RC Electric Car Guide
What is a Remote Control Car?
An 'RC' car commonly refers to a radio (or now more commonly remote) controlled vehicle that can be controlled from a distance using a handheld transmitter.
ALIGN-TREX Models specialise in 'scale' models both Care and Helicopters (the ratio to the full size actual vehicle) from a lareg 1/5 down to compact 1/32 in the Remote Car RC Cars either with an Electric Motor or a Nitro Engine.
These range in body and chassis style from buggies to truggies, monster trucks and trophy trucks as well as road-based drift and touring cars.
Which remote control car should I buy?
What RC Car to buy is a personal choice. There is a large choice of models and model types avaliable, ranging from On-Road, Off-Road, Drift Cars, Racing Cars, Buggy and Monster Trucks. The majority of the RC Cars we sell here are ALIGN-TREX Models, come ‘ready to run’ often only requiring batteries, or Fuel and a charger to get started.
Electric Cars
Electric Cars need a Battery and a Charger, and you are ready to go. These cars are easy to use , quick to get going and over great Value of portablity
Nitro Cars
These cars need Nitro Fuel, sound like and run like real cars, and require a battery to run the electronics. These cars are fun ,fast, sound great and can be used and run all day long without charging lots of batteries
Off-Road cars
These are our most popular range of cars and can cope with mixed surfaces such as gravel, dirt and grass. They vary in capability to buggies that will cope with gardens to stadium trucks that can handle the beach, right up to serious crawlers that can ford rivers and traverse rock faces. If you intend to use the car in a wet environment we strongly advise looking at waterproof models designed for this.
On-Road Cars
On-road cars are commonly 1/10th in scale and have a realistic appearance. This sector includes spec touring race cars ideal for club racing at the track. Modellers customise their cars by switching the body and swapping out the wheels and tyres.
Are remote control cars expensive?
RC Cars are not expensive and can start at a very resonable price. This price includes start around the £30 mark with starting equiepment and rises upwards for the enusiasts.
Do I need anything extra to start driving?
If there are any other requirements, these are normally indicated on the web site. Most Models come Ready to Race and only need AA Batteries to be Fitted. On Nitro Cars you will need Fuel , and on some Electric Cars that run on the more powerful LiPloy Batteries, a Charger and Battery may not be included.
If you look through the related product section to provide the correct items that can be used and are needed
How fast are remote control cars?
Cars can travel fast, most are limted to a slower speed like 40mph, which for most of us, is fast. With a change of a pinon or pinon upgrade electrics and Nitro cars can travel faster. most electric cars are the fastest, and Lithium Poly Battery normally can provide the power output needed to go faster, along with abrushless motor.
How long do the batteries last?
Our staff can provide a estimation based on model specification battery capacity but as this is ultimately both model (specification) and driver (style) dependant it is impossible to put an absolute value on it. We suggest checking the manufacturer's website for an indication of model specific data.
Do you sell spare batteries?
Many of our ready-to-run cars tend to come with relatively small capacity batteries, but larger (or direct) replacement batteries are available for most models. Be sure to check the cell’s specification in terms of dimensions, capacity, output and crucially the connector to ensure compatibility. Do get in touch if you would like purchase advice regarding batteries and chargers as it can be complex.
How long does it take to charge?
This will vary and is dependent on both the battery and charger specifications so please refer to the manufacturer's documentation. Charging time can be worked out by dividing the batteries capacity by the charge rate. Cheaper models include basic ‘trickle’ chargers that can take 6-8hrs+ to fill the included battery.
We stock several high-powered chargers that not only charge cells in a fraction of that time but can also handle the charging/discharging/balancing processes associated with advanced LiPo batteries.
Does my car come with a warranty?
There is a limited warranty on all products, and the length of time varies on each manfacturer. If there are any issues with your brand-new car please get in touch and we will do our utmost to resolve the situation.
What happens if I break the car?
Crashes are a common experience in RC car ownership but do not fear. Should you crash your car we have a wide range of spares for each model and always ensure the more popular parts are in stock; Take a look at the following sections for your model and spare parts
What is a Brushless Motor ?
Electric cars are often defined as 'brushed' or 'brushless', with the difference being their motor technology.
Brushed remote control cars feature a motors with brushes and are often powered by a 7.2v NiMh battery.They are aimed at entry level users, or people who need to stay in a budget and are not really after high powered cars
Brushless RC Cars feature powerful 'brushless' motors paired with advanced speed controllers to maximise performance. These are often coupled with Li-Polymer batteries which can supply instant bursts of power for quick acceleration and fast top-speeds.
Nitro Engine Sizes
A Nitro engine can come in several sizes, like .21 or .28, these refer to the size of the CC capacity that the engine can take. It is not nessary that a .28 Engine is faster than a .21, as a race spec engine with REV higher and run faster. However it is normally a good indication that the bigger the engine the more power you will get.
Running in a Nitro Engine
Running in is important and nessary. We offer a service here at ALIGN-TREX that which will get you going and put your model in the right condition to preform and run well for the future.
Proper nitro engine break-in is critical for the long-lasting performance of your RC. Every new nitro engine should undergo a break-in procedure which takes from one to two hours and about three to five tanks of nitro fuel. Be patient! If you break in the nitro engine properly, the upkeep on your RC vehicle will be less costly than if the procedure is done hastily and incorrectly.