HorizonRC.com How To - Take Your First Steps in RC

[956Joeboy]

is it possible to get a 2.4ghz radio for micro t without the brushless and lipo i dont have much money?

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@956Joeboy The LOSB9524 will allow you to use 2.4Ghz and brushed or brushless motors.

[RcBoy2000]

To late for me i already bent my radio antenna lol

[vpowell0208]

we need more how to vidzz like this one good jbb!

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@vpowell0208 They're in the hopper, look for more soon

[bassallhour]

can i use my airsoft battery

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@bassallhour I don't understand the question

[bassallhour]

@HorizonRCdotCom can i use the battery of my airsoft gun to power the car

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@bassallhour I would doubt it but I am not familiar with Airsoft guns

[aForkandaSpoon]

@bassallhour Yes, I use my car battery for my gun

[biax123456]

A little sarcasm: if you are having fun with this truck, then your axel will probably be bent and need replacing. So if you don’t want to be replacing axel all the time then never have fun with it….see that wasn’t difficult….

[biax123456]

A little sarcasm: what would happen if your truck is on top of the table and you turn it on and it starts moving at full speed and you just realized that you should’ve been holding the truck in your hand when turned on.

[biax123456]

I am tired of everyone saying LiPo lasts longer…..normally LiPo have more Mah then NiCd and NiMh….so ofcourse 3000mah Lipo will last longer then 1500NiMh…..but if you have a 3000Nimh, that will last just as long as 3000mah Lipo…maybe a little less if you are going to be a geek about it then simply grab a 3200mah Nimh to make sure it will last as long as 3000Lipo…it will still be cheaper and your house wouldn't burn down..

[biax123456]

LIPO’s are one of the most dangerous batteries ever created. Maybe if you are talking about eating them then who knows Lipo’s are safer then other but………NiMh/NiCd may get hot during charge and discharge yes….but when they mess up they normally will just leak some acid that will put a spot on your carpet….When LiPo’s mess up…they catch fire and your house burns down….

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@biax123456 I couldn't disagree with this more. I have seen NiMH batteries blow up like a shotgun shell and embed themselves into drywall through normal usage. I have never seen a LiPo go off when it was charged and used in the way they were intended. I have been at races where multiple racers have had NiMH batteries blow up, I have never seen a LiPo go up in-person.

[aForkandaSpoon]

@HorizonRCdotCom Obviously, you are a salesman

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@aForkandaSpoon How so? I honestly believe that, when used properly, LiPos are considerably safer than NiMH packs. I've seen NiMH packs blow up when people did everything right. I've never seen a LiPo go off unless someone did something wrong.

[aForkandaSpoon]

@HorizonRCdotCom I am not nice to my NiMH packs at all, I actually drug one behind my car for a long time in the snow before I noticed it and it looked rough. They can be charged simply by adding electricity. I have had no problems with mine, one has water in it and it isn't waterproof, but still does fine. Lipos however burst into flames, require intense voltage monitoring, cells must be balanced during charging, and if water gets into it and short circuit it say bye to your plastic chassis.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@aForkandaSpoon Again, I couldn't disagree with you more. I've had sub-C's go up out of the blue while charging, I've seen sub-C's embed themselves in drywall after shooting out of their casing, again, while charging. I've run my LiPos in boats, cars, trucks, monster trucks, etc and never had one issue. A LiPo will only "Burst into flames" if you do something wrong. It doesn't require intense voltage monitoring, simply a common balance charger. I respect your opinion but fundamentally disagree.

[aForkandaSpoon]

@HorizonRCdotCom If this is so, then why are there so many warnings about lipo's. I wanted to go lipo and as soon as I started looking into it I was confronted with massive amounts of information about how dangerous they were and the special handling they needed. I never got that out of NiMH

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@aForkandaSpoon I call it the LiPo boogieman. When LiPo first came around over 5 years ago you had people trying to charge LiPo batteries with NiMH chargers, using soft cased LiPos, etc, etc, etc. You also have LiPo coming to the forefront during a period when people are very "Litigation Happy". It is because of that that manufacturers put so many warnings out there. Plus NiMH are being phased out as more and more countries ban them.

