How to Clean Your RC Car - And Why You should!

In this video Aaron shows us how to properly clean an RC car, and how to get maximum performance and longevity out of all parts - keep it clean!
Inferno Neo buggy:
hobbiesdirect....

[@martimmiranda5422]

Haven't got my RC Car yet but I have already started doing some research on how to "baby" one after a good bashing, great video keep it up!!

[@mickob8160]

Inox is a great product to use on moving parts as it’s a Teflon lubricant. It also works well to prevent dirt and mud from sticking to the car in the first place

[@fromfin90]

for the air, i got tired of using canned air, as i also have a desktop i dust regularly i got an electric air blower, strong enough air flow to clean dust from a desktop and tight enough to clean and dry an rc car!

[@phaze4208]

What air blower is it?

[@fromfin90]

@@phaze4208 mine is called IT Dusters CompuCleaner

[@lenharding72]

This is one of the most complete vids I have seen on this topic. Really appreciate it.

[@HobbiesDirect]

No worries Len, glad it was helpful!

[@leoniehill7511]

​@@HobbiesDirectwhat air compressor did you use

[@HobbiesDirect]

@@leoniehill7511 Just a big generic electric one we have upstairs at the warehouse, and canned air in some shots :-)

[@rileyhance318]

I find the wd40 dry lubricant works well for blasting dirt out of all of the smaller spaces. then take a blower and dry it off. it will soak into the plastics and make them more flexible and remove any water and dirt

[@redvikinghobbies]

Yo. I'm a clean freak with my cars but on every run this isn't necessary. You did a great job on showing how to clean a car on a 4 to 6 month maintenance although I would've added bearing maintenance however I wouldn't have even commented except you had simply green there. It's a very powerful degreaser that accelerates rusting because it strips the coating off non stainless metals. If you like the brand new look simply green gives you after cleaning be prepared to hit your car with a deep penetrating lubricant immediately after or you'll wind up with a rust bucket and have no idea why and think it's water. Otherwise this was a clean video. But that simply green can get you in trouble. Otherwise nice job Subbed!

[@danielli959]

So what alternate cleaner should I use Im new to hobby and want to protect my Rc car which was a pretty hefty purchase any tips? 😅

[@redvikinghobbies]

@@danielli959 which brand of car and model?

[@danielli959]

@@redvikinghobbies it’s a Traxxas trx4, I’ve had two but my first one was a nightmare with rust all over it’s screws and links! I had previously washed it with garden hose and so now that my new one is coming in I want to know how to properly clean and avoid using water

[@redvikinghobbies]

@@danielli959 Well first water isn't your enemy. They're water proofed pretty well. The enemy would be rinsing it with water and leaving it to dry without using canned air to blow that water off so it doesn't evaporate and leave behind particulates that build up and eventually cause deterioration and rust. So don't be afraid to run it through water or get it wet on the trail. You get a good mudding go ahead and blast it off with water and then high pressure air. Compressors are best but if you don't have one or can't because of the noise canned air works fine but gets expensive. While WD40 works fine, and lubricates your bearings and metal parts and is a deep penetrant that will prevent rust if it's not blown off and dried ot will cause all kinds of grass and leaves and dirt to be attracted to your rig. What you want is a dry lubricant, preferably Silicone based. Overseas they love GT85. It's actually a WD40 product. Here in the States it's called WD40 Specialist Dry Lubricant. It's very much like a dry bicycle lubricant and works great. For the body I love SC1 but make sure you've already applied any decals or painting you're going to do because SC1 will keep your rig looking beautiful but it builds up like a thin wax and tape won't even stick to it. But it's a great product. We use it on our cars, motorcycles, rc car bodies... Honestly, makes your rig look brand new. Best to use blue paper towels with it and remember a little goes a long way. Depending on how much you run your rig you'll wanna tear it down every 6 months to year and lubricate your bearings and diffs etc but if you're just a weekend warrior you can get away for awhile without tearing a rig apart for a deep clean and lubrication. But yeah, a dry penetrating lubricant and sc1 and some brushes, shop paper towels, and air will do the trick. And that lubricant will prevent or remove rust so don't be afraid of water. I still clean my brushed rebuidable motors with water. Best of luck to ya! Enjoy your new rig and avoid Simply Green unless you accidentally drop your rig in a tub of oil or traverse a Danish tar pit. 👍

[@stevenblair9454]

I thought he did wipe it down with a microfiber towel with WD-40 on it

[@jauken83]

I have a Ryobi 18v air mattress inflator that works great as a blow duster. Great video!

