Items (0)

RC Advice and Guides



The following guides and articles have been put together to help you get the most out of your new Remote Control Car.  To read a particular article, simply click on the links below.


Electric or Nitro?: This is a very important question that most beginners overlook!

Spare Part questions:  Do you need a spare part, but not sure what you need?

Getting Started in Electric Radio Controlled Cars: A beginners guide...

Battery Life and Charge Times: Understanding You Battery...

Frequently Asked Questions: about your Nitro Radio Controlled Car...

Maintenance Guide: Nitro RC Cars...

Nitro Radio Controlled Car: Tricks of the Trade...

Nitro RC Engine Guide: Starting, running in and tuning the engine on a Nitro RC Car...


Electric or Nitro?: This is a very important question that most beginners over look!

Nitro powered cars are generally faster than electric cars and can sometimes require more driving skill to control. The downside to Nitro models is there is a lot of maintenance required because of the engine. You will need to be prepared to learn and understand the model and mechanics of basic hobby engines. If you have patience and are looking for a something that needs more than just simply charging then Nitro is best for you. Bare in mind that with the new Brushless Electric Motors on Electric cars the speed in terrific.

Note -  Nitro cars generally don't have a reverse gear, so bare that in mind also. With electric, your in full control forward and reverse.

Electric powered cars are much simpler and require less maintenance than nitro. You can simply charge the batteries and run the car. Very little adjustments are needed. Recommended for beginners who just want to get the model out and use it straight away or if you have restrictions on where you can use the car then electric cars make no noise.

Please remember the RC Electric and Nitro Cars we sell are not toys and should not be used by anyone under the age of 14 without supervision from an adult.

Back to Top

Spare Parts?: We stock many spares for the models we sell and are also compatible with many other brands.

First of all HSP (who are also the acual manufacturers for several other brands) are the same parts as used on Wind Hobby and Himoto Models. Himoto share HSP branded parts and thier numbering system is very similar, in that the last few digits of the part Himoto numbers are the same as HSP making it easy to cross reference. They are actually the same parts in most cases.

When you purchase a model from us, you will have received a full parts list with the part numbers attached. Entering these number directly in our website search bar will bring up the part if in stock or you can browse by scale, type etc. As our wesite incorporates a live CMS and stock control system, spare parts that are out of stock do not appear. That doesn't mean we don't stock it. Most people prefer a website which only shows available products that are currenty in stock.

If you have any questions about a spare part for the models we sell or equivalent brands, you can contact us either through our as a question link or contact us page or email us. If you wish to discuss a particular product or need some advise, you can email us at and we will get back to you usually within 2 hours during normal hours. We are also happy to phone you back to discuss anything one on one, just email us you number and the subject or item your wish to discuss and we will phone you back to you. If you specify a time, we will do our best to phone you back at you preferred time.

Getting started in Electric RC Models: A beginners guide...


The Radio Controlled Cars and Trucks you see in toy stores offer a great way for young kids to get involved in an exciting hobby; however, there are few similarities between these toy-grade models and proper radio controlled cars. For example, with hobby-grade R/C models all spares are available and you'll be able to make repairs yourself without having to send it back to the manufacturer. Also, hobby-grade R/C vehicles are generally made of better materials than toy grade vehicles, so they can withstand the severe punishment of a backyard obstacle course or a high-speed cartwheel at the local parking lot. Hobby kits are designed to provide long life and superior performance.


Our electric-powered models come with electronic speed controllers. They're devices that allows the car to move forward at different proportional  speeds instead of just one speed like with a toy radio controlled car, as well as a reverse function to allow you to back your car out of trouble. Mechanical speed controls perform well enough, but ours come with advanced electronic speed controls (ESC). You'll find that an ESC allows much more precise throttle control, requires no maintenance, operates more efficiently, and saves both weight and space on your car's chassis. Also feature like proportional braking and ABS are now common place on these ESC's.


Most hobbyists run their vehicles in informal settings. Backyards, vacant lots and unused, paved areas are where you'll probably find people driving and enjoying R/C vehicles. If you have a competitive nature, however, there are hundreds of R/C racing clubs and tracks throughout the country.


The most popular type of R/C car is the Off-Road Buggy and bigger still the Monster Truck. Big tires with "knobby" spikes, full-travel suspension parts and a high ground clearance allow the off-roader to go almost anywhere. On-Road cars usually have lower ground clearances, slicks tires, aerodynamic bodies, and are capable of a bit higher speeds.

