How to Choose a Gearing Ratio on an Rc Car or Truck

The Remote Control RC car or truck gearing ratio information is available at Sources and Citations.
Steps

Tighten the gear mesh so it is not fitted too tightly, or else it will make noise and cause premature wear on both the pinion and spur gear. Placing a piece of notebook paper between the pinion and spur before tightening down the motor will aid in setting the gear mesh. After the motor is secure, remove the paper and check the gear mesh. You should have minute amount of play between the gears.

rc tank

Listen for noise: if you have it set correctly you should not hear any noise coming from the gears. It is too loose it will cause gears to wear also, or to slip and clash and ruin the mesh.

Try to use a narrow strip of printer or copier paper by putting it between the pinion and spur gear while you set the tightness.

Adjust the pinion to the spur with the paper between them, and then tighten the motor mounting screws, and you should be able to pull/work the paper out without it tearing it off.

rc car

A smaller pinion (and/or larger spur) will give you faster acceleration, less load on the motor, and slower top speed. A larger pinion (and/or smaller spur) will slow the acceleration rate, increase the the load on the motor, and increase the top speed. The greater the load = the hotter your motor will get. The trick is to not overload (overheat) the motor. You should be able to hold on to the motor after a 4-6 minute run. If you can't hold on to it ( approx 130 degree F or higher ) your putting to much load on the motor and should decrease the pinion size or increase the spur.


That's a simple explanation. Hobbyists and racers can spend a lot of time trying to figure out the perfect balance of gears to give enough speed but still have enough torque for fast acceleration. We take into account tire size, track conditions, traction of the track and tires, duration of the race, motor types, battery specs, etc. Basically, it's trial and error. Good luck! 

How to Make a Flying Model Plane from Scratch

Sure, making a model of an F-22 is fun, but as James Dicky once said "Flight is the only truly new sensation than men have achieved in modern history." So, once you finish that wood model, it is time to make one take to the sky!
Choose your material. There are many things you can make a plane out of, but it must have two properties: lightness and stability. There aren't too many materials that satisfy this (and that are cheap!), but a few that do are cardboard, and depron foam, famous for r/c planes. You can make the plane as small or as large as you want, so buy the material accordingly.
You generally want to make the body flat, because it is hard to curve the material. You can look at pictures of planes and create the shape from the picture. You could even just make a rectangle with two wings if you want!
When you are ready with your design, draw it on the material you have chosen.

RC plane

Then, you can use a coping saw, or a circular saw if you want, or for softer materials, a box knife. When you are done you should have a plane looking cut-out.
You can also file down the edges to a slant to improve aerodynamics.
Look at pictures of different planes and see the different types of tails. Normal passenger jets have one vertical tail, while some jets have one vertical tail, two, two slanted ones and so on.
Choose the type you want and cut it out the same way you did with the body, and file it down if you want.
Now before we put on the motor and battery, we need to paint it. You can paint it black, or camouflage or any color you like! You can also add insignia, or a flag.
Now for the tough part. Find the center of gravity of the plane, you can do this by balancing it on your finger. When you find it, cut a square about 2-4 square inches. This is where the motor will go.

plane

Next, get some wire, it doesn't have to be too long. Last, get some light batteries, lithium batteries would be best, but AAA and AA batteries will be fine too. Now we need to prepare the motor before we fix it. There should be a place where you can attach wires on the motor, find those and attach the wires, but be sure to strip the coating first!
Then measure out the length from there to one end of the battery, and cut it off leaving a little bit extra.
Now, strip the wire again, but if you cut off the wire instead, you have a little bit extra. Then tape the wire to the battery.
Do that for the next end of the battery too. Now you will notice that the motor starts, so you can add a simple on/off switch by removing one wire from the battery. Or you could get a battery holder that you can place the batteries in and attach the wires to the appropriate places.
Now all you need is the propeller. You should make this out of balsa wood, and shape it in an infinity symbol, and then shave down the edges. Make sure it has a large surface area. Now find the diameter of the motor's shaft, a.k.a. the thing that spins. Then drill a hole in the center of the propeller and attach it to the shaft. Now you are ready to attach it!
You should be able to just tape it on with some duct tape, either on the top or bottom (the top will make it less likely to fall off). Test it to make sure it will have enough "push power". If it doesn't, you can add more batteries or get a larger motor, or larger propeller. Take it out and test it, it should fly if you do it right, but you might have to throw it to get it started.
Have fun! If you make a small one, you can attach it to a string, then to the ceiling in you room, and it will spin around!

