Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The RC Deep Dive

The PBR (Pine Beach Raceway) in Japan is all about healthy and clean running of R/C buggies, cars, trucks, and fighting against the escalating war and costs of speed. The PBR teaches that fun is created by embracing limitations. To that end, this Japanese raceway has embraced that all racers should only use 380 motors, not 540 motors  and came up with a new style of deathmatch racing that has become a clean, high stakes demanding race that is beginning popular around the world now. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we review their tuned 380 motors, their motor mounts, and explore the unique history of Japan's Pine Beach Raceway and their vintage and rere with racing programs. 

Zealous Downhill Products makes ball bearings with a nano ceramic grease that not only can repair scratched, cracked, it deformed balls in the balls. But also protects the back bearings from water, dust, mud, sand, salt, and dirt. Although Zealous only makes these technologically advanced ball bearings for skateboards and longboards, could this technology help radio control model vehicle crawlers? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we look into the physics and chemistry of this nano ceramic bag bearing grease and come to a possibly surprising concluding for R/C enthusiasts. 

Many of us are taught early on the safety rule to always cut away from yourself with a knife to stay safe. But is there an exception to this rule in the radio-controlled model vehicle hobby? Can scoring R/C model vehicle Lexan polycarbonate body shells and cutting out intricate decals be done easily and effectively while cutting away from yourself? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dive deep into cutting safety and how the exceptions can sometimes prove the rule. 

NOTE: We recommend always using a finger blade for any cutting on your R/C model vehicle, when possible, and only moving the decals, not the knife. whenever possible for both safety plus the best biomechanics and ergonomic control. 

In the radio-controlled model vehicle hobby you never want to use high speed electric drills, as they can melt plastic. So your options are either a low speed drill or to use a pin vise. But what are the best low RPM (rotations per minute) drills and pin vices for use on R/C cars, buggies, trucks, vans, jeeps, busses, tanks, etc.? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we review and rank the best radio control model hobby pin vises and electric drills and the results night shock you! 

Streetstyle and Crawling, Vert Ramp/Park Skating and Bashing, Freestyle and Drifting, Contest Skating and Racing, Downhill Racing and Speed Running, while skateboarding and the R/C model vehicle hobby have diverse disciplines, these diverse styles match one another in some very interesting ways. In this episode of the RC Deep we connect those dots and show the connections between these passionate, seemingly different hobbies of radio-control and skateboarding. 

In 1984, something happened that made the Tamiya Frog a truly Mighty Frog and an icon in the radio-control hobbyist community. In the A-Main finals of the German National 1/10th scale R/C off-road  Deutsche Meisterschaft, 6 of the 8 finalists were Tamiya Frogs vs. a Kyosho Scorpion and Tomahawk. Not only did these Mighty Frogs qualify, but they also claimed the entire podium: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place! We dig in deep to give you all of the details of this epic race that turned the Tamiya Frog into a champion class radio-controlled 2WD (Two Wheel Drive) racing buggy. 

Hop-ups used to only be about physical upgrades, but these days there are digital hop-up options in the radio-controlled model vehicle hobby. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we plug in to the many firmware and software updates that can bring huge feature enhancement gains to your R/C cars, buggies, trucks, vans, jeeps, busses, and tanks' ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers), batteries, smart battery chargers, as well as your radio transmitters and receivers. 

Tamiya's CC-01 (CC stands for Cross Country) chassis was the x-country choice for Tamiya for decades, but recently they replaced it with the improved new generation CC-02 chassis. What are the differences in these two iconic chairs and what remained the same, allowing them to share some hop-ups? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we answer all of these questions and more about these cross-country classics. 

Upgrading your vintage or rere (re-release) radio-controlled car, buggy, truck, jeep, van, bus, or tank to brushless motors isn't as easy as a plug-and-play hop-up. There's many other things you need to be aware of including the limits of your R/C model vehicle, ESC (Electric Speed Controller), and gears in your gearbox. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over all of these specifics including giving specific advice for some of the most popular radio control vintage and rere icons. 

X beats O every time when it gives to shock rings. But why? What makes x-rings so superior to o-rings and which shocks should immediately upgrade from o-rings to x-rings? We cover this and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Changing your damper oil in your radio-controlled model vehicles shock absorbers is not a simple drain and refill prices, even if you are staying with the same color and cSt (centestoke) oil. On this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we explain why and give you step by step directions in how to properly change your shock's damper oil properly for perfect results every time. 

