1.Better Battery/Charger
RTR’s nowadays are still looking to get the user up and running as quickly as possible, but this often results in small capacity packs and wall chargers only suitable to them. Ditch that 1800 mAh NiMH pack for your new car and grab yourself a high quality 5000 mAh NiMH or LiPo pack and upgraded charger. You will see the performance of the vehicle come alive as the motor is now provided with more current. With the charger upgrade, you can expect to charge your packs in less than an hour since most of them are customizable to your need. By far this is the best bang for your buck upgrade that will show noticeable improvements across the board.

2. Suspension mods
I decided to lump all suspension related upgrades into one section since there is such variety in many RTR’s depending on price point. On entry-level products plastic shocks with clips to adjust ride height are great candidates for replacement. An aluminum threaded shock offers both increased durability and unlimited tuning adjustment with no spacers to lose. If your vehicle has these already equipped, often the shocks can use some fine tuning at the very least. Pick yourself up some softer and heavier springs and experiment with different oil weights to dial in the suspension. Lastly, some vehicles do not have adjustable control arms or fixed links which do not allow proper setup. Most manufacturers and plenty of aftermarket companies generally will offer turnbuckles which will allow for the camber and toe angles to be set, which is extremely important in steering performance and stability.

3. Driveline upgrades – CVD’s

Many RTR’s these days still are using plastic dogbones or driveshafts. These will generally work with the weak stock battery, but if you took my advice and upgraded the battery you are pushing more power through the vehicle now. Plastic can only last so long before it wears out and either breaks or warps, thereby not transmitting as much power to the wheels as it should be. Metal dogbones would be a worthy upgrade here, but I prefer CVDs when available. These components have one side bolted directly within the driveline so there is no danger of them popping out like dogbones may. If you have ever lost a dogbone you know that these are usually worth their weight in gold, I don’t even want to think about how many hours I have wasted looking for dogbones lost in the grass or on the track.

4. Higher quality pinion gears
Even if you set your slipper clutch absolutely perfect and baby your car/truck all the time, motor pinions often exhibit plenty signs of wear and tear, especially if a small pebble makes its way in. Even in trucks with sealed spur gear assemblies I have gotten many stock pinions chewed up when running my vehicles in relatively harsh conditions. RTR’s usually come with softer metal pinions and a high quality aftermarket pinion from Robinson Racing usually eliminates any issues and will last as long as your vehicle with proper care. Don’t forget to pick up a few spur gears as well, I like to stick to plastic so the spur wears out before my pinion if foreign objects to get lodged within.

5. Ditch that radio
Thankfully all RTR’s come with 2.4 ghz radios nowadays, but not all radios are created equal. Many of the cheaper radios often lack adjustability and even have problems which may cause your new truck to not consistently drive straight even with the trim properly applied. Radio prices are extremely reasonable and offer plenty of reasons on why you would want to upgrade. Of course any of the big name brand radios will track perfectly straight, but they also offer many adjustments that stock RTR radios do not have. EPA (or End Point Adjustment) is not always included on the cheap RTR radios and can help improve your turning radius if the full steering throw is not being utilized or increase your servo’s life if the end points are a bit too aggressive out of the box. You also get the benefit of having more channels if you choose a higher spec radio. The extra channels can be used for crawlers or scale rigs if you want to operate a winch or LEDs. One of my favorite features of aftermarket radios is the ability to program multiple models into one transmitter. This is a life-saver once you get bitten by the RC bug and trucks start to pile up.

6. Better tires/wheels
Some RTRs are better than others, but every single vehicle I have owned needed better tires than what were included. This is not just for racers either. Bashers generally come with pretty hard compounds that sacrifice grip over performance. This isn’t to say your tires will not last as long as the stock set. In my experience the compounds from trusted tire manufacturers are so much better than what is included with RTRs that I enjoy increased performance and equal or better durability. Tires and their compounds require tons of research and investment, so they aren’t cheap but they will fully unlock the potential of your rig 99% of the time. I think it also goes without saying if you plan on racing, this should be your number one upgrade, check out what racers are running at your local track.

