My dream RC hobby store brings to life all that is good about RC hobbies. It’s a large, safe and secure environment in which young and old RC hobbyist enjoy the wonderful world of real life RC models, performing in their own unique playground. Top quality, RC models are represented here , brand names like Cen Racing, HPI, HobbiCo, Hobbyzone, E-flite, Kyosho, Megatech, Redcat racing, Team Associated, Traxxas, Venom and many others are here to enjoy.
What make’s this RC hobby store stand out is the hands on experience that a prospective buyer can have testing thier choices! Store owners have made available test products for racing, rumbling or flying in a real time test environment. On-road RC cars and trucks share on area where speed is king and off- road vehicles find a home on a hilly and rocky obstacle course. There is a huge outdoor lake with large waves to test drive RC boats and the most amazing indoor flying facility to display your micro RC airplane or helicopter skills. Oh, least I forget, the outside flying field for serious RC airplanes and helicopter pilots. Parts and accessories are readily available for all RC models in stock, kept ready for fast repairs or upgrading. No brag, just fact, this is my dream RC hobby store. The best RC hobby store ever!
So you thinking about RC monster trucks, and searching for information? Well here it is! In the past, the most popular style of RC truck you would see was a stadium style truck. Now the most popular toy truck people buy is modeled after real life RC monster trucks. The older model RC stadium trucks were ideal for flat and smooth dirt surface tracks, while the RC monster trucks on the market today are outfitted for rugged terrain, just like the real life versions. I am talking about hobby grade RC monster trucks, not the toy trucks that you find in big box stores! Here are a few things you should know before you purchase your rough and tough RC monster truck.
RC monster trucks are scaled down versions of real-life monster trucks. Just like the real ones you love with huge tires, that destroys smaller cars and are rough and tough mud hog grinding through deep mud. With today’s technology a RC monster trucks deliver excellent power and speed and agility with featured suspensions, detailed engines, life like steering, and other electronics. RC Hobby grade models comes with more options. There are three fuel choices, Electricity (battery powered, Nitro fuel and Gasoline fuel Nitro or gas engines will give you more power than the battery powered truck. (Not good for neighborhood fun)! They can support a larger truck size (with more weight and bulk) and really go faster. They excel over battery powered trucks and can roll over brutal landscape with-off-road equipped tires and suspension. For either of the fuel powered trucks, the higher speeds mean more forceful impacts, so it’s important to have a more durable truck body to withstand that impact without damaging the truck. Nitro fuel is a blend of nitromethane, methanol, and oil. It’s by far the most commonly used fuel for RC monster trucks. Gas is also popular because it allows for even larger RC monster trucks. RC electric monster trucks are usually powered by two electric motors, with four wheel drive, you can expect speeds of 23+ mph out of the box, and speeds of 30 mph in modified form (e.g. using faster motors and high capacity NiMH batteries). Higher speeds more force, so having the right truck body to take on impacts without damaging your truck is very important. Whatever the choice, you will be eager to, bang, climb, muddle, and run with your prize RC monster truck!
Congratulations you are ready to purchase your first RC car or truck! Where are you planning to operate it? Yes, I know you found out both RC models are ideal for kid’s age six and up and they get a blast from watching or driving something that looks so real. You have done your home work and found the options for RC cars and trucks are endless with regard to speed, size, engine type, and maneuvering capabilities. You can enjoy This RC hobby with family and friends or go for a run on your own. Now where do you plan on operating your RC car or truck? This is an important consideration for you and the RC model that you purchase. You should operate your RC car or truck properly as they can get damaged easily if used in the wrong environments or driven too aggressively on the wrong surfaces. I know you can’t wait to get your RC car or truck, so here are a few common sense suggestions just in case you got carried away at the hobby shop or doing your research. 
Before operating any RC car or truck it is very important that you read the manuals very carefully. If you plan on using your RC vehicle indoors the majority of the time, an Electric RC Car or Truck is in your best interest. Gas or Nitro will not work unless you have the convenience of an indoor RC facility. Gas or electric RC Cars should not be used for off-road or any rough terrain driving due to their undercarriage and it’s proximity to the ground they are On road RC vehicles and should be run primarily on smooth flat surfaces. Off road RC vehicles, RC trucks and buggies refers to either electric or gas powered RC cars or trucks with the profile to withstand more aggressive driving in environments of uneven ground, dirt, water or more challenging terrain landscapes. Trucks are optimal for rougher ground and have the suspension to withstand jumps, ditches, and generally tougher driving. Your surroundings must be right for the RC vehicle you choose. This will help you maintain your dream RC car or truck and enhance your enjoyment of this wonderful RC hobby.