[aForkandaSpoon]

@HorizonRCdotCom ok

[tommy1234567100]

What nitro truck can I buy from upgrading from the e-revo from traxxas

[aForkandaSpoon]

@tommy1234567100 I would stick with traxxas if I was you, either get the revo, t-maxx, or jato. Upgrading to nitro may be a little off though, brushless is about to cross that bridge.

[KTMBOY1112]

lol i've been driving rc cars for 3 years now. i know its not that long but cmon im 14

[RMJ1984]

Very good video, should do alot more of these. Very informative.

[MrJoker8027]

how long do i have to charge my battery for??



[HorizonRCdotCom]

@MrJoker8027 It all depends on the battery pack and charger. I would check the manual the comes with both for guidelines.

[tommy1234567100]

Hi I have a maverick atom xt electric rtr and wanna upgrade to a nitro but for less than £100 can u help me

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@tommy1234567100 Sorry, I am not familiar with that truck

[higgout]

Great video. learn a lot.

[dylanpetrunio]

My slash got ran over by a civic

[thelongboarder10]

alright thanks alot i have on elast thing i took apart my gear on the side of the engine i have a traxxas rustler by the way. but i took of the nut spring gear and two other metal pieces and im not sure how to get them back on because when i do the rod they are on slips out of the plastic cover. the nut also doesnt turn which is frusterating please help if you understand?

[thelongboarder10]

hey again thanks alot how do i tighten the differential ? aha im new to this but do you slidethat disc by the engine and the gears?

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@thelongboarder10 It depends on what car you have. Normally there's a screw on one side of the diff that you insert a wrench into while rotating the wheel on the other side in the opposite direction. You want it tight enough to not slip but not so tight that it doesn't have a free range of motion.

[thelongboarder10]

If you could email me at jgillmoure@cogeco.ca thatd be great if not it's fine too I have some other questions too

[thelongboarder10]

Hey I recently bought a electric car and the rear wheels turn opposite ways when i push one is that normal?

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@thelongboarder10 Yes, that's the differential at work, perfectly normal.

[kaxis97]

my dynamite prophet plus charger will charge my batterys only till like 5% charge i need help

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@kaxis97 Sounds like either the battery has gotten worn out or it's false peaking. Have you tried another battery just to make sure it's not a charger issue?

[ginebraxmar]

my rc stirs its wheels but the motors dont run...:(... i have this esc on my rc but i dont know how reset or to follow the steps on the manual because it does not follow...? it also has this reciever buttton that i keep on pressing? how will i make my first car run? ;((

[gokartin1]

like this if you just throw the manual out of your way =)

[paintballobsesed]

What about nitro cars

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@paintballobsesed We have plans to do a Nitro-centric video in the spring.

[jawnable1]

so i have 190 to spend on an electric vehicle, already have the 2wd slash, associated t4.1, and a traxxas stmpede rolling chassis. what other truck should i get?

[dude40299]

well...the battery is a nexxtech battery 2000mah 7.2 volts ni-cd. the truck is a sector 7 hummer.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@dude40299 How old is the battery pack? Also what are you using as a charger? It sounds like you have a department store truck there and the battery packs and running gear that comes with those is often sub-par. You can try discharging the pack all the way down to make sure it's getting a full charge. You can do this by driving the truck around until it's moving very slowly if you don't have a dedicated discharger.

[dude40299]

Can some 1 help me with a problem with my truck the battery only lasts a short time Evan a new one.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@dude40299 I need some more information. What type of battery, what's the condition and age of it, what are you considering short and what sort of charger are you using?

[bashie1234]

hey how can i make my rc have a larger ground clearance.

im new to the hobby.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@bashie1234 There are a few things you can do:

Increase the pre-load on the shocks so they don't "sag" so much at static ride height

Lengthen the shocks

Install tires with a taller sidewall.

[FLUFFINATORofCA]

hey do u have any tips on how to get more turning out of my b4 because its turning pretty wide

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@FLUFFINATORofCA Here's a few things to check:

Go to a grippier front tire or softer front insert

Lean the top of the shocks in or the bottom of the shocks out

Give the front more toe-out

Increase the front camber

Move the battery forward

You've actually inspired me to do a video about basic chassis tuning. Look for something in the coming weeks.

