The RC Deep Dive

While Tamiya is known for it's Ready to Build, assembly required RC Model Kits, it does have some pre-built radio controlled vehicles for this age of demanding instant satisfaction and no patients for the build process. We take a deep dive into Tamiya's ready to run, expert built options giving their advantages and disadvantages over build yourself models.

LiFe is a battery type popularized by Tamiya in the radio control vehicle world, especially in Japan, and seems to be a middle ground between MiNH and LiPo RC batteries. Is it really even safer and more flexible than MiNHs? Is it really safer and lasts longer than LiPos? Is it worth the Tamiya Tax of purchasing one of their LiFes from them, or is it better to buy from the third party aftermarket i...

The first R/C cars were made in the 1960s. In today's episode of the RC Deep Dive, we drive into the highlights and important moments in the last 60 years of radio controlled cars and how not only the technology has evolved, but how the community has changed too. 

Imagine a street with 10-20 radio controlled vehicle and model stores all on one street and many more within walking distance. This is the reality of RC Street in Hong Kong. We take a deep dive into this street and the surrounding RC stores as well in this episode of the RC Deep Dive.

There was a popular manga called RC Boy/RadiCon Boy (Wild RC Boy) that was influenced by radio controlled car culture and also was an influencer on R/C culture, itself. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive, we dig into the manga and the many buggies, trucks, cars, and vans that took center stage such as the Wild Willis (Wild Willy), Mighty Frog (The Frog), the Dragon series, and more!

We take a deep drive into the mystery of 2 different names for the wildly popular Frog/the Mighty Frog 1/10th scale reason controlled buggy and discover why Japan calls it the Mighty Frog, while the rest of the world calls it, simply, the Frog. 

Since the MIP Super Ball Differential requires the higher torque, lower speed 16t pinion gear, rather than the default 18t or the high-speed 19t pinion gear, does this mean that it's going to be slower? Perhaps not. We take a deep dive into how this must-have Hop-Up upgrade affects your Frog (and other Tamiya OVR Chassis RC Vehicles) with each of the most popular 540 motors.

Just in time for our 40th episode of the podcast, we just mixed up a new intro/theme song for the RC Deep Dive. Let us know what you think of this mix.

If your shocks don't fit perfectly, is it a good idea to mount your dampers upsidedown, or is this a really bad idea for a radio controlled vehicle? We take a deep dive on this question and find out the possible pros and cons of this solution.

Does your Tamiya Lunchbox 1/12 scale R/C Van constantly fall over, especially while turning? This could be because your CoG (Center of Gravity) is too high. On this episode of the RC Deep Dive, we dive down deep to see the menu ways how you can lower your Lunchbox CoG and make your radio controlled monster truck more stable. 

Who manufacturers third party aftermarket hop-ups for Tamiya and other brands of train controlled vehicles? We take a deep dive into AmPro Engineering, CRP, MiP, OC Racing Hobby Marking, RcAidong, Xpress High Performance RC Products, Xtra Speed, Yeah Racing, and many more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive.

Have you broken your servo saver? How can you prevent that from happening again? Do you want to know what the best servo saver is for your radio controlled vehicle? Do you know the difference between a servo saver and a servo horn? We take a deep dive into all of this in this episode of the RC Deep Dive.

Crashes can lead to broken damper shock towers. But do you need to buy a whole new chassis? We go over the many options available to you in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

With Tamiya not having Cera-Grease HG available until August, is Marine Grease a good substitute, or does it contain additives that may damage your gears in your radio controlled vehicle? Join us in our deep dive on this greasy subject in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

With a few tweaks on your radio transmitter, you can fix most of your steering issues and have a more enjoyable and controlled experience driving your radio controlled vehicles. We teach you how in this episode of the RC Deep Dive.

Which of the many shock damper oils from Tamiya should be used in the shocks of the Tamiya ORV Chassis vehicles like the Lancia 037 Rally, Subaru BRAT, the (Mighty) Frog, the Blackfoot, Mud Blaster, Monster Beetle, Midnight Pumpkin, etc. 

In a previous episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast, we explained the numbers and colors of a Tamiya's R/C Shock Damper Oil. Now we take a deep dive into the right oil for the following Tamiya radio controlled model buggies: The Grasshopper, Hornet, GH2, Super Hornet, Super G, Rising Fighter, Mad Bull, and more!

There's lots of colors and numbers to Tamiya's shock damper oils, but what do they mean and when should they be used? I'm this episode of the RC Deep Dive we review the following choices: Red 200, Orange 300, Yellow 400, Green 500, Blue 600, Purple 700, Pink 800, White 900, & Light Blue 1000.

What is that cardboard disk? Is it necessary? What is is purpose! Do you need to use it when you upgrade to a different motor? Are there better options than this included motor mount? We answer these questions and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive! 

A popular Hop-Up for vintage R/C buggies like the Frog, Grasshopper, and Hornet is using Subaru BRAT Wheels and tires. Why is this? Is it a good option? And how do you get them to fit your radio controlled cars, trucks, and buggies? We find out on this episode of the RC Deep Dive! 

You pull your trigger and your RC car goes backwards! You make sure your motor is plugged in the right way, but the problem persists. What happened? How can you fix it? We will teach you in this episode of the RC Deep Dive!

It's not easy, but we have some pro tips on cutting out, sanding, cleaning, masking, and painting your polycarbonate (Lexan) radio controlled vehicle bodies. Safety is job number one in this episode of the RC Deep Dive.

RC cars have taken the main stage in a number of movies and tv shows, and we review them all in this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

Flysky Radio Transmitters & Receivers and DS Servos (often errantly identified as their distributor, Annimos) have taken over a good chunk of the remote controlled vehicle market in the last decade. We look into why this happened on this episode of the RC Deep Dive. 

Which ESC is best for your RC car? We take a deep dive into ESCs and see what ESC is the best for you, based on your vehicle and motor type.