How To Build Rc Drift Car

Thinking of getting into the world of RC Drift cars or looking to add to your RC drove? This ultimate guide is perfect for beginners.

What makes an RC car an RC Drift car? The RWD mechanism and non-grip tires forth with certain techniques used on the controller. RC Drift scene has been growing over the years however it exploded in 2020 while car enthusiast options became limited due to Covid. RC Drifting is a fun hobby to have and anyone can beginning it.

Can anyone plow a regular RC auto into an RC Drift auto? Yes, only depending on your current build you may need to practise some adjustments/upgrading to your RC Auto for it to drift well which nosotros cover in this guide.

Buying or Edifice an RC Drift Car

Set up to Run
Custom / DIY

Body
Chassis
Motor and ESC
Batteries and Chargers
Southervo

Boosted Resource

3-Tier RC Drift Car Build Guide
RC Drift Automobile Online Discussion Forums
RC Migrate Car Track Designs
Find a Local RC Migrate Car Track/Club

Buying or Building an RC Drift Car

Depending on your build and what you want the result of your RC Drift automobile meridian await and performance can range anywhere from $200-400 USD. Many different shops and tracks effectually your area may sell RTR kits saving you lot time and money. This is all-time in instance yous need extra aid as shops are easily attainable and have all the tools that yous volition need to assistance guide you forth the way. One time you lot figured those two areas out, now is the time to make up one's mind how much time and money you are planning on investing in this hobby. Building a kit will not simply teach y'all how each function works but you will gain the knowledge and fundamentals when you determine to upgrade or build a new car.

Practice you want to build your chassis or purchase a prebuilt ready-to-run (RTR)? By edifice a kit you will acquire cognition when it comes time to upgrade and tune your auto, the downside is yous will have to order each part separately, if you lot are simply using this to play around and test out, we recommend going with a pre-built kit. RTR is a great pick and the cheapest when y'all go started simply in one case yous determine to upgrade the parts, the cost will start adding upward.

Prepare to Run

Ready to run is a nifty culling if y'all desire to skip the whole building side. They make perfect gifts and take tons of options in terms of looks. Although nosotros recommend edifice your RC motorcar so you can acquire the fundamentals of each part that will come in handy when upgrading in the futurity, RTR is still an awesome alternative. It will save yous on cost upfront for the get-go few months or even a year but once you decide to upgrade the parts it will add upward and end upward costing you the aforementioned if you lot went ahead and congenital information technology yourself.

Here are a couple of pre-builds that we institute with the highest amazon reviews if you plan on going the RTR route also included other reputable sites:

Nissan Nismo R34 GT-R Special Kit
NitroRCX RTR
Subaru WRX STI 4WD Kit
Horizon Hobby
Toyota Supra Model Kit

Custom / DIY

Body

The very first thing you lot should consider is what size you want your RC Drift Car to be. There are various options to cull from but nosotros suggest sticking to 1/10 scale cars every bit that is the industry standard in the drift scene. Second, what practice you want the auto to look like? There are many different versions created inspired by real cars such as GT-R, Supra, etc.. you just have to make sure that all the parts fit the size you lot cull. If you are still unsure of what you want your body to expect like in that location are plenty of videos on YouTube that bear witness off the concluding result of cars that yous accept in listen, that might help you with deciding on your trunk.

We've picked out a couple of nice bodies and catered them into a list. Only you tin pretty much virtually find any existent-life machine in an RC form.

Our favourite 1/10 RC Migrate Car Bodies:

Nissan Skyline R34 (Silver)
Nissan Skyline R34 (Blue)
Nissan Skyline R34 (Gold)
Nissan Skyline R34 (Green)
Super-G
HSP RC Body Beat for HSP Redcat Exceed (blue)
HSP RC Trunk Beat for HSP Redcat Exceed (black)
Coolplay 1/10 PVC On Road Drift Auto

Chassis

The Chassis will act every bit the trunk of the car that holds all the important components in identify. As said previously, pay attention to the scale size because they volition accept to lucifer the torso you went with. If this is your first build we propose getting a new chassis instead of finding a used one primarily because it'due south your very first build and you practise not know what the previous owner did with the chassis, they might have had information technology set up wrong, couldn't make it different, etc… Next, you must consider if yous want an all-wheel-drive chassis or a rear-wheel-drive, once yous decide you cant switch, or else you will accept to teach and memorize how to drive all over again. AWD is fun but non the all-time for when yous determine to go on the track with it, nosotros recommend going with the RWD chassis if you lot want to drift.

