The RC Deep Dive

Many radio-controlled model vehicle enthusiasts have only run their R/C cars in their backyard, at parks, at skateparks, and/or on hiking trails, but never at an indoor RC car club. What are these radio-controlled car clubs and what brought them to fruition? What resources do they provide to the radio control car hobbyist community? We pull out our membership cards and give you all the reasons why RC clubs can be a boon to the radio control hobbyist community in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

The vintage Audi Quattro Rally and Lancia 037 Rally are classic Tamiya 2WD (Two Wheel Drive) R/C cars from the 1980s, bit what is available to hop them up and restomod (restoration modification) them? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we look at all the parts available to upgrade these absolute rally car legends of the golden age of radio control.

R/C cars have started crawling, bashing, and drifting in a new terrain, the remains of abandoned malls in the wake of the retail apocalypse. We open the doors to the dangers, the adventures, and the fun that is being had in theses empty relics that sometimes look like an exciting wasteland of a future apocalypse rather than the shopping centers that they used to be in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Parma PSE (Parma Speed Experts) made many hop-ups for the Tamiya Frog and the other R/C model vehicles built on the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis. We go over the most popular Parma hop-up options and explain why these vintage hookups were both unique solutions to weaknesses in the ORV chassis as well as some of the most sought after upgrades that strengthened these epic radio-controlled model vehicles exponentially.

Many people think that R/C building, racing, bashing, crawling, and drifting is a sedentary activity like playing video games. However the actual science shows that many of these activities give the radio control enthusiast a really good workout both physically and mentally. We break down the radio controlled model vehicle activities that are helping you be a healthier person in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Most people use a standard pen style hobby knife such as a #11 Exacto knife. However, when it comes to cutting decals and placing them on your R/C model vehicle's body shell, this is not the ideal choice nor tool. Instead, a finger loop hobby knife is the best for helping you achieve exact cuts every time. We cut through the nonsense and put our finger directly on both the hows and whys of finger knife superiority for radio control in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Tamiya has released and rereleased the Mitsubishi Pajero a.k.a. Montero a.k.a. Shogun 1:10th scale R/C car/truck/jeep so many times that it's hard to keep track. However in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go through the changes of this vintage, classic, rere, and modern radio controlled model vehicle that has changed chassis so many times that it had almost become chassis agnostic while becoming a stunt, off-road, on-road, and rally race vehicle throughout it's many varied iterations.

To make the Tamiya Sand Scorcher R/C baja buggy live up to it's iconic name you will want to put paddle tires on ask four wheels to make a square setup. But how do you do that? It's actually a bit more complicated than you think. We scorch the earth to find the best way to put the best paddle tires on your vintage or rere (re-release) Sand Scorcher so you can truly dominate the sand and surf the next tube you are at the beach in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Depending on your radio controlled model vehicles, you might need different kinds of hardware, including screws, washers, nuts, etc. for building, repairing, upgrading, and rebuilding your R/C car, truck, or buggy. How do you know what hardware to have on hand and where can you get it to make sure that you get the highest quality hardware? We get into the nuts and bolts and give you the plan for your mandatory extras in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Have you ever wondered if moving the knife or moving the decal sheet was the better way to cut out R/C decals? What truly is the proper way to cut out decals for your radio controlled model vehicle? Which way is more ergonomically safe for your body? Which way helps you cut out intricate curves more easily? Although it may not seem intuitive, we cut deep to the truth and make it clear in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we cover the hows and whys of the 4 different ways and firmware update options to upgrade your Flysky FS-i6x radio controlled transmitter in your R/C car, truck, buggy, bus, jeep, airplane, helicopter, jet, submarine or boat including step by step instructions as well as the best upgrade options, including both the advantages and the disadvantages of each of the many firmware upgrade options.

