RC cars

The Fascinating World of RC Cars: An Introduction to RC Fun

If you’ve landed here, you’re probably looking for everything there is to know about RC cars, and you’re in the right place. On this page you’ll find all you need about this exciting radio control hobby.

We’ll tell you all about what you can do with an RC car, and which accessories give you the best experience with one.

What Is RC Car Modeling?

Car modeling is the hobby of building, collecting and driving scale cars that reproduce the original vehicles at a smaller size.

In the RC world, this covers both exact replicas of real vehicles and models designed purely for the hobby, such as RC racing buggies.

There are also static model cars, where the main goal is to faithfully reproduce the features of the real vehicle rather than to drive it. Here, our information focuses on RC cars, their accessories and their maintenance.

On this site we focus on RC cars, a hobby that gains new fans every day, with a growing number of races and clubs around the world.

Many people say the first thing you need to understand about this radio control hobby is that these aren’t toys (although some models are). They’re scale models of real cars, and their mechanical, electrical, bearing and suspension parts are miniature replicas of the components used in full-size cars, often almost exact ones.

Features of RC Cars

In this section you’ll find details about the main features of RC cars. Many models share most of them, but the main differences come down to how they’re powered and which surface they’re designed for.

There are also models for the little ones, which you’ll find in our section on RC cars for kids.

RC Car Materials

The material most widely used in RC cars is plastic, mainly in the bodies of the different models.

On racing models, many chassis are made of carbon fiber. Other materials are also used in different parts, such as the shocks or the motor itself.

Types of RC Car Motors and Engines

In RC cars there are two main power options, and you can choose based on your preferences. Below you’ll find the details of each one.

Electric RC Cars

These RC cars run on lithium batteries, such as LiPo packs. They’re considered the best option for beginners in the radio control hobby, they’re easier to build yourself, and they’re much quieter than nitro cars.

At first, electric RC cars may seem cheaper than nitro RC cars, but there are other factors to consider, such as battery packs and a charger, plus other extra costs, so in the long run one can end up costing as much as a nitro RC car.

Nitro RC Cars

Nitro RC cars, on the other hand, run on a mix of methyl alcohol (methanol), nitromethane (nitro) and oil.

You can find this fuel at your nearest hobby shop, or you can always get it from an online RC store.

These models deliver more power than their electric cousins and also give you an extra sense of realism.

Ways to Start a Nitro RC Car

If you own a nitro RC car, you’ll need a way to start it, such as a starter box: a box with a spinning rubber wheel that turns the RC car’s engine over.

Another popular option is the pull start, which works like the starter on a lawn mower. It’s built into the engine itself, which also adds to the total weight of the RC car.

Onboard electric start is a fairly new device that lets you start the engine without a glow plug igniter; the starting system is installed on the RC car’s chassis itself.

Different Types and Models of Scale RC Cars

There are tons of models in the world of RC cars. Here we cover just some of them, and within each of these categories you’ll surely find many more.

Each of the following types of RC car comes in many scales and with different features. There are even novelty models such as the Mario Kart RC car.

Here are the most important categories in the hobby:

RC Trucks

The main feature of RC trucks is that they imitate how full-size trucks work, and they do it really well. You’ll notice right away that speed isn’t their strong point. Once you start driving them, you’ll see that the level of realism of some of these models is incredible.

You’ll also notice that these models don’t use the classic wheel-style transmitter; instead, they use a stick transmitter for more control over their functions.

This category also includes replicas of buses, construction trucks, excavators and many others.

As you can see, this category offers a huge range of models, so you’ll need to choose the one that best suits your needs.

RC Tanks

The main feature of RC tanks is how they move: just like full-size tanks, they use classic tracks.

It’s also common for these models to include extra features, such as light kits, and some can even fire small toy projectiles.

Of course, most RC tank models look like toys, but there are others that will take your breath away.

RC Crawlers

An RC crawler isn’t built for speed. These RC cars focus on problem solving and on combining power, torque and maneuverability to get through difficult terrain full of obstacles.

The main feature of these rock crawlers is their 4WD drivetrain, unlike RC racing buggies, which usually drive only two of their wheels.

Four-wheel drive lets an RC crawler get past all kinds of challenges and obstacles almost effortlessly, where other types of RC vehicles would face an impossible task.

Top RC Car Brands

There are countless brands in the world of RC cars, but here’s a short introduction to the most popular and best-known ones around the world.

Traxxas

Traxxas is an American brand and one of the best-known in the world right now, thanks to its incredible durability and designs. One of the standout features of Traxxas models is the incredible power of its electric scale models.