How to Fly a Remote Control Plane

Flying a radio controlled plane can be tricky. Some simple steps will help you figure out the basics of RC flying. 
Decide on ready-built versus build-your-own. Do you want something pre-built, or want to assemble your own? RTF stands for Ready To Fly and includes everything including controller and battery, while ARF is Almost Ready to Fly (requires a little assembly). PNF stands for Plug-n-Fly, often requiring you to buy your own battery and controller separately. Do you want electric or glow (gas)? For the more challenging, kits are also available. 
Buy a remote control plane. Many good beginner planes are typically electric RTF trainers in the approximate $50-$300 price range including battery and controller. A good Internet search is "RTF trainer", or visit your own local hobby superstore. Build the plane (if assembly is required). Most RC planes, even RTF ones, require a bit of assembly. Pre-flight the plane. Turn on the transmitter, then the airplane. Check the direction of flight surfaces (have someone experienced check you). Check which control stick operates which surfaces. There are different conventions about which stick does what. These are called "modes," and there are 4 main ones - Mode 1, Mode 2 etc. 

rc plane

It is best to use a mode which is used by any instructor or the most common to other flyers in your area. Do a range check... with the antenna on the transmitter collapsed, walk 50-100 feet away and check that your control surfaces still respond without chattering or unwanted movements. 
Determine approximate wind speed by tying a ribbon to the end of the antenna of the remote and holding the controller parallel to the ground. Don't fly if the ribbon is parallel to the ground! Under 30 degrees is perfect. Determine wind direction by throwing some grass clippings or other light material into the air. If possible, launch INTO the wind. If you are taking off from a runway and the wind is perpendicular to the runway, it is possible to take off, but not advisable for a beginner. Slowly advance the power on your aircraft and wait for it to gain sufficient speed on the ground. If you're hand launching, advance the power to full and give the plane a straight level and firm (not too hard though) toss into the air and quickly grab the controls. 

remote control plane

If you are still learning, have someone else launch your airplane for you so you can keep your hands on the sticks. Keep the throttle at 100% until the plane reaches a sufficient altitude for the size plane you're flying. I usually fly what we call 3 mistakes high, which is 150-200 feet up, then reduce the throttle to half power. Use a very light touch. Just push the stick over for a split second and release. Simulator training will make you better at this. Turn to the left or right by moving the appropriate control stick left or right. This will roll the plane slightly to the side. You will also need to pull back on the appropriate control stick slightly to pull the plane through the turn. To complete the turn, roll the plane parallel to the ground. Remember to always keep the plane upwind, this way it won’t blow away from you.(this only applies if you turn with ailerons. Keep the plane as level as possible; if you raise the nose too much, it may cause a stall. 
Practice an oval shaped flight pattern, keeping all turns in the same direction. When you find yourself comfortable with this pattern, try flying an oval in the opposite direction (let other pilots around know what you are doing so they know to avoid you if you are flying an opposite pattern). When comfortable with both directions try a figure 8 pattern. Land the airplane by first making note of the wind direction to land into the wind. Reduce power slowly (don’t touch the (elevator) stick - to descend, simply reduce the throttle). You want the plane to almost glide on its own. When the plane is about 5 feet from the ground, cut the throttle. 
Flare just before the plane comes in contact with the ground by raising the nose at the last second so all three wheels touch at the same time. 

How to Control RC Indoor Helicopters

RC indoor helicopters are tiny remote-controlled helicopters with simplified flight controls. Lightweight and rugged, indoor helicopters can be operated without fear of breaking the helicopter or the surrounding furnishings. You can control your helicopter by using a combination of throttle and rudder controls to alter altitude and direction. Once you've mastered the basics, you'll be able to take your helicopter from simply hovering off the ground to performing low-flying acrobatics. 

