The RC Deep Dive

To most people the Tamiya Lunchbox 1:12th scale R/C monster van is just a fun wheelie machine, but UK Monsters, the people behind the Clod Shop hop-up options, have dinner the same thing to Vanessa's Lunchbox as they did with the Clod Buster and Super Clod Buster, and fixed every imperfection and by using all the hop-ups they offer, you can actually turn this radio-controlled monster van into a bu...

Tamiya Plugs are the worst battery connector in the R/C hobby, so why does Gens Ace only use Tamiya Plugs on their 7.2v NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) R/C batteries and not something better like genuine Dean's Connectors? It doesn't seem to make sense at first. But once we dug deep, it actually priced to be a very savvy business decision. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we share that rese...

If you've ever built the vintage version of a Tamiya radio-controlled model vehicle like the 1:10th scale Frog R/C buggy, and then later built the rere (re-release) version, you'll notice that the instructions are in a completely different order and the new way isn't nearly as logical as the old way. Why? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we investigate what made these changes and why ki...

The Tamiya Clod Buster and it's rere (rerelease) Super Cloud Booster is one of the most iconic R/C monster trucks for both bashing and crawling, whether with it's stock Lexan polycarbonate body shell or the super popular alternate Grave Digger body from Parma PSE (Parma Speed Experts). However this radio-controlled legend is most famous for the huge amount of hop-up options that were made for it....

Which Tamiya radio-controlled model vehicle is the most indestructible, bulletproof basher? Some night say it's the Agrios TXT-2 4x4 Monster Truck. Others say it's the Super Clod Buster 4WD (Four Wheel Drive) Monster Truck with the right hop-ups. Still others say there's no reason to go 4-wheel drive and that either the Lunchbox, Midnight Pumpkin, or the Neo-Fighter Buggy DT-03 with the correct ho...

Shock absorber damper shaft O-rings absolutely should be coated in AE's (Associated Electronics') FT (Factory Team) Green Slime or 1Up Racing's Blue O-Ring Grease Lubricant. But when you upgrade to Tamia TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) X-ring 50a durometer hop-up options, do you still need to use one of these damper lubes? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we investigate the material science...

Black female racers, including Carrah Tompkins, Makenzi Harbuck, and Taeylor Laforest, are demonstrably successful competitors in high-level radio-controlled disciplines. In S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), coding, roller skating, and skateboarding there are groups promoting the interest amongst black girl such as Black Girls Do S.T.E.M., Black Girls Code, and Black Gi...

If you've taken the time to get an adjustable or a stand-up R/C model vehicle hobby workbench, you don't want to put just any bar stool or high office chair under there for the times when you need to sit and do intricate work. In fact, you need a chair that is ergonomically and biomechanically correct both when you're sitting up straight and when you're leaning over your project or it could cause...

Scientists have recently figured out that sitting too long can actually shorten your life and as such you may have moved to a stand-up R/C hobbyist workbench or an adjustable one so you can split your time between sitting and standing. But standing on concrete is horrible not only for your feet but for your ankles, your knees, your hips and your spine! So that's why you need a anti-fatigue mat to...

In previous episodes of the RC Deep Dive podcast, we've talked about why 24" deep and 72" wide are the perfect measurement for your radio-controlled model vehicle hobby workbench. We've also covered the ideal height For standing up at your R/C hobbyist workbench in another episode. So now we put it all together and find the top five workbenches for radio control model vehicle enthusiasts and help...

It seems like each year they're are more and more girls and women getting into the R/C model vehicle hobby, especially in the vintage and rere (re-release) Tamiya radio-controlled cars, buggies, and vans builder and bashing enthusiast portion of the hobby. Why? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig into the annual year over year increase of female R/C enthusiasts, builders, and basher...

AMain Hobbies started as a proof of concept project in a garage and became a giant in online radio-controlled cars, buggies, trucks, vans, jeeps, busses, tanks, boats, planes, helicopters, and drivers as well as hop-up options, replacement parts, accessories, tools, and more. But now that they have bought the largest franchise chain of local brick and mortar hobby shops, will this mean a change in...

