost, figure out what kind of a budget you’re going to have for the hobby. You’re going to discover almost immediately, that this is not an inexpensive hobby to be involved in. The last thing you want to do is break the family bank playing with toys, so to speak. There are always rebates and sales available on various RC cars and trucks so go online and start checking for a beginner remote control truck that is of decent quality, but also one that may be on sale or have a manufacturer rebate offer.

Ask yourself, “How much time will I really have to devote to this new hobby?” If your time is going to be limited, then we suggest that you look into buying a kit for an electric beginner remote control truck. On the other hand, should you have the time to put your own vehicle together, then look into the gasoline or nitro models. Additionally, don’t forget that there is maintenance and repair time involved in this hobby.

Find a good guidebook for the type of motor that you are going to be using with your beginner remote control truck. Whether you use an electric, gasoline, or nitro engine in your vehicle, having a book on the subject can’t hurt. Try to find a book about the exact motor in your vehicle. There are four excellent magazines on the market about remote control vehicles, and they all contain all types of valuable information regarding the hobby, types of vehicles, and maintenance and repair issues.

Know what you’re getting into with fuel-powered remote control vehicles. In other words, if you’re considering a nitro motor for your beginner remote control truck, educate yourself on the advantages and disadvantages of the fuel powered versus the electric powered motors. It is recommended that you should go with an electric powered vehicle for your beginner remote control truck.

Consider off-road models for your beginner remote control truck. Where the novice RC hobbyist is concerned, off-road models work the best because they will work in your lawn as well as in the dirt, on concrete, or asphalt.

Gas-Powered RC Cars and Trucks: A Beginner’s Guide

There are many ways on how to start with gas-powered RC car or truck. There are many realistic features offered by these remote-controlled cars and trucks. They come in a variety of styles and types in the industry. In choosing one, there are many considerations you should take before eventually owning one.

Radio-controlled cars and trucks lack the power and running time. But if you want to consider, you can convert them into gas powered RC cars, with the use of nitromethane-based fuel. This fuel provides RC cars a level or realism or performance, which are absent on other battery-powered vehicles. Aside from this, they are also highly customizable making it possible for you to integrate RC car accessories and personalize them. There are options of engines and transmitters available to allow you to choose one depending on how you’d want the RC car works.

To help you begin in finding the right gas-powered RC car, the following are the factors you should consider:

1.    Engines. The most important aspect in a gas RC car, you can choose from the variety of engine models available to choose from. Generally, most RC cars use a specific type, which is commonly called as “glow” engine. It is a 2-cycle combustion engine, which creates power to the RC car preparing it for realism that also produces exhaust in the process. In replacement of spark plugs utilized by automotive engines, a “glow plug” is used for this engine. It is being heated in turn by a “glow starter.” The heat will be held by the “glow plug” to which this is now used to fire engine strokes for rest of the running power.

2.    Fuel. Just like the actual gasoline used in automobiles, the nitromethane-based gas fuel the RC cars. The fuel mixture is formulated with special lubricants so that it protects the engine from the excessive heat produced by the combustion process. The lubricants are the same with the gas-oil you use with your small engine equipments or some chainsaws. Accessories such as a special bottle pump may be needed to get nitro-fuel into your fuel tank of the RC car. Filters are also used on these cars and the same with your automobile they require replacement at a proper time interval.

3.    Radio. Radio controller is used to control the RC car and could be same type used on electrically-powered RC cars. It is radio controller operates on 2-channel system that needs batteries to make it work. Additional batteries would be needed to power the receiver though there are other receivers that are fed from the motor itself.

4.    Sport or competition. This is an aspect you most considered when choosing body style. There are different options for you; you have choices from sedans, trucks, buggies, stock cars, and other popular car models. These are basically available in two versions: sports, and competition version. Sports RC cars typically cost less than the car you intend to race, which of course would need more power and higher speeds. Ball bearings and oil shocks are some of the advanced options included for the competition RC car version.

Depending on the type you need, RC car kits and ready-to-car or RTR kits are available. If you are a beginner, RTR kits are what you need as this comes out of the box ready for the fuel. RC car kit, on the other hand, requires heavy work but allows you to decide how they would be put together.