Back to Top


Battery Life and Charge Times: Understanding your battery.


The time a battery will last can vary between 10-15 minutes per 1800mah battery. The times depends on how it is driven and the surface it is driven on. Flat hard surfaces like bitumen create the least friction where as long grass creates the most. The toy ones last longer but this is because they are very slow so do not use any power. It has nothing to do with the price or quality like a Porsche uses fuel quicker than a Skoda but the Skoda is not a better race car.

The car is designed to last for the international standard for electric car racing, that is races are always held for a 5 minute duration on the world circuit.

You can increase the times by using a battery with a higher capacity. Batteries come with a capacity up to 6500mah however around the 3000 - 4000mAh is the most economical.


This is for the supplied wall charger supplied with the cars.

In regards to charge times for the battery, to do this use the following formula.

As an example and to keep the maths easy, I will use an example of a 1000mAH battery and a 100mA charger. Just replace these numbers with the numbers written on your battery and charger.

In a perfect world where there was no loss (heat) you would just charge the battery for 10 hours (1000 divided by 100) however there are losses in charging of around 20% so in this example you would need to charge the battery for 10 hours x 1.2 for the losses = 12 hours.

This of course is only when the battery is dead flat.  For the rest of the time just charge the NiMh battery until it gets warm (not hot). Once the battery starts getting warm it is fully charged.  Just be careful not to overcharge the battery as it will damage the battery.  The light on the charger does not go off when the battery is charged - it lights up to show that the battery is connected.


If your want to race you car more often then you'll required a Rapid Charger for fast charge your racing batteries. There are many on the market, some good, some not so good and many deal with different battery chemistries like NiCad, NiMh and LiPo, LiFe. You can purchase them here in our store.

Battery Basics

There are currently 3 main types of batteries used in electric cars today. These are:

Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) - These batteries have been around for many years but are less common today due to the heavy metals used in their construction and battery technologies have been developed to replace them NiCad batteries also suffered from what people call the "memory effect" You won't find these still available in the UK due to Weee restrictions.

Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMh) - These batteries have now replaced the older NiCad cells and offer 30% more capacity for the same weight as a NiCad battery. They are cleaner for the environment as they don't contain any heavy metals in their manufacture. These are the most popular types supplied with model as standard.

Lithium Polymer (LiPo) - Lipo batteries are the latest battery technology used in RC Cars (and Planes, Helicopters etc) mainly for their great power to weight statistics. Power to Power they are less than half the weight of the equivalent NiCad or NiMh battery offering lighter faster models and longer running times. (WARNING - Lithium Polymer batteries must not be charged with any other charger than one design for LiPo batteries)

Q. So what's the "C" rating on the battery?

A. The "C" rating is to do with the Current rating of the battery. Let's say you have a 2000mAh 20C battery, The 2000mAh is the capacity at 1C. i.e. it can supply 2000mA or 2Amps for 1 hour. Now a 20C battery tells you the battery is capable of a continuous discharge current of 20 x its capacity. i.e. 2A x 20C = 40A Also remember it still only 2000mAh capacity, so at 40A discharge your run time is 1 hour/20C  = 3minutes !

Caution should to be sought when buying new batteries as there is no point in buying a battery which could burn out your ESC.

Let say you have a 75A rated ESC and you buy a 5000mAH 40C LiPo battery to run your car. This battery is capable of producing a very large currents through you ESC. 5000mA x 40C = 200A continuous. The burst currents from the battery can be double this! That's 400A and probably a new ESC. Please remember, as long as the Capacity times the "C" rating can supply the rated current for you ESC then there is little point wasting cash on the bigger battery. You'll have enough cash to buy two smaller ones instead.

Example 1

40A ESC - 2000mAH 20C would be fine. or a 4000mAH 10C

Example 2

80A ESC - 2000mAH 40C or a 5000mAH 20C would be fine.

It is OK to go higher but there is no real reason to as the current is limited by the ESC internal resistance.

NB// These are just guidelines to get you started.


Back to Top


Frequently Asked Questions about your Nitro Car Radio Controlled Car: Our FAQ's will help you get started in the world of RC-Nitro Cars.


A. You will receive your model with the radio control (Transmitter) and servos fully installed. You will only therefore need to get 12 AA batteries (8 for the transmitter and 4 for the receiver in the Car), a rechargeable Glow Plug igniter and 15/16% Nitro hobby fuel (available at most hobby stores).

