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RC Car Glossary
Definitions for every RC term, setting, and piece of jargon.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
K
M
N
P
R
S
T
U
W
A
Ackermann
Learn what the Ackermann setting is and how it affects your RC car's steering response
active toe
What is active toe and how is it different from static toe? Read on to understand.
anti-drag
Anti-drag can be helpful in tuning your ESC when using a brushed motor
anti-roll bar
Learn what a sway bar (anti-roll bar) is, and how it can be used for tuning an RC car's handling
anti-squat
What is anti-squat, and how can you use it to tune your RC car's performance? Learn about squat and dive and their effects here.
arm sweep
What is "sweep" on an RC car, and how does it affect the handling?
axle height
Learn how axle height is used to adjust roll center and keep your suspension geometry consistent.
B
batteries
Learn about RC car batteries, what their ratings mean, and how to choose one for your car and type of bashing or racing
battery position
Learn how moving your battery forward or rearward can help you improve the handling of your RC car
bite
What does "bite" mean when talking about RC cars?
bladder shocks
What are "bladder" style shocks and why would you use them on an RC car? Read on!
blinky mode
What is "blinky mode" on an RC electronic speed controller and why would I use it?
body position
Learn how body position affects the handling of an RC car.
boost
Learn about the boost setting on your RC car's electronic speed controller
boost end
Learn about the "boost end" setting on an RC car ESC
boost ramp
What is boost ramp, and how does it affect my RC car's acceleration?
boost start
Learn about the "boost start" setting on an RC car ESC
brake frequency
What is "brake frequency" on an RC car's ESC, and why would I want to change it?
brake strength
What is the "brake strength" or "brake control" setting on an RC car's speed controller?
bump steer
Learn what bump steer is and how you can use it to tune your RC car's suspension, so it handles just the way you want it.
C
CVD driveshaft
What is a CVD driveshaft for an RC car, and why would I use one?
c-hub
What is the c-hub on an RC car and how does it affect the car's handling?
camber
Learn how camber and camber gain can be used to improve the handling of your RC car. It's one of the most fundamental adjustments for both on-road and off-road cars.
camber gain
How does camber gain effect the handling of an RC car? Learn all about it here!
camber link
Learn what a camber link is and how to use it to tune your RC car's suspension
carb restrictor
What does a carb restrictor do on an RC car's engine?
carburetor
What is a carburetor and what does it do on an RC car engine?
caster
Learn about caster (aka castor) and how you can use it to tune your RC car. Very important for both on-road and off-road applications!
chassis
How does a chassis affect your car's handling? The answer may surprise you! Or not, I guess.
clutch
What is a clutch and why do you need one? Learn how they're used for tuning both electric and nitro RC cars.
clutch bell
What is a clutch bell on an RC car, and how does it work?
clutch bell gap
Overview of the clutch bell gap for nitro RC car engines
clutch shoes
Learn how clutch shoes and springs affect the acceleration of your nitro RC car, and how you can tune your car by adjusting them
clutch springs
Learn how clutch springs affect how your RC car accelerates and how you can use them to tune your car to your liking
coast
What is the "coast" setting on your RC car's speed controller, and how should you set it?
crankshaft endplay
What is crankshaft endplay, and should I be worried about it?
cross-weight
What is cross-weight, and how is it used in tuning RC oval race cars?
D
damping
What is "damping" and what does it have to do with RC car suspension?
differential
What type of differential should you use in your RC car? Why does it matter? Read on for the details.
differential fluid
Learn how to tune your RC car by changing the oil in the differentials, especially useful for 4WD cars!
differential height
Learn how differential height is affects an RC car's handling and why you might want to change it
dive
Learn how anti-dive and pro-dive affect an RC car's handling
double cardan joint driveshaft
What is a double cardan joint driveshaft for an RC car, and why would I use one?
drag brake
Drag brake is a setting on the speed controller - read on to learn what it does
driveshafts
Learn the difference between CVDs and Universal driveshafts, and when you should use one over the other on your RC car.
droop & downstop
Learn about droop and its impact on the handling of an RC car, and how to set it with downstops
dual-rate
Learn what the dual-rate adjustment is on your radio
E
electronic speed controller (ESC)
Learn about the electronic speed controller for your RC car
emulsion shocks
What are "emulsion" style shocks and why would you use them on an RC car? Read on!
end-point adjustment (EPA)
Learn what the End-Point Adjustment (EPA) does on your RC car
engine
Learn how to tune RC car nitro engines
exponential setting
What does the "exponential" setting do on your transmitter? Read on to find out.
