RC Car Action March 2020

What is your favorite aspect of the radio control hobby? Are you a mechanically inclined builder that revels in the handson experience of building and tinkering? Or do you prefer the convenience of ready to run kits so you can get driving quicker? Are you a speed demon that is excited about breaking speed barriers or do you like to go slow and crawl over challenging obstacles? The hobby is impressively varied, I’m sure you can name a few things that you love about it. One thing that I love about the RC hobby is the customization aspect of it. Although you may start out with the same kit as your friends, it always seems that no one kit is finished exactly the same. It’s this variety, along with technological advances,…

1. Pro-Line Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Clear Body Created for 12.3-inch (313mm) wheelbase scale crawlers, Pro-Line’s expertly crafted Jeep Gladiator body includes details such as door handles, door hinges and even grille details molded in. Made in America, the body set also includes scale decals with head and tail lights and officially licensed Jeep logos. MSRP: $56 prolineracing.com 2. Duratrax Pit Tech Deluxe Car Stand The portable Pit Tech Deluxe Car Stand is a convenient workstation for your cars and trucks wherever you go. It disassembles flat, making it perfect for carrying in a toolbox or bag. Ideal for all 1/10 cars, trucks and buggies, it features molded rubber inserts to grip chassis securely and built-in holes keep shocks handy. The upper plate rotates to allow access from all sides and a dropped center accommodates racing…

HIGH-DETAIL HILUX FROM RC4WD ZACH AUDET « SAINTE-AGATHE-DES-MONTS, QUÉBEC, CANADA It’s been more than 2 years since Zach first showed us his RC4WD xst system. He also went to town in the RC4WD custom parts catalogue, snagging a set of Yota 2 axles with ARB diff covers, Superlift scale shocks and the Superlift steering rod kit, a Warn 9.5CTI winch with wireless winch controller, and the Mojave light kit. For power Zach chose an Axial 27T motor with a Hobbywing 1060 controller running on a 2s 5000mah Lipo from Gens Ace. I all rolls on Pitbull rock beast 1.55" tires on RC4WD black stamped steel wheels. But it’s the surface detailing that really drives this one home. The Krylon Bahama Sea Blue rattle-can base coat has been treated to some extreme wear…

What you bring to the track greatly depends on what type of “RC-ing” you’ll be doing. If you’re spending the day racing nitro touring car at a well prepared track, you’ll most definitely have a different Track Day Carry (TDC) set up than if you were rock crawling somewhere off the beaten path. In this edition of TDC, our contributor James York is using the term “track” rather loosely since he’ll be showing us what he brings with him when he takes his scaled overlander on a day-trip to the lake.…

TAMIYA R/C Tool Set MSRP: $37 tamiyausa.com Features: This eight-piece tool set is great for assembling and maintaining radio control kits. It includes three screwdrivers, 5.5mm and 7mm box wrenches, and three hex wrenches of 1.5mm, 2mm, and 2.5mm. Also included is a removable grip, which can be connected to each driver. What the user says: “When I’m on the trail, I want to keep what I carry down to the bare minimum. I originally bought this set to put kits together at home, but I also found that it has everything I need to get things fixed when I’m out and about. Each of the tools fit into the included beefed up handle, which reduces fatigue. The handle also accepts the tools in a T-configuration for when you need extra leverage.” REI Co-Op Flexlite Air Chair MSRP: $100 rei.com Features: The chair…

The Correct Screwdriver Have you ever noticed that Phillips head screws that come with many Japanese RC cars and trucks tend to get stripped easily? That’s because they aren’t really Phillips screws. They’re JIS screws. JIS stands for Japanese Industrial Standard and the shape of a JIS screw is different enough from a Phillips head that using the incorrect screwdriver will strip them. If you work on many Japanese kits such as ones by Tamiya, Kyosho, or Yokomo, it’s a good idea to invest in JIS screwdrivers. Body Clip Keeper Always have body clips on hand by keeping a couple of spares clipped to your antenna tube. Antenna tubes are the perfect diameter to snugly clip on body clips so that you’re not left searching the dirt or grass for one that’s gone…