Q. How long will the fuel last?

A. The car will run for approx 10 – 15 minutes on a tank of fuel.  You should be able to fill the tank about 10 – 15 times from a 1 litre fuel bottle.

Q. What caused the gears to strip?

A. The spur gear (a flat spot on the plastic gear that turns the drive train of the car) will be stripped or shredded if the pinion gear does not have the correct mesh with the spur gear.  Essentially the clutch bell housing needs to correctly mesh with the main gear.





Q. How do I ensure I get correct gear mesh?



Q. What caused the flywheel to wear away?






Q. What kind of range does my nitro car have?


Q. How do I stop the engine from running?

A. If you cover the exhaust hole the engine will turn off a second later.

Q. What fuel should I use?


Q. Why does the car keep losing compression?


·    Always start with a fresh new glow plug.


The factory settings are as follows:


·   Low Speed Mixture (in the sidee of the carburetor throttle actuator arm) 1 and 3 quarter turns out from fully screwed in

·     Idle Screw: Venturi open 3mm

The above are the default settings assuming the following ambient conditions:
               Temperature: 15 degrees
               Barometric Pressure: 1013 HPA
               Altitude: 1000 feet above sea level
               Humidity: 40%





There are 3 ways to achieve this:







Q.  How do you use a glow starter?



The engine is now ready to be started.







Back to Top


Maintenance Guide: Nitro RC Cars


General Cleanliness




It is possible to reuse diff rings and thrust washers twice before replacing – just switch them over to the smooth side.  You shouldn’t however use diff balls and thrust balls more than once and they should be replaced each time. time you rebuild a ball differential.



Drive Shafts

Drive Cups


Ball Bearings

Gear Mesh


One-Way Diffs

Back to Top


Nitro Radio Controlled Car: Tricks of the Trade

In addition to the regular maintenance detailed above the following tricks of the trade will help your nitro RC car run better and last longer.

Boil the antenna tube in a pan of water for a few minutes to make it easier to fit and less brittle which will prevent breakage if the car crashes.

The antenna tube can also be glued to the mounting to prevent it from coming loose during racing.

A plastic zip tie threaded through the fuel tank lid will help you open the tank whilst using the model.

Silicone bathroom sealant is ideal for sealing the receiver box and filling any gaps where leads are exposed.

Prevent batteries from becoming loose by taping the cell receiver pack with insulation or duct tape.

To control the model in the air (when doing a jump) give a quick blast of the throttle to level out of a nose dive and apply the brake if it starts to climb and looks like it will land on the back wheels.

Use fuel tubing over the aerial tube to keep it neatly and securely on the outside of the tube if the aerial is too long.

Use fishing wire to keep the body clips in place.  Cut tiny holes in the body shell near the body mount holes, thread the fishing wire through the shell and tie a knot to prevent it coming out, the other end should be tied to the body clips.

Use an elastic band to keep the fuel tank lid closed by stretching under the tank and attaching it to the handle on the tank lid.

Attach the steering links to the top of the outer fixings will make the car more stable over rough conditions.

Snip the outside tire tread to reduce grip and prevent the model flipping when you go around a corner because of grip role.

Screw down the threaded collar on the shock body on an off road model to increase ride height over long grass.

Use high temperature gasket or silicon sealants around the carburettor, exhaust manifold or pull start mechanism to prevent leaks which decrease engine power and performance.

Back to Top


Nitro RC Car Engine Guide: Starting, running in and tuning the engine on a Nitro RC Car.

Prior to using a Nitro model the following things should be checked. If there is one downside to this hobby it’s the amount of maintenance needed because of the engine. You will need to learn and understand the model and mechanics of hobby engines. If you have the patience and more than something which needs charging then Nitro Engines are for you!

Starting a Nitro Engine

The following steps should be completed when starting a Nitro Engine:

·    Fill up the fuel tank and check the pipes are secure and free of kinks so that fuel flow is not obstructed. Also check ther are no air leaks around the exhaust manifold.

·    Prime the engine by putting your finger over the exhaust or air intake and pulling the starter. Note, if the fuel is not being sucked in, there will be an air leak somewhere.

·    When fuel reaches the engine, pull the starter two of three more times to ensure fuels spreads around the engine. Don't do too many as you will flood the engine.

·    Attach the glow start to the glow plug.