[@twanmcnasty4012]

When the car is really dirty I use a little gasoline in a match 👍

[@King-st9nx]

Nice 😂

[@GREENBOY4719]

Wait….

[@Rocco9578vr]

Thanks for life hack!!!!! Jk

[@OldMcDonaldHadAFarmEI-EI-O]

you have to remember to keep the lipo battery in the car during this process for proper car.

[@zacharyoliver5332]

In a match???

[@Macgyver46]

I toss mine in the shower, use a fan to let it dry and then WD-40 and oils where needed. Haven't had any problems with arrma models doing this for a year. Especially after a good snow bashing.

[@Schmidt3850]

Simple green foam has worked the best for me over many years.

[@echo-hotel]

I’ve heard bad things about simply green. After every use, just use an air compressor or pump like an old air mattress air pump. 70% alcohol over wet bit can help dry and clean a bit. Most electrical can handle 90-99% alcohol. Just keep it off the rubber or oil it up after. Sensors like on board gyros do don’t like alcohol, CMD and the like. If you use wd40 make sure to use the appropriate grease afterwards.

[@grandwaha]

Thank you for NOT spraying the chassis down with WD-40 like everybody else, it will weaken pastic components over time.

[@EdDoezema]

I hose mine down and use a hairdryer to dry it off and I haven’t had any rust in a year

[@RickOAA]

I clean mechanically with an M-16 cleaning brush and remove any component with built in grit. A few Q tips work wonders.

[@Skill4Reel]

What in the heck did we use before microfiber cloths? T-shirts? This was a great video. Thank you!

[@HobbiesDirect]

Personally? Socks.

[@akent46]

This video was Rad, good stuff boys and great content, I better send you my CV to join the team 👌✊

[@pwrofgrayskull]

Very helpful. Subscribed! 👍✌️

[@HobbiesDirect]

Happy to help, and welcome! 😀

[@earthcoloredeyes5043]

Just us alcohol and water with a mixed ratio around 10:2. Then us high speed barring oil. WD-40 tends to weaken certain plastics.

[@Rubenmoon1]

I am so lazy 😂 I just put it in the shower and spay til its clean last time I broke my esc by that tho😅

[@noodlzthesouthernpolarbear7293]

I used to make a mix of wd40 and axle grease and a little liquid grease to make a substance to soak my bearings in over night after words ill use a thicker mixture with less wd40 and more grease mixtures to soak my bearing in I'm not sure if it actually lengthened bearing life but it seemed to help free up bearings and too me it was worth it.

[@stonksrgud7645]

bro i aint got all day we need a video of how to clean it in 3 minutes xD, jsut poor water over it and let it dry?

[@HobbiesDirect]

If you like rust, sure!

[@soggy_gamer8452]

Great video mate. For a next video idea why not do a transmission rebuild.

[@HobbiesDirect]

What transmission would you like to see rebuilt?

[@zeekmx1970]

It's not WD40 you need. You need OIL.

[@LoganPlayz12]

7:14 😂😂

[@EXTREMERC416]

In my book never use water. As much as i made sure everything is dry specially when i run on clean snow. No matter what you do you will have surface rust on stuff. My pins for example water gets into them at place you cannot dry them off. (Inside the arm holes or pins for example. The only time my rc touches water is when i do complete teardown and maintenance of everything. Ussualy once per season. Avoid mud at all cost

[@ebandcamp]

WD40 is great on plastics. Petroleum product on a petroleum product (Plastics ). Shines up the plastic too .

[@JvD1985]

I always remove the wheels, motor, esc, battery holder... Then rins it with water so the dirty will get lose and then using a paintbrush and a teethbrush. Then rins again and it is clean. Then a blowdryer and done

[@donniemarks94]

I use a powerful air compressor hose on my rc’s after each use, then I go over them with a wet wipe and a microfiber cloth

[@andyb9994]

I've been trying and thinking of different ways to clean my R/C cars and I think you have the best way, it's a little work but that's part of the fun to me...thanks great vid and big help...

[@ChiefRickyRC]

Just wash em like dishes in the sink shake off air dry 30mins then drops of oil on metal joints and air dry over night like over a heat vent

[@mikehagquist5198]

In your beauty shot the front shock / tower / screws had surface rust lol. 😂

[@HobbiesDirect]

Yeah, this car has seen some heavy use before we filmed this! We could have cheated and used a brand new car at the end, but we opted to use one of our own personal cars to keep it real 🙂

[@wexelo]

I dry my car in the oven. Set on 30-40°C 😊

[@HobbiesDirect]

Add some shredded cheese and bake until golden brown?