Watch the Guide To Finding The Best Drifting Chassis

We have compiled a listing of a few chassis beneath for you lot that will be helpful. Past all ways, these are not the "perfect" chassis y'all will need to do your research to see what the other parts to your RC car will exist and cater it effectually the chassis to make sure it all fits perfectly.

Spec-R S1 1:10 RC 1/10 4WD Electric Touring Car Chassis Frame Kit
YOKOMO RWD DRIFT Automobile Chassis Kit
"All-time" RC Car Frame, RC Wheelbase Frame Carbon Fiber Metal Car Chassis Beam 1:ten Drift Racing Car Frame Kit
TAMIYA America, Inc i/ten TT-02R Chassis 4WD Kit
MST RMX ii.0 S ane/10 Scale RWD

Motor and ESC

Motors, too known as Turns (T) power the wheels, the lower the turn, the faster the motor goes. In that location are Brushed and Brushless configurations that come with the motor, if your chief purpose is to drift brushless should be your main choice, it is a standard in the drift scene. Brushed motors are cheaper, simply they have a reputation of wearing out early. If you exercise get down the RTR path, almost of the motors provided in the builds are already brushless. We advise sticking around the 13T-10.5T as that is the standard nowadays that generally takes around 120A. You observe these in combos present to relieve money. ESC controls your motor and tells it how to part through the receiver, the full general rule of pollex to follow when choosing an ESC is the more powerful your motor, the more than powerful your ESC will need to be. You lot tin hands detect the two every bit a combo saving you time and money.

RC Drift Motor and ESC Combos (Saves time & coin)

To save yous some fourth dimension we have constitute a few combos that match each other perfectly

540 Brushless Motor & 120A ESC & Programming Card 3650 5200KV Sensorless Motor Waterproof ESC
Innovateking 3650 5200KV Sensorless Brushless Motor with 120A ESC
RC Mart
Horizon Hobby
Amain Hobbies
Hobby Town

Motors (Brushed)

Nosotros've also compiled a list of motors that are sold separately if you choose to go this route

TAMIYA America, Inc RS540 Sport Tuned Brushed Motor
Globact Rc Motor 550 12T Brushed Motor
Globact RC car Motor 550 12T Brushed Motor
INJORA RC Motor 550 Brushed Motor
Goolsky Surpass Hobby 550 35T Brushed Motor
RC Mart

ESC

Nosotros've as well compiled a listing of ESC if you choose to buy them separately

Xiangtat Hobby Wing QUICRUN 10BL120 Sensored 120A two-3S Lipo
RCruning 120A Brushless ESC
HOBBYWING QUICRUN 10BL120 SENSORED ESC

Batteries and Chargers

The battery will depend on what motor y'all decide to go with. LiPo's will mostly last longer and requite y'all the well-nigh power as well as making it easier to upgrade down the line. Exist careful that y'all don't choose a battery with too much or too niggling voltage on it or else you will fire out your ESC. For Example: if your ESC is rated for 5S and the bombardment you chose is 8S information technology will burn and kill your ESC, match it with what your ESC is. You can choose whatever capacity battery you lot desire for your RC machine provided it'due south the same voltage. If yous are however unsure about what battery to choose nosotros have linked below a guide that explains everything well-nigh batteries.

The Complete Guide For How To Choose The Correct Battery

Brushless Motors

Require LiPo batteries and a balance charger.

We take establish a few Lipo battery packs

7.4V Lipo Bombardment
22.2V 100C 5200mAh 6S Lipo Battery
11.1V 50C 3S RC Lipo Battery

Brushed Motors

Crave NiMh battery and charger or LiPo bombardment and balance charger

We've compiled a list of NiMH batteries

two Pack 7.2V 3600mAh High Capacity 6-Cell NiMH
vii.2V Battery Pack High Chapters half dozen-Prison cell 3000mAh NiMH
8.4V 4200mAh seven-Prison cell Hump NiMH

Servo

Earlier choosing the type of servo we should showtime consider the size of your chassis requirements and motor, servos come in ii different sizes: standard or low contour. The low profiles are lightweight merely expensive. Next is to selection what type of motor either brushless or geared. Brushless make less racket and are smoother but they are more expensive, although they concluding significantly longer, are more reliable, and increase torque. The geared motors are more rugged, just they are easier to maintain.