·    Pull the recoil starter but be careful not to pull it fully as it may damage the starting spring. Short, sharps pulls is what is needed. If the pull start becomes very hard to pull the engine has been flooded and you shouldn’t pull it again until the engine has been un-flooded.  Please note that if the engine is cold you may need to pull the start a few times and opening the throttle a little can help.

To un-flood the engine, remove the glow plug and to remove the excess fuel.

The engine should start assuming all of the engine settings are correct. Once running for 6-10 seconds, disconnect the glow clip. It is common for the engine to stall after the glow plug has been removed.  If this happens, reattach the glow plug and restart the engine.

Tuning the engine is the number one most important aspect of running a Nitro Powered Vehicle. Your day will be jam packed with fun or you will get so frustrated you will want to throw your car across the parking lot.

Idle Adjustment - All nitro engines have an idle adjustment screw. This adjust the motor speed when the throttle is in the idle position. If it is set too fast, the tires will want to move. If it is set to low, the engine will cut off. The factory setting is usually spot on, but if you need to adjust it, you want the throttle opening to be about 1/8" (3mm) at idle speed. If you are new to nitro motors, you may easily get the impression that the motor is always running too fast. If the motor is actually running too fast, the clutch will be engaging and causing the wheels to turn. You want an idle position that is as slow as you can get without the engine Idle Screw shutting off. In most cases, the factory setting is correct as you want the throttle opening in the carb to be right around 1mm. This is not likely to need adjustment.

Low Speed Adjustment - If your carburetor has a low-speed adjustment needle like show on the Nitro TC2 motor above, this needle is used to adjust the fuel mixture when the throttle is between 0 - 50%. This is the needle to be adjusting if your motor is difficult to start. Some motors are very sensitive to this setting and a difference of a 1/4 turn may be the difference between good performance and not being able to get your motor to start at all. Once you have this needle set, you should rarely, if ever, need to adjust it again. Turning the screw for the Low Speed Needle clockwise will lean the setting while counter clockwise will richen the fuel mix. A good method of testing the low speed adjustment is to get the motor up to operating temperature and pinch off the fuel line that goes from the fuel tank to the motor. If the motor dies abruptly in under 3 seconds, the low speed setting is too lean, if it takes 4-5 second or longer to die, then the low speed setting is too rich.

High Speed Adjustment - The high speed needle adjust the air/fuel mix when the throttle is between 50% - 100%. This is the needle you will be adjusting to get the top performance out of your car. If the high speed adjustment is too rich, you will hear a chugging sound when romping on the throttle before the motor revs up and takes off. If the setting is too lean, the motor may sound like it is slowing down or hesitating before revving up.

Single Needle Carbs - Some motors only have a single needle adjustment which means the low-speed and high-speed are eliminated by a single setting. While this is easier than a dual-needle setup, it is not as efficient as you often are sacrificing acceleration for top speed or vice versa. The best way to tune these is too start with as rich of a setting as you can get the motor to start under and keep leaning it out 1/8 of a turn at a time until you find the motor's sweet spot.

Is It Set Right? The best way to tell if the motor is tuned properly is by testing the temperature of the motor. Each motor is a little different so consult the motor's owner's manual or website to find out what the optimum temperature of the motor is. This is usually between 230-260°F. There are some motors that run under that range and even some that prefer hotter temperatures, so again, check with the motor manufacturer. Without a temp gun, how can you tell if the motor is too hot or cold? One simple way is to put a drop of water o the cylinder head. If it evaporates in 5 seconds or less, the motor is too hot and needs to be enriched (counter clockwise adjustment of the high speed needle). If the water takes longer than 7 seconds to evaporate, the motor is too cool and can be leaned out After each adjustment, run the vehicle as you normally do for at least 2 minutes before adjusting it again in order for the temperature to equalize. Always make small adjustments.

Trouble Shooting - Your sitting there yanking on the pull start for an hour and getting blisters on your hands and your motor still wont start. What do you do? The best thing to do is to put your settings back to a point where the engine "should" run even if poorly. First, make sure the idle adjustment isn't set too low, make sure there is at least a 1/8" or 3mm gap for air to flow through in the throttle body. If the idle adjustment is not at fault, then the low speed mixture needs to be adjusted. Start by turning the low-speed needle (or single needle adjustment screw) all the way clockwise until it stops, be sure to not tighten this screw down as you will damage the neeble valve. Next turn the screw counter-clockwise 2 1/2 turns. Almost all motors will start within a 1/2 turn of this neutral setting. To test the low-speed setting once the motor is running, pinch the fuel line. If the motor dies within 2 seconds or less, the low speed setting is too lean. If the motor take 4 second or more to stop, the setting is too rich.