[RAMPAGE168]

can i charge an 8 cell battery on a 4-7cell chager

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@RAMPAGE168 No you cannot, sorry.

[xXstealth95]

i cant decide if i like cars/trucks or airplanes/helicopters better im not sure which im best at but im good at all of them got tips

[xXstealth95]

thanks horizonrc

[xXstealth95]

hey horizonrc i want to be able to do rc but my grades in school are a little bad and if i dont have good grades my parents wont buy me anything even though they want me to do this hobby and i cant decide if i like planes or helis or cars/trucks better got any tips

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@xXstealth95 First and foremost would be to get the grades up and study hard. You'll use a lot of math, science, flow-charting and more with RC, all of which you'll learn in school

[nts213]

Thanks .

[nts213]

Hello horizon my buggy spur is 48p and i want to change it to 36p can i do that if yes how.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@nts213 It would be 32 pitch, not 36, just a heads up. You would need both spur and pinion gears to be able to do that. Honestly I wouldn't recommend it. Most 1/10-scale vehicles are perfectly fine with 48-pitch gears.

[joe0wnzu]

I SNAPPED MY SC10 IN 2 TODAY =[

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@joe0wnzu Towards the front of the truck? Right in front of the servo and where the chassis is kicked up?

[joe0wnzu]

yh right in front of the servo where it is kicked up i was racing as normal and landed on the nose not going fast all stock eletrics no high and snapped

[Midgetkilla48]

@HorizonRCdotCom i have another question, when i run the motor on my traxxas rustler the entire truck sorta vibrates, i tried tightening the wheels but it still vibrates. is this normal?

[hondazaynefun]

@Midgetkilla48 your axles might be bent or it could be normal post a video and i might try to help you

[Midgetkilla48]

@hondazaynefun the axles on my truck are the telescoping ones tho

[HorizonRCdotCom]

You have telescoping driveshafts, not axles. As I replied on your other post check to make sure your tires are still glues up to the wheels properly too, that could cause an issue.

[nts213]

Thank you im gonna do that.

[nts213]

Im back need you again my motor is cool but my ESC and battery is roasting im running a 78 spur and a 21 pinion what should i do.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Drop a couple more teeth on the pinion or go up on the spur. You could possibly install an external fan on the ESC too.

[nts213]

Hey horizonRC i need your help i installed a ESC and motor in my car i soldered deans on it cut it on the car keep going backwards so i cut radio on it stops now when i sqeeze the throttle it only goes bakwards what can i do.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Is it a brushed or brushless ESC? If brushless is it a sensorless ESC? If so just swap two of the wires between the motor and ESC and it should be fine. You may also need to flip the throttle reversing switch on your transmitter too.

[joe0wnzu]

hi

id it a good tip to put ur reciver in a baloon to keep the muck and water off ?

[HorizonRCdotCom]

If your going to run in wet conditions yes.

[joe0wnzu]

ok just orderd mine and some rpm front and rear arms can you do a top 5 hop ups video for the sc10 or just tell me plzz =]

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Hadn't thought of it but it's a good suggestion. We'll see

[joe0wnzu]

why never leave ur batterys in your car i have for ages both in the sc10 and schuamher

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Couple reasons:

1) if you remove your battery you make sure that it's unplugged

2) If you don't use your car or truck for some time prevents leakage from cells (sub-C) which can happen.

3) In the event that something happens during storage and you have a cell or pack go up it won't take the vehicle with it.

[joe0wnzu]

ok but i got llike 4 lipo so where do you suggest i store my lipo and could you give me a like for some (UK) deans ultra plugs as i canot find any =/ thanks for all the help ur giving me

[HorizonRCdotCom]

@joe0wnzu Dynamite just came out with a Storage and Transport Pouch. DYN3034 is the P/N on it and it holds up to 6-LiPo batteries.

[1991BMWM5]

When are you going to do a review on the 1/36 micro high roller? Thanks! :D

[HorizonRCdotCom]

We have no plans on reviewing the Micro HIGHroller. We may do something with the Mini but that's yet to be determined.