Complete Guide on How To Choose The Right Servo For You

We take compiled the list with the most reviewed Servo's on Amazon along with other sites to make information technology easier for yous to choose.

20KG Full Metal Gear Digital Servo
25KG High Torque Metallic Gear Standard Digital Servo
Amen Hobbies
Savox
30KG Metal Gear Digital Servo
35kg high Torque Coreless Motor servo
55g Metal Gear Torque Digital Servo

Additional Resources

3-Tier RC Migrate Auto Build Guide

Here's a perfect 3 tier breakdown example of dissimilar build options that was posted by a user in the RC Drift Reddit community The canvass breaks downwards the parts and cost of each role required for a build and outlines what class each build will belong under. Y'all tin can use the sheet every bit a template for yourself and outline your own parts. It is a good fashion of keeping track of all your parts and volition come in handy when it'south time to upgrade.

RC Drift Motorcar Online Discussion Forums

In that location are hundreds of online discussion forums that can be constitute about RC cars. Information technology'south the best place to get your questions answered and suggestions almost your RC Car. Communities can exist plant on Reddit, Facebook groups, discord, you lot tin even narrow it down to your ain land and join communities that are shut to you. Just to name a few there are:

RC Migrate Reddit Customs
RC Migrate Auto Facbook group
Buy & Sell RC Drift Cars Facbook

RC Migrate Automobile Track Designs

The rail designs for RC Cars have a lot of turns and movement that y'all will somewhen accept to chief. At that place are videos that prove to build a track and what they all generally wait similar which can come up in handy if y'all want to practice at domicile or someplace that is shut to you lot earlier y'all go on a rail with others' driting.

How to Build an RC Drift Circuit
RC Cars track directory

Find a Local RC Migrate Car Track/Gild

Practice makes perfect! Go out and explore what types of communities and clubs in that location are around your surface area. Immerse yourself with the civilisation and customs. One of the best ways to get better at globe-trotting is to watch and follow others that accept more experience than you doing information technology. In that location are always new groups being made on Facebook, Reddit, etc, posting meetup locations and having clubs.

RC Cars track directory

FAQ

Where tin can I buy RC migrate cars?

You tin buy RC drift cars at almost every online store, like Amazon and eBay.

How much does an RC drift motorcar cost?

RC drift cars are priced at anything betwixt $30 and $300. Yet, you can also get some listed for over $300, depending on the manufacturer and specs.

Which are the best RC drift cars?

Most best RC migrate cars are miniature versions of JDM cars. They include the Kyosho Mazda RX-7, Jada Nissan Skyline, and HPI Racing Nissan Silvia S13. JDM cars have replicas with other names, such as the HPI Racing Sprint 2 Drift based on the Nissan 350Z and Exceed MadSpeed DriftKing With Brushless Moto based on the Nissan Skyline R35 GT-R.

How to drift electric RC drift cars

Start by figuring out the controls which allow yous to accelerate and plough directions. In one case you take that figured out, accelerate while turning simultaneously. Kickoff, try on a more slippery surface, which helps you find that turning sugariness spot.

How to drift RC cars

Globe-trotting RC cars is easier than it sounds. Once you figure out the acceleration and turning controls, try accelerating and, at the aforementioned fourth dimension, changing directions. Virtually drift cars have plastic tires, which have lesser grip and thus will slide without much effort.

Where can I drift RC drift cars?

Apart from your driveway or house, in that location are mini drift tracks for RC drift cars, generally in enclosed areas. If at that place are other RC automobile drifters in your expanse and there's no drift track, you can improvise one, which shouldn't be that hard.

What track surface is best for drifting RC cars

Since RC drift motorcar tires are mostly fabricated of plastic or hard condom, you should migrate your RC car on soft surfaces with no traction between the tires and the surface. Such surfaces include ceramic tiles, wooden floors, epoxy floors, plastic tiles, or marble.

Source: https://www.jdmbuysell.com/jdm-lifestyle/the-ultimate-guide-to-rc-drift-cars/