7. New body/wing
Yeah the stock bodies may look way cooler than what you can paint yourself with rattle cans, but generally they show signs of abuse super early compared to a high quality lexan shell. It is quite surprising how much more durable aftermarket bodies are. I remember when I first started racing 1/8 scale my stock body lasted about 2 race days with all my crashes. I purchased aftermarket shell, trimmed the body and painted it and the body still is not cracked to this day. Not only do they offer increased durability, but many offer increased performance with extra downforce and less drag. Slap on an aftermarket wing if your vehicle allows as well, it is amazing how well airflow and the dynamics of a truck/buggy will change with just one part.

8. Steering servo
Many companies generally use the servo as a method of cost cutting, so a higher quality servo will wake up your RTR. The steering servo has a tough job, especially on trucks with heavy wheels. A higher quality servo can provide more torque, faster transit speeds and even offer better resolution and centering performance. The result is you will not have that delay when you input steering into your transmitter. You also will notice that a higher quality servo will not struggle when turning the wheels from side to side. Couple a nice digital servo with an appropriate radio upgrade and you will have a top notch performer ready for the track!

9. Basher Bits
I left this section for last because it does not apply to every RTR vehicle, but mostly bashers. When you abuse your vehicle as much as we do (huge jumps, speed runs, etc), it is inevitable that we are going to have some pretty gnarly crashes. When a crash happens, energy is either absorbed or transferred throughout our vehicle and does not always have to result in parts breaking. RPM has been a mainstay in many vehicles ever since I started in the ground based radio control hobby. Their plastics are designed to absorb as much energy as possible, deferring it from more fragile components in your vehicle. They also are generally more beefy than the stock components, so they can handle much more abuse. One upgrade I always recommend are RPM control arms and hub carriers if they offer it for your vehicle. They generally flex a little more than the stock sets, so CVD’s are a great compliment with RPM parts. Of course aluminum parts in the right places are also a worthy upgrade, but be sure to not go bling happy, many times you want a plastic point of failure for easy replacement (much better than bent aluminum!). This is why I recommend RPM so heavily.

WRAP UP
Well there you have it, my choice for the top 9 Option Parts that you should replace on your RTR vehicle. No RTR car I get stays stock for long and over the years I have gotten this upgrade path down to a science. The best part is that the batteries, charger, radios and more are some components that can be shared with multiple vehicles making the investment that much better. Don’t feel like you have to run out and buy these parts right away, one method that many people like to employ is to replace broken parts with better aftermarket part. That way you slowly transform your boring stock RTR, into a fire-breathing beast!

The post 9 Option Parts Almost Every RTR Car Needs appeared first on RC Driver.

WHY PREP YOUR ENGINE FOR STORAGE?

What could go wrong while an engine is in storage you ask? Plenty! If an engine is stored too long, there is a chance that unburnt fuel sitting in the engine or bearings can evaporate over time and, along with temperature changes, can start to turn the oils into gunk that can clog up and cause friction in the engine. Moisture is also a threat to any steel parts within the engine and finally, there is debris. You know, dust and dirt, which can make their way into any part of your vehicle, such as the engine’s carb or exhaust, and once in there can damage the engine when you fire it up. So lets talk steps to keep your engine protected.

OIL IT

The first step for engine storage is adding a number of drops of a good after-run oil. An after-run oil is much less likely to turn into that nasty gunk over time and it coats your engine internals to protect them. Add a few drops down the carb venturi as well and then add a few more into the exhaust port if it’s exposed. Or you can take out the plug, drop oil in the top of the chamber and replace the plug.

CAP IT

When you’re done adding after-run oil to the inside of the engine and you’ve rocked the crank back and forth a few times to coat the internals, it’s a good idea to ensure the oil stays in. Use caps, such as these shown here from TrakPower, to keep the oils in. Capping will also keep the debris out of your mill while it sits in your pit bag or on your bench. Cap the carb venturi, fuel nipple and exhuast port. If your exhaust is still fitted to your engine, add caps to the exhaust stinger and pressure nipple.

BAG IT

Now that your engine has been oiled and capped, its a good idea to place it in a plastic bag along with a silica gel packet and zip it closed to keep moisture and debris away from the engine.