Rules of Thumb - While every motor is a little different and will take a little effort to get dialed in perfectly, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, it is always better to run a motor rich than have it be too lean. If a motor is run too lean, it will run hotter and wear out the components quicker. Secondly, keep in mind that at the temperatures these engines run at, they can easily cause nasty burns. Always think safety. Remember that when you adjust a setting, the motor needs to run for at least 30 seconds for the motor temperature to adjust to the new settings before you can tell if that setting works better or worse. The single most important thing when tuning a nitro motor is patience. Take your time, learn the "personality" of your new motor and soon will have it dialled in and working perfectly

Things to check if the engine won’t start

It is unlikely that the engine not starting is because of a fault so check the following points which are the most common reasons an engine won’t start:

·         Is the flywheel loose?  You should not be able to turn the flywheel without turning the engine as well. 

·         Do the wheels turn when the starter is pulled?  If yes then the clutch shoes may have melted and need to be replaced.

·         Has the glow plug burned out?  Check this by attaching the glow plug to the glow start directly, if the bottom of the glow plug doesn’t glow bright red in a few seconds you will need to replace it.

·         Is the recoil starter hard to pull? This means that the engine is flooded and you should get rid of the excess fuel before trying to start the engine again.

·         Does the engine stall when the glow clip is removed?  This could be because the car is idling too low.  Check the carburettor is closed with only a 1 – 2 mm gap to allow air in.  Adjust by turning the idle screw in or out a small amount.

·         Does the engine feel tight when you pull the pull start?  Release some of the pressure by undoing the glow plug slightly until the engine starts.  Don’t forget to tighten it back up again once started.

·         Is there enough fuel in the engine?  Check that the engine has been primed with fuel correctly and then try starting the engine again.

Running in a new engine

In order to get the best overall performance from the engine and extend it’s life you should ‘run in’ the engine before using it.

To run in the engine place the car on a smooth hard surface that won’t put it under excessive pressure. Raise the wheels off the ground and start the engine as detailed above.

Once the engine starts and is idling place it on the ground and drive it slowly. On the first time do not let it run for more than 3 minutes.  Repeat this process for short periods of time until you have used 2 – 3 tanks of fuel.

Do not over accelerate the car during this procedure as it can damage the engine. After each idling time let the car rest for about 10 minutes between each tank. Never accelerate the engine while all four wheels are off the ground, as this will break the conrod or other important components.

Always run in the engine without the body of the car to get as much airflow as possible to it and avoid running it on very hot or humid days.  Don’t run it with a too high idle speed and don’t run the engine too lean or you risk causing damage to the internal components of the engine or burning out the clutch. 

It is normal for the engine to consume a lot of fuel during running in because you are running it "richer" than you would normally do in order to keep the engine cool and to flush out the engine as the parts "seat" themselves.   After the engine has been run in you will lean it out and gain better performance from it.

You will usually have to replace the glow plug after running it as a large amount of deposits get left on it so don’t forget to have a few spares on hand.

Finally, the important thing to remember when running in a new engine is that the performance can be very erratic but you need to persevere with it and eventually it will run smoothly.  

Tuning a Nitro Engine

The first thing to do before starting to tune your engine is to check that the carburettor is opening fully when you pull full throttle.

When tuning the engine let the car run on a smooth flat surface with enough room to get up to top speed.  As you slowly lean out the mixture keep a note of the speed.  You can lean it as long as you continue to have thick blue smoke coming out of the pipe. If the engine gets to top speed and looses power it is likely you have "leaned" it too much.

As you start to tune the engine and lean out the fuel you must keep an eye on the engine temperature.  You should always ensure the engine is running within its intended operating temperature or you will damage it. 

The easiest way to test for over-heating is to put a drop of water on the engine head.  It if boils immediately shut down the engine and let it cool down.  It if takes longer for the water to evaporate then the engine is running at a good temperature.

Continue to adjust the mixture until the engine is running smoothly and you have a strong sounding pitch when you let it wind out.  It is always preferable to run the engine a little rich rather than too lean.

Running lean = less fuel
Running rich = more fuel

When setting up the engine run the car on a smooth flat surface with enough room to let the model get up to top speed. Keep track of the speed as you slowly (1/8 of a turn at a time) lean the engine.