[brage4]

spectrum isnt the only one thet has 2,4 systems

[Ispintechno1]

With my 2.4G corsair I noticed my manual says it doesn't matter if the transmitter is turned on first or the receiver because it's 2.4G and interference isn't possible (RX binded to TX only) . But I still do transmitter first because of using FM radios in the past. Better safe than sorry.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

I know many manuals now say that but it's still a good practice to turn the radio on first and off last.

[nts213]

I bought a used brushed motor i want to clean it and change the brushes before i install it in my car does it matter what kind or brand of brushes i get.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

All depends on the type of motor and type of brushes it uses.

[kabe628]

what is better yhe highroller or the stampede????

[traxxasmaniac123]

stampede

[stampedevxl]

that highroller wouldnt have a chance against a pede!!!! maybe with bl though, great vid

[CardNox]

Good video!! (Just posted it on a forum and asked for a sticky).

Only thing that I missed was checking of the wheelnuts and general screws on the car as well as the slipperclutch setting. But overall some really useful tips that might not be known to beginners.

[CardNox]

Just wanted to add that most of the above normally is discussed in the manual so beginners should really read the manual very carefully!!

[HorizonRCdotCom]

I actually did a video specifically on setting the slipper. Check it here on YouTube or on our website.

[CardNox]

Yes, I've seen the video. Will also add that to my topic start.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Which forum if you don't mind my asking?

[CardNox]

It's on a Dutch forum, so chances you know it are very slim. It's called ModelBouwForum, or MBF in short.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Very cool. If it were in German I could understand it :) Please feel free to have people ask any questions here too if they have any and thanks for spreading the word.

[CardNox]

It does have some resemblance to it :). Dutch is a very difficult language to learn. Everyone should start speaking English, that would solve a lot of problems.

[stylefreaks]

Great educational video ! Post for aircrafts too

[stampedevxl]

Nice, wouldn't mind seeing some more reviews, general how- to's, and top performance upgrades like what you did with the strike.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

They're coming, I promise :)

[stampedevxl]

how soon and what brand?!?!?!?!?

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Well you'll need to stay tuned to find out >:)

[stampedevxl]

How about just an approximate release date, please!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Before March 12th.

[stampedevxl]

first, thanks, second how do you respond so fast on youtube and the e-mails?

[HorizonRCdotCom]

I have no life ;)

Seriously, its part of what I have to do. I get an e-mail anytime someone comments on our videos, page, etc. I don't like having things wait to get answered. I wouldn't like to wait to get my questions answered and I don't think you guys and gals do either.

[stampedevxl]

We ALL aprreciate it, I don't think we realize it enough, im listening to your podcast right now, you forgot at the beggining to announce traxxas's new dressed up cars:d

[HorizonRCdotCom]

I announce what I get press releases on. If I don't get the info I can't talk about it.

[stampedevxl]

tottaly understood

[mattsboard27]

hey is it normal if a lipo starts loosing its "spark". like the very first day, it was extreme power, but after 1month, the lipo seems to have less of that power compared to out of the box.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

All batteries will eventually degrade and not work as well as when they were new. Making sure you buy a quality battery makes a huge difference. I know there are really cheap Li-Pos available from black-market sources. However those are generally cheap and "cheap", don't hold their performance as well and have a reduced cycle-life.

[traxxasrc1]

thats what i was thinking

Lipo's explode thier really safe

great vid thaugh

[HorizonRCdotCom]

As I stated I have never seen a LiPo go off in person. I have seen countless Sub-C packs go off when people were treating them properly.

[f14fan1243]

Maybe Jim could do one on RC aircraft.

[hondatmx]

nice rc tips lol.

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Ossie has nailed it and, as I said, it's my opinion. I have seen and had countless Sub-C batteries go off over the years. In the 4 years I have been using LiPo I have never seen one go off personally. That doesn't mean they don't go off, but like I mentioned in the video I have seen people get hit by exploding casings and seen the center of the cells embedded over an inch into drywall that was over 6-feet away to begin with. Yes, I personally feel LiPo's, when used properly, are MUCH safer.

[traxxasrc1]

sub-c packs????

u mean like NI-MH

[HorizonRCdotCom]

Correct. NiMH and NiCD packs used in 1/10-scale RC cars and trucks are also called Sub-C's.