RC Cars

RC cars come in as a diverse a range as the people who drive them, from small scale electric model cars to large scale petrol powered models capable of high speeds. The type of RC car that you choose will depend on what you want from it, if it is simply to be a pass time and for a bit of fun then you may find that an off-road model is the best option, as these are very versatile and can be run on a variety of surfaces. If racing and outright speed is your thing, then on-road is for you, as this is where RC cars reach the pinnacle of speed and handling.

Within the off-road section of RC cars there is a huge selection of electric and ic (internal combustion) models. In the hobby range Tamiya are a popular choice, offering well made and reliable electric models. If you want a car that offers the minimum of fuss then an electric model is a good option, there is no fuel to worry about – you simply plug in the battery and away you go. The downside is that the running time is often relatively short (around 10-15 minuets depending on the model), and the performance is less than that of an ic car.

The nitro model cars feature small internal combustion engines that run on special methanol based fuel, these provide not only more power but also add that exhaust note that is lacking from the electric models. The HPI Savage is a very popular 1/8th scale nitro monster truck, and has good performance off road, and is also very reliable. If you want the ultimate in off-road ability and speed then largescale is the only option, the FG monster truck features 8inch (20cm) diameter tyres and a massively powerful 23cc two-stroke petrol engine pushing out around 5bhp! These 10Kg monsters can reach speeds of around 45Mph, and can tackle the roughest of terrain.

As with the off road RC cars, the on road section has a wide range of choice, with the main descision being which type of power to opt for – electric, nitro or petrol. Because of their nature they require a hard-smooth surface to run on, and as such this type of RC car is commonly used on purpose-made race tracks. Using your car on a race track inevitably means racing, and if you are anything like the rest of the people there you will want to win. The pace of development of the on-road cars is rapid, with new parts and cars being released continually as manufacturers try to get an edge over their competitors. Taking the racing seriously can be costly, however there are racing classes to suit any budget from stock classes to full-on as fast as can be competition classes.

In general terms the slowest class of cars is the electric, with the nitro cars being the fastest, and the petrol only slightly behind these. A top spec 1/8th scale nitro car can reach speeds in excess of 80Mph, and with their low weight of around 2Kg they corner and accelerate at unbelievable speed. The 1/5th scale cars boast the most powerful engines, with the best ones producing over 6bhp and far more torque than the nitro’s thanks to the petrol fuel and larger capacity of 23cc. These largescale cars weigh over 10Kg, and as such they require a lot of skill to drive taking into account the weight transfer, they also take a lot of stopping, which is why they have hydraulic disk brakes.

All classes of RC cars are great fun, and it is an interesting hobby to get involved in. Whether you are interested in building up a model car from a box of parts, or tweaking the set-up to get the best possible performance on the track, there is something for everyone in the world of RC cars.