F
final drive ratio
Learn what the Final Drive Ratio is and how you can use it to compare your RC car's gearing to others, even if they're different cars
flex
What is "flex" and how does it affect an RC car's handling? Read on!
flywheel
What is the "flywheel" on an RC car engine, and what does it do?
fuel (nitro)
Learn how to choose nitro for your RC race car to get the performance you want
G
gear pitch
What does gear "pitch" mean in RC racing, and what pitch should I use?
gear ratio
What is an RC car's "gear ratio", and how can you use it to alter your car's performance?
glow plugs
Learn how glow plugs affect the performance of your RC car's engine, and how to choose them to improve it
grip
What is "grip" when it comes to RC racing? And is there such a thing as too much grip?
H
head clearance
Learn how head clearance affects the performance of your RC car's nitro engine
header
What is the "header" on an RC car engine?
I
idle
What is the "idle" on an RC car's engine?
idle gap
What is the idle gap on an RC car's engine, and how does it affect performance?
initial brake
What is the "initial brake" setting on my RC car's electronic speed controller?
initial throttle
What is the "initial throttle" setting on an RC car's electronic speed controller?
K
kick-up
Learn about kick-up and caster, how they are related, and how they affect the handling of an RC car.
kingpin
What is the kingpin on an RC car, and what does it do?
kingpin inclination
Learn about kingpin inclination and how it affects the handling of an RC car
M
manifold
What is the "exhaust manifold" on an RC car engine?
motor
Learn about the types of brushless motors and how to choose the right one for your RC car
motor Kv constant
What is the Kv constant, and what does it tell you about an RC car's motor? Read on to find out.
motor timing
What is an RC car motor's "timing", and why would someone advance to decrease it? Read on for answers.
motor wind
How does the wind (or number of turns) of an motor affect an RC car's acceleration, torque and top speed?
muffler
What is the "muffler" on an RC car engine?
N
neutral range
Learn about the neutral range setting on your RC car's ESC
P
pack
Learn how pack affects your shock absorber's performance, and how to use it to smooth out the bumps
pill inserts
What are "pill inserts" and how do the affect the handling of an RC car?
pillow ball
What are pillow balls on an RC car, and how do they affect the car's suspension and handling?
pinion gear
Learn how to tune your RC car's drivetrain with the pinion and spur gears
pipe
What is the "pipe" on an RC car engine?
pivot ball
What is pivot ball suspension on an RC car, and how is it used to tune the car's handling?
push control
Learn about push control and what setting it does on your RC car's ESC
R
ride height
Learn what ride height is and how you can use it to tune your RC car's handling
roll center
Learn what roll center is, how to adjust it, and how you can use it to tune your RC car. Roll center is a fundamental concept, so it's important to get it right!
rollout
What is rollout, and how can you use it to find just the right pinion for your RC car?
rotor diameter
How does the diameter of a brushless motor's rotor affect it's performance?
rotor length
How does the length of a brushless motor's rotor affect it's performance?