[@TEAMBlumpkinPumpkins]

I’m ok with your promotion of cleaning the cars. I for one am a obsessive compulsive person and extreme clean freak. My cars a meticulously cleaned after each race. Not just tires and electronics. I remove center diffs , cvds/universals. And as I own a industrial shop compressor, if you don’t have one it makes cleaning , drying and preparing your car. I know most people don’t have one but I tested out a theory , if you go to your local mechanic and ask to use their air compressor out of the 4 I asked all of them said yes.

[@briangodek1989]

That background music is horrible. Jmho.

[@aERonAUtical96]

What happened to Simple Green Foam? Any alternative to that?

[@skycorrigan6511]

A A Ron

[@Kacicka999]

This video looked like easy way to ruin your car by chemicals and other stuff... just use your brain and clean it with cloth and hair dryer and mud will fall off. No need to get it all wet and stuff.

[@FantomaS_-86]

Great video!!!

[@jukkaovaskainen]

Warning! Never use a soft pack LiPos in electric cars where it cannot be protected as in this video. There is a high risk of fire if the cell is damaged.

[@jakobsinamon1683]

I run my 3s 6200 6000 and 5500 soft packs in water for the last 3 years mudding and in the rain snow etc, it's all about how you dry them off silly goose😊

[@michaelinzitari]

He is taking about fire from rocks puncturing the pack you skid mark. He never said a thing about water. Learn to comprehension

[@koguchipower4816]

@@michaelinzitari lol u skid mark🤣

[@t3floz]

Yes soft cases does get damaged from dirt more easily. But hard case gets hotter and Int’s also harder to see when a cell gets bas

[@Blixxardsp]

What if rinse my car down with a hose then use an air compresser to dry it

[@ChrisC-yf2lk]

Great vid. Really helpful. Thanks!

[@sahal.a]

👍🏻

[@ChiefRickyRC]

I toss them in the dishwasher 😉

[@ET_Zoom]

i blast my arrma fury blx shell with the hose and do the car separate

[@EnderBudoks]

I didn't know this because though my rc crawler only need oil so it's doesn't affect the motor bahahaha.

[@someoneidkwho2936]

My rc has been rusting for years 😢 how do I fix them

[@HobbiesDirect]

You can sand the rust off then clear coat it, using a rotary tool can help :-)

[@nicholas440]

This is too complicated. Just rinse with the hose and keep extra bearings around

[@blameusa7082]

tried various ways now, thought i had it sussed. rince with car shapoo and water, then blow dry then wd40 entire thing. but other day took my engine apart apart and all the clutch bearings had rusted solid! sad face, orderd new ones,,,,, now i just cleaning with WD40, but i thinks its more harmful thgan benificial as everything gets cacked with litlle grit stuff and wears at all my aluminium! thinking about just buyint the wd40 in a bottle and makeing a bath..... just submerge it and shake it all off.... just not sure wd40 is anygood for anything other than cleaning.... seems to cause more issues than it solves for me

[@h5d8kirkb3pw]

LOLLLLLL TOO LATE! I've used water to clean my RC. Annyway; they rusty now. lols on me.

[@tbzombie1725]

Doest wd40 eat away at plastic? I know you said to put it on metal parts but with conjoining plastic parts its bound to get in contact with the wd40, couldnt that be bad in the long run?

[@HobbiesDirect]

It can soften plastic (some people do this on purpose, by putting it in a sealed bag for a few days), so technically yes. But spraying it on is so insignificant the benefits outweigh the negatives.

[@tbzombie1725]

@@HobbiesDirect ahh okay thanks, ive been using dupont teflon silicone lube

[@HobbiesDirect]

Silicone spray is a great move as it doesn't attract dust@@tbzombie1725

[@ahmadfaris8044]

Andd... My traxxas summit is rated for extreme terrain... But the bearings all seized up the submicro T-Lock and 2nds gear servos are surely not extreme waterproof... When i open up the servos to check for gears there's water spots and rust in it, way to confuse newcomer to the hobby you traxxas...

[@HobbiesDirect]

Ooof, that's no good! We've always had good experience with Power HD waterproof servos, but keep in mind "waterproof" is not "submersible".

[@ahmadfaris8044]

@@HobbiesDirect just some splashes from pipe hose during washing, i noticed the rubber gasket on the servos are dried up.