Tamiya RC

This Japanese brand is without a doubt one of the best-known names in scale RC cars, thanks to its long history around the world.

Its designs bring out every detail of the full-size vehicles, especially in its RC tanks, with incredible sounds and movements. Follow the link above to learn much more about them.

HPI

HPI is another company that started out in North America, more precisely in Southern California, in 1986. Its lineup keeps growing, and its models have won many awards in races around the world.

Some of HPI’s best-known models are the Savage and the RS4 series, which we cover in depth on this site.

WLtoys

WLtoys comes from China and is one of the most popular brands when it comes to choosing a first car to get started in radio control. Its models offer more than enough performance for many hours of fun at a great price, which makes it one of the most interesting brands in this field.

Losi

Losi is a well-known RC car brand that has been a leader in the radio control industry for decades. With a wide range of models, from buggies and truggies to trucks and high-speed cars, Losi offers an exceptional combination of performance and durability. Its vehicles are designed with precision and attention to detail, giving drivers an exciting and authentic driving experience.

On top of that, Losi stands out for its innovation and advanced technology, which have kept it at the forefront of the industry and allowed it to keep meeting the needs and expectations of RC enthusiasts around the world.

How Are RC Cars Controlled?

As we’ve mentioned throughout this article, RC cars are controlled remotely using a set of radio components. For this you use an RC transmitter, which can be a pistol-grip type, also called a wheel transmitter, or have two sticks, like the ones in the photo. Stick transmitters are used more for driving tractors or RC trucks, because the point of those models is to imitate the movements and features of full-size vehicles, not speed.

With pistol-grip transmitters, you usually hold the grip in your left hand and squeeze the trigger to accelerate the RC car, and it stops accelerating when you release the trigger.

Left and right turns are controlled with the wheel on the side of the transmitter. It will probably take you a while to get used to the controls, but once you’ve mastered them, we’re sure you’ll love how it feels to drive.

Today, many transmitters have several channels. Besides controlling the car’s throttle and steering, this lets you use other options, such as turning on lights or adjusting other settings on the car, like the steering of the wheels.

We recommend choosing a radio with plenty of channels, so you can control many aspects of your car and aren’t limited to just throttle and steering. It’s also a good idea to choose one with several model memories, so you can drive several RC vehicles without needing lots of transmitters.

Safety Tips for Driving RC Cars

When you take part in this hobby, it’s important to take the right safety precautions before driving this kind of RC car, because they can reach speeds of up to about 50 mph (80 km/h) and weigh roughly 5.5 lb (2.5 kg).

So if you don’t take the necessary safety precautions, you can hurt other people as well as yourself. We always recommend driving your RC car in places without crowds, or joining one of the many RC clubs out there.

You should also always handle the fuel for your gas or nitro RC car with care, because it’s flammable.

The same goes for electric models: take the proper safety precautions when handling and charging LiPo batteries.

RC Car Scales

RC cars come in all kinds of scales and classes. The most common scale is 1/10, which basically means the car is a fraction (one tenth) of the size of the real one.

Another way to think about this scale is that the real car is ten times bigger than the RC version.

That said, scale isn’t always an exact measurement of the vehicle in question; it’s more of a generalization that gives you an idea of its size.

At the large end, there are 1/4 and 1/5 scale cars that are almost 3 ft (1 m) long. At the other end, there are mini and micro cars as small as 1/64 scale, about the size of a matchbox.

An easy way to remember how scale works: the bigger the second number, the smaller the vehicle.

Hobby Shops

Hobby shops are paradise for RC fans. They’ll give you all the support you need when you set out to build your own RC model, along with a wide range of models, parts, spares and, of course, fuel for your nitro RC car.

You can probably find one in your city or nearby, since fans of RC cars like us are all over the world.

RC Cars on Amazon

Another option we offer is to use the information on our website to buy your new RC car online from Amazon, through the links we include throughout our articles.

We trust this company because of its strong international reputation, and because it lets us get our models and spare parts in a short time, delivered straight to our homes without having to leave them.

RC Car Clubs

We always recommend joining a local RC club to share knowledge about the hobby. You won’t just learn a lot on your own; you’ll also learn from the experience of the other club members.

On top of that, clubs and races don’t just give you a lot of knowledge, but also great friendships with people who share your passion for the hobby and for RC cars.

Check out our guide to RC tracks and clubs to find one you can contact, and take the opportunity to attend the races they hold.

Welcome back to this section on RC cars. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.