The Super HotShot 4WD (Four-Wheel Drive) R/C buggy already comes with a powerful Tamiya 540 GT Tuned Motor, but it can handle more power after a couple tweaks and upgrades to the stock parts. Once those hop-ups are in place we let you know exactly how powerful of a mirror you can put inside your rere (rerelease) of the 1986 SuperShot in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Most people are usually focused on speed, but those who know the importance of torque to get over obstacles, to be first of the starting line, and to sure around corners, look at torque as well. We look at Tamiya's currently available 540 motor stock and give you the actual measurements in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. [NOTE: We do not include Tamiya's Torque Tuned Motor as it actually has less torque than the Tamiya Sport Tuned 540 motor. This comparison also doesn't include Tamiya's new brushed motors announced for 2026]

While you should always buy from your LHS (Local R/C Hobby Shop) if possible, when you do need to order online you should avoid mass retailers like AliExpress, Amazon, Temu, etc. and buy from trusted officially retailers like AMain, EuroRC, Hearns Hobbies. RCMart, TTP Models, etc. Why? We dig into the many less-obvious reasons why you could be setting yourself and your radio-controlled model vehicles up for disaster if you don't heed this advice in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

While the Flysky FS-GT3B is a often the recommended budget pistol grip and wheel radio control transmitter, what are the best budget stick control radio transmitters? We breakdown the details and specifications of those claiming to be the best option and in the end crowd one option to be the kind of budget stick transmitters for your land based radio controlled model vehicles in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

In today's episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we present an audio guide ranked from necessary to nice-to-have hop-ups that will turn your Mighty Frog inspired Neo Fighter Buggy or Neo Frog DT-03 (DT stands for Dirt Two-Wheel-Drive) R/C buggy into a modern racer, in an easy ranked format for your convenience. Which hop-ups will you use to upgrade your DT-03 radio-controlled car?

If you like building Tamiya radio-controlled land based vehicles and want to get the same type of R/C model vehicle building experience with water based vehicles like boats and submarines, what brands and models should you invest in? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we get you prepared for the wet and dry docks with all the information you could need to make this decision while starting your marine radio-controlled model vehicle hobby.

Did you know that there is actually a psychological reason you are local to your favored R/C model vehicle brand? Psychology actually teaches us that our brand preferences and our favorite radio controlled cars actually help define us as a person. We break down your mind and explain the scientific reasons you are pre-wired to like one brand (such as Tamiya, Kyosho, Yokomo, Associated Electronics, Losi, X-ray, Schumacher, Arrma, etc.) over another brand in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

If you want a radio-controlled school bus that is also a monster truck, the R/C hobbyist world has this absurdity for you. There's five different pathways to get this including Tamiya's giant King Yellow 6x6 monster school bus to the famous sKOOL bus body shell from Parma PSE and a bunch of options in-between. We take you to school and teach you all of your options to make this unique radio control basher, crawler, or racer bus in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

If you like building Tamiya radio-controlled land based vehicles and want to get the same type of R/C model vehicle building experience with sky based radio-controlled vehicles like airplanes and jets, what brands and models should you invest in? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we get you prepared for takeoff with all the information you could need to make this decision to become an R/C pilot.

What is the CC-01 (CC stand for Cross Country) chassis and what are the available updates for it? What made this radio-controlled model vehicle chassis unique and so desired due so long until the CC-02 came out much later? We dig into the unique specs and find so these answers for you on this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

The Tamiya Rookie Rabbit, the first RTR (Ready-To-Run) R/C buggy on the DT-01 (DT stands for Dirt Two-Wheel-Drive) chassis was a very important radio controlled buggy for Tamiya, but why? We drive into this question and let you know the must-have upgrades to make this beginner buggy matter in the modern day of radio control in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Cotter pins or body clips used to be small and straight. However, over time the pull ring angle and the size of these clips or pins have increased. Why has the size changed and why is this important for not only keeping your body shell on your R/C model vehicle, but also protecting those sometimes fragile body mounts? We dive deep into the material science and physics of different sizes and different angles on body pins in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Tamiya and Kyosho each use Lean and the TPS (Toyota Production System) in their R/C model vehicle factories. We explain how this helps get a perfect vehicle to you quickly and how a failure to have this system be part of the corporate, manufacturing, and marketing culture have lead to a number of disastrous recalls for Kyosho and why Tamiya has never had to suffer one of these very expensive recalls.

