RC Car UPGRADES vs Option Parts, which do you need?

[@mechanicmike2858]

The absolute best upgrade that you can do is not a specific part that you can buy... It's time and patience and listening and seeing what the fast guys are doing and taking their advice to heart and then applying it to your race program!!! Great video Ryan 👍👍

[@brendand.2269]

Yes but the best drivers in the world are sometimes separated by a tenth of a second over 5 minutes. So the mods add up to those tenths. A car with ceramic bearings, pucks system, high quality electronics, polished hinges, slipper eliminator, etc…. In the hands of the same pro will be faster than the stock version

[@extec101]

@@brendand.2269 true but also how much of these "go fast" parts used by the pros realy makes a difference or is just dressup for the car? as example do a avarage driver need titanium screws if the car is still in race weight?

[@RCHobbiez]

This was definitely very useful. I learned with my first rig that you don't want everything aluminum. If you have some durable plastics, the flex from an impact will help so that the metal doesn't stay with that odd shape after an impact. For my bashers I always looked for Proline plastic parts as they were stronger.

[@josephslomka8161]

One of the things to consider with titanium tie rods is that the lack of flex can cause more broken parts. I have had an increase in broken parts with new ballcups and titanium turnbuckles. The flex may be more forgiving for beginners who don't land every jump the right way. Protip- If you are upgrading to titanium from steel parts and accidentally mix them up:steel is mildly magnetic while titanium isn't. You can use a magnet, or brushed motor, to quickly determine which is which.

[@devlinbigwood8886]

Thanks!

[@blindj]

Finally someone said it. Different parts does not necessarily mean "upgrade". Some people want to change/"upgrade" parts on their RC so badly they don't even drive it stock to know if what they are switching is actually helping or hurting their performance. Love the content , And I am not even a dirt racer. Keep up the great videos.

[@hondofourfivetwo9347]

Come on we all know that blue aluminum bling is good for dropping a couple tenths off your lap times and if you can’t be fast you need to at least look good trying 😝

[@s10rice]

This comment speaks to me 🤣

[@thecman26]

Plus yellow wheels! At least 2 tenths faster!

[@WoodWerksUSA]

@@thecman26 white wheels are 3 tenths faster though?!?

[@thecman26]

@@WoodWerksUSA That's totally a myth, yellow is much faster! The dye is lighter!

[@RyanHarrisRC]

Nothing but facts here

[@christiannasca3520]

What about the shock absorber attachment points? Usually there are a 2 to 3 positions that will alter the geometry at which the shock absorbers are actuated. Which position favors which driving behavior? Could you shed some light on that? Also it doesn't cost anything to alter the geometry.

[@stanmore1972]

Aluminium servo horn especially if your running a high torque servo. Plastic servo horns can’t always cope.

[@NeoIsrafil]

Im driving a wltoys 104001, the new 4wd race buggy they put out, and honestly i love it. Ive got the electronics converted to a brushless 3s setup, the aluminum swapped to 3mm carbon fiber, and honestly she handles as well as any associated or losi buggy ive ever seen. Was SO pleasantly surprised. I did manage to break the front driveshaft on one side, so i swapped it to an associated b64 set and it fit perfectly and was probably a durability improvement tbh, hasn't broken since. For a 150 dollar car its just unbeatable, i paid 230 for an ebay order when it was backordered everywhere and i dont even regret overpaying, its just that good imo.

[@jprme7588]

Nice man!

[@Hellseeker1]

So I just built a AE B74.2 and automatically got the front center and rear aluminum housing for the diffs, the weight difference is so negligible that I feel it was worth it. I got colored aluminum wheel nuts, the ones that come with the car are steel and are a noticeable difference in weight. IMO Aluminum vs Plastic isn't that much of a weight difference. Main issue with Aluminum is it doesn't spring back like plastic dose. If you full send your car into a curb something's gonna break, don't matter if its aluminum or plastic.

[@chadchristians607]

The cars today are so good out of the box you don't need to upgrade, put the upgrade money towards tires. With that said, Ryan's advice, when doing a rebuild, is a good time to add some upgrade/option parts. If you do want an immediate upgrade, ceramic bearings for your 10th scale car is a good bang for the buck and is worth considering with a new builder kit or rebuild. As always Ryan, thanks for the channel.

