How to Build a Gas RC Car
RC model cars are scale model vehicles made for either on or off-road driving. Cars made to utilize a gas engine have several advantages over those using battery powered electric engines. By building a gas-powered car, you can extend the driving time of the vehicle well past that possible with a charged battery, driving as long as your supply of fuel lasts through easy refueling. You can also enjoy the greater speeds attainable with most gas RC cars, with average top speeds of over 30 mph, and 40 mph possible if you use after-market, precision-tuned engines in place of kit engines.
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Things You'll Need
- RC gas-powered car kit
- Radio transmitter
- Radio receiver
- Servos
- Speed controller
- Hobby knife
- Screwdriver
Instructions
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1
Choose your RC model kit for building. Gas-powered kits are typically made in 1/8th scale, with the primary differences between most kits being in the quality of the included parts. Kits come in both road cars and off-road cars, with slightly differing wheels and shocks. Pick a kit that's made for the type of surface you'll commonly be driving on for best results.
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2
Purchase a radio transmitter, receiver, servos, speed controller and motor for your car. The transmitter should be a type you feel comfortable with handling, either a pistol-grip model where the trigger controls the speed, while the steering is controlled by a small wheel mounted on the front of the transmitter, or a box-like control where sticks are used for directional and speed control. Make sure the transmitter is a two-channel radio, with the first channel to control the steering and the second channel to control the speed.
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3
Examine the kit parts, checking that all pieces are present. Cut the plastic parts away from the sprue and lay them out onto a flat work surface.
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4
Assemble the chassis of the model car. The chassis is the main body of the car, which holds the shock towers, remote controls, and motor.
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5
Assemble the shock towers and install onto the chassis, screwing them in place. Each wheel's shocks must be assembled individually before being attached to the chassis. Make sure all four are equal in height before attaching to the chassis. Align the front and rear shocks together once placed so that the car lies level, and then attach the wheels to the shocks, aligning the wheels as well. The wheels should stand parallel to the chassis when attached.
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6
Assemble the motor assembly for the car. Place the motor and fuel tank into the chassis.
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7
Connect the speed controller, the radio receiver and the servos to the chassis. Attach a servo to the speed controller and a servo to the steering bar controlling the front wheels. Connect the motor to the speed controller, and the speed controller and servos to the radio receiver.
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8
Install a charged battery pack and attach it to the radio receiver. Attach the car body to the chassis by placing the holes in the body over the corresponding posts in the chassis and pushing clips into the post holes to hold the body in place.
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Tips & Warnings
You can improve the performance of your car by adding aftermarket parts such as a higher rpm motor, new wheels, and lighter alloy chassis parts.