While the TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) Aeration Oil-Filled Dampers come with yellow #400 damper oil, if you upgrade them with softer shock springs when installing them on an R/C model vehicle like the Tamiya Lancia 037 Rally car, Subaru BRAT, or the Frog, you are going to want softer shock oil if you are taking your off-road vehicle to the natural environment it was made for. We help you dial down exactly which shock oils you should use in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

If you don't have the rere (re-release) Hornet decals packed with window masks; and honestly, even if you do; masking that window bump for the antenna can be tricky and leave unsightly paint lines on your window that is supposed to be clear. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over the options to make sure you don't have this problem.

The Wild Willy and the later WW2 (Wild Willy 2) may look similar at first glance, but they are actually very different radio controlled model vehicles. Let's jump in the jeep, go do some wheelies, and discover the many differences in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Cross-country barrel shock springs work differently than your standard damper spring. Why are they so good for some TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) aeration oil-filled dampers on Tamiya's CC-01 (Cross Country) chassis for R/C model vehicles like the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero and also can surprisingly work (with some serious modifications) in the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis? We dig deep into the physics and material science on these CC-O1 barrel shock spring set in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig into the material measurements of Tamiya, Pro-Line, Parma PSE, and TBG (Team Blue Groove) Lexan polycarbonate bodies and tell you each ones strengths and weaknesses, and which ones are easier to cut, trim, and repair so that you can make the best R/C micro figure body shell choice for your skillet and radio-controlled model vehicles.

If you upgraded to TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) aeration oil-filled dampers for your radio-controlled car, truck, buggy, jeep, or van, but find that you want softer shock springs, what are your options? We look through Tamiya and 3rd party hop-up manufacturers catalogues and give you the various options for different chassis in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

The vintage Tamiya radio-controlled Willy's Wheeler was recently rereleased as the Honda City Turbo and while on the surface they look quite similar, there are actually a lot of changes under the hood in this rere (re-release) R/C model vehicle. We dig deep into the specs and detail ask the many changes in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

If you are using generic T-Plug Clones rather than the genuine Dean's Ultra Plugs, you could be setting yourself up for a major R/C electrical disaster. We explain why why and how of the electrical engineering and physics that makes this a potential money pit if you skip and don't buy the real thing in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

A popular hop-up for the Tamiya Frog 1:10th scale R/C buggy are the TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) Buggy Aeration Oil-Filled Dampers. Why is this combination of modern and vintage so popular and what does it do for the vintage stylings of the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis radio controlled vehicles. We spring for the truth about this unique restomod hop-up in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

The Clodbuster and the Super Clodbuster The monster truck of monster trucks, that would be called The King if it wasn't for the King Blackfoot. The radio controlled monster truck that has captivated both adults and youth for the last 4 decades. Why? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig over just exactly what made this R/C truck and it's rere (re-released) models so beloved and the hop-up industry that sprouted up around it.

When you have a large amount of surface area to mask when painting your R/C model vehicle's Lexan polycarbonate body shell, it can be a pain to layer so many overlaying rows of masking tape. So in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we uncover better ways of masking large surface areas like the white part on a box art perfect Tamiya The Frog.

What is the physical science between using the highest quality told with good ergonomic design and the reduction in wrenching pain, fatigue, and injuries? We research the ergonomic science behind top of the line R/C told like MIP and Vessel and explain how they can improve your life, both at the workbench and away from it too.

