hankster
11-29-2004, 02:25 PM
You’ve just got your brand spankin' new RTR car or truck and can't wait to hit the streets. Hold on, not yet bucko! Just because you have everything you need to disrupt the neighbors, there are still a few things you should do before you fire it up.
Over the years I have found that just because it says it’s Ready-to-Run doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t check things over before that first run. Read on and I’ll give you a few hints to make sure you get the most out of your car or truck without being disappointed.
The first thing you should do is carefully read the instructions that come with it. I know, we hate reading instructions. You can be sure you’ll avoid later disappointment if you do that now rather then doing it after something is broke. The instructions not only give you tips on proper running and maintenance, they have safety notices to make sure you don’t injure yourself of others.
Many of these RTR vehicles are capable of high speeds and can weight more then 10 pounds. Being hit by one going 40+ MPH can not only cause broken bones, but even more serious injuries. Always be aware of that any time you run your car or truck.
Once you get your vehicle out of the box, go over it and check all screws, nuts and bolts to make sure they are tight. If the screws go into plastic, just make sure they are snug. If you tighten them too much, it could strip the plastic. If you have a nitro vehicle, all screws that go into metal should have thread-locking compound on them. Blue Locktite is best as it allows you to remove the screws when needed. The vibration of nitro engines will shake even the tightest screw loose over time.
A few other things to check is to make sure the tires are properly glued on the rims. Check the adjustment of the differential and slipper-clutch if it’s equipped with one. Check the oil in the shocks for proper filling and make sure the motor mounting screws are tight. Make sure any batteries you use are fully charged, if they are not rechargeable, that they are fresh. Check the servo or Electronic Speed Control (ESC) for proper adjustment.
If you have a nitro powered vehicle, double-check the engine needle setting. Improper adjustment can cause severe engine damage and they are not cheap to fix or replace. You should always make sure that your batteries are fully charged. If you batteries go dead while you are running, you can lose complete control of it. This can let it "run away" causing damage not only to the vehicle, but anyone that gets in it’s way.
Very few RTR nitro vehicles come with throttle return safety springs. A throttle return spring will close the throttle on your engine should your batteries unexpectedly go dead or if you have radio failure. Get one as soon as possible. They cost only a few cents, are easy to make yourself and can save you a lot of headaches. You can see one that I made myself from a common spring I bought at the local hardware store.
RC cars and truck are complicated pieces of machinery with many small pieces. As much as we would like everything to be perfect, experience has shown this is not always the case. Screws can be loose, gears not adjusted properly and adjustments are not correct. This is why you should read the manual fully, check all screws and adjustments and double-check everything again before that first run. It doesn't matter what brand it is, at some point I've found assembly mistakes in all of them.
If you have any questions you should stop over to the HobbyTalk Discussion Forums (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/) and ask. There are a lot of people there that will be happy to help you get the most out of your new RC car or truck.
Over the years I have found that just because it says it’s Ready-to-Run doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t check things over before that first run. Read on and I’ll give you a few hints to make sure you get the most out of your car or truck without being disappointed.
The first thing you should do is carefully read the instructions that come with it. I know, we hate reading instructions. You can be sure you’ll avoid later disappointment if you do that now rather then doing it after something is broke. The instructions not only give you tips on proper running and maintenance, they have safety notices to make sure you don’t injure yourself of others.
Many of these RTR vehicles are capable of high speeds and can weight more then 10 pounds. Being hit by one going 40+ MPH can not only cause broken bones, but even more serious injuries. Always be aware of that any time you run your car or truck.
Once you get your vehicle out of the box, go over it and check all screws, nuts and bolts to make sure they are tight. If the screws go into plastic, just make sure they are snug. If you tighten them too much, it could strip the plastic. If you have a nitro vehicle, all screws that go into metal should have thread-locking compound on them. Blue Locktite is best as it allows you to remove the screws when needed. The vibration of nitro engines will shake even the tightest screw loose over time.
A few other things to check is to make sure the tires are properly glued on the rims. Check the adjustment of the differential and slipper-clutch if it’s equipped with one. Check the oil in the shocks for proper filling and make sure the motor mounting screws are tight. Make sure any batteries you use are fully charged, if they are not rechargeable, that they are fresh. Check the servo or Electronic Speed Control (ESC) for proper adjustment.
If you have a nitro powered vehicle, double-check the engine needle setting. Improper adjustment can cause severe engine damage and they are not cheap to fix or replace. You should always make sure that your batteries are fully charged. If you batteries go dead while you are running, you can lose complete control of it. This can let it "run away" causing damage not only to the vehicle, but anyone that gets in it’s way.
Very few RTR nitro vehicles come with throttle return safety springs. A throttle return spring will close the throttle on your engine should your batteries unexpectedly go dead or if you have radio failure. Get one as soon as possible. They cost only a few cents, are easy to make yourself and can save you a lot of headaches. You can see one that I made myself from a common spring I bought at the local hardware store.
RC cars and truck are complicated pieces of machinery with many small pieces. As much as we would like everything to be perfect, experience has shown this is not always the case. Screws can be loose, gears not adjusted properly and adjustments are not correct. This is why you should read the manual fully, check all screws and adjustments and double-check everything again before that first run. It doesn't matter what brand it is, at some point I've found assembly mistakes in all of them.
If you have any questions you should stop over to the HobbyTalk Discussion Forums (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/) and ask. There are a lot of people there that will be happy to help you get the most out of your new RC car or truck.