A

Air Dam

A modification to the front bumper of a car to prevent air from running under the car and counter acting downforce by generating lift.

Ackerman

Ackerman Angle is the angle of the inside tire in relation to the outside tire, when negotiating a corner the inside tires needs to have a greater angle than the outside corner. Invented by Rudolf Ackerman.

After Run Oil

Also Know what After Burn Oil. Apply this to the inside of your Nitro RC Car engine between runs. It helps lubricate and protect the engine. Leaving the engine without after run oil for a long time will dry it out and make it more difficult to start

Aluminum

Aluminum is a ver light, very strong metal which can be machine cut to replace any part on your radio controlled car.

AM

Amplitude Modulation, a range of frequencies used in transmitters and receivers

Angle of Attack

AOA refers to both the contact a surface makes with the air, and the angle of your car in relation to the direction it is traveling

Axle

A steel shaft that connect the wheels to the drivetrain

B

Balance

Balance can mean a few things, normally it refers to the weight transfer under braking, accelerating and cornering.

Ball Bearing

The small metal ball that is used to negate friction in conjunction with bearings

Ball Cup

A plastic piece that snaps onto a ball end, allowing for movement, normally fitted to suspension

Ball End

Normally a threaded hex fitting, that allows a ball cup to snap on and still allows for movement

Banking

This is a track that has a slope that runs from the outside of the track to the inside, this allows for greater top speeds without losing traction with the track, only corners are banked

Battery Pack

This is a set of batteries, normally six, that are matched and combined into a pack used to power electric RC Cars. The two main types of batteries are "Nickel Cadmium" a.k.a. NiCD or "Nickel Metal Hydride" a.k.a. NiMH

Bearing

A dounut shaped device filled with ball bearing, this allows for a smooth and low friction rotation

Bellcrank

The type of steering that most radio controlled cars use. Today most RC cars use an Ackerman link to control steering, some but not all remote controlled cars allow you to modify this angle.

Big Block

This refers to the engine block, any nitro RC engine that is bigger than 0.21 is considered a big block engine. Most off-road cars use big block engines.

Bleed

This is the process of getting air bubbles out of oil filled shocks, or brake lines in real cars. Referred to as being bled

Bling

The art of making your car unbelievable, big winds, fantastic decals, big mags and custom paint jobs. In drifting the bling factor is huge

Body

The body of a RC car is made from lexan, it is a clear plastic that can be heat molded and painted.

C

Camber

Camber refers to the angle of a wheel, this is measured in degrees, a positive camber means that the top of the tire is tilted away from the cars center line. Negative camber is the opposite of this.

Carbon Fibre

Lightweight material that is incredibly strong, used in most high end radio controlled cars, Carbon fibre was invented by the British in the 60s at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough

Caster

Caster is the angel that the front wheels pivot on while cornering.

Center of Gravity

This is the point that represents the vehicles central mass.

Crosstalk

When one radio frequency interferes with another radio frequency.

Crystal

The crystal is used in pairs to limit a transmitter to a specific frequency. a.k.a Frequency Crystal

Cut-Off

A Device that stops your radio controlled car when it loses signal with the transmitter

D

Drafting

Drafting is when you increase your speed by sitting in the little pocket with little to no air resistance right behind another car.

Drivetrain

The drivetrain is the mechanism which transfers power from the engine to the wheels, called a train because it involves more than one part.

E

Electric RC

Radio Controlled cars that use electric powered motors.

F

Fail Safe

A device that will cut out your radio controlled vehicle in the event that you lose control.

Foam Inserts

Inner tire foam inserts help simulate tire pressure, this can be customized

Foam Tires

These are used in conjunction with a sugar water coated track to allow for incredible traction. Used by racers, these tires can be skimmed straight before every race

Foam Tyres

See Above

Frequency

The specific frequency your transmitter broadcasts it's signal on, a RC car will receive only on this frequency

Frequency Crystal

Allows for changeable frequencies, should you have a clash, there is a Tx and a Rx crystal set for each frequency

Friction

The force of one surface on another, friction will generate heat

G

Gas RC

Gas powered RC cars use methanol/nitro fuel to power their engines

Glitch

Glitching can occur from another radio transmitter creating crosstalk with your, or electrical faults in the radio controlled cars electronic system

Glow

Name given to radio controlled vehicles that uses methanol/nitro fuel

Glow Engine

A 2-Stroke engine that uses a methanol/nitro/oil fuel mixture

Glow Starter

A device used to pass a current through the glow plug, making it heat up and glow, thus igniting the glow fuel

H

Hobby Grade

Any remote control vehicle where enough has been done to mimic the real one, upgrade-able, customizable and repairable, with realism playing a major part of the fun

Hop-up

Customized parts that improve the performance, weight, strength or just plain bling or your radio controlled vehicle

I

J

K

L

Lexan

Lexan is a polycarbonate resin thermoplastic which is used to make the body shells of the cars, it is tough and can be molded easily

LHS

Local Hobby Shop

M

Megahertz

The measurement of a radio frequency, One million cycles per second. a.k.a. a megacycle.

Mod

Top class of electric radio controlled cars, very low turn motors

Mhz

See Above

N

Nickel Cadmium

NiCD

Nickel Metal Hydride

NiMH

Nitro RC

Term given to Gas or Petol Powered radio control cars, the name comes the methanol/nitro fuel they use.

O

Off Road

Term given to a vehicle which is designed to be operated in rough conditions, can often also perform jumps

On Road

Term given to radio controlled vehicles which are designed to race on asphalt surfaces

P

Peak

Point at which charging a battery will no longer increase performance or run-time

Q

R

Radio Controlled

Any vehicle that uses wireless technology to receive signals from a transmitter

RC

Radio controlled or Remote Controlled hobbies

RTR

Ready to run kits that are complete and will work out the box, little or no assembly required

Run-Time

Amount of time you can get out of a battery pack

Rx

Abbreviation for receiver

Receiver

Device which receives a radio signal from the transmitter

S

Stock

Entry level class of radio controlled electric car motors, 27 Turn motors

Super Stock

Middle class of radio controlled electric car motors, medium turn motors

T

Toy Grade

Any radio controlled toy designed for children, they are safer and more robust than their hobby-grade counter parts.

Throttle

The term given to a mechanism which controls acceleration of your radio controlled vehicle

Transmitter

The device which send a radio signal to the receiver

Tx

See transmitter

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

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