[@bobtierney6946]

One of the best RCCA articles I remember said this about "hop-ups". They will either improve strength, lower lap times or improve looks. Some will give more than one of these. The more the better. The rest are up to the owner. For me if it improved strength and lap times, I was in.

[@danidv2218]

Best way to have both aesthetic and permormance upgrade is changing the wing and the "cover" of the car (idk the english name) some wings come in many different colors and design and they can make a big difference (mostly track specific talking about 1/8 scale buggy) and covers i mean, some of them have attentions to aerodynamics which is cool and also kinda good for performance but you get a transpatent one and you can have a go at painting it or just pay someone to paint it for you and now you have a cool distinguishable design

[@caseedwards3017]

It’s always a good day when Ryan posts!! It’s straight 🔥

[@paulus842000]

My traxxas slash 4x4. I've upgraded to a 17mm hex with 1/8th wheels, scorched rc parts inner fenders and a proline flotek body. It's completely changed the truck and has stopped nearly all the parachuting.

[@TheMassEffect]

Metal bulk head (option between the metals) is a must at out track. All the team guys run them on there 2wd(track specific kind of a thing). Other then that spot on. Also we have a guy who 3d prints a block for a fan that fits on the battery and cools the motor more effectively. At least for us team AE guys

[@limberg2005]

I just started racing on Indoor Carpet and have been working with one of my Rustlers to improve it. I added an Aluminum front bulkhead and an actual front bumper (also aluminum) to add weight in the front. It also surprisingly made the Rustler a lot more durable. Not as durable as a Slash but definitely a major improvement.

[@adamcumpsty5356]

Also, a real basic upgrade is aluminium servo horns. Plastic just strip out too fast.

[@jasonleffel79]

Great video, I run a b10 6.2 and I run outside in the summer, and carpet in the winter her in Wisconsin, as a amateur I broke many plastic Front bulkheads, so I swapped to a Aluminum, Solve that problem, Especially indoors I hear people breaking bulk heads everyday, Take care, hope to see ya in Wisconsin soon!

[@truckerdude17]

Good info Ryan!! When I purchased my B6.3 most of the guys in the Facebook group suggested an aluminum bulkhead. Some said they broke it the first day on the track. They say that and the titanium screws are the 2 upgrades to get before building. Me…I did not!! Maybe later. Lol

[@suspicioustumbleweed4760]

That aluminum or brass bulkhead can take a second off of a lap sometimes, it can help the car nosedive more and moves up the CG.

[@jprme7588]

@@suspicioustumbleweed4760 Moves up centre of gravity. So it's bad?

[@suspicioustumbleweed4760]

@@jprme7588 I mean it adds more weight up front which helps level out 2wd b6.

[@FreakoRico999]

The difference between bashers and racers is soooo big... I always have to mentaly switch when talking to a basher. They mostly talk about durability, racers talk about lap times and how the car feels. Really never spoke about durability during my RC Racing career.

[@s10rice]

Associated 6 series front bulkhead is a MUST upgrade. Whether it be aluminum, brass etc. the stock plastic piece is made of glass and breaks the first time you look at it wrong 🤣

[@tylerfleming7330]

Especially with the t6.2 or sc6.2. Those long arms and big tires definitely eat the factory plastic bulkhead

[@s10rice]

@@tylerfleming7330 for sure, I'm running the t6.2 and it only took the first tap of the track barrier and it was done.

[@suspicioustumbleweed4760]

The guy at my shop runs it with no set screws?!

[@tylerfleming7330]

@@suspicioustumbleweed4760 The plastic one? I know some of the top tier guy local to me use the plastic one with certain setups, but I'd assume always with the set screws. They're also the guys need the extra tenth a lap to win whatever class they're running and rarely crash

[@suspicioustumbleweed4760]

@@tylerfleming7330 I have the brass one. I asked for set screws and the dude said no to bother. Seems like they would reduce play

[@kennymsd]

Yet another good video.. I run mostly on turf/ carpet and our front ends take a beating. Hence, i run aluminum front bulk heads. They are more durable and we can afford to lose some flex (grip). The down side when running "upgraded" metal parts, especially ones that have so many parts tied in, is being extra careful to use a thread lock of some sort and even then you have to pay attention to the car as things can come loose even when thread lock is applied. Taking away flex adds stress to other areas...