GOING OVERBOARD

Looking for that extra bit of protection during storage? Consider an engine bag from Outerwears. This fabric bag with an inner liner keeps your engine neatly stowed and secured inside with its Velcro closure.

WRAP UP

A few simple steps and a few neat products are all you need to keep your engine stored and safe. Take the time to care for your engine and it will be there, ready to go, when you need it!

The post RC Nitro Engine Storage appeared first on RC Driver.

The major manufacturers have done us a great service by molding the shock piston hole size on the pistons to help identify them when building (or tuning) our shocks. The problem is, especially for us old guys, that it’s really hard to read them sometimes. Worse yet, if they’re already IN your shocks, the oil (whether it’s clean or dirty) makes reading them even more difficult.

I’ve been using this simple procedure for years now and it works great. Simply take a Sharpie (preferably black, but any color will do) and color over the face of the piston where the number is. The number will stay white and be extremely easy to see, even after the shock has been built.

Oh, and don’t forget to do this PRIOR to building the shocks. Sharpies don’t like oily surfaces!

The post Keep Track of your RC Shock Pistons appeared first on RC Driver.

Make Your Mark
To track how many turns you adjust shock collars, you simply need to mark the collar. First, take your shocks off your vehicle and turn the collars so they are all the way at the top. Now with a small file or rotary tool, make a small groove in the collar dead center below the shock cap’s mount hole. Once you mount the shock back on the car with the grooves facing forward, you’ll be able to easily count the number of turns you tune the collar as the mark spins around.

The post How to Keep Track of RC Shock Collar Height appeared first on RC Driver.

If you race two classes and have only one transponder, you’re constantly taking it from one car to the other. You can save time and effort by using a Micro Deans plug on the unit and in each vehicle. Use a single mounting screw for a quick swap.

Tip by David Sutter

The post Easy RC Transponder Quick Swap appeared first on RC Driver.

RC maintenance can be messy; oil and grease often get everywhere. Keep your hands clean with inexpensive, disposable rubber or latex gloves. Keep them in your pit box and on your workbench.

Tip by Doug Wilson

The post Keep RC grease off your hands appeared first on RC Driver.

You can’t put your vehicle back together if you don’t have all the hardware that you removed to disassemble it. Too often, screws are lost. To avoid this, check out the dollar store for a bowl that has a magnetic bottom, and keep it close so you can drop the screws into it. The magnet holds them.

Tip by Tom Vander Meulen

The post Screw Saver for a dollar appeared first on RC Driver.

If you have not yet invested in a good set of hex drivers, you are likely still using the ones that were included with your vehicle. If you would like to get a little more leverage, mount a large pinion gear on the end. Just slip it on and tighten the setscrew.

Tip by Matt Grysko

The post Easy RC Hex-Driver Operation appeared first on RC Driver.

If you expose your electronics to water, they may not work properly. The next time it happens, try this. Empty a box of uncooked rice into a bowl and bury the waterlogged device in it. Leave it there for a day or two, and the rice will draw the moisture out. There’s a good chance that it will operate at least as well as it did before it got wet. You can do this with cell phones and MP3 players, too.

Tip by Brandon Walus

The post Revive Wet and Damp Electronics appeared first on RC Driver.

You can make your own spiral wrap with fuel tubing, an antenna tube and a sharp hobby knife. Slide the tubing over the antenna and place it on the workbench. Place the knife on the tubing and roll the antenna and tubing away from you while you move the knife towards the other end of the tubing.

Tip by Dustin Dotson

The post Spiral wrap with fuel tubing nice and neat appeared first on RC Driver.

Assembling some RC kits requires the use of self-tapping screws that are installed in hard plastic parts. If you first scrape the screws across a bar of soap, you will have an easier time getting them to thread into the hard plastic because the soap acts as a lubricant.

Tip by James Semple

The post Easy Threading Screws appeared first on RC Driver.

When you’ve finished the oatmeal in the pantry, you’ll have a convenient canister to store tires and wheels in. The canister also makes a quick and easy car stand. You can get creative and paint it, or cover it with construction paper and decals.

Tip by Talmadge

The post RC Parts storage and Stand appeared first on RC Driver.