Had a few neighborhood kids over Sunday for a simple micro RC helicopter competition! All three, plus my son received a micro RC helicopter for the holidays. I wanted to check their flying progress, since I was fortunate enough to introduce them to the micro RC helicopter world. Nothing fancy or difficult just, a competition to determine who could complete three tasks in the shortest period of time and return to my living room for a safe controlled landing.
Kids these days amaze me, with their skills with micro RC helicopters being no exception. I could tell that they had practiced, as they all had gained control of their micro RC helicopter in a very short time. This is a primary advantage that these small flying machines, short learning curve. Transmitter control, flight control and landings were included in the task. First and only rule don’t break anything. Defined courses were navigated and skills with, flight control, flight time and landings were measured very subjective by a participating father and myself. At the end we could not decide who had won the contest but agreed the kid with the Heli-Max Axe CPv3 RC Micro Helicopter, surprisingly held a slight edge. This was surprising, because this collective pitch micro RC helicopter is a bit more of a challenge for beginners. We called the event a draw and headed to McDonalds for an every one is a winner snack. RC micro helicopters had helped again to build community spirit, try it!
Changing your RC car or truck tires and rims can upgrade your vehicles appearance and; improve it’s the overall performance! When I change my RC tires, I use one of two methods. In the end, no matter which method you chose, a successful RC tire change will bring you pride and satisfaction. By the way, safety first, get your self some water proof heat resistant gloves, trust me! Remember, your objective is to de-activate the CA glue attaching the tire to the rim. Here is how I do it.
Boiling:
With this method you will not save the old RC tires because of water damage! Rims should be ok. Bring your pot of water to a boil. Set the pot aside and let the RC tires and rims soak in the water for five to ten minutes. Have your gloves on and Remove the rim and tire from the water. Slowly peel the tire from the rim.
Baking:
With this method you have a reasonable chance of saving your RC tires. If you fail, you are not alone. Heat de-activates the CA glue and you can then pull the tire off the rim. Place rims and tires on a cookie sheet, I use aluminum foil, and bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about five to ten minutes. Remove from oven and slowly peel of the rim from the tire. When you feel resistance, put the tire and rim back into the already warm oven and work on another tire and rim. Soon you should have them removed and hopefully, saved your old RC tire as well as your rim.
If you are looking for a RC truck that’s ready to get air with maximum fendered dirt kicking action, then get yourself a Ready to Run Short Course RC Racing Truck. Short Course Racing Trucks like the HPI Blitz, Traxxas Slash and the Associated SC10 are hot in the RC off road racing community and their popularity is growing everyday. I have the HPI Blitz and I am thrilled with its performance! This powerful class of RC Off-Road race trucks is known for features that are special in off-road racing and bashing.
Lets start with a true scale replica of a full size race truck that powers through awesome performances at the, TORC (The Off Road Championship Series. Short course RC race trucks come with a full fendered body that handles and performs just like the full size version. Powerful acceleration causes the rear to sit down and when braking the front noises down. RC short course racing trucks are built the corners and are specially designed for unbelievable dirt flying power slides with extreme body rolls, all while keeping their tires firmly planted on the ground. You get with a loose long-travel suspension that can handle any thing in its path. In a jump you will see just how much droop the long-travel suspension has and when you land the tires disappear into the wheel wells. Thanks to the fenders covering the tires, you can really bang with your fellow racers or bashers forget about crashing or getting tangled up. I would like to think that I am a fair RC basher but the RC short course race truck is different. The suspension setup and the type of handling the short course race truck is different They are designed to drive with a loose feel that produces huge dirt rooster tails as you go. You will need to practice a different driving style for these powerful dirt slinging, run with anything RC short course trucks. You can get these awesome RC Trucks in 1/8th scale, 1/10th scale or the new 1/16 scale nitro or electric powered with 2WD or 4WD.
I’m a happy RC racer who loves his RC short course race truck; join me and hone your RC bashing driving skills!
Ok, you are ready to buy your first RC boat and need some tips and information to help you with your decision. Well, here is my advice and hopefully some helpful hints to get you on the water with the right RC boat. The first considerations should be the amount of money you want to spend, local ordnances and excess to the body of water you will be enjoying. There are three types of RC boats four if you count gasoline powered boats but if you are a beginner, this is not the boat for you. RC electric boats are best for the beginner, they are easy to put together, inexpensive, and very important in some areas noise free. RC nitro boats are the fastest racing RC boats that you can buy but they are more expensive, require more maintenance and are well known and liked for the noise they produce! If you passion is sail boats then a RC Sail boat is right for you. Peaceful and quiet Beautiful to the eye, there is nothing like a great day of sailing on your local waters. There are many variations in body style and body types to complement these power modes.