[@treverlund1948]

DLC coated shock shafts and hing pins.

[@Mxoderberg]

This video is true for all things be it RC, MX, MTB etc... Have you ever done a video with a popular beginner rtr and try it and work through free or cheap upgrades to make it better? It would be very interesting to see how you go about it.

[@MrMaPierce]

Aluminum ackerman bar and bellcranks can be a durability upgrade and help reduce steering slop.

[@adamcumpsty5356]

Plastic composite planet gears in my 4wd diffs. Great for weight reduction, and makes the stock class feel more "punchy". Cheap option/upgrade.

[@koditheilgaard3471]

Another great video, Ryan. This was a great topic to cover. 'Really appreciate the extra love you gave to the title plates/transitions, too. Great touch.

[@RyanHarrisRC]

It’s all about the finer things in life lol

[@ShasOAunLa]

I definately love my titanium turnbuckle set... the original parts dont have hexes on them so they are a pain to wrench on. also i like carbon fiber inserts in my lower wishbones for that reduced flex on high grip surfaces like turf or carpet.

[@alec78uk4]

The cheapest thing I brought that made my car go faster because it cornered better was sway bars only £5.99 each then spent some time researching youtube videos how to set my car up, knowledge is priceless.

[@FZERO20]

Sway bars on rc cars improve the handling so much it makes no sense🤣my car went from under steering under power, to power sliding on full throttle.

[@downtoearthconstruction]

is a fan beneficial or is weight and power consumption an issue in racing.

[@spencerparedez5929]

Ryan this video was awesome! I just got a Lodi 22 5.0 roller because of watching your channel. And I’ve been wanting to upgrade it but didn’t want to waste my money. You really helped me see where I should be focusing my attention! Thanks love your videos!

[@aaren182]

I'd agree with pretty much all of it, except the bit about the bulkheads. It's an option part with most brands, usually having 3-4 options(plastic, aluminum, steel, brass.) Most of the local carpet cars here have brass. Added durability of the metal ones don't hurt either.

[@aaren182]

I could see them being less common in the dirt world though, with carpet we're all for the most part trying to get the weight forward and low.

[@darenolney41]

For my division (locked timing 21.5 fixed FDR) where every rotating gram makes a difference. Biggest upgrade was lighting up the drive train. Puck system, cut gears, ultra light exotek spur with a poly pinion

[@sloan5297]

And they call it stock racing....hahaha

[@ocdmods4992]

Agreed. That class at Hobby Action is so competitive every little bit helps. My buggy is fast, it's my driving that is lacking. 😀

[@tylerfleming7330]

IMO, the 2 must have upgrades got team associated kits are an aluminum bulkhead (apparently its called a pivot block on tlr) and aluminum bellcranks. Both just for durability. I usually get an avid transmission ceramic bearing kit and use regular bearings everywhere else

[@thomaskuter6689]

Looking for an option you used to run but doesn’t seem to be available for the 5.0 ?? Stand up or a lay back transmission??? Has this been discontinued I still run loose dirt and have been looking for this but I’m only finding the 4.0 transmission Do you know ??

[@christianadkins2305]

My $.02, aluminum steering blocks/rear carriers are a must, i was running my road car with the plastic composite stuff and i could litterally watch the camber get thrown wayyyy off. Do those aluminum and keep the control arms plastic. Reliability and performance

[@Rockdagger]

I took the alum bulkhead on my 6.3d for a little heavier nose. Also helps a touch with stiffness

[@jerryhellstrom30]

Carbon chassis is an very good option for hard bite tracks. Not on clay, carbon worn out very quickly but chassis protection will solve that out.

[@dannyallen8328]

You say aluminum bulk head is bad but it is the first thing most ae drivers add for the weight. The weight is what helps the steering.