RC

Place the helicopter on a flat surface and make it lift off by applying slight pressure to the throttle stick on your radio transmitter, moving the throttle forward. 
Check your helicopter for any spin movement as it rises. When you lift your unadjusted RC helicopter it may change direction without input from the rudder controls, constantly spinning to either the left or the right without moving forward. Trim the helicopter using the trim control knobs on the remote control to compensate for the unwanted movement. 
Release the throttle slowly, pulling back on the throttle stick slightly to land the helicopter back on the flat surface. Adjust the trim control on your remote by turning the trim knob in the opposite direction of the helicopter's turning movements. Make small adjustments to the trim controls, and test your helicopter after each adjustment until it rises without turning in place, pointing in a consistent direction while gaining altitude. 

RC indoor heli

Press the throttle forward and move the rudder stick on the receiver left to right to turn the tail of your helicopter and change its forward orientation. To increase or decrease the altitude of your helicopter, increase or decrease the amount of throttle movement, moving it forward or backward. 
Point the helicopter in the direction you want it to fly, and increase the throttle while at the same time applying slight pressure to the rudder. The helicopter will move forward slightly, curving in the direction of the rudder movement. For turns, center the throttle and press the rudder to the left or right. 
Do not fly indoor helicopters where they may hit other people or pets. The rotors operate at a high speed that could cause injury.

How to Fix an Electric RC That Won't Move

Assuming you have good batteries in the vehicle and the transmitter and you've turned on the ON switch, if the RC won't move forward or backwards there are a couple of things to check and repair. But first, make sure you've checked all these othercommon reasons that an RC won't run. 
 
Answer: Noise, Yes. If you can hear the RC running but it makes some kind of noise, perhaps a grinding or whirring sound when you apply throttle then you may have a slipped pinion gear. You may be able to remesh the gears or you might need to replace the gears completely if they are stripped. On a toy RC, replacement can be tricky (and just getting to the drivetrain on some toy RC is challenging) but for hobby-grade RC you can usually purchase replacement parts. 

rc plane

The gear ratio setup helps determine things like speed and power. Some gear setups provide your RC with a lot of get-up-and-go right off the line while others may have you starting off more slowly but give your RC more top end speed. 

Changing your gear ratio setup is most often a bit of trial and error, mixing and matching different spur gears with different sizes of pinion gears. Often RC will come with a selection of different size gears so you can choose the setup that works best for you. 
Each of these tutorials talk about different aspects of finding the right gear ratio and other tweaks. 

rc tank

Noise, No. If your steering works but you hear no noise, you may have a loose wire. Trace all the wires to and from your motor looking for loose connections or broken wires. On a toy RC the wires will generally run to a circuit board. 

It may be necessary to resolder any loose or broken connections. If there is no steering, no noise, and no movement it's possible you have a bad or worn out motor that needs replacing or the wires to and from the batteries are loose or disconnected. On a hobby grade RC it could be your receiver that's the culprit. Try plugging your servos into a different receiver (with a matching frequency) to see if it works.

If you can't fix it up, you could buy a new one. I know a great website.My friends and I always buy from rctophobby.com.It is a wonderful online rc shop.

Super Combo Align T-REX 700E RC Helicopter

Newly designed aerodynamically efficient metal main blade controlsystem Dual section battery mount innovative sliding battery tray railsimbedded into 3K side frame, providing easy battery access and protection.Top mounted motor base with unique fixed 3rd bearing block. 
New Align T-REX 700E style linkage rod design, complete assemblyincreases linkage rod rigidity. Utilizes high spec M1 112T CNC helicalmain gear and M1 tail drive helical gear Utilizes composite carbonmaterial integration technique on frame structure for CCPM servos A7075-T6 Aluminum alloy material and CNC processed Metal AntiRotation Bracket. New CNC aluminum alloy mounting plate and precision CNC machined aluminum pieces.
 

T-REX 700E

Including rudderr servo mount Utilizes dual point attachment design for zero play and higher precision control feel 750MX(530KV) highefficiency, high torque brushless motor 690 3G carbon main blades BL700H High Voltage Brushless Servo with CNC aluminum servo horns BL750H High Voltage Brushless Servo 3GX Programmable Flybarless System Castle ICE2 HV 120 Brushless ESC Instruction Brand new redesigned 3GX represents a new generation of multi function flybarlesssystem.
The dramatically improved performance will create immediate impact onany enthusiasts. 3GX is currently the smallest and lightest flybarlesssystem on the market. Two ports to directly connect Spektrum and JR satellite receivers, along with full support of Futaba's S-BUS system.
Based on the 3G FL760 manual setup process, the 3GX can be setup in afew minutes through a simple process. In addition, the 3GX can supportall of the CCPM swashplate system currently on the market including 90,120, 135, and 140 degrees swash plates. Graphical illustrated instructionon the computer setup software directs the user through a step by step set up process allowing for quick setups without omitting any steps.Support Bluetooth connectivity. With the soon to be released Bluetoothconnectivity kit, 3GX can be programmed wirelessly from a PC.
 

