| There are some common terms that apply to all | | | | instance, a gear with 36 teeth meshed with a gear |
| remote control cars. Take a few minutes to familiarize | | | | with 12 teeth gives a 36/12 or 3/1 ratio. This is usually |
| yourself with them and you can avoid making some | | | | expressed as 3.00:1. Changing the gear ratio of your |
| wrong decisions when it comes time to buy. | | | | car affects its speed and handling. |
| Scale Size | | | | Nitrous Oxide |
| Scale refers to the relationship between the size of | | | | When you hear the term "gas engine" the "gas" is |
| remote control cars to an actual automobile. Scale | | | | really Nitrous oxide, a compound composed of 2 parts |
| dimensions are represented like this: 1/10th, or 1/8th. | | | | nitrogen and one part oxygen (36% oxygen by |
| This means that the rc car is 1/10th, or 1.8th the size of | | | | weight). When nitrous oxide is heated it breaks down |
| a real car. | | | | and releases extra oxygen which increases the ability |
| The most common sizes are: 1/24, 1/18, 1/12, 1/10, 1/8 | | | | of the engine to burn fuel. Because of this increased |
| and 1/5. The 1/24th scale being the smallest, and the 1 | | | | ability, higher cylinder pressures are created, which |
| 5th scale the largest. | | | | increases the speed and thrust of remote control cars. |
| Ready to Run | | | | Channel |
| If you want to go from out-of-the-box to on-the-road | | | | The refers to the frequencies that are used by the |
| in less than an hour, then the Ready To Run (RTR) | | | | Transmitters and Receivers that are a part of all |
| remote control cars are the way to go. These cars | | | | remote control cars. If you are operating your car near |
| come fully assembled including radio transmitter, | | | | others, then everyone must be on a different |
| batteries, and charger (for the electric models). | | | | frequency in order to avoid interference and |
| Kits | | | | accidentally operating one and another's cars. |
| If you have time on your hands, and enjoy building | | | | Digital Proportional Acceleration (DPA) |
| models, then building remote control cars from a kit | | | | Small circuit boards are used to precisely measure out |
| can be both fun and rewarding. | | | | acceleration signals that enable remote control cars to |
| As an added bonus, you'll save money because kits | | | | speed up and down smoothly, like real cars, rather |
| are cheaper than similar pre-assembled. Also, there is | | | | than in akward jumps that look fake. When you pull the |
| no better way to know your car inside and out then | | | | trigger slowly, the car moves slowly. Pull it a bit faster |
| having put it together yourself. Another great benefit is | | | | and the car goes faster. |
| that you can add "hop ups", or customization kits, and | | | | Digital Proportional Steering (DPS) |
| mae the car uniquely yours. | | | | Like DPA, DPS uses circuit boards to emulate the |
| Gear Ratio | | | | handling and cornering of a real car. Turn slightly to the |
| Remote control cars use gears to transfer energy | | | | right or left, and the car steers right or left. Turn harder |
| from the engine or motor to the wheels. A gear ratio is | | | | and the card swings wider. |
| the numerical ratio of a series of gears in relation to | | | | While there are many more terms that you will |
| each other, based on the number of turns of the input | | | | encounter as you get deeper into your new hobby, |
| shaft, compared to turns of the output shaft. | | | | these starter terms should get you through the |
| Gear ratios are determined by the number of teeth on | | | | process of reading the specs and helping you to pick |
| each gear (and therefore the size of each gear). For | | | | your first car. |