The RC Deep Dive

The HotShot family of radio controlled buggies comes with dog-bones, but are CVDs (constant velocity driveshafts) or UJs (Universal Joints) an appropriate hop-up on the HotShot, HotShot II, Super HotShot, Boomerang, etc. or are you better off staying stock? We dig into these questions in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

What causes hex drives, dog-bones, UJs (universal joints), and CVDs (constant velocity driveshafts) to bind in radio controlled vehicles? We take a deep dive into this problem and the solution in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

When the Tamiya HotShot radio controlled buggy debuted, it came with an all new type of wheel connector that stuck around for the entire line of the HotShot family (HotShot, HotShot II, Super HotShot, Boomerang, Bigwig, Super Sabre, HotShot 2 Blockhead Motors Edition, and SuperShot [Super HotShot rere]) of RC vehicles. We go over the evolution of wheel connectors from Tamiya from the beginning of...

Why did Tamiya come out with three piece wheels with their vintage radio control vehicles? Are there any inherent advantages with these more complicated wheel designs compared to the standard one piece wheel? You might be surprised what we uncovered on this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Kyosho and Tamiya radio controlled vehicles like cars, trucks, buggies, vans, helicopters, boats, airplanes, etc. have had a unique influence on Japanese culture. Meanwhile, Japanese culture has, in turn, had a unique influence on R/C vehicle culture as well. We take a deep dive into these mutual influences in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

The rere (re-release) of the Frog and other Tamiya ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis RC cars, buggies, trucks, and vans come with metal sealed bearings for the gearbox. But are these the best choice, or are you better off with Fast Eddy's rubber sealed ball bearings or even plastic bushings? We take a deep dive into this on this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

With default dog-bones, like the ones included in rere (re-release) ORV chassis R/C vehicles like the Frog, Brat,  Super Beetle, Blackfoot, etc., you need to use the included o-rings for them to fit right. But when you hop-up these drives with the MIP Super Ball Diff and Tamiya UJs (Universal Joints) or the superior Xtra Speed CVDs (Constant Velocity Driveshafts) do you need to use these little bl...

Whenever Tamiya makes Subaru Brat 1/10th scale RC car/truck wheels and tires available, they tend to sell out within a week. Why is this? What is creating such a high demand for Tamiya Brat wheels and tires? We take a deep drive into the many reasons this keeps happening in this issue of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

We take a deep drive into which country, province or state, and city that radio controlled vehicles are most popular in each continent of Earth. Why are they most popular here, and what's the difference between these locales? 

Many radio controlled cars, trucks, buggies, and van have a different in the Japanese market vs the rest of the world. However, sometimes when Tamiya has re-released vintage and classic R/C cars, sometimes the Japanese names became the global name. We take a deep dive into which RC vehicles have different names and which reres have changed their RotW names to the JDM names. 

You hit a big mud puddle at a super fast speed, and it looks epic, but how are you going to get all of the dirt out of the nooks and crannies of your radio controlled car, truck, buggy, or van? We go over what to use and what not to use for maintaining each part of your R/C vehicle in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

Shock springs come in different colors, lengths, hardnesses, and more, but what does it all mean? We take a deep dive into the world of remote control vehicle (R/C cars, buggies, trucks, vans, etc.) shock springs in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

We want your feedback. Please vote yes or no. Do you like this for our new theme song, to go along with the new longer episodes of the RC Deep Dive? We had to adjust the lyrics after feedback said that you, the listeners, would prefer longer episodes instead of the 5 to 10 minute episodes that we had during our first 40 RC Deep Dive podcast episodes.

What was the Radio Controlled Car Golden Age and why did we call it that? What years did it range and why? Did it lead to a similarly impressive Silver Age for R/C vehicles? We take a deep dive into this and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

Radio control hobby models often require thread lock, even though many Tamiya reres (re-releases) say they aren't required, while the original vintage and classic models specifically required it. What is thread lock, when and where should you use it, and which color? We take a deep dive into this and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Ball bearings are usually the first hop-up option that people install in their radio controlled vehicles. But what are the best bearings? Are steel balls or ceramic bearings better for RC cars, trucks, buggies, and vans? Are metal or rubber seals the best in the gearbox and axles? We answer these questions and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

The Tamiya FAV (Fast Attack Vehicle) and many SRB (Special Racing Buggy) based Chassis RC cars need CVA (Constant Volume Adjustable) oil shock dampers to reach their full potential. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we teach you multiple ways to get this done right on each RC model. 

What Tamiya Hornet parts can you use to upgrade your 1/10 scale Grasshopper RC Buggy without turning it into a Hornet? Likewise what Rising Fighter and Super Hornet parts can you use to upgrade your Grasshopper II RC car without turning it into either a Rising Fighter or a Super Hornet ? We take a deep dive into these highly recommended hop-ups in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

What is a square setup for RC buggies? Is it better for 4wd buggies like the Super HotShot or 2wd biggies like the Frog? We take a deep dive into this popular tire and wheel setup in this episode of the RC Deep Dive.

Pinion gears are available in both steel and aluminum. Usually aluminum comes in the kit, and both metal types are available as hop-up options. Steel is harder, heavier, and stronger, but did that always make it a better option than aluminum, or is aluminum sometimes a better option? We take a deep dive into pinions on this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

The classic Tamiya promo videos for their 1/10th and 1/12th scale radio controlled cars, buggies, trucks, and vans have a special place in the heart of many in the RC vehicle community. Why is that so? Where could these videos be seen? Who narrated them and who created the music for them? We take a deep dive into these questions and now in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

Some R/C (radio-controlled) cars oversteer and some understeer. But what do those terms mean? And even now importantly, how can you fix it? We answer all those questions and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. Let's Go! 

Your Supershot/Super HotShot came with some beautiful gold wheels and great spiked tires, but are they really the best option off-road or on-road? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive out team looks at the best off-road, on-road, and all-around best wheels, tires, and foam inserts for your 4WD RC buggy, truck, van, or car. 

What was the CPR Unit in radio controlled vehicles? Why did they become so popular and why did they seemingly disappear? How was the receiver and the ESC convinced in these Control Processing Receivers? We take a deep dive into these questions in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

Did you know that each part of your radio control vehicle has different heat and cold tolerances? Even different battery types need different temperatures. Whether you use NiCad, NiMH, LiPo, or LiFe RC batteries, we've got the right temperature range to store them in, both in Celsius and Fahrenheit in this episode of the RC Deep Dive.