Gas Powered RC Cars - Everything You Need To Know


This is a follow-up article to Gas Powered RC Cars & Trucks: Parts & Technical. This article goes over the basics to help you choose a gas powered RC model.

Gas Powered RC Cars & Trucks Introduction Gas RC Car

Okay, you’ve seen those really wild, RC (radio control) monster trucks and cool buggies zipping around parking lots on the weekend and you want one too. I can’t blame you for wanting to join the action because these speed machines deliver a lot of bang for your entertainment bucks. Some of the nitro models can fly at speeds up to 70mph. Here are some helpful basic hints about RC cars.

Radio control and remote control are fairly interchangeable terms to describe the handling of these cars. Hobby RC cars are faster, a little more expensive and are better constructed than the ones you pick up at toy stores or electronic outlets. Many people will create their own RC vehicle from a kit but today they are easily purchased in “ready to run” condition. This means that they are ready to go from the moment you unbox them and get them charged or fueled.

Onroad vs. Offroad

There are two basic types of RC cars that you can purchase. These are the on-road and the off road models. With the on-road RC cars you get direct drive transmissions and a pan style chassis. Many of these will have low clearance because they are designed for speed. Keeping the center of gravity low is crucial for speed, and makes the vehicle more stable. The standard on-road RC car also has tires that are made of foam. There is an upgraded version known as a touring class RC which comes with a gearbox transmission and 4 wheel drive. The tires on these models are made of rubber instead of the foam. With touring class cars you can get direct drive transmissions which handle and drive very smoothly. On-road cars are great for racing on any smooth or paved surfaces. People who live in cities will like them because they are made to be driven on a street type surface or an RC track. Most owners will run these at local parking lots.

For the hard driving dirt tracks and rocky roads you want the off-road RC vehicles. These have the oversized, knobby rubber tires that provide you with traction grabbing ability. They also come with enhanced suspension systems and specialized shocks for taking the bruising hits and bounces. Disc brakes are also a standard feature to give it very responsive braking and quick stopping power. With all of the off-road models there is an elevated clearance so it can clear obstacles like rocks and uneven terrain, without getting hung up. You can find off-road vehicles offered as buggy models, trucks or the giant monster trucks. The off-road cars are made to take rough and rugged fields or dirt tracks. While you can run them on a smooth surface, they were designed for true off- road conditions.

Gas vs. Electric

Both on-road and off-road RC cars come as electric or gas powered models. For most beginners, the easiest one to start out with is one of the electric powered versions. You have more options of places to go to run these types of cars because they run with very little noise even at high speeds. With an electric powered car you don’t have the gasoline fumes and exhaust to contend with and this is an important consideration for many. These cars are also very low maintenance and they are fairly simple to take care of. You do get very good speed with these models, but they lack some of the thrill and the realism of the gas powered cars.

Gas Powered RC Car

For those hobbyists who have experience and want to add challenge and excitement, a gas powered model is the one they should choose. The gas powered RC cars and trucks are extremely quick and come with automatic transmissions. There are no expensive batteries to buy and recharge. For these cars to go, all you need to do is fill their tanks. These cars are really loud and noisy however, and this can bother some people. When you run one of these models, especially in a group setting, it will remind you of being at a NASCAR event. The fumes from the gas and exhaust can also be very strong. You need a ventilated area in order to run them safely. The drawback to having a gas powered RC car is that you can only use them in a couple of settings. You can run them on the RC tracks that are constructed specifically for these models or outdoors. The maintenance of the gas engine RC car is also much more complicated than the electric cars. If you have the gas engine RC it may not crank up easily and that means it is up to you to figure out what the problem is and fix it.

Take It To The Streets!

Street racing can provide you with the challenge and thrill of the speed and the chase without breaking any laws. In fact one of the reasons that people become interested in the hobby is to see just how fast they can make their 1/8 or 1/10 scale model RC cars go. You can take your cars out to empty parking lots when there is no one driving about and run them there. However one of the best places to race these cars is on RC tracks where you have room to let them fly. These are marked and banked tracks and many have timers on site.

The Benchmark

As many car enthusiasts can tell you a benchmark of performance is how fast a vehicle can achieve the 0-60mph sprint. Around 6 seconds is extremely good, but these RC cars can hit that top end in just 3 seconds flat. You can get an adrenaline rush out of the regular RC hitting 60 mph but the top line Nitro RC models can easily hit 70 mph. With this kind of speed you can see why more people are becoming involved with street racing an RC.

Gas isn't the only thing that fuels RC cars & Trucks. Article: Nitro RC Cars & Trucks & Article: Fast Electric RC Cars & Trucks.

Related Store Pages: Gas Powered RC Cars & Gas Powered RC Trucks. These list available gas powered RC cars & trucks for sale.

Find out what YOU are looking for! Article: The Saber RC Car & Truck Buying Guide.

For more information about Gas Powered RC cars & trucks check out Remote Control RC Hobby Site & Everything RC Cars