[@martinbielby334]

So can these methods be used on a nitro car?

[@HobbiesDirect]

Absolutely! Might be a good idea to remove the engine as well as electronics :-)

[@tonyromano6220]

WD-40 is a cleaner. Use marine grease if one like dirt and such, holds up in water better.

[@speckledjim_]

I scratch my head at the thought of having to tell people to clean and maintain theyre rigs. Either they've got too much cash or theyre just not that into RC's. I think its as simple as that

[@unlazinessboyo]

I won't go to the extend of cleaning to a shelf queen, but thanks for the tips heh

[@PeterKarpouzas-bd3fv]

Not Bad. Not bad at all. Thank you for sharing. I'm not into electrics so much but more Nitro and find using water after bashing through dirt works well as, long as you dissipate all the water from the car after cleaning which is easily done to prevent corrosion. I usually spray the car with metho following the water rinse ( all electronics are disconnected of course and covered to prevent any ignition) This helps evaporate any water and leaves the car dead dry after spraying it with compressed air as metho evaporates and evaporates quickly with compressed air. Saves a lot of time dry wiping and trying to get into tight areas with brushing. After years in storage, the cars still look brand new.

[@ChristKrew-Rev1.8]

Love this video which volt Milwaukee did you use to take out bolts?

[@HobbiesDirect]

It's a 12v :-) The adjustable torque setting keeps it safe for RC cars haha.

[@Wappie667]

let me say what i use to clean it b4 watching. Babywipes and a whole load of wd40.

[@stevenblair9454]

Very good and comprehensive video I'm glad I clicked on it, I've had my RC car for about 6 months and I usually clean it with a brush and get all the big stuff out of it but I watched this video because I want to figure out how to clean my brushless motor and if a brushless motor needs to be oiled or not I'm kind of hearing two-sided answers like some people say a brushless motor doesn't need to be oiled and some people say they do I'm just a little confused can someone help me out

[@FoxRacingGaming]

Great video. Thank You.

[@HobbiesDirect]

You are welcome!

[@madaxman72]

GT85 is my go to as it won't destroy bearings but drives out water like WD40.

[@danielwhite4942]

We just gonna ignore he called himself A-Aron? ahahah

[@HobbiesDirect]

Everyone else does, I wanted in on the joke!

[@axe2grind244]

You done messed up A-Aron…

[@danielli959]

Im new to hobby and want to protect my Rc car which was a pretty hefty purchase any tips? 😅

[@legendbound2115]

I like to take my car apart and individually clean, and lubricate the parts

[@succ_wes7455]

the switch in accents at 2:50 threw me off so much lmfao

[@HobbiesDirect]

Haha got ya!

[@10izamar]

Hiii 🙌🏽 I need help friends RC...in my city it is rainy season and the track has water and mud... and I want to continue using it...I bring a copperhead 10 waterproof ESC and a castel 1412 3200kv. with sensor but in the place of the sensor I already put dielectric grease.. The question is: can I use it by disconnecting the fan from my ESC? since it says that it is the only thing that is not against water, the ESC fan. what dou you recommend?? I bring a traxxas slash 4x4, can I use it and it doesn't deprogram or have any problems? Obviously after using it, wash it completely and oil it... 

[@HobbiesDirect]

You might be alright, but it's probably not recommended. Waterproof really more means splash proof, not submersible. Especially being a sensored motor, even with the grease on there, it won't like water.

[@TheOnePercent00001]

Wait, question. Hopefully you see this comment, and hopefully this question isn’t dumb, but, what is the contact cleaner, and do you recommend driving your rc car (AMORIL 1:14) on snow?

[@HobbiesDirect]

Contact Cleaner is exactly that - a mild solvent that is designed to clean electrical contacts while leaving minimal residue. Driving in snow is a lot of fun, but plastic gets brittle when its cold, and you have to dry it out, very, very thoroughly to avoid corrosion.

[@zachwhite2716]

C’mon man, you know better than to use wd40 on bearings, you even say so in the vid. Use some lighter fluid or isopropyl to soak the, clean and apply a few drops of ptfe oil instead, you’ll get much better and longer lasting performance.

[@HobbiesDirect]

It is good for cleaning them out and displacing and water, but you are right, it's not a lubricant.

[@ludwig-777]

Are U using "Schmutz" in english? Greetings from germany. nice Video!

[@Mr.NiceGuy80]

I'm going to take this opportunity to ask an actual German what "Schmutz" is, instead of lazily googling it. Thank you!