[@hunterking5514]

Still trying to get my hands on two full sets of aluminum shock caps for my cars. They’re almost still on intergalactic back order

[@RyanHarrisRC]

I blocked them from your account, sorry bro

[@fredchapman9482]

Hey Hunter…are you really looking for 2 full sets? Lol…I have 2 full sets brand new in package of the standard aluminums as I just got a hold of the domed caps.

[@hunterking5514]

@@RyanHarrisRC Gosh dang it Ryan now I’ll never get them 😭. @Fred Chapman I’m trying to get the domed ones lol. And they’ve been on back order so I’ve been just waiting

[@fuelediowa]

There is one application in racing I have added an aluminum bulk head and that was a very limited space application that the front end needed a bit more weight. FYI it helped so little most would never notice.

[@gino54video]

What I try was a other rear wing and for me is that a huge diffent to the standart wing. Great Video Ryan!

[@RyanHarrisRC]

Thumbnail is fire btw 🥵

[@tombrown352]

Do you/ can you do a video on slipper eliminator change over?

[@tinolederer1709]

Awesome video Ryan. Have a good one :-)

[@007teal]

I added the aluminum rear camber block on my rear motor 22t since I kept snapping them. Now I’m a better racer but I like it because I don’t have to worry about it. I have thought about aluminum hub or spindle and caster. Lost my podium do to a snapped spindle

[@benjaminb3601]

Great video, thanks for the info!

[@Madvizion]

Nice shirt Ryan! RWB...... FTW!

[@wolf16731]

I run a modified Losi Baja Rey in the 4x4sct class. Definitely not traditional, but it puts in some work. I made it class legal by shortening the wheelbase with some custom carbon fiber trailing arms among a bunch of other things. That truck makes up the majority of my popular videos on my channel, so I'll probably just let my videos on the channel do the talking if you are interested instead of writing a book and a half here on it lol.

[@ChrisVegas1000]

"my brain was hurting a little bit". :) that made my day

[@mclarenf115]

Have you tried 1up racing cv joint lube. Works great. I use it on the ball joints . Pretty much anything that has a pivot point.. doesn't attract dirt.

[@colestaples2010]

Why do so many people swap to aluminum hubs? I’ve never broken a hub

[@richardwartsbaugh5553]

Hey Ryan. Good vid. How about making a vid to tell us what an adjustment is supposed to do. Like ball stud height? Or maybe what to adjust to fix a handling issue.

[@UB3RN3RD]

The best upgrade is a corner to corner balance, ride height and camber/caster setup.

[@Andrew-hh3ol]

My inner hotwheels nerd went full NOOOOO when he said he was gonna open it

[@hillwillis]

Me 2 And I don’t even do hot wheels

[@RyanHarrisRC]

We did a quick eBay check to make sure it wasn’t too valuable lol

[@Andrew-hh3ol]

@@RyanHarrisRC it’s more the idea of opening a old one regardless of value one time I opened a special edition worth like 200$ and it frustrates me

[@calebdewit3797]

Love the video man keep up the good work

[@johnmiller4553]

GREAT INFO RY

[@devinking9375]

Puck system for the stock racing guys

[@fila1445]

i've always got aluminium arms mounts form my 2wd buddy back when i was racing, Just because i was pushing way to hard and replacing just broken control arm was faster :P

[@evanbowers7673]

Do yourself a favor and buy bearings off amazon instead of the expensive ones. They are just as good. Trust me, I have friction welded enough parts into my plastic pieces. Also, I would not suggest removing the grease in them. It doesn’t have to be perfectly free.

[@sdericmonty]

Thanks for the video Ryan

[@philiprowe2378]

Cool t-shirt Ryan!

[@GearsMcTinkersome]

Informative stuff! Thanks! I need my Senton 3S and 6S to carry more cargo without stressing the motor or ESCb unduly. I should gear the pinion down? Smaller wheels may be better too? I'm not worried about acceleration or excessive speed. I want fast, but cargo is more important.

