Irwin Clamp-On Vise: $14.99, most box stores Sometimes you need an extra pair of hands at the track, and the Irwin Clamp-On Vise is the perfect trackside helping hand. It weighs in at just 4 pounds so it is easy to travel with. It has a quick clamp on the bottom to lock it onto [...]
Calipers: $9.99 and up Tape measures are great for carpentry, but they lack the precision to be accurate enough for RC use. Calipers are the perfect alternative as they are still small enough for the toolbox, but have the accuracy to record crucial setup parameters. They can be used to measure the diameters of tires, [...]
Get on the Fast Track to Short Course Success Hosted by RC Car Action senior editor Kevin Hetmanski, this high-definition DVD covers all aspects of short course racing and gets you in the game. Not only is it loaded with killer full-scale racing footage, but this DVD also features pro driving tips, hop-ups and tuning and maintenance [...]
Chip Foose is literally a chip off the old block—the block being Chip’s dad, Sam Foose, whose custom cars were frequently scaled down to model size in the heyday of plastic kits and rattle can paint. Chip first got his hands dirty at a tender age, working alongside Sam at Project Designs in Santa Barbara
Extra Protection: Many owners of nitro-powered monster trucks spend a lot of time running through the mud and water. Even though the receiver box is sealed, moisture can still find its way in and possibly damage your receiver. Place a small silica packets inside your receiver box to wick away any moisture. Guy Smith
LiPo-Powered Starter Box: If you’re looking for a little extra engine-cranking power, replace the NiMH batteries in your starter box with high-capacity LiPo batteries. You’ll need to invest in a LiPo charger to charge the batteries, but it is well worth the cost because the batteries provide more voltage, and they do not discharge when [...]
Cool Glue: To keep my tire glue fresh, I store it in the freezer after I open it. The cold dry air will keep it from drying out in the bottle. David Cutter – Delray Beach, FL
Never Lose Parts: Many of today’s RC vehicles come with a bunch of small spare parts and tuning option parts that are easy to lose or confuse with parts from other vehicles you may have in your collection. Place the parts in a resealable freezer bag and label them with a permanent marker. Joe Hanson
Drip Stopper: After I run my nitro car, I put an earplug in the exhaust to keep unburned fuel from leaking out. Ben Morgan – Woking, England
Stop Losing E-Clips: Place a dab of Shoe Goo on your car or truck’s E-clips, particularly the outboard clips. The glue will prevent the E-clips from popping off the hingepins. Marin Via Campos – Covina, CA
The editors for R.C Car Action picked a winner for Car Of The Year, Truck Of The Year, and Innovation Of The Year. Click to see the winners for each category.
Readers always ask us, “What’s the next big thing in RC?” Some years, it’s difficult to know the answer to that question, but this year the answer was a no brainer. The fifth scale class received a shot of adrenaline with an all new 4-wheel drive gas powered truck, the Losi FIVE-T, making it the [...]
When the time came to choose the car of the year we had a lot of thinking to do but a last min release made that decision an easy one. This car not only offers great performance and tunablity but it looks just like the full-size vehicle it was made after. Lets give it up [...]
When picking the innovation of the year we take everything into consideration. That includes tools, cars, radio systems and more. An area where we have been seeing a lot of change is in the radio category. This year’s pick for innovation of the year is from a company that has brought smart phone technology to [...]
