The RC Deep Dive

Tamiya has a number of R/C model vehicle cleaners, but not all of them are exactly what they seem. We take a deep dive into Tamiya's RC Cleaner Spray and Polycarbonate Body Cleaner, going over the ways to use them and where not to use them on your radio controlled models, in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

The Frog, whether the vintage radio controlled model or the rere (re-release), is a classic Tamiya R/C Buggy, but one not without inherent flaws. We take a deep dive into the 10 best hop-ups that will get your Frog hopping better, ranking them from essential to nice to have, including multiple upgrade paths to improve the problematic gearbox issues in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

The HobbyWing 1060 Quicrun ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) has become the default speed controller for many R/C hobbyists, and is even included in many Tamiya radio controlled model kits. However, the on/off switch on these ESCs doesn't fit in the spot made for the power switch in a Tamiya chassis. We take a deep dive into multiple ways to fix this in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

In this episode of the RC Deep Dive we dig deep into the world of R/C fasteners and drivers. Which is more important in an radio control vehicle: Strength or Weight? We compare and contrast aluminum, titanium, and a wide variety of steel screws, testing to see which is the best type of screw to use in the assembly of your radio controlled cars, trucks, buggies, and vans. 

Can simple M4 washers act as shims to fix axial and radial play where your axle ball bearings are installed in your radio controlled vehicles? We take a deep dive into the use of washer shims on the axles alongside the sealed ball bearings, discussing both advantages and disadvantages in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Different differentials require differing diff oils. Which diff oil is right for you? What do the differing colors mean? What's the right viscosity for your differential gears in your remote controlled model car, buggy, truck, or van? We take a deep drive into Tamiya and other diff oils on this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

It used to be that you just put your tires on your R/C wheels with no further thought. However today's modern tires often require meticulous preparation, glueing, venting, and balancing of the tires. We take a deep dive into how to do these necessary steps in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Aluminum bumpers are all the rage these days, but they have many drawbacks and may even end up costing you in the long run. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast, we compare and contrast aluminum, nylon, and stock plastic bumpers, plus when and where each should be used. 

While Tamiya became more popular worldwide, Kyosho was actually the first Japanese company to make R/C vehicles for the retail market. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig deep into the history of this radio controlled car powerhouse. 

There's a lot of confusion about the function of the radius arms on the Tamiya ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis R/C (radio controlled) model buggies, trucks, and cars , especially with the Frog, BRAT, Lancia Rally, etc.. We take a deep dive into the ORV chassis front radius arm features and it's critical functions, plus we dig into why 3rd party aftermarket hop-up bumpers make them perform so much b...

Tamiya offers a color of paint that they call "Lavender", TS-37. However it is not anywhere near what people generally consider a lavender shade of violet or purple. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast, we take a deep dive into this red-violet hued spray paint for Tamiya's R/C and their other models and why Tamiya named it lavender. 

The Tamiya FGH (Frog, Grasshopper, & Hornet) radio controlled buggies were super popular in the early 1980s, but somehow, they have stood the test of time and remained iconic, revered, much-loved R/C cars for over 40 years. Why? We take a deep dive into the alphabet, stopping at F, G, & H to explain this timeless phenomenon in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

How do you remove decals from your radio controlled car, truck, buggy, or van? It's different depending on your body type, but there are still small steps to take along the way, no matter your body shell type. We dig in deep on decal removal on this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast! 

Did you know that you can hack your radio controlled car, truck, buggy, van, boat, airplane, and helicopter? Specifically your Flysky branded transmitter, upgrading to a fan-created upgraded firmware that makes your RC transmitter way more powerful with a multitude of new features and the ability to control even more RC vehicles. We dig into this DIY hack in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcas...

How did the design thinking of Tamiya change for their radio controlled buggies throughout the early vintage RC car period of their first 100 R/C model vehicles? We take a deep dive into Tamiya's design philosophy spanning from the late 1970s to the early 1990s in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

There are radio controlled car racing tracks all over the world, but which ones are the best for fans of racing vintage, classic , and rere (re-release) RC buggies, trucks, vans, and cars? Why are these places such havens for the vintage RC vehicle builder, collector, basher, and racer? We take a deep drive into this on this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

The Frog's rear body mount screws are longer than the holes in the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis. This means that the threads of these 2 screws are exposed. So what are the solutions to cover these screen threads? We take a deep dive into the many options available in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

What is camber wear and positive or negative camber? What is caster and toe? How does it affect tires and handling? How do you diagnose and fix camber issues? Find it this and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Hornet Large Diameter wheels are a popular choice for the Grasshopper II, Super Hornet, and Rising Fighter, among other Tamiya radio controlled model buggies. There are 2 types of tires recommended by Tamiya for this 1.9" wheel, but they both require tire foams which aren't included or available from Tamiya. So which ones should you buy? We take a deep dive into these details in this episode of th...

The Grasshopper II and Super Hornet radio controlled buggies famously have 1.9" Wheels rather than the standard 1.5" Wheels of earlier vintage Tamiya R/C models like the original GH2 or Hornet. So how do you give these iconic buggies a square set-up and keep an appropriate ground clearance? We take a deep drive into the details of how to get this iconic baja buggy look on this episode of the RC De...

The Pro-Line and CRP iconic dyeable white nylon bumper hop-ups for the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) R/C models not only improved the look of the Tamiya Frog (and sometimes the Subaru BRAT or Blackfoot) but also made for a better running radio controlled vehicle. How is this possible? We take a deep dive into the function and fashion of this popular mod in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

In the Golden Age of RC, Tamiya famously won the German national R/C buggy championship in a race where most of the cars that qualified for the finals were one model, the Frog. However since then, Tamiya radio controlled model vehicles have won many national and international races. We take a deep drive into all of them in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

The Frog's distinctive double wishbone-type suspension assembly's durable steel radius arms joint serves as a crucial pivot and a primary locus for alignment that influences the front suspension's caster angle which must be assembled perfectly at 90° and kept square to prevent disaster. But why? We take a deep drive into the front arms of the Tamiya Frog in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast...

In the Tamiya Grasshopper, Hornet, Grasshopper II, and Super Hornet, it is not unusual for rear axle slop to develop over time. We look into how to diagnose the performance draining conditions and most importantly how to fix it in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

The four-way box wrench or cross wrench has become synonymous with ready controlled vehicles and most especially Tamiya. However this t-tool didn't even come with Tamiya's original RC cars. We take a deep drive into the origin and history of the legendary Tamiya cross box wrench tool in this episode of the RC Deep Dive.