[@jasonjones4891]

I remember the all aluminum tmaxx on the counter at my hobby shop. Thought it was the best,until my friend got arms and stuff. Bent them all first crash..lol

[@jasonjones6328]

Aluminum tmaxx parts made millions..lol

[@dannyrisley4665]

What about slipper clutches? Like thicker or thinner or even a clutch eliminator. What would be beneficial or concerning?

[@gravit8ed]

Not mentioned in detail are something more than obvious that DOES have an impact on your speed/handling/whatever - CONTROL ARMS. I got tired of replacing dogbones and CVD shafts on my Tenacity every time it barrel rolled so I bought some aluminium control arms and haven't bent another 'bone. They're a bit heavier but come with more adjustment points for the ball studs and shocks so it's an upgrade rather than an option. And the elephant in the room is SHOCKS. Stock shocks on lower-end RTR and race kits are often lacking in one way or another. Just throwing in a different set of spring front or rear could drastically change your handling.

[@NeoIsrafil]

I went team associated b64 cva kit for my wltoys 104001 and havent bent or broken a dogbone since. I guess theres multiple ways to skin this cat. ^_^

[@mine6312]

We run aluminum or brass bulkheads on 2wheel carpet cars

[@michaelchristensen6884]

Some aftermarket slipper clutches are better than factory versions on some kits.

[@gatorage850]

#1 upgrade is tires #2 weight and many times adding weight is the upgraded. #3 body and wing

[@wolverinebear5357]

If i was to buy a 1/8 scale kit, while being a newbie an not really knowing what kit to buy what are some suggestions? Also are the RTR's able to be upgraded to a pro point, do you get the same chasis as you would with a kit?

[@reecejezowski4545]

Was that a 20th anniversary RC Excitement hat🧐? Keep up the great videos ryan👍👍

[@RyanHarrisRC]

Mayyyybeee! Hard to tell if I was wearing anything tbh #camothings

[@stevemarcil1911]

#RCE for the win!

[@RyanHarrisRC]

Anyone else have a mild addiction to upgrading their rc car?! 😅

[@shanealberico]

Yes I’ve put $500 into a $130 crawler

[@kurtbenson6600]

Mild??? What's that? 😉

[@RcOffroad9513]

@@shanealberico 😬

[@TheMassEffect]

Haha he said $500 into $130. I've got $1200 into $199 crawler. Also a t6.1 and b6.2 (outdoor turf) team AE cars. Electronics w/ batteries in about $1100 each. Not to metion my senton, losi 22S sct, slash, and the dumb about of money I've dropped into my tiny scx24. If my wife knew how much I spent on servos alone, she'd divorce me.

[@davidmayberry9335]

I do. I got a rustler 4x4 that's all moded out. Hobbywing system rpm arms center diff so on and so forth.

[@brianmcglasson8581]

what about shock shafts on the TLR 22 5.0 elite 1/10th scale. should i stick with the factory shock shaft or is there a better option for durability. TIA

[@rcreviewsracingandtips375]

Haha funny you mentioned that I have all red anodized parts on my dirt oval slash 😂😳

[@dutch1800]

One of the biggest mistakes I see is people upgrading their car right out the box before they even run them because some guy on KZbin had them on his car. They will never be able to tell if the upgrade was worth it or not.

[@Ev0ltion]

I would say it depends on the car and the upgrade. Some upgrades are to prevent catastrophic failure that might cost you much more very soon. Or just ruin your fun by quickly breaking.

[@traxxasrc10]

@@Ev0ltion agree and disagree. I always tell new rc car hobbyists, try the car and make sure you know the base line feels like or out of the box setup. No changes whatsoever then do your changes in the direction you want to go.

[@Ev0ltion]

@@traxxasrc10 Its mostly a good approach and belive me i know a thing or two on this ground as hobby store worker but there are exceptions. Lets say kill switch on your petrol car. Or swapping infamously crappy servo in the hpi savage im just talking throttle to prevent runaway(even tho steering is underpowered af). Another example might be traxxas slash 4x4 or rustler 4x4 a very cheap upgrade worth doing is swapping shock caps to aluminum ones out of the box its cheap doesnt change characteristics at all but prevents shock caps from popping and ruining your fun on the 1st jump. Another example might be any maverick product, you just throw it into garbage and buy arrma or losi to prevent catastrophic failure xD

[@ChrisVegas1000]

2 min in the video and you said it all , great job again on the vid THX

[@AntsRC]

Bodies are an interesting upgrade part??