 Align T-REX 700E

Eventually there will also be smart phone apps allowing live adjustments to 3GX without powering down. With 3GX's built in Align RCE-G600 governor function, no external governor is needed to reduce electronicwire clutters. Custom parameters have been opened up in 3GX to allow pilots to fine tune numerous settings for swashplate and rudder. Settingsexport feature allows custom settings to be shared amongst friends. 3GXutilizes brand new gyroscope sensors of the highest specifications whencompared to other flybarless systems currently on the market, allowing itto be used under harsh conditions. Dual axis plus rudder sensor dramatically improves swashplate and rudder correction precisioncompared to last generation 3G. This is clearly noticeable in stable hover as well as highly aerobatic routines.
Suitable for Align rc helicopter of allclass from 200 to 700, glow engine or electric powered The superior vibration resistant characteristic is evident even when mounted withharder double sided mounting tape.

Newly designed-Align T-REX 700E

Newly designed aerodynamically efficient metal main blade controlsystem Dual section battery mount innovative sliding battery tray railsimbedded into 3K side frame, providing easy battery access and protection Top mounted motor base with unique fixed 3rd bearing block. 
New Align T-REX 700E style linkage rod design,complete assemblyincreases linkage rod rigidity Utilizes high spec M1 112T CNC helicalmain gear and M1 tail drive helical gear Utilizes composite carbonmaterial integration technique on frame structure for CCPM servos A7075-T6 Aluminum alloy material and CNC processed Metal AntiRotation Bracket New CNC aluminum alloy mounting plate and precision CNC machined aluminum pieces. 

Align T-REX 700E

Including rudderr servo mount Utilizes dual point attachment design for zero play and higher precision control feel 750MX(530KV) highefficiency, high torque brushless motor 690 3G carbon main bladesBL700H High Voltage Brushless Servo with CNC aluminum servo hornsBL750H High Voltage Brushless Servo 3GX Programmable FlybarlessSystem Castle ICE2 HV 120 Brushless ESC Instruction Brand newredesigned 3GX represents a new generation of multi function flybarless system. 
The dramatically improved performance will create immediate impact onany enthusiasts. 3GX is currently the smallest and lightest flybarlesssystem on the market. Two ports to directly connect Spektrum and JR satellite receivers, along with full support of Futaba's S-BUS system.Based on the 3G FL760 manual setup process, the 3GX can be setup in afew minutes through a simple process. In addition, the 3GX can supportall of the CCPM swashplate system currently on the market including 90,120, 135, and 140 degrees swashplates. 
Graphical illustrated instructionon the computer setup software directs the user through a step by stepsetup process, allowing for quick setups without omitting any steps. Support Bluetooth connectivity. With the soon to be released Bluetoothconnectivity kit, 3GX can be programmed wirelessly from a PC.Eventually there will also be smartphone apps allowing live adjustments to 3GX without powering down. With 3GX's built in Align RCE-G600 governor function, no external governor is needed to reduce electronicwire clutters. 
Custom parameters have been opened up in 3GX to allow pilots to fine tune numerous settings for swashplate and rudder. Settingsexport feature allows custom settings to be shared amongst friends. 

T-REX 700E

3GX utilizes brand new gyroscope sensors of the highest specifications when compared to other flybarless systems currently on the market, allowing itto be used under harsh conditions. Dual axis plus rudder sensor dramatically improves swashplate and rudder correction precisioncompared to last generation 3G. This is clearly noticeable in stable hover as well as highly aerobatic routines. 
Suitable for Align rc helicopter of allclass from 200 to 700, glow engine or electric powered The superior vibration resistant characteristic is evident even when mounted withharder double sided mounting tape.