How to Make an RC Crawler
Many scale vehicle enthusiasts turn their interest for models into a serious rock climbing activity. Radio controlled vehicles can be store bought as kits or custom made. Many enthusiasts will argue that making the vehicle is the best part, so they design crawlers that can overcome the biggest obstacles.
Items Needed:
- RC truck
- Large soft tires
- Bead-lock rims
- WD-40
- Suspension kit
- Electric gears
- Electric motor
- Chassis
- Screwdriver
- Drill with bits
- JB weld
- Aluminum rods
- Find out as much information as possible about RC crawlers. You can obtain the information online or through books and magazines.
- Look for a good suspension, as this is one of the most important parts of the crawler. The best suspension is one that has a rear axle as well as a solid front suspension axle. The combination of the shock and the spring needs to be soft so they can be for maximum articulation of the axle.
- Obtain a chassis that has a low center of gravity. This will create an enormous difference in how the crawler faces steep inclines. A high center of gravity can lead to the vehicle rolling over easily.
- Purchase tires that are large and soft, and have a prominent tread pattern. This will enable the tires to become flat due to the crawler’s weight, giving them maximum traction. Hard tires can be softened by spraying WD-40 on them.
- Make use of ‘bead-lock rims’ to enable you adjust the tires on the crawler when you need to. It makes it easy to add or remove foam from the tires.
- Fasten the differentials using modeling clay or JB Weld, to maintain power constantly in the wheel, which is attempting to go above the rock.
- Install the right electric motors. The crawler does not require speed but power. The climbing needs to be slow and calculated. You need to start the crawler slowly. Low RPMs will give the crawler the best results, while using high RPMs can cause it to flip over.