On some R/C club forums they say that you can and should upgrade your Tamiya TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) Buggy Aeration Oil-Filled Dampers to TRF Fluorine reservoirs, but this is absolutely incorrect advice. You should avoid these Fluorine dampers for your off-road buggy. However, there is an actual HL (High Lubrication) damper than you can upgrade to and Tamiya even recommends this upgrade path for radio-controlled buggies. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we explain why fluorine fails for off-road and when HL is actually the appropriate R/C buggy hop-up, because it isn't always the right choice. 

Some Lexan polycarbonate tail wing spoilers have deep screw recesses where it attaches to the body shell, especially in vintage and rere (re-release) radio-controlled cars and buggies like the Tamiya Frog. How do you make these holes filled into a perfectly flat surface for applying the tail wing spoiler decals? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we give you multiple ways to do this and tips to make those decals air bubble-free over these filled-in gaps in your vintage or rere Tamiya radio-control model vehicle. 

One of the big arguments, especially in the vintage and ReRe (re-released)Tamiya radio-controlled model vehicles obvious community is whether you should use a serrated flange nut or a nylock nut as your axle nut a.k.a. wheel nut. Both have definite advantages and vulnerabilities but is there a hop-up option that shares both of deez nuts advantages, giving it a triple lock with nylock, flange, and serration? We answer this listeners question in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

In previous episodes of the RC Deep Dive podcast we've talked about how the HobbyWing Quicken. 1060 and 1080 are the most popular ESCs (Electric Speed Controllers) for brushed motors, respectively. But in this episode we look at the best ESCs for bashers and crawlers using the criteria of ease of use, budget friendly, and best overall for any R/C battery chemistry. 

In the 1970s on-road radio-controlled model vehicles were king, but as the 70s came to and end and the 80s came upon us, the off-road R/C cars, trucks, buggies, vans, jeeps, and busses ruled the radio control hobby and continued so throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s. But the 90s would end with on-road model R/C cars being king again. I'm this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we explain why this happened and what's happening ever decade of the 200s and beyond! 

If all things are the same in the chassis, gearbox, wheels, and tires, which Lexan polycarbonate body shell is aerodynamically superior, the Tamiya Hornet or the Grasshopper body shell by Parma PSE? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we let the bodies hit the air and give you the findings of which body shell is faster and at what speed you will actually start to notice the differences between these body shells. 

Should you upgrade your stock plastic rear trailing arms on your Tamiya ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis R/C model vehicle? The answer depends on how your drive your Lancia 037 Rally car, Subaru BRAT, Frog, Blackfoot, or Monster Beetle. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive we walk you through all of the steps you need to go through to decide if this hop-up options is right for you. 

Both the vintage and rere (re-release) Blackfoot is one of the most iconic R/C monster trucks that Tamiya every made, but it spawned a family including the Super Blackfoot, King Blackfoot, Blackfoot Xtreme, and the Blackfoot III. Each spawned a plethora of Tania and 3rd party aftermarket of hop-ups to make this radio-controlled video vehicle even more amazing. We go over each model and rank and rate all of their many hop-up options in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Most full-size 2WD (Two Wheel Drive) cars that you set on the streets today are FWD (Front Wheel Drive), yet most 2WD R/C cars, trucks, buggies, keys, and vans are RWD (Rear Wheel Drive). In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we answer exactly why it makes sense for most 2WD radio-controlled model vehicles to be RWD and not FWD and also explain the exceptions to that rule. 

There are a lot of R/C apps out there fire both Android and iOS powered phones. However a lot of them aren't any good for enthusiasts if vintage and rere Tamiya radio-controlled model vehicles. Why? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we download and test each application to answer which ones are good for the vintage and rere Tamiya radio-control model vehicle kits and which ones are not and why. 

Tamiya's venturing into monster trucks, cars, buggies, jeeps, vans, buses, etc. Started much earlier than most people think. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we catalogue all of Tamiya's radio-controlled monster vehicles And what make each of them unique and groundbreaking for their time. 

Even if you set up perfect air filtration, ventilation. and circulation and have a quality issue of safety glasses, you are still going to need a good respirator for many activities like painting, dyeing, glueing, soldering, and more in the R/C model vehicle hobby. We go over why and exactly which respirators and fingers you need to use inside your radio-control hobby workshop in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Microfiber cloths aren't just nice to have but are mandatory for cleaning and taking care of radio-controlled model vehicles and cotton is an absolute no-no. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we going into exactly why skiing with how to use them and how to properly wash and dry them to ensure they don't get damaged and then damage your R/C car, buggy, truck, tank, jeep, van, boat, plane, helicopter, or drone. 

