Radio Controlled Cars - Some Neat Racing Tips

Radio controlled car racing is one of the coolest and exciting hobbies to indulge in. It's a cult by its own merit, and guys with brains sharp enough and brawn tough enough to withstand the cut-throat competition are alone granted entry. It's a form of sport which brings together hordes of people, young as well as adults irrespective of whether is an ‘on' or ‘off' the road track race. Winning RC car races is just not all about nerves of steel and ice-like attitude. It requires a thorough knowledge of elementary physics especially kinetics of motion, friction and gravity, a splash of engineering know-how, material science and healthy teamwork!

The crucial component to be kept in mind while constructing an RC car for a race is the nature of tires to be used. Some tires are more suited for smooth surfaced roads like the Drift tires for drift racing, Street tires for racing on asphalt and concrete surfaces and All Terrain tires. For rugged terrain racing, tires which suit trucks and buggies must be deployed like the Bowtie tire and Ribbed tire. The next important aspect is the utility of the RC vehicles. On- road vehicles are pretty much the "in-thing" when it comes to car racing and are used primarily for racing in smooth surfaces while off-road vehicles are truck-like and bulkier enabling their use in the most jagged terrain imaginable.

The next tip is about deciding the size of the RC car. The racing format generally presents two sizes i.e. 1:8 scale and 1:10 scale. The latter scale is more suited for on road RC cars. The 1:8 scale is the apt choice for constructing monster trucks and powerful buggies meant for off road racing. Racing RC cars are constructed with engines using nitro fuel, especially nitro methane. Its advisable to go for a fuel with 20% nitro composition. This fuel can make your RC cars soar at speeds of 70mph.

Next is about tips on how to handle the steering of the RC car during a race. It's absolutely a no-no to let the car go out of control at any point during the race. One must keep in mind the inequality between the front and back tires in breaking traction. This can result either in an over steer or an under steer. But a seasoned RC racer can exploit the best of his RC car with a bit of over steer by increasing the speed of the car while cornering. The RC car can also be tuned to near perfection by adding front and rear shocks. The stiffening of the front and rear shock can also favor either an over steer or an under steer, so its essential to achieve perfect balance to improve the performance of the car. Beginners can copy setups of champion RC cars to boost their fledgling careers in RC car racing.

Its important to keep your mean machine well-oiled and maintained by checking functioning of vital parts like clutch, header, air filter and start cord. Last but not the least, your attitude and approach towards the race matters! Showing some professionalism such as doing detailed observation of the race track, checking the weather conditions, carrying extra spare parts and batteries, showing a positive attitude all paves the way for your RC car to take the lead!