The RC Deep Dive

Vintage and rere (re-release) Tamiya radio-controlled model vehicles were designed for the older, longer whip antennae. So when installing a modern 2.4 Ghz radio receiver in your R/C car, truck, buggy, bus, van, jeep, or tank, how should you install it for maximum reception? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we surf the wavelengths of radio waves and give you the correct signals

Some Tamiya R/C cars, buggies, trucks, vans, jeeps, busses, and tanks come with shrink wrap and some do not. The same is true of ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers). Why this disparity? We unwrap these dual mysteries of the radio-controlled model vehicle world that are not universal, and rather regional, in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Why were the DuraTrax Onyx series of radio-controlled model vehicle battery chargers so popular? Why did they all become discontinued even though they were (and in many R/C hobbyist community circles still are) very popular? What has replaced these iconic chargers amongst radio control enthusiasts? We unplug the mystery and power the facts in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast to answer thes...

How long should it take to charge your radio-controlled model vehicle's and radio transmitter's NiCd (Nickel Cadmium), NiMh (Nickel Metal Hydride), LiFe (Lithium Phosphate), or LiPo (Lithium Polymer) battery to charge? What capabilities of the charger matter when calculating the time that a charge should take? We amp up your knowledge power about R/C battery charging in this episode of the RC Deep...

Classic sandwiches like the PB&J (Peanut Butter and Jelly), Grilled Cheese, BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, & Tomato), Club, Italian Beef, Pastrami on Rye, Monte Cristo, Reuben, Bahn Mi, Meatball, French Dip, Lobster Roll, and the Po' Boy are iconic in their own right, but their histories and DNA (Deoxyribo-Nucleic Acid) line up perfectly with many vintage Tamiya radio-controlled model vehicle kits....

If you are new to using a stick-style radio transmitter for your radio-controlled model ground vehicle we go through exactly how to program your transmitter and each of the options your have for making adjustments to your R/C car, buggy, truck, jeep, van, bus, or tank. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we answer this question from a listener using our FlySky FS-i6X radio transmitter for...

IGC (Instant Gratification Culture) is dangerous and detrimental to both adults and children. But how can we fight against these damaging effects from this disastrous condition that destroys the mind? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we explain how building radio-controlled model vehicle kits can not only prevent this debilitating condition but also fight against any existing damage wit...

How is it that one hobby can both be perfect for both the most introverted shy R/C hobbyist and also the most extroverted, outgoing, talkative radio-controlled model vehicle enthusiast? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go into the psychology behind the solitary introvert builder to the group-activity seeking extrovert racer and why this hobbyist community is perfect for all personali...

Many people wonder why Tamiya doesn't use sequential parts system, where "Bag 1" contains parts for Step 1, "Bag 2" for Step 2, and so on and instead has part bags A, B, C, D, etc. in its R/C cars, trucks, buggies, vans, jeeps, busses, and tanks that are not associated with any specific step. While it might not be obvious on the onset, this system actually makes a lot of sense both for Tamiya and...

A Tamiya rere (re-release) radio-controlled model vehicle kit is a lot of fun for a kid and an adult, but it also can be an amazing school show-and-tell item and then later one of many possible educational science fair projects. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we teach parents and guardians know exactly how your kid can become the show-and-tell star or a science fair winner with the po...

Most people who drive, race, bash, crawl, drift, or speed run their R/C model cars, trucks, buggies, vans, jeeps, or busses have never piloted a radio-controlled tank. The experience is very different and the options they have are incredible. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over the epic, fascinating history of Tamiya's Radio control tanks from vintage to modern models that will...

Shims really help slop in axles, gearboxes, gears, and wheels, especially in the vintage and rere (re-release) Grasshopper, Hornet, Grasshopper II, and Super Hornet. But do you know where to place them to get the maximum gear mesh and preventing axles from popping out of the gears in the gearbox? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we shift you into this higher gear answer. 