Here at the RC Deep Dive podcast we've discussed the Tamiya Grasshopper and Grasshopper II R/C buggies' Lexan polycarbonate body shells that Parma PSE (Parma Speed Experts) make to replace their stock ABS hard plastic bodies. But what other body shells does Parma PSE make for Vintage and rere (re-release) Tamiya model vehicles? In this episode we give you the complete catalog and where you can buy them. 

The Tamiya Frog can jump from one skatepark halfpipe with ease and outperforms any of the other bespoke R/C buggies from its era in the radio-control model vehicle hobby golden age. Why? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go into the geometry, material science, and physics of many of us systems that work in concert with one another to make for a perfect jumping buggy in both its original vintage and latest rere (re-release) models. 

How were Tamiya's bespoke animal named R/C buggies (such as the Frog, Grasshopper, Hornet, Fox, Falcon, Grasshopper II, Manta Ray, the Dragon series, the Fighting Bull, the Super Hornet, the Sand Viper, etc.) like their animal counterparts both in handling as well as in overall buggy and parts design? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig into the engineering of these radio-controlled model vehicles and the anatomy of their animal countries. 

Safety never takes second place at the RC Deep Dive podcast and in this episode we dig into what the safest, fog-free, most comfortable, most protective, yet affordable safety goggles that can be worn over prescription or reader eye glasses or by themselves without glasses that specifically met the needs of the R/C enthusiasts in the radio-controlled model vehicle hobbyist community in their hobby workshops. 

The vintage and rere (re-release) Tamiya Frog has a low CoG/CG (Center of Gravity) which helps it in mild off-road conditions, but when you hop-up to the Brat Attack look using the Tamiya Subaru BRAT wheels and tires in a square set-up, does it become an even better on-road and off-road radio-controlled buggy like a rally car such as the vintage Tamiya Lancia 037 Rally car that shines in races on both environments? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we investigate and answer this question. 

You need to take care of both ventilation and air circulation in your R/C model vehicle hobby workshop. You generally have two different types of options which is a system that is installed into the wall or a fan that blows the air out of the garage. But what brand and model fan is the best one to use for your radio-controlled model vehicle hobby workshop? We blow through the fluff and get to the core answer based on science in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we jump in deep into the world of calipers, both manual and digital and we put them to the test to see most accurate results for you. We answer the questions of which one measures up to be the best option for radio-controlled model vehicle hobbyist and which is the most budget friendly option, but still good for the R/C model enthusiast?

When it's cold outside like it currently is in the southern hemisphere of Earth and you're wanting to work on your radio controlled model vehicles in your R/C hobby workshop, you definitely need to have a heater in that space, whether it be your garage, a shed, or some place else that you use as your workshop. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over the most efficient, best heating, and least expensive heating options for your R/C hobby workshop. 

We've mentioned the need to use body reamers to make holes for headlights and antennae holes, body mounts, etc. on your Lexan polycarbonate body shells for your radio controlled model vehicles. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we answer these questions: who makes the best body reamers, which ones make your job easier, and which ones are the most affordable, good body reamers?

Do you really need to have an air filtration system in your radio-controlled model vehicle workshop in your garage? If you do need an air filtration system, what is the best system for your radio control model workbench and workshop? What is the most budget friendly option? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig into the science of air filtration and how to make your R/C workshop safe for your lungs and blood. 

It seems like that dusty, dirt tracks, and dirt jumps would be the best place to run your off-road radio-controlled buggy, car, truck, van, jeep, bus, or tank, right? And a nice cool breeze against your back would just make it better, right? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast We let you know just how detrimental these conditions can be for your R/C model vehicle and how you can prevent the damage and how to recover after damage from the wind, dirt, sand, and dust. 

Ai has become an inseparable part of radio-controlled model vehicle racing already. But where else is it being used by the manufacturers of these radio, controlled cars, buggies, trucks, etc.? We take a deep dive into manufacturer statements and the current and future use of AI throughout the radio control model, hobbyist industry and community in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Place your bets! R/C model vehicle racing, just like almost all racing events in sport has had betting be part of its history. However, there are no radio-controlled model vehicles racing fantasy leagues on the big big sports fantasy league gambling sites and apps. Why? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast We go into exactly why this has happened throughout the history of legalized gambling and what it would take to change in the future. 

Many sports are not only televised but are also available on the radio so that you can listen to the game, match, or race while you travel in your car. So why didn't radio controlled model vehicle Racing ever show up on the AM (Amplititude Modulation) or FM (Frequency Modulation) dials of terrestrial radio, but have become a popular part of audio-only podcasts in the modern age? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go back into recent history and explain why this came to be in this fashion. 