[@GeorgeGhazarian]

What was that carbon fiber part on the steering hubs?? I’ve only ever seen something like that on the eb410.2

[@Ev0ltion]

Are titanium screws less prown to stripping?

[@turtletrading4207]

Um, springs !

[@bonesracin57]

Disagree on the bulk head. plastic breaks. I add brass for turf and jc 28g steel on clay for traction

[@adamcumpsty5356]

Agreed. I have swapped all my bulk heads to Aluminium. Plastic ones kept breaking

[@RcOffroad9513]

Did you lose durability with titanium screws? A set 8 had for a mugen 7r was very weak metal and would strip the head of the screw very easy?

[@RyanHarrisRC]

Steel screws are a more durable choice for 1/8 stuff for sure!

[@carlomcdy]

There's different qualities of Ti just like steel and aluminum. High quality Ti hardware is quite robust for RC application. The Schelle Ti hardware also have extra tall button heads for more engagement with your tools, helping to keep you from stripping the heads.

[@BartoszNowak7]

You compered steel bearing with grease, steel bearing with oil and ceramic bearing ? Im just a novice in racing but i think that the oil in steel bearing is best value to performance in compare to ceramic or standard grease

[@shadow7037932]

Grease bearings are fine. Millions of them are used in heavy duty industrial applications without issues. The problem is most of the bearings you buy are packed with way too much grease or shitty quality grease. There's a reason your high quality greased SKF/NSK and such bearings are kind of expensive.

[@RyanHarrisRC]

Kit bearings are great for long lasting performance at the cost of being less free rolling. Ceramic performance style bearings are great for speed, but don't last as long in my experience.

[@thecman26]

@@RyanHarrisRC exactly!

[@timothyrose7581]

I have a friend that his arrma trucks are more m2c than arrma. Obviously not a racing setup. Me cause I'm outside running dirt I use sumo skid plates & vynle chassis protectors. I do prefer aluminum c-hubs & uprights if stock is plastic.

[@suspicioustumbleweed4760]

Indoor racers use vinyl chassis protectors to save the carpet (:

[@charliebrown6883]

Cool .

[@dougpray2864]

Random question, I just got an 1/8th scale 4wd buggy. Anyone know where they get a consistent class of them in Central FL? I'm in the Tampa Area

[@miked1773]

I see carbon fiber slipper clutch pads available all the time. Are they of any benefit out side of visually looking better??

[@RT-ik4bh]

What about an aluminum steering rack/bellcranks

[@davidcameron8819]

What titanium screw kit do you use

[@rcracer3235]

Good video Ryan would you suggest when its time to upgrade bearings switching to ceramic or is there some places regular roller bearings are better?

[@hockensmithracing7278]

Thanks for the awesome videos ryan

[@BartoszNowak7]

Hmmm, so what should i upgrade in first time :)

[@RyanHarrisRC]

Bearings or turnbuckles if you ask me!

[@masonall5657]

Didn't even read the title, I just clicked

[@RyanHarrisRC]

Love to hear it

[@feel387]

which option part for hobao hyper vs nitro

[@Mojoman57]

Thanks, Ryan! I was leaning toward the Tekno buggy but after finding and binging on your videos, I had no choice but to go with the 22X-4. I've been out of racing for a very long time and never ran 4WD buggy even when I was racing. The tracks near me are off-road with loose to medium traction. Would you recommend I build the car with the included slipper or go for the optional center diff?

[@davidcameron8819]

What titanium hardware kit do you like to use

[@eheggestad]

Pretty positive Ryan runs the Schelle Racing kit. If you watch his videos long enough he mentions them quite a bit

[@ColbyFolster]

What part of the world do you live in?

[@ArtyHarvy]

Diggin the RWB shirt

[@germanrctrackdays4277]

Again a very good Video!