Nhsmoker

Looking for a good book or dvd on yhe basics of rc cars. I am looking to get into rc and would like to learn all i can. There are no hobby shops close by me so i cant learn from others in my area. I would like to find some good resources to help me. I would really ultimately like a nitro car even though i know there are disadvantages but thats where I would like the hobby to take me. Any good reads or videos you guys can point me in the direction of

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

YouTube,if you can find the right ones is a great source. You are on a good place here. Don’t think I’ve seen any books. Maybe there were once back 20 years ago.
It’s a lot of trial and error. Lot here in same situation.

MarkA

iTrader: (21)

Airage published several how-to books over the years but with printed media running neck and neck with nitro in the declining interest category, you probably won't find anything specific to what you want newer than what they have.

For video, RCdriver's Youtube channel is probably as good a place as any to start looking around there.

Once you want to graduate to more advanced reading, Xray's setup book is the gold standard of those.

Mahjik

iTrader: (2)

A lot of good videos out there to help you get started. I can't post links yet, but just go on Youtube and search using "how to get into rc cars".

buster8787

Hudy

stanislow

iTrader: (4)

Rc makers "Speed Secrets" Book.

Only book you will ever need

snuvet75

iTrader: (16)

There is no disadvantage in nitro other than being loud, dirty and more expensive lol. But the exhilaration is second to none compared with electric.
Anyway as far as I know, there's no money-worth book that categorizes things in simple manner for beginners. But I could be wrong. There are many for setting up a car though.
What basics do you want to learn? You need to have some sort of directions otherwise you will be flooded with too much info in YouTube. I assume you want to start with electric, which I recommend as it's much easier.
For electric cars, you load electronics, charge battery, connect it to esc, bind receiver to your transmitter and you run your car. Pretty simple. Connection method between those can be found everywhere. Use the below as a guideline for finding right books or info.
Electric racing is comprised of a few different components:

1. Electrics
- Batteries: Everybody uses Lipo batteries nowdays. Learn basics in YouTube and Learn how to maintain and charge. You need Lipo charger
- Radio set: Transmitter and receiver. Airtronics (Sanwa), Futaba and KO Propo are well known brands and you should go for one of those.
- Servos: It turns the wheel or move the throttle lever. Nothing fancy to it. You can start cheap like Savox, EVO, etc. Do not buy nylon geared servos.
- ESC (Electronic speed control): This is the brain of the car. It receives signal from your receiver and puts it out to the motor. Many brands are available and honestly they are all good.
- Motor- Brushless motors are what most use. Learn basics and find one to suit your need. Nothing really complicated.

2. Chassis (the car)
- Go with well known and popular brand for the class you want to run. And part support (you will break a lot) is very important locally and on the net.
- Learning to maintain and to set up takes a long time. As aforementioned, Xray set up book should be read. There are many more available and you can find them everywhere. Ryan Maker's set up book, RC crewchief, cell applications, YouTube, etc.

3. Driving
- Go drive and get used to it.

4. Tools
- This is the most important thing IMO. You will suffer w/o proper tools. If you're thinking of being in the hobby for a while at least, invest. Hudy, Arrowmax, and MiP make good quality drivers. I would buy a tool set from them.
- Set up tools are also valuable. Yeah racing, 3Racing, and other chinese companies make them cheap. You should look into it. If fund's plush, go with Arrowmax or Hudy. If fund's short, skip it for now.
- You will need soldering gun. I would also invest on high capacity gun. Do not go cheap or you will regret.
- Dremel will be very valuable to you.
- electric drill is handy.
- And there are many more I can't think of now. You buy as you go.

General guide line is invest on good radio set, charger, and tools. You will use them for a long time. You can go cheap on servo, battery, motors and possibly esc for a while. But I do not mean sub-par products. Car should be also at a par at least. Used car would be a good option. Good luck.

DoubleRR24

Here's a good book to learn the ins and outs of setting up your chassis.

https://xxxmain.com/products/touring-car-setup-guide

chuck_thehammer

.
just because its a R/C car..
many things are like or similar to a real car...

electric is easier then nitro.. but only in the beginning...

doing is better then reading..

the rc guy

almost nothing is like a real car or even similar.except they both have tires that are round
gasoline engine. nothing like a nitro or a electric motor with esc.
brakes not even close.calipers to what?.diff electric motor again with esc?

only thing similar is 4 most righty tighty left loosey..unless its left handed threads which are usually marked on bolt head.

chuck_thehammer

believe what you want..

43 years as an auto mechanic...

55 years of building model cars.
30 years building and racing rc cars.

suspension is one... drive is similar..

and electric is very similar to electric full size cars...
I also ran nitro and 2 cycle gas in 1/4 scale rc cars...

faqcya

iTrader: (1)

Actually rightly tighty lefty loosey is from the viewers perspective. If you turn the object around so you are viewing the backside that saying no longer applies as it is backwards.

faqcya

iTrader: (1)

+1

mstrfahrenheit

iTrader: (2)

This.

https://www.rcmaker.com.au/products/...-by-ryan-maker

Completely changed how I approached things

grabbem88

iTrader: (1)

What the hell is wrong with this jibberish “the rc guy” spews!?!??

Gears move a 1:1 just like rc ...crawler and scaler guys would run you ragged on this one

Steering takes linkage to join one component to another operated by a gear box
Hmm just like a servo. Guess what? Electric cars and newer cars are implementing a servo like this now.

Nitro gas whatever requires compression fuel and spark hmm so do 1:1 vehicles

Suspension too much going on there to even explain cause guess what same deal

Rc cars trucks planes etc are miniature versions of there bigger counter parts.