RC Crawler

RC crawlers, they can be scale vehicles with incredible details, semi-scale trucks with competition performance in a scale-appearance package, and all out competition rigs that may look gnarly, but seem able to crawl nearly upside down.

If youre a slash and burn kind of driver, you may have trouble with a remote control rock crawler, where driving finesse ranks high and speed is measured in fractions. To get a good start in this addictive RC action, you can purchase a RTR 4x4 RC truck from any hobby store, retailer or internet source advertising them.

If you wonder what the difference is between the monster-truck-4x4 youve brought home, and an RC crawler, the answer is fairly straightforward. RC rock crawlers:

Have full-time 4 wheel drive

Have locked differentials

Have a stretched wheelbase, usually 12-12.5 inches

Have large tires with foam inserts, often trimmed to rock-gripping shapes

Have a very low center of gravity (CG)

If you want to dive straight into building your own remote control rock crawler, there are excellent kits available, such as the Axial AX10 Scorpion rock crawler kit. These kits give a newcomer a head start and lets you get out and crawling after just a few hours of building. Kits normally include:

Preflight Checklist

I don't know how many times I've seen a crash that could have been prevented with a quick pre flight look over and using a preflight checklist is a great way to make sure nothing's left out.


rc helicopter are complicated pieces of machinery and parts wear out, pieces break on hard landings, batteries go bad, glue dries out and so on - and if nothing's done about it, it will inevitably lead to a crash… or worse.


You've heard of Murphy's Law, "If anything can go wrong it will." and with rc helicopters, nothing holds truer.


A pre flight check can not only help prevent a crash, but it can also prevent bodily injury or even death in rare cases to the pilot or spectators. There's a reason full size heli pilots have one and are required by law to use it.


While the following preflight checklist is specific to rc helicopters, it can be easily adapted for radio controlled airplanes as well.


1. Check all mission critical nuts and bolts to make sure they're on tight. Excessive vibration can cause them to back off or come loose, even if you've used thread lock.


2. Check the ball links for looseness or slop. They'll wear out over time and if they're not on tight, they can pop off during flight and cause a crash.


3. Inspect the wiring. Visually check the wiring for damage and ensure that there are no breaks or cuts and that the servo plugs are securely plugged into the receiver. If you have any servo wire extensions, make sure the connections are solid.


4. Test your radio / functions. If it's your first flight of the day do a range check and make sure there's no interference nearby and that the throttle / throttle hold functions are working properly. It would also be a good idea to quickly check your trims to be sure you haven't bumped one out of position.


5. Check that everything's working properly and moving as it should. Check the throw direction for all pushrods and servos and make sure the swashplate is moving as it should. It's very easy forget to change a radio setting back to normal when bench testing.

Preparation to wash your rc helicopter

Preparation to wash your rc helicopter:


Step 1


First things first, whether you're painting a plastic or fiberglass canopy, you need sand the entire canopy using 400 grit wet / dry sandpaper to remove any gloss or gel coating. Paint won't stick properly to glossy spots, so be sure you get them all.


You can sand canopies dry, but by sanding them under running water will wash off all the dust from sanding and prevent it from getting in any pin holes or cracks and messing up your paint job.


Step 2


Wash the canopy using a good degreasing dishwashing detergent to remove all traces of oils and grease from handling and the manufacturing process.


For plastic or lexan canopies, you can use mineral oil to clean the surface, then wash that off with dishwashing detergent.


After washing is completed, you shouldn't handle the canopy where you'll be applying paint as the oils from your hands will get on it and can possible mess up your paint job.


Step 3 - Fiberglass Canopies


If there are any seams or holes in the canopy, use automotive spot putty to fill them. When dry, sand them smooth and repeat steps 1 and 2. Small pinholes will be filled when applying primer.