A Beginners Guide To Remote Control Cars

Any parent knows that young boys love playing with cars, In fact, they are one of the most popular toys available and have been for countless years. But as children get older and harder to please (over three years old say), the ‘push and go’ model cars get a bit boring and many kids develop a longing for something that moves on it’s own! Remote control cars therefore fit the bill nicely and that is why they are growing in popularity, year after year. And it’s not just kids driving the trend, but adults too! There is a whole plethora of information about the hobby on the web, but little for beginners and that is why I wrote this article.

When trying to make sense of all of the different remote control cars available, a good place to start is understanding that there are two grades of remote control cars (or radio controlled cars as enthusiasts call them). The two different types are hobby grade cars and toy grade cars and both can provide hours of fun and enjoyment, for the right person.

Toy grade remote control cars are ideally suited to younger children because they cost less and if your child’s interest fades, you will not have spent the earth. Toy grade remote control cars are also safer for younger children, as they are generally not as fast, compared to say a petrol or nitro powered car (these can hurt if they hit you at 60 km/h!). Toy grade cars have other benefits too, such as;

Unbelievably detailed replicas are available, suitable for little & big boys who want to own their dream car. Many are officially licensed by manufacturers like Range Rover, Land Rover, Audi, BMW, Ferrari etc. & they are generally cheaper than the replicas you can buy in most car show rooms. Generally, they do not need to be built and are ready to use from the box. They are an ideal gift & are cheaper than most hobby grade remote control cars. They are safer for younger children (generally three & up) compared to faster hobby grade cars.

A great selection of toy remote control cars is available on Ebay. Some of the best can be found by clicking here.

Hobby grade remote control cars are different. They are more expensive, but offer several benefits if you are looking to take your hobby more seriously. For example, spares are often available & you’ll be able to make repairs yourself (or even get your car serviced in a specialist shop). Hobby grade remote control cars are also generally faster, as they are powered by either high performance electric motors, petrol or even nitro engines! For this reason hobby grade remote control cars are not suitable for younger children, as they can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. In fact, most reputable brands recommend that nitro powered cars are only suitable for teenagers and adults, due to their speed and the toxic nature of nitro fuel. You can also upgrade a hobby grade remote control car to make it faster, stronger, more adjustable or just to make it look better. Some even have optional bodies that you can replace whenever you want.

If you decide to opt for a more expensive hobby grade remote control car, you will have a few decisions to make, such as;

On Road Versus Off Road…

The most popular type of remote control car is the Off-Road Buggy. These normally have larger tyres with spikey treads, full suspension & go on almost any terrain. On-Road cars are usually lower, have slick tyres & sleek sporty bodies.

Kit Form or Ready To Run…

Some hobby grade remote control car companies specialize in producing kits that you can put together yourself. Although this can be rewarding if you have the patience, it is not really an option for younger children, as some models may require a small amount of finishing, for example bodyshell painting and fitting. Kit form remote control cars can cost more at first, but they can also be more durable and therefore economical in the longer term.

Electric, Petrol or Nitro Powered…

Electric remote control cars are typically powered by rechargeable NiCad, nickel metal hydride or lipo batteries. Electric models are the entry grade within the hobby class cars & this power source is considered to be safer compared to petrol or nitro powered models, particularly for younger drivers. They are also quiet and can be used indoors.

Petrol remote control cars are normally powered by small 2-stroke engines, similar in capacity to chain saw engines. They can be faster than electric models, but they are not particularly suitable for younger drivers. Petrol power is often used for larger cars.

Nitro remote control cars are usually powered by model 2-stroke engines that run on specially formulated model fuel, which is available from specialist shops and websites. They require more user knowledge, and are also not suitable for young children, as they are seriously fast and nitro fuel can be dangerous stuff! Nitro powered remote control cars can also be more difficult to start.

Scale – Big, Medium or Mini…

A whole plethora of different sizes (or scales) is available and it doesn’t really matter which you buy, unless you intend on racing your car at a club in a specific category. Generally speaking the huge monster sized 1/5th size cars are petrol powered and are not really suitable for children due to their bulk. A good option for most and probably the most common sizes are either 1/10 or 1/12 scale. These cars are widely available with either a nitro or electric power source, and are small enough for most to carry. Smaller ‘mini’ sizes are also now quite common too, particularly in 1/18 scale.

Generally speaking, hobby grade remote control cars are sold at specialized hobby shops or websites.  A great website for beginners is www.remotecontrolcarsdirect.com where you can find more information, videos, and details about magazines and clubs.

In summary, whichever type of remote control car you decide to buy one thing is guaranteed regardless of your age, you will have lots and lots of fun!