Savage Eternia, the home of ancient mysterious lost science and technology and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe line up perfectly with some of the vintage Tamiya motor vehicles of the golden age of R/C that originally came out around the same time. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we draw the lines between these worlds of radio control and the original pack-in mini-comics introduc...

A listener asked: tthe Tamiya Grasshopper II, Super Hornet, and Rising Fighter radio-controlled buggies, the Chassis Brace/Suspension Arms Retainer can flex too much and cause the suspension arms to pop out during heavy bashing. (In the original Grasshopper, Hornet, and Lunchbox this can be fixed by using the second generation part from the aforementioned later generation models) In this episode o...

Most of the time when you see somebody wrenching at their R/C hobby workbench, you will see a bunch of small magnetic trays to hold parts. However, you may also see a larger, deeper, non-magnetic tray holding parts as well. Why two different kinds of trays? Which one is better? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast, we go over all the radio controlled model, vehicle parts, trays and why and...

If you are new to the radio-controlled model vehicle hobbyist community, you may wonder why so many R/C enthusiasts wear craft aprons at their hobby workbench. Worry no more listeners, as in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over why it's a great idea for radio control model vehicle hobbyist to wear craft aprons and which materials make the most sense. 

Have you ever wanted to paint your clear Lexan polycarbonate R/C model vehicle, body shell a metallic fluorescent blue but saddened when Tamiya doesn't have this colour available in its PS (Polycarbonate Spray) paints? Well, in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we show you multiple step-by-step ways to get there using Tamiya's PS paints, as well as using some of the esteemed competitors' pa...

We had a listener write in and ask us what it means when their Gens Ace 7.2v 3000 mAh NiMh (Nickel-Metal Hydride) R/C buggy battery charges fast, has shortened runtime, and gets really hot when charging. They also asked what were the physics and chemistry behind these issues. So, in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we answer those questions and give them, and should you ever need them, the...

Some RC enthusiasts joke that RC Cola (Royal Crown Cola) soda of the R/C model vehicle hobbyist community. Besides a similar name and an easy pun is RC Cola actually more popular in the radio controlled model vehicle hobbyist community, or not? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast, we look into the history of both the soft drink and the radio control hobby and make any valid connections and...

Single-use alkaline or lithium AA batteries in your radio-controlled model vehicles' radio transmitter are one of the most annoying things to have to replace regularly. Many R/C hobbyists prefer to convert their radio transmitter to take rechargeable battery packs instead of these wasteful single use alkaline or lithium AA batteries. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast, we go through the f...

If you have a Tamiya Hornet EVO DT-02 radio-controlled model buggy kit, you might have wondered if you could also build a Tamiya Grasshopper EVO DT-02 R/C racing buggy as well. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over both the shelf queen, the racing, and bashing versions of this Grasshopper EVO DT-02 radio control model vehicle project with 2 very different options. 

Did you know that many fumes from R/C model vehicle projects like the fumes from cements, solvents, polymers, paints, paint thinners, epoxies, etc. can actually sleep not only into your garage walls, but also into your home and your neighbors homes? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over a step by step process to prevent the dangerous chemicals from blowing into your home and your...

Tamiya is known for its electric powered radio-controlled model vehicle kits, but during the reign of nitro R/C cars, trucks, and buggies, did they ever get involved in nitro fuel-powered radio control? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over Tamiya's thinking of nitro, their famous glow fuel, and the vehicles they made for a short period of time and why they eventually stopped. 

The vintage pink Tamiya Acto-Power motor and the modern Super Stock BZ motor are both among the most powerful brushed motors for radio-controlled model vehicles in their respective time periods. But how would each perform in a series of conditions and tests in a fully hopped-up rere Tamiya Frog R/C buggy? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we put both motors to the test and see which cond...

Brass Oilite bushings in Tamiya's brushed 540 motors are economical in manufacturing but not as efficient or powerful as ball bearings, but how do you remove the stock bushings and replace them with ball bearings? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive we take you through the physics off these parts getting inside your mirror and exactly how you upgrade the stick bushings to ball bearings.