Most ready to run (RTR) rc boats come complete with a 2-channel radio control system. This is known as an accessory. There are two types of transmitter; a stick transmitter where the eft (up/down) lever controls the speed and the right (left/right) lever controls the rc boat’s direction and the pistol type, where the throttle is controlled by the gun type trigger, and the boat’s direction controlled by the wheel. It’s your choice, I prefer the stick transmitter but others rave about the pistol type. If you plan to run in choppy water conditions get a Deep V or mono hull RC boat. They are more stable and take on rough water better than a catamaran or hydroplane hull design which is designed for speed and calm water conditions. If you want to buy a high quality boat from a reliable company, I would recommend CEN Racing, Megatech and Traxxas. Their RC boats are similar in price and are truly quality RC models.
It’s your decision, hope this helps!
If you are in the market for a quality RC hobby model then beware of the shortage of certain RC Electric and Nitro products this holiday season and I would think into the first quarter of 2010. RC hobby warehouses’ are rapidly unloading their shelves and replacement products are not scheduled to arrive until then. RC model Manufacturers have slowed production during the economic slowdown that has left RC hobby stores and warehouses short on supply.
I tried to order an AquaCraft Alligator Tours RC Nitro Airboat for a friend and decided to make another choice. I choose the AquaCraft RC Nitro Air Force Airboat and feel good about the exchange. Good boat great price! If you can find a CEN RACING MATRIX C-1 NITRO RC BUGGY send me a note. They are missing in action and lot’s of people are looking for this baby! Yes, you can find the cheap RC toys but if you are looking for hobby grade RC models for the Holidays or springtime action, get it now or be prepared to settle for another RC model or wait. “Just saying”!
Kid’s love RC Helicopters! This is a proven fact if you check the top ten toys kids want most. That’s why I consider RC helicopters as gifts for kids at this time of year. Piloting their own RC Helicopter will bring joy and excitement for the kids and you can feel good about introducing a kid to this great RC pastime. Today’s indoor or Micro RC helicopters are great gifts for anyone wanting to fly in any weather. They are great fun on a rainy day and if it’s calm outside, let it go. Nothing beats staying inside while it’s raining or snowing and enjoying your RC helicopter model.
Indoor or Micro RC helicopters are ideal for indoor fun! The dual bonuses are great flights without a need for much space to fly. Micro helicopters are excellent for piloting inside the house; they fly in the smallest places with excellent stability and maneuverability. Whether banking a tight turn, maneuvering from room to room, landing on the kitchen counter or just having a great safe environment, Micro RC Helicopters are worth considering. There are many micro RC helicopters that can be flown indoors. I really dig the Heli-Max Axe CPv3 RC Micro Helicopter, a great choice for both beginners and experts and can be flown indoors or outdoors. Indoor or Micro RC helicopters are light weight and made of durable materials. They are relatively harmless so you don’t sweat crashes as much. Micro RC helicopters are inexpensive and make excellent gifts for any kid disappointed with staying inside during the holidays because of bad weather. Make this holiday special for yourself and a Kid!
If you are looking to fly a fast RC airplane then there is no better choice than RC jets. Sleek and fast these wonders of the sky travel at such high speeds that I do not recommend them to beginning pilots because of the experience factor. RC Jet airplanes are difficult to fly and require help from an experienced RC pilot to get you started. If you are new to flying RC airplanes, then you should start with a electric or nitro powered RC airplane. If you decide to ignore this warning you could badly damage your aircraft. At least start with a RC pusher jet. They are the slowest RC jets and are the simplest to fly. When you have gotten an idea of how to fly RC jets on a pusher type then you can shift to the ducted fan type. Here is a description of the types of RC jet airplanes available for your flying enjoyment.
Pusher RC Jets
Pusher Jets have a propeller in the back that pushes the airplane through the air. There is an easy take off since, they are hand launched and travel at a speed much lower than ducted and turbine fan jets. RC pusher jets can have up to two electric powered pusher props. Some pusher jets are powered by a pusher prop driven by a glow engine. Glow driven pusher jets are capable of achieving some very fast speeds! If you really want a trainer RC jet then the Pusher Jet is for you!
Ducted Fan RC Jets
Ducted fan jets have a high powered fan engine that operates in a duct. This is a very popular type of RC Jet because it is quiet, smooth and super fast. The ducted fan is nothing more than a fan spinning inside of a tube. Ducted fans powered by an electric motor are called EDF’s, electric ducted fans. Ducted fans powered by glow engines are called GDF’s, glow ducted fans. If you are an experienced pilot and looking for a new challenge then get yourself a ducted fan RC jet and take off for new horizons.
Flying Model RC Jets
If you have some experience flying high performance RC airplanes then you can fly model jets! As suggested earlier, if you are a beginner get help from a instructor or experienced pilot at your local flying club or get a Pusher jet
RC Turbine Jets
RC turbine jets are powered by an actual RC turbine! These RC jets burn real aircraft fuel and can reach speeds in access of 200 mph!
Make the right choice and you will benefit with long hours of fun and enjoyment.