When the wires soldered to your R/C model vehicle's motor are too short to reach your ESC (Electric Speed Controller), what do you do to fix this problem? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we discuss the three options available to you along with both the negatives and positives of each. We also dispel the unchecked myth that runs rampant on some radio-controlled model vehicle club message boards that one of them is disastrous for your radio control model car, truck, buggy, van, jeep, bus, or tank. 

Tamiya famously includes a foam motor cover with its Super Stock BZ and Dirt Tuned brushed 540 R/C motors. Why do these motors come with this foam motor cover and why don't any other motors? What exactly do Tamiya's foam motor covers do and how do they do it? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig into the fascinating material science of these ingeniously engineered foam motor covers. 

While everybody knows that you must keep steady attention and eyes on them when charging a R/C LiPo (Lithium Polymer) battery. But we had a listener ask us if it was okay to let NiMh (Nickel Metal Hydride) or LiFe (Lithium Phosphate) batteries charge unattended. So in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast We go over the physics and chemistry of these batteries and the potential dangers (if they exist) of charging them unattended. We also give you the safest way to charge all three radio controlled model vehicle battery types. 

In the last year or so two things have been happening concurrently: more radio control car, buggy, truck, van, jeep, and bus drivers have been switching to stick style R/C radio transmitters along with the shrinking of the size and weight of those stick style radio controllers. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we review the Flysky ST-16 and discuss the exciting future path that it, and it's competitors are all headed towards. 

Stick style R/C radio transmitters require a neck strap to help hold it in place and have less stress on your hands and fingers. However the standard lanyard is simply not comfortable enough nor does it adequately spread the load. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we show you how using a neck-strap from the musical world of woodwind instruments like the saxophone instead of the radio control model vehicle hobbyist world can both alleviate the neck pain and headaches from a simple thin lanyard. 

We've discussed the sticks vs. pistol grip R/C radio transmitters before, but this time we go into your anatomy and give you the biomechanics and ergonomics of using each type of transmitter, scientifically how each affects your body's tissues and how you can possibly alleviate this damage that can be caused by them. You might be surprised which radio control transmitter design is more ergonomically and biomechanically superior in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Did you know that failure to get a full 7-9 hours of sleep can effect your R/C bashing, building, crawling, drifting, racing, speed running, and tuning extremely negatively? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go deep into sleep science and how too little or too much, and carrying between those two extremes can mess up your radio-control model vehicle hobby experience and your life. 

There are many e-ring or e-clip (a.k.a. the Jesus clip or Jesus ring) tools available for your radio-controlled model vehicles, but which one is the right one for you? Some brands offer separate e-clip installation and removal tools while others have an all-in-one solution. Sometimes less is more and more is less and we'll investigate if this is true of e-clip tools in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

In Japan it's is common to see a vintage or re-release Tamiya radio-controlled car, buggy, truck, van, jeep, or bus in or on a front or rear bicycle basket or rack on a colorful vintage styled bike, both in off-road and on-road environments. But is this phenomenon solely a Japanese cultural thing or can you encounter this in the RotW (Rest of the World) too? What is the meaning of this unique way to carry and display a R/C model vehicle such as a Mighty Frog, Grasshopper, Lunchbox, or a SuperShot / Super Hotshot? We pedal our research on the social and culture implications coming from this analog mode of radio-control transport on the R/C hobbyist community in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

Should you or should you not grease your radio-controlled model vehicle motor pinion gear? If so, what kind and how much grease should you actually use? Well, it depends on what R/C car, buggy, truck, tank, van, jeep, or bus model you have. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we finally settle this long-running debate in the Tamiya radio-control model vehicle hobbyist community. 

Our sun, Sol, many insects, arachnids, and poisonous plants can be an environment hazard when you are out bashing, crawling, racing, or speed running your radio-controlled cars, buggies, trucks, vans, busses, jeeps, and tanks. But many repellents and other preventative products can be dangerous to your R/C model vehicles. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we show you how to safely guard yourself from these environmental hazards and how to prevent their attacks. 

Many doctors recommend the paleo diet for fighting against cognitive fog, digestive issues, inflammation, irritability, joint pain, or obesity, but how is this nutritional plan helping high performance radio-controlled model vehicle bashers, builders, crawlers, drifters, racers, and speed runners? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we break down the nutritional science of why many, especially older R/C enthusiasts, are seeing this paleo diet, as well as similar diets like the primal and Mediterranean diets improve all aspects of their radio-control car, buggy, truck, van, jeep, bus, tank, boat, plane, helicopter, and drone hobby experiences.