Gas Powered RC Cars - Parts: Technical Information


A follow-up article has been written to help you choose a Gas RC model based on your expectations. Read it here About Gas Powered RC Cars & Trucks.

About The Electronics Gas RC Truck

The electronics of the controller and vehicle (remote control, circuit board, and servos) are what control every function gas powered rc cars can do. Remote controls come in many different styles and configurations with even more functions. You can find anything from 2 channel controllers for simple operation to 6 channel controllers for the novice operator. Different power sources are also available for powering the remote control. Both rechargeable and standard batteries are used in today's controllers. The remote control sends a signal over the airwaves in a frequency between 14 MHz to 28 MHz. Most rc cars have a signal range of 75 ft. to 1000 ft. depending on the components used, the day to day magnetic field of the earth and even sun spots may affect your range. Most rc vehicles come with an auto return or stop feature which tells the car to either stop or turn around if the vehicle gets out of range of the signal. The circuit board then receives the signal via antenna from the remote controller. The servos in the rc vehicle then translate those signals and interpret those into motion - which in turn activates different functions such as the gas, brakes, turning left or right, transmission forward or reverse. Some controllers even come with digital readouts for ease of use and for more elaborate fine tuning techniques.

About The Engine, Fuel & Exhaust

You can get a car or truck with anything from a small .12 - 2.3cc to a .46 - 7.7cc nitro burning powerhouse for your rc car. Some engines will turn at well over 20,000 rpm and produce over five horsepower which is a considerable amount of power being you vehicle may only weigh in at around 15 lbs. If you want to comparatively match this to an every day full size car you would need at least 1200 horse power to get the same performance as your nitro rc car. Many engine models use aluminum and composite for weight and steel and titanium parts for longevity and reliability. A two cycle engine that burns two cycle fuel (gas and oil) can also be purchased for larger models. Whether its a nitro engine or a two cycle engine most models use a pull string method of starting all though some models can be ordered with electric start and stop. Nitro fuel is a much higher octane than standard fuel compared to your personal car or truck. Two cycle fuel is made at home or purchased already mixed. Two cycle fuel consists of standard octane everyday fuel mixed with two cycle oil at a specific proportion. A tuned exhaust pipe is also a necessity for an excellent running long lasting car or truck. A tuned pipe is simply a specific length and inside diameter of pipe with the right size rumble chamber for your rc vehicle.

About The Brakes

Most low end to mid priced units use a transmission brake. Special order brakes can be ordered after market for most cars to enable disc brakes to be installed on all four wheels, but some cars can come stock with disc brakes. Both steel and composite brake parts are available as well as some aluminum. Whether its a transmission brake or all wheel disc brakes they pretty much all work on the same principle, a servo controlling a linkage attached to the brakes itself.

About The Shocks, Axles Differentials & Tires Gas RC Trucks

Shocks are what hold the car to the road. If the surface you are using is perfectly flat as in laser light flat there would be no need for shocks, only tires for grip. These racing surfaces almost don't exist, so the better the shocks the better the performance of the car. Shocks are usually a two chamber design with a small port between them and a spring on the outside to return the shock to its original length. The purpose of the shock is to allow the car to stay on a strait line and allow the axles and tires to follow the contour of the road. When the road comes up the shock will transfer either oil or co2 gas from one chamber to the other allowing the shock to shorten, then when the road goes away from the car the spring will lengthen the shock transferring the oil or gas back to the other chamber to keep the axles and tires in constant contact with the road at all times. Dirt track shocks generally have more travel due to the much more uneven terrain. Axles and differentials are pretty standard except for the quality and gearing ratio which needs to be matched to the transmission and engine for optimal performance. Ball bearings and bushings are another quality issue with axles. Tires are another very important area of the car, for street racing the wider, softer and smoother the tread the more grip you will get from the tire, but you will also lose a fair amount of life from the tire. For dirt applications you typically want a more aggressive tread and larger diameter for clearance and grip.

About The Appearance & Body Style

Because of the size of the vehicle there isn't a whole lot of air that needs to be displaced, so the body is mostly for aesthetics. You can have anything from a sports car look for paved track racing to a more buggy or truck appearance for dirt track. Materials range from cheap plastic that can be cheaply replaced in the event of an accident, to composite or even aluminum. Some vehicles even come with a rear spoiler which is more recommended on paved surfaces because down force and grip is more of an issue for speed and stability.

Whether you are young, old, amateur or novice there is a Gas RC Car or Nitro RC Car for everyone. Keep checking in for for more informative text. This industry is growing in leaps and bounds, get in now and be one of the many proud owners of your very own RC product.

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 & The Gas Powered RC Blog & Everything RC Cars