Shows / The RC Deep Dive
The RC Deep Dive
Welcome to The RC Deep Dive podcast, your daily masterclass in the world of Tamiya radio-controlled model vehicles in under 30 minutes.
This is the ultimate anti-fluff resource for Tamiya RC builders, bashers, crawlers, collectors, drifters, racers, and speed runners. We publish a new, concise episode every day, focusing on the vintage, classic, and rere (re-release) models that have defined the radio control hobby.
We go beyond the RC hobby workbench. One day we're detailing HOW-TO guides for…
Episodes
The RC Deep DiveThe History of Tamiya's Radio Controlled Model Tanks
Most people who drive, race, bash, crawl, drift, or speed run their R/C model cars, trucks, buggies, vans, jeeps, or busses have never piloted a…
The RC Deep DiveWhy Do Shims Fix R/C Model Vehicle Wheel Slop? So Well?
Shims really help slop in axles, gearboxes, gears, and wheels, especially in the vintage and rere (re-release) Grasshopper, Hornet, Grasshopper II, and Super…
The RC Deep DiveMasters of the Universe and Their Vintage R/C Model Vehicles
Savage Eternia, the home of ancient mysterious lost science and technology and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe line up perfectly with some of the…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Fix Flexing Chassis Brace and Suspension Arms Retainers
A listener asked: tthe Tamiya Grasshopper II, Super Hornet, and Rising Fighter radio-controlled buggies, the Chassis Brace/Suspension Arms Retainer can flex…
The RC Deep DiveWhich is Better: Magnetic or Non-Magnetic Hobby Parts Trays?
Most of the time when you see somebody wrenching at their R/C hobby workbench, you will see a bunch of small magnetic trays to hold parts. However, you may…
The RC Deep DiveWhy Do R/C Model Vehicle Hobbyists Wear Craft Aprons?
If you are new to the radio-controlled model vehicle hobbyist community, you may wonder why so many R/C enthusiasts wear craft aprons at their hobby workbench…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Make a Metallic Fluorescent Blue R/C Model Vehicle Lexan Body Shell
Have you ever wanted to paint your clear Lexan polycarbonate R/C model vehicle, body shell a metallic fluorescent blue but saddened when Tamiya doesn't have…
The RC Deep DiveWhat Do Quick Charging, Short Runtime, and Hot Batteries Mean?
We had a listener write in and ask us what it means when their Gens Ace 7.2v 3000 mAh NiMh (Nickel-Metal Hydride) R/C buggy battery charges fast, has shortened…
The RC Deep DiveIs RC Cola Really the Unofficial Soft Drink of the R/C Hobby?
Some RC enthusiasts joke that RC Cola (Royal Crown Cola) soda of the R/C model vehicle hobbyist community. Besides a similar name and an easy pun is RC Cola…
The RC Deep DiveUpgrading Your Single-Use R/C Transmitter Batteries to Rechargeable Battery Packs
Single-use alkaline or lithium AA batteries in your radio-controlled model vehicles' radio transmitter are one of the most annoying things to have to replace…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Build Your Own Tamiya Grasshopper EVO DT-02 R/C Racing Buggy
If you have a Tamiya Hornet EVO DT-02 radio-controlled model buggy kit, you might have wondered if you could also build a Tamiya Grasshopper EVO DT-02 R/C…
The RC Deep DiveHOW -TO: Keep R/C Model Vehicle Fumes Out of Yours and Your Neighbours' Homes
Did you know that many fumes from R/C model vehicle projects like the fumes from cements, solvents, polymers, paints, paint thinners, epoxies, etc. can…
The RC Deep DiveDid Tamiya Ever Make Fuel-Powered Nitro R/C Model Vehicles?
Tamiya is known for its electric powered radio-controlled model vehicle kits, but during the reign of nitro R/C cars, trucks, and buggies, did they ever get…
The RC Deep DiveThe Vintage Acto-Power Vs the Modern Brushed Super Stock BZ Motor
The vintage pink Tamiya Acto-Power motor and the modern Super Stock BZ motor are both among the most powerful brushed motors for radio-controlled model…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Replace Oilite Brass Bushings in Your Motor with Ball Bearings
Brass Oilite bushings in Tamiya's brushed 540 motors are economical in manufacturing but not as efficient or powerful as ball bearings, but how do you remove…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Replace Brushes in Tamiya's Brushed 540 Motors
Replaceable brushes in Tamiya's brushed 540 motors are economical and powerful, but how do you remove old brushed and replace them with new brushes? In this…
The RC Deep DivePink Power: The Tamiya Acto-Power Off-Roader 2WD Motor
The Tamiya Acto-Power Off-Roader 2WD Motor was one of the most popular, powerful, and desired motors of the 1990s as the peak of the 3rd wave of Tamiya Motors…
The RC Deep DiveWhich SkyRC Gyro is Better for Bashing, Racing, and Speed Running?
The SkyRC GC301 steering gyro is a standard gyro that many bashers, racers, and speed runners use on their radio-controlled model vehicles. However the SkyRC…
The RC Deep DiveWho Wins? The Neo Frog DT-03 or the Hornet EVO DT-02
In the 1980s with the vintage originals, the Tamiya Frog R/C buggy always smoked the Hornet. When they were released in the 2000s the Frog Racing Team still…
The RC Deep DiveThe RC Deep Dive Podcast's Fathers Day Gift Guide
Was your father involved in the R/C midweek vehicle hobby during the golden age of radio-control? If so, in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we have a…
The RC Deep DiveWhy to Always Keep an Extra Bag of Gears for your Grasshopper or Hornet
The Tamiya Grasshopper, Hornet, Grasshopper II, and Super Hornet radio-controlled model buggies, both vintage and rere (re-release) are famous for having…
The RC Deep DiveWhen Do 3-Piece Wheels Need Their Tires Vented or Glued?
Generally speaking Tamiya's innovative three-piece R/C model vehicle kit wheels do not require gluing or venting of the tires. However, when you start putting…
The RC Deep DiveWhat Grease Do R/C Aluminium Rear Trailing Arms Need?
If you are upgrading your radio-controlled model vehicle's rear trailing arms from stock plastic to third-party hop-up aluminium rear trailing arms, what type…
The RC Deep DiveWhat's the Fastest Motor and Largest Battery You can Put in a Hornet EVO?
What's the biggest motor you can put in the 2024 Tamiya 40th Anniversary Edition Hornet EVO R/C model vehicle? While you should probably stay with a brushed…
The RC Deep DiveHow R/C Model Vehicles are Like Star Wars DIY Pod Racers
Many people have noticed that the concept of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) pod racers that are built and raced in the movie and novel of Star Wars Episode One: The…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Fix R/C Gear