Archive for the ‘Radio Controlled - General’ Category

Things to thinkbout when buying an rc car or getting into radio controlled racing

Friday, February 27th, 2009

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:
Two types of racing (not the onlt ones - but major ones)

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.

THE GOOD POINT OF ELECTRIC RACING:
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.

THE BAD & UGLY
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.

WHY GAS????
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.  Allthough: YOU CAN RUN EXTREMELY FAST WITH ELECTRIC AS WELL! We hit speeds of 170MH on an indoor banked carpet oval with electric modified pan cars and that was in 1993! Think about the tech out there now… geeeeeesh

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.

THE BAD AND UGLY with GAS:
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).

Race with dogs at Team Dog Fight RC Car Racing!!!! (Beat the snot out of the felines! Hehehehehehe

What radio controlled accesories are important to keep a well maintained car?

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

One of the hottest hobbies on the road today, RC cars and trucks will let you experience the real world of road race tracks and events but no red lights and speed limits for you. You simply drive that RC car or truck of yours and decide on yourself how fast you can go.

You also got options to choose from. Just like the real automotive world, the radio controlled world of cars and trucks provide the same choices of futuristic concept cars, on-road and off-road cars, entry-level buggy, and monster trucks, and, nitro-powered cars, even mini-cars.

There are endless options for everyone and RC cars and trucks are for all personalities and ages. The choice is yours; it solely depends on your preference. On the other hand, if you need more information you can get advices from different fellow enthusiasts.

Again, just like with the “real” on-road and off-road vehicles, radio controlled ones require the same kind of maintenance and care from you. This is to ensure you keep your vehicle in top condition so to avoid failures.

Maintaining them would include everything from keeping them powered, whether through electricity or nitromethane-based fuel, to replacing parts and accessory. You also must have a certain stock of standard RC car/truck equipment for the maintenance.

In addition, there is a plethora of accessories that are available for you, which you can get for your RC car. If you want to keep your vehicle always aesthetically pleasing and aggressive, or want a higher level of experience on the road, RC car accessories will allow you to attain these.

Accordingly, the following top RC accessories are amongst the components that your car should not go without:

1.    Starter boxes. Starting your new vehicle will include break-in of its new engine, which could be tough process at first. With the starter box, though, this is made easier by eliminating the need to pull-start the RC car. It gives the boost needed by the engine’s break-in; thus your car gets you going in no time.

2.    Fuel. Of course, without the fuel, you won’t go anywhere with this car. There are specially formulated fuel kinds for RC cars, and you can get one, which is recommended by the owner’s manual provided.

And since, you will probably do the re-fueling job, you might as well include in your purchase a fuel filler bottle, which will fit your car’s need. There are several sizes available, with long, angled tips to allow for speedy process as well as to prevent spills.

In addition, a fuel cleaner and rags will be handy accessories in cases there are spills and drips.

3.    Glow plugs. Instead of ending your fun in driving because of glow plug failures, with spare glow plugs you can change bad plugs along the course. In addition, a small kit stashed in your box will be best idea. This is usually included with the spare glow plugs, glow plug igniter, glow plug wrench, and charger.

4.    RC tools. These are the specialized tools to keep your vehicle going. A standard RC tool kit usually includes: magnetic balancer, gear puller, temperature gauge, tool pouch, and glow plug wrench.

5.    Air Filter Oil. Replacement of the air filter at an interval is a must. At this case, it will always be better if you got special air filter oil with you to improve the function of air filter and keep the life of the engine longer.

Team - Doggizle Fighters!!!!

Radio COntrolled Racing - Race like a DAWG!

The History of RC Car Racing

Monday, October 6th, 2008

History & The beginnings of radio controlled racing:
Small, nitromethane-powered engines originally entered the market in the 1940s. At the time, there was insufficient technology to control an engine-powered model car other than on a tether. “Tether cars”, or “spin dizzies”, were capable of speeds upwards of 70 mph (113 km/h), but merely ran in a circle from the tether. In the late 1960s, the first miniaturized solid state radio control systems became available, which allowed a model car to have servo-controlled steering, throttle, and brake functionality that could be remotely controlled from a radio control transmitter unit. This allowed model cars to be able to run a racetrack, with the ability for precise control in a similar manner as with a full-sized vehicle.

(more…)