You've completed building your radio controlled model vehicle and are ready to cut your Lexan polycarbonate body shell so it will fit on your chassis. But there are multiple lines on your R/C car's body shell. Why? There's actually a really good reason and we take a deep dive into the reasons in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Using an adapter to charge your radio controlled model vehicle's battery is very convenient, but could it be destroying your battery and making your runtime decrease quickly! We breakdown the electrical engineering of these adapters and the chemistry of R/C batteries and explain why this common practice is actually a really bad idea in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

I'm this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we combine something rarely connected, which we are calling R/C automotive romance: sainthood by martyrdom, legendary dark pacts of love that shook a church to its core when it was revealed, and the radio controlled model vehicles that connect them all together on this universal holiday of romantic love known as the Feast Day of St. Valentine or simply Saint Valentine's Day (also Singles Awareness Day).

You can now get rear trailing arm stiffeners made it of plastic, nylon, carbon fiber, and a variety of metals. Which of these options is the best and which of then are the worst? It all depends on your radio control running style and not necessarily a single option that is right for everyone. We define why this is in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

There are three different names for fans of radio controlled vehicles, but what's the difference? We open the hobbyist community dictionary and thesaurus and break down the jargon, defining the differences between a Racer, a R/C Hobbyist, and a RC Enthusiast in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. Which title do you claim for yourself?

"Curiouser and curiouser," Alice said, as she saw the vintage R/C model vehicles in front of the denizens of Wonderland. There was one for the Queen of Hearts, the White King and his White Knight, the Mock Turtle, the Dormouse, the March Hare, the Jabberwock, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatte, the Rabbit, and now. But which radio controlled model vehicle was hers? We look through the looking glass and correlate these chaotic RC cars with the even more chaotic citizens of Wonderland in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Many R/C hobbyists will use J-B Weld to repair their radio controlled vehicles when they break, such as a broken axle on a Tamiya BRAT or Frog. However, repairing it outside a specific humidity and temperature range will cause catastrophic results when fixing your RC model vehicles. We define and explain what happens when you don't keep your repair in this heat and moisture range in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Many people think that the 1976 Porsche 934 Turbo RSR was the first radio controlled model vehicle created by Tamiya. However that title actually belongs to the 1974 1/16th scale M4 Sherman Tank. We dig into the design and explain exactly what caused it to be such a mechanical marvel with clutch and brake steering and it's many more advanced rere (rerelease) models in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Did you know that you can charge your R/C model vehicles batteries using your personal automobile? While it is possible, there are some important precautions to take before, during, and after RC (Direct Current) charging your radio-controlled model vehicle battery with your automobile. We uncover the directions and concerns on this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Have you ever seen a Tamiya Grasshopper 2 just rolling around on its two left tires or it's two right tires and wondered how in the world did they do that? Well we here at the RC Deep Dive podcast found one out in the wild and are teaching you today how to build one for yourself.

If you've ever taken a lot of tumbles on the concrete with your Grasshopper II or Super Hornet, you may have cracked, broken, or friction rubbed off the functional part of your body posts off your chassis. How can you repair, replace, fix, or upgrade this essential part that keeps your your Lexan polycarbonate body shell on the chassis?? We go over multiple ways to fix these problems in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast

Both the BBX and the Fighter NX Gen are modern R/C buggies, yet definitely vintage inspired. While on the surface, the two radio controlled cars may look very similar, there are many differences below the surface. Which one is the right RC buggy for you? We dig deep and discover the differences between these two amazing Tamiya model vehicle creations in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

Wild Willy has had many radio controlled model vehicles from the Wild Willy Jeep, the Willy's Wheeler car, the WW2 Jeep, and now the rere car, the Honda City Turbo rally car. What inspired this dynasty, what caused it to prosper, and what connects each of Wild Willy's multiple Tamiya T/C model vehicles? We go wild and drive deep in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

What R/C Model Vehicle matches up with Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Saturn, Chibi Moon, Sailor Pluto, Sailors Uranus and Neptune? You might be surprised how easily the Sailor Scouts and their allies match up with vintage radio controlled cars in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.