When it comes to RC cars and trucks, it’s essential to keep your vehicle in top operating condition. What may surprise you is that these vehicles require the same type of maintenance that full-size cars and trucks do. Without regular maintenance, they can break down.
As soon as you buy a new RC car or truck, you’ll want to check the manual that came with it. This is extremely useful as it offers the complete maintenance schedule for your RC vehicle. To keep the vehicle running smoothly and running well, you can follow the instructions in the manual, so keep it handy. You should also check the DVDs that are included with the manual.
The type of RC car chosen will determine how the new vehicle should start.
Electric RC Vehicles – It needs to have the batteries charged before working. Once this is done, start slowly to make sure everything is working properly.
Batteries require full discharge before recharging to avoid battery memory (mainly applicable to NIMH batteries) Don’t forget to cool down batteries after charging before using in the car.
Electric RC cars are the simplest to maintain compared to the other options.
nitro rc cars – must be broken in very carefully to ensure that the car will perform well in the future. To break in the nitro engine, follow the instructions that came with the vehicle.
After every use of an RC nitro, perform the correct maintenance and your vehicle will remain pristine. These steps include:
– Drain any remaining fuel from the tank.
– Clean and grease the air filter
– Add the oil after run
Gasoline/oil cars – are very similar to nitro engines when it comes to rolling. Read the instructions that came with the car to make sure you are doing everything correctly.
After running the vehicle, be sure to perform the correct maintenance:
– Clean the air filter and re-grease it
– Drain the fuel from the tank
Understanding the fuel ratio is important to keep your RC vehicle running smoothly. Nitro is easy to remember because it usually comes pre-mixed and your car will have a special ratio, like 10%-25%.
Gas can be a bit more confusing. You can choose several types of two-stroke oil, which will be mixed with the gas from the pump. The ratio of this mixture can range from 25:1 to 50:1. The car manual should tell you what is best, but you can also experiment. Please note that the oil is designed for small air-cooled engines, not outboards or motorcycles.
To clean RC vehicles, inside and out, you have a selection of cleaning solutions. Try a few in an inconspicuous area to try something new. You can use a cotton swab to clean the hard-to-reach areas. Compressed air and brushes are useful for cleaning debris from under the car.
An RC car is not just an engine. You will also need to take care of other parts of the vehicle. This includes:
– Check differentials for leaks.
– Checking the dog bones and drive shafts for damage.
– Looking at the transmission belts and checking the tension and wear.
– Cleaning and lubrication of bearings (some RC cars now use rubber sealed bearings to cause less problems)
– Test disc brakes and replace discs and pads as necessary.
– Check shock absorbers for leaks and damage.
– Check the gear, pinion to spur
Whether you have a nitro, gas or electric RC, you can really enjoy these vehicles. With proper maintenance, your vehicle should perform well for a long time. It is safer and more cost effective to keep your RC vehicle maintained and in good working order. Fewer breakdowns means more uptime.