The RC Deep Dive

Upgrading ORV Chassis Cars, Trucks, and Buggies to TRF Aeration Damper Shocks

If you really want to get control of your bouncing rear end on your Tamiya ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis 1/10th scale R/C vehicle like the vintage Lancia 037 Rally (not the rere [rerelease] model),  and either the vintage or rere versions of the Subaru BRAT and the (Mighty) Frog you can upgrade your stock shocks to TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) Aeration Dampers. We pump the oil of knowledge into your brain about this expensive but powerful hop-up and what it can do for your ORV chassis radio-controlled model vehicles in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Replacing the Shock Springs in Your CVA Dampers

You are out bashing your off-road buggy and on the process of doing massive jumps off a huge ramp at the lovely skatepark, and you see something horrible. Your oil filled CVA (Constant Volume Adjustable) damper has come loose, your shock spring is missing and you are unable to find it. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we unspring your ability of buying separate spare spring parts or possibly upgrading to TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) hop-up dampers instead. 

The Tamiya and Futaba Connection in the R/C Golden Age

In most of the world, vintage Tamiya R/C model cars, tanks, buggies, trucks, vans, and busses all included or recommended Futaba servo savers, radio control receivers, and transmitters. Why was this? What was their connection or relationship? Why was it often different in the UK (United Kingdom)? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we look at the contacts and deals and unlock the secrets behind the symbiotic Tamiya- Futaba alliance and why it eventually ended after the end of the R/C golden age. 

Why Did Tamiya Never Make a Mighty Frog Jr. 1/32nd Scale Mini 4WD Racer?

Tamiya made so many junior versions of their iconic vintage off-road R/C buggies in their mini 4WD (Four Wheel Drive) on track racer line, but why didn't they ever make a 1/32nd version of the Mighty Frog Jr.? Is the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis to blame? We look at all of the miniature details in the 1/10th scale radio controlled 2WD (Two Wheel Drive) buggy to 1/32nd mini 4WD racers and get to the bottom of this many-decade long mystery in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Are Zip-Ties the Best Choice for Securing Driveshaft Joint Rubber Boots?

Tamiya instructs you to attach the drive shaft joint rubber boots at the gearbox and secure it with a black zip-tie nylon fastener to the out-drives in ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis radio controlled model vehicles. But is there a better way? What about the wheel side of the hex-drives, dog-bones, universal joints, or constant velocity driveshafts? Should they get a zip tie too? We strap on our thinking caps tight and drive you to the answers to these questions and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Legendary WWF and WWE Superstars and their Iconic R/C Vehicles

What is the ultimate tag team if not the pairing of iconic WWE superstars with their legendary Tamiya RC model counterparts, based on shared personas, historical context, and cultural impact? We wrestled with this question, and are ready to tag-in, and roll-up these legends into a pinfall of perfected information that does just this in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. Whatcha gonna do when the RC Deep Dive podcast mania runs wild on you, brother? 

Convenience vs. Craft: The Change From Uncut to Pre-Cut Decals

Why were Tamiya's original radio controlled model vehicle decal sheets uncut? And why did they start pre-cutting some (but not all) of the decals in 2005? What are the radio-control hobbyist's options to get precut decals or stickers if you don't like uncut ones, and vice versa? We take a deep slice into the sticky situation of Tamiya's iconic R/C model car, buggy, truck, van, jeep, bus, and tank  decal history in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

From Radio Control to Mobile Control: The R/C Hobby Cell Phone Revolution

How did we get here? 2.4 ghz was a huge increase in technology from AM (Amplitude Modulation) and FM (Frequency Modulation) crystals. But that was a huge technological leap from the previous radio controlled vehicle technology. But what about the future? Will mobile phones control our R/C cars, trucks, buggies, vans, busses, and tanks in the future? We take it to the cellular level and uncover the future of radio control in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

The Need for Speed: Tamiya's Fastest Brushed 540 R/C Motors

What are the fastest high performance 540 brushed motors for 1/10th scale R/C cars, buggies, trucks, vans, busses, and tanks? What are the differences in the top tier of these radio control motors? What do these rules mean: Red for raw speed, Blue for tight track turn performance, Gun Metal Grey for off-road grip? What electronics and gearing do you need for these super non-stock motors in your radio controlled motor vehicles? We brush off the sources and unspin the knowledge you need to know for maximum speed in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

The Popularity of the Osiris D3 2001 Skate Shoe in the R/C Hobbyist Community

In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we step into fashion, explaining why the iconic Osiris D3 2001 skate shoe has been unexpectedly adopted by many in the R/C hobbyist community, driven by a unique convergence of its DIY (Do-It-Yourself) construction story, its practical durability, a shared technical design language with these R/C vehicles, powerful Y2K (Year 2000 Era) nostalgia, and the radio-controlled model vehicle hobby's deep-seated culture of personalization through color matching with the shoes' ever-changing colorways.