The RC Deep Dive

Can You Leave Your Batteries Connected to Your R/C Vehicle When Turned Off?

Can you leave your fully-charged batteries plugged into your radio controlled car, buggy, truck, or van? What if the R/C battery is fully drained? Are the rules different for NiCd (Nickel-Cadmium) vs. NiMh (Nickel-Metal Hydride) vs. LiFe (Lithium Iron Phosphate) vs. LiPo (Lithium Polymer)? We get charged up and drain all of our aggregated knowledge about battery storage in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

HOW-TO: Easily Restore Your Yellowing, Brittle, Vintage Nylon Parts

Some of the greatest dyeable white nylon and hop-up parts made by CRP, Parma, Pro-Line, Tamiya, and others in the 1980s are starting to yellow and weaken, becoming brittle. However, there are easy ways to restore their strength, flexibility, and vintage white color. We dig deep and show you exactly how to bring your vintage radio controlled model vehicle hop-ups back to life and looking just like new in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Can you Use a Plastic Bushing or Steel Ball Bearing as an Axle Spacer or Shim?

The Tamiya GH2 (Grasshopper II) comes with really wide pin drive to 4 point wheel adapter mounts on the rear axle, but if you upgrade your wheels to the Hornet Large Diameter Wheels you need to use the very narrow 5 point adapter wheel mounts, which leaves a lot of threaded axle and a smidgen of unthreaded axle, meaning your nylock nut will get stuck if you tighten it up enough to prevent wheel wobble. We look into 3 ways how to fix this problem in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Is the C-Ring Necessary in Either the Stock or Hopped-Up Frogs?

In the instruction manual, Tamiya shows to install a C-Ring clip on to the spur gear. However, this piece often gets lost when trying to install it. So we answer the question, is this C-Clip absolutely necessary in a stock Frog? How about if you have a MIP (Moore's Ideal Products) Super Ball Diff hop-up installed? We dig deep into the inner workings of Tamiya Frog's ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis gearbox in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

What Does the CRP HotShot Nerf Wing Do, and Can it Fit the Super HotShot?

CRP (Custom Racing Products) made a nerf wing for the vintage Tamiya HotShot to protect it's monocoque chassis and battery. But many R/C model vehicle hobbyists have wondered if it will fit the other members of the 1/10th scale HotShot 4WD R/C family, including the reres (re-releases) like the Super HotShot and HotShot 2 Blockhead Motors Edition. We take a deep dive into this CRP nerf wing, how to install it, and what other radio controlled model buggies it will fit on in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

The Frog Fit: The Proper Way to Mount Your R/C Buggy Body

Many RC model vehicle hobbyists have a hard time getting the Frog Lexan body shell on and off it's ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis. One of the reasons is that the measurement from the mounting holes in the polycarbonate body is  shorter that the distance between the two rear mounting posts. We dig deep into why this is and the proper way to install and uninstall the Frog's body with no headaches in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

HOW-TO: Fix the Front Top Shock Mount Screws From Sticking Out So Far

The Grasshopper, Hornet, Lunchbox, GH2 (Grasshopper II), Super Hornet, Rising Fighter, and many other Tamiya R/C model vehicles have an extra long to front shock mounting M3 screw that extends well beyond the nylock (nylon-insert lock nut). How do you fix this offending problem? We dig into the various fixes and rate them in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

The Unseen Advantage: The Best and Cheapest R/C Tire Balance Compounds

Balancing your radio controlled vehicles' tires and wheels gives you advantages with speed, control, and less time between repairs, not to mention a better, more steady driving experience. We take a balanced deep dive into the best and cheapest compounds to balance your tires and wheels of your R/C cars, trucks, buggies, and vans in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

HOW-TO: Fix a Hornet Rear Shock Mount Hop-Up on the Grasshopper Preventing Proper Body Fitment

When using the Tamiya Hornet R/C buggy top rear shock extender mounts on the Grasshopper, the brass tube bushings that protect the shock eye are just wide enough to make the Grasshopper's ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) body shell no longer fit. We dig deep into why you have to use these brass tubes along with four distinct fixes for this roadblock when upgrading your friction dampers on your Grasshopper to CVA (Constant Volume Adjustable) oil-filled shocks or Hornet shocks in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

How Can the Miniature Manufacturing CNC Alloy Heatsink Save Your R/C Model Vehicle?

Miniature Manufacturing makes a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Machined Alloy Heatsink for the Tamiya 1/10th scale Lancia 037 Rally, Subaru BRAT, Frog, Pajero,  Grasshopper, Hornet, Lunchbox, Blackfoot, Monster Beetle, Midnight Pumpkin, Montero, Unimog, Stadium Blitzer, Blitzer Beetle, Super Storm, Grasshopper II, and Super Hornet, but it can also be used in other radio controlled model vehicles. How do these heatsinks work and what is the hidden benefit that will make your R/C car, truck, buggy, or van run better because of this hop-up? We take a deep dive into this essential hop-up in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.