Archive for the ‘RC Car’ Category
Stuffs to Think About: Two Types of RC Cars
Do you feel the need for speed? Do you find underground racing a bit too dangerous for your taste? Do you think that playing the latest racing game on your PC is just too boring for you? If this is the case, then you need to get into RC car racing. RC car racing is one of the fastest growing hobbies today. This is because it appeals to the kid within people while challenging them to hone their skills. If you think that RC car is just about getting the most expensive model out there, you are on the wrong track. Here are the basics of RC cars:
THE TWO CLASSIFICATIONS
There are two general classifications of RC cars according to the power source:
1) Electric- This RC car type is the most common type in the market today. This might be because of the fact that most toy companies make this type of RC car for children or beginner RC car enthusiasts. Some advantages of the electric RC car are:
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a) Noiseless- This means that an electric-powered RC car can be used without causing a lot of disturbance (excluding, of course, the number of people who will unwittingly trip over your machine).This also mean that you can use it stealthily. Countless movies have featured the use of electric RC cars in recording conversations or taking hidden videos. Make your spy dreams come true!
b) Smokeless- Since this type of RC car makes use of electricity to power it, there is no smoke output when the engine is running. This is because no combustion happens within the engine of the RC car.
Disadvantages:
a) Limited running time- An electric RC car runs on batteries. Because of this, the power it can use to run is limited to the capacity of the battery. A user who goes for this type of RC car has to cope with the delay of charging batteries or replacing them every time that they run out of power.
b) Limited power- The power of electric RC cars is limited not only in terms of time, but also in terms of intensity. Put plainly, electric-powered RC cars just don’t run as fast as gas powered models. If you are looking for speed, this is not the RC car for you.
2) Gas powered- There’s one thing that needs to be said about gas powered RC cars: you cannot put gasoline in it. Gas powered RC cars make use of a special mixture of fuel in order to run.
Advantages:
a) Speed- Many people are opting for gas powered RC cars mainly because of the fact that they are much faster than electric RC cars.
b) Longevity- Gas powered RC cars can run for long times before they need to be refueled. This means that you get to use your RC car for a longer time. Thus, you get to have more fun.
Disadvantages:
a) Smoke- Since gas powered RC cars run because of combustion; it is natural that there would be smoke coming out of the car. This means that you won’t be able to use your RC car indoors.
b) Noise- Gas powered RC cars make a lot of noise. This can either be a positive or a negative, depending on your attitude. For some people, the noise that this type of RC car can help them get attention from other people (Hey, some people do buy RC cars to get noticed).
Getting Hooked with RC Cars
Radio controlled car or RC car is one of the most played toy car by kids and even teens. RC car lovers spend much of their time playing car racing with this radio controlled cars. It offers an endless amount of thrill and excitement of race and the speed of each type of car.
RC car consists of two units – the car and the remote control or radio. Radio control consists of two sets of joysticks. One is to control the backward and forward movement and the other is for side-to-side movements. Less expensive radio controllers are powered by a number of rechargeable batteries. The other type of radio controller is also powered by batteries but with actual gas-powered engines.
With the growing popularity of RC cars, manufacturers offer different kinds of models and types to fit with every buyer or user. Some makers offer RC cars for kids in low cost and some were modeled after the real-life counterpart such as Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis.
There are different kinds of RC cars that you can select, from its body type, model, style, color or in any size. On the other hand, there are some distinctions you need to consider in choosing RC car.
First, you will choose between electric RC and gas powered cars. Then you’ll choose for road racing or off-road racing models. Also if it is assembled or non-assembled as you purchase it and lastly, if you want to have it a car type or a truck type.
Car racers usually choose the RC cars that run on nitro gasoline or the so-called Petrol RC cars. It is the most popular and the fastest growing piece of the RC cars. Using petrol vehicles, you now can purchase the popular RC trucks that can jump at high speed and go off the road driving. And if speed or velocity is more of your concern, acquire the race cars that are inevitable in prepared tracks or along pavements.
Typically, petrol RC cars operate fast unlike the electric cars. Some of the nitro cars run in 70 to 90 mph. This electric or gas powered RC cars run on a special fuel made just for radio controlled cars.
The most popular sizes of nitro RC cars are 1/8 and 1/10 scale. 1/8th scale is popular for off-road trucks and buggies while the 1/10th scale is the industry standard for on-road racers. The 1/8th scale come with a 2 or 3 speed transmission.
Most of the petrol RC cars or nitro cars have a pull engine that is similar to a lawnmower for easy operation. It is very important to follow instruction in running the nitro vehicles because it is more complicated than electric cars.
Nitro vehicles are available in the 2-stroke motor or the less conventional 4-stroke version. The 2-stroke motor requires a fuel oil mixture and the 4-stroke motor has a reservoir of oil and can run on straight fuel. The 2-stroke is more suitable in racing because it has the advantage of producing the higher rpm or the revs up faster. On the other hand, the 4-stroke engine is much better for off-road use because it has more power and torque.
It is necessary to regularly maintain and check your nitro vehicle for long last usage and also for better performance. Some loves on tuning and tweaking their cars. Always check the car parts such as header, pull start cord, differential, air filter and the clutch.
What You Need to Know About Nitro RC Cars
Because of the movie “The Fast and the Furious” many people today think that the word “nitro” means having something extra on your car that boosts its speed. Thus, many people who encounter the term “Nitro RC Car” think that it refers to an RC car that’s been upgraded.
This thinking could also be due to the fact that many people think that gas powered RC cars actually run on gasoline. This is a very wrong assumption. The term “Nitro RC Car” is actually synonymous with “gas powered RC car” because of the fact that this type of RC car uses a specialized mixture of nitromethane and lubricant to run.
So what do you need to get started with Nitro RC cars?
1) Experience- Before you go ahead and get a Nitro RC car, you need to have sufficient experience with an electric RC car. This is because of the fact that Nitro RC cars can be too much to handle if you are a noob in RC car usage. This is the reason why people who want to get into the hobby of RC cars are advised to get electric RC cars before they move on to Nitro RC cars.
2) Interest- Without the right interest to drive you, why would you get into Nitro RC cars? You need to have some reason in order to truly get something from the hobby of Nitro RC cars. This is because Nitro RC cars will cost you some money and nobody spends money on something that they will not profit from in some way. The “profit” in this case does not refer to financial gain exclusively.
3) Information- You need to know different things before you get started with Nitro RC cars. This is because Nitro RC car racing can be a very complicated business. Having the right information can help you a lot in getting the car that you want and taking care of it. In fact, having the right information about Nitro RC cars can help you profit from the hobby financially.
4) The right materials- Many people wonder exactly what tools and materials you need to get into the Nitro RC car hobby. Here are just some of the things you are going to need:
a) Nitro RC car kit- This pretty much contains everything you are going to need to build yourself a “basic” Nitro RC car. This is a kit containing what you need to build the car itself including the engine, the chassis and the whole enchilada. Beginners are advised to stick to the specifications found in the manual included with Nitro RC car kits. As you progress in the hobby, you may want to divert from the basic look of your car and start customizing your vehicle.
b) Fuel- The nitromethane-castor oil mixture used in powering Nitro RC cars can be found in various hobby shops and stores. Remember: you must never attempt to use gasoline to run your Nitro RC car. The fuel used to run Nitro RC cars is less volatile than gasoline for the reason that the engine may explode if used with gasoline. This means that if you want to enjoy the Nitro RC car hobby for a long time, use only the type of fuel recommended. By doing so, you will ensure that Nitro RC car racing will grow with you.