Radio-controlled model vehicle clubs have existed since the 1980s both inside of primary and secondary schools around the world. But in the 40 years since they broke in to schools, a lot has changed with the flourishing clubs dedicated to radio control. They now are more S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) focused and corporate sponsored groups trying to build caree...

In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we talk about the boys and girls of South Park and their radio-controlled cars, buggies, trucks, jeeps, and vans that completely match their personalities, identities, and how they are seen and known as by the rest of the denizens of South Park, Colorado. You'll be surprised how perfectly these kids align with the Tamiya R/C model vehicles that have been...

If you are a Tamiya Frog purist and want to improve the front damping on your R/C buggy but don't want to ruin the look of your Frog by adding tall shock mounts and vertical shocks, your only hop-up option on the 1980s was the Parma internal front mono shock. But since they are now discontinued and rare, there's only one option: the RC Channel expert level shocks hop-up. In this episode of the RC...

It's called the R/C golden triad and it requires mild bashing in your backyard or in a vacant parking lot: doing a shakedown, calibrating, and drivers education of your radio-controlled car, buggy, truck, van, jeep, bus, or tank. That's why once you complete building your radio control model vehicle, whether your first or your one-hundredth, whether you are 8 or 80, you don't immediately take it t...

The PBR (Pine Beach Raceway) in Japan is all about healthy and clean running of R/C buggies, cars, trucks, and fighting against the escalating war and costs of speed. The PBR teaches that fun is created by embracing limitations. To that end, this Japanese raceway has embraced that all racers should only use 380 motors, not 540 motors  and came up with a new style of deathmatch racing that has beco...

Zealous Downhill Products makes ball bearings with a nano ceramic grease that not only can repair scratched, cracked, it deformed balls in the balls. But also protects the back bearings from water, dust, mud, sand, salt, and dirt. Although Zealous only makes these technologically advanced ball bearings for skateboards and longboards, could this technology help radio control model vehicle crawlers?...

Many of us are taught early on the safety rule to always cut away from yourself with a knife to stay safe. But is there an exception to this rule in the radio-controlled model vehicle hobby? Can scoring R/C model vehicle Lexan polycarbonate body shells and cutting out intricate decals be done easily and effectively while cutting away from yourself? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we di...

In the radio-controlled model vehicle hobby you never want to use high speed electric drills, as they can melt plastic. So your options are either a low speed drill or to use a pin vise. But what are the best low RPM (rotations per minute) drills and pin vices for use on R/C cars, buggies, trucks, vans, jeeps, busses, tanks, etc.? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we review and rank the...

Streetstyle and Crawling, Vert Ramp/Park Skating and Bashing, Freestyle and Drifting, Contest Skating and Racing, Downhill Racing and Speed Running, while skateboarding and the R/C model vehicle hobby have diverse disciplines, these diverse styles match one another in some very interesting ways. In this episode of the RC Deep we connect those dots and show the connections between these passionate,...

In 1984, something happened that made the Tamiya Frog a truly Mighty Frog and an icon in the radio-control hobbyist community. In the A-Main finals of the German National 1/10th scale R/C off-road  Deutsche Meisterschaft, 6 of the 8 finalists were Tamiya Frogs vs. a Kyosho Scorpion and Tomahawk. Not only did these Mighty Frogs qualify, but they also claimed the entire podium: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd pla...

Hop-ups used to only be about physical upgrades, but these days there are digital hop-up options in the radio-controlled model vehicle hobby. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we plug in to the many firmware and software updates that can bring huge feature enhancement gains to your R/C cars, buggies, trucks, vans, jeeps, busses, and tanks' ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers), batteries,...

Tamiya's CC-01 (CC stands for Cross Country) chassis was the x-country choice for Tamiya for decades, but recently they replaced it with the improved new generation CC-02 chassis. What are the differences in these two iconic chairs and what remained the same, allowing them to share some hop-ups? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we answer all of these questions and more about these cross...

Upgrading your vintage or rere (re-release) radio-controlled car, buggy, truck, jeep, van, bus, or tank to brushless motors isn't as easy as a plug-and-play hop-up. There's many other things you need to be aware of including the limits of your R/C model vehicle, ESC (Electric Speed Controller), and gears in your gearbox. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over all of these specifics...