S
scrub radius
Learn how scrub radius and kingpin inclination affect the handling of your RC car
shock caps
Learn about shock caps and how they can affect the tuning of an RC car's shocks
shock limiters
What are shock limiters, and how are they used to control droop on an RC car? Read on for answers.
shock mounting
Where should you mount the shocks on your RC car? Read on to learn how to choose mounting positions on the shock tower and suspension arms.
shock oil
Learn about shock oil and shock pistons and how to use them to get your RC car handling just right, either on-road or off-road
shock orientation
Should you consider running your shocks upside down? Learn what it does for your RC car's handling and the pros and cons.
shock pistons
Learn how shock pistons affect your RC car's handling, and how to choose the right pistons
shock pre-load
Learn about shock pre-load and how to use it on your RC to set the ride height
shock rebound
Learn what shock rebound is and how it can be used to make your RC car handle better
shock springs
Learn how shock springs affect the handling of your RC car, and how to choose whether lighter or stiffer springs will help your handling.
side links
Learn about side links on RC on-road pan cars and how to use them to tune your car's handling
slip angle
Learn what the slip angle is and how it relates to a tire's traction
slipper clutch
Learn how a slipper clutch affects the acceleration of your RC car
solid axle
Learn when and why solid axles are used on RC cars
spool
What is a spool in RC racing, and how does it affect the car's steering?
spur gear
The pinion gear and the spur gear are the most important tools for drivetrain tuning - read up here to understand how to use them.
stagger
What is "stagger", and why would you stagger your tires when racing RC dirt oval?
steering axis inclination
What is steering axis inclination, and how does it affect the handling of an RC car?
steering block
What is a steering block, and how to use it to tune your RC car's steering
steering links
What are steering links, and how are they used to tweak the suspension of an RC car?
stroke
Learn what stroke is and how it can be used to change your cars range of suspension travel and droop.
suspension arms
Learn how suspension arms affect your RC car's handling, and how you can tune them to get the handling characteristics you want.
suspension mounts
Suspension mounts allow some of the most fundamental adjustments on RC cars, from roll center to kick-up. Read on to learn what they're capable of and how to tune them.
sway bar
Learn what a sway bar (anti-roll bar) is, and how it can be used for tuning an RC car's handling
T
throttle frequency
Learn how throttle frequency affects the throttle response of your RC car
throttle profile
Learn what throttle profile is and how it affects your ESC's response
throttle strength
What does the "throttle strength" or "throttle rate control" setting on your RC car's ESC do?
tire additive
Learn how tire additive is used to increase traction in an RC car
tire compounds
Learn about tire compounds and how you can use them to get the most grip for your RC car when racing
tire diameter
How is tire diameter used in tuning RC cars?
tire glue diameter
What is tire glue diameter, and how does it affect the handling of an RC car?
tire gluing
Learn about RC tire gluing - how to prep your tires, how to glue them so they stay, and how gluing can affect handling
tire inserts
Learn about RC car tire inserts and how to choose them to get the handling you want
tire prep
Learn about tire preparation for RC racing
toe
Learn what "toe" is on an RC car, how it's measured, and how to use it to improve your car's handling
track width
Track width measures the distance from the wheel on one side to the wheel on the other. Learn how it can affect your RC car's handling here.
traction
What actually is "traction" when it comes to RC cars?
trail
Learn what "trail" is in RC car suspension tuning, and how to use it to make your car easier to drive
transmission
Should you go with a 3-gear or 4-gear transmission? Stand-up or laydown? Find out how to tune your handling of your RC car with each of them.
transmission ratio
What is the transmission ratio (or primary ratio) of an RC, and how do you use it to tune your car? Read on to find out.
turbo
What is turbo timing and turbo delay, and how should I set them on my RC car's electronic speed controller?
turbo delay
What is the "turbo delay" setting on my RC car's speed controller?
turbo ramp
What is turbo ramp on an RC car's electronic speed controller?
turbo timing
What is the "turbo timing" setting on my car's ESC?
tweak
Learn about tweak on RC cars, what it is, and how to fix it
U
universal driveshaft
What is a universal driveshaft for an RC car, and why would I use one?
W
wedge
What is wedge in a dirt oval RC car, and how can I use it to improve my car's handling?
weight distribution
Learn how weight distribution affects the handling of your RC car
wheel hexes
What are "wheel hexes" and how are they used in RC car tuning?
wheelbase
Learn how the wheelbase of an RC car affects its handling, and why you might want to change it
wings
Learn how rear and front wings affect you RC car's handling and how to tune them to get your car running and jumping right
wishbones
What are wishbones on an RC car, anyways? Same as suspension arms. Read on to learn more.