[@ludwig-777]

@@Mr.NiceGuy80 it's used totally right, It's the opposite of clean. it can be described both: dirt/dirty. In a wet context of soil or mud... ✌️

[@HobbiesDirect]

@@ludwig-777 Hey we used it right!

[@treysals]

Why should the hairdryer be on a cool setting and not heated? For the last couple years I’ve used a hairdryer after cleaning my RC and no problems

[@HobbiesDirect]

Most cars will be fine, but it is very possible to warp body shells with just the heat from the hairdryer. Some cars (like the Arrma Vendetta) have lexan parts attached to the chassis, and we don't want anyone melting the diffuser on their car!

[@tonyvillalba6299]

What about aerosol brake cleaner??

[@HobbiesDirect]

It will work on some things, but be careful as it's a great way to eat into plastic or remove paint.

[@richardbrown6762]

I clean my car every time I play with it and I oil my bearings some of my cars are 20 years old and still works good 😎👍

[@HobbiesDirect]

This is the way!

[@s.h.1095]

Great video mate 👍cheers

[@HobbiesDirect]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@kboutdoors678]

I don’t clean my inside with water

[@IvanFoxDrift]

I need the compressed air

[@HobbiesDirect]

It really helps!

[@BrutalJelly]

This is more effort than cleaning real car😅 thanks for the instructions

[@HobbiesDirect]

Haha you've gotta love it!

[@dalenason2010]

Thanks, I keep coming back to your channel. Much appreciated!

[@HobbiesDirect]

Welcome back!

[@paulduffin131]

Diesel is good as a repelant and lubricant I also use it on my e bike chain

[@HobbiesDirect]

Just be careful you aren't deteriorating any plastic! Most are fine, but there are some that dissolve a bit.

[@darmawan1934]

I had to put out all of the electronic part of my 1/8 Summit? Hell no

[@catlady8324]

5:17 He said “Schmutz”!!! 😹

[@HobbiesDirect]

He's got Chutzpah!

[@bella0167]

Thanks very helpful 👍

[@HobbiesDirect]

Glad it helped :-)

[@tewatenebillemery5584]

I would not use water

[@Aus_mum]

Thx for the tips they really helped❤

[@joshcarson275]

I wash my hsp storm with the hose

[@hansolo1498]

Sehr gut gemacht, thänks :)

[@nicktraughber6312]

Are mineral spirits safe on these cars?

[@HobbiesDirect]

In general yes, but be careful of drying out bearings and any paintwork/stickers you want to keep :-)

[@roselia2551]

GREAT VIDEO! THIS IS SO HELPFUL!

[@angelopaglia6909]

My rc car drived in the water😢

[@HobbiesDirect]

Time to dry it out!

[@robbosrc]

My number 1 hobby shop to go to👍

[@usbsol]

Yeah, never gonna do this 😄

[@HoosierRC]

Never put WD40 on your car..

[@stephen.c293]

how to clean & maintain ESC fan?

[@HobbiesDirect]

Hey Stephen, contact cleaner and compressed air work well, but you may have to take the shroud apart to get in there and remove any debris.

[@stephen.c293]

@@HobbiesDirect ok thk u Bro😁👍

[@wantsomecoffe]

I just duct tape electronics and ports and chug it with the hose😂

[@chandimaniranji1081]

thanks😄👍

[@HobbiesDirect]

Welcome 😊

[@giopirmisashvili5514]

Thanks ❤

[@HobbiesDirect]

You're welcome 😊

[@chrishorton2768]

Too much work. If it's water resistant hit with 1500 psi pressure washer and 90 psi air to blow it off. Done this to my one of my x-maxx's over 100 times . Bearings esc's and motors are going to burn out over time regardless.

[@marquezpradoluisjavier7754]

😸✌🏻

[@V8chump]

My go to cleaning is simple green, a brush, then blow it off with an air compressor and finally let it sit in front of a box fan to wick away any residual moisture. Can’t ever get the damn dirt film off though. Rig looks brand new…. until it dries 😫 no idea how to get the film off

[@violater7026]

Thats when u hit it with a coat of silicone lubricant Must have get it on amazon

[@williambrown6409]

Son unos SEXBABY.Uno de los mejoresh conciertos Mañas no 3 se l 💯💞😍

[@dalegadkins]

Why he a missing like that 🤣🤣

[@IncredibleMeep]

My Rcs tend to last me a long time with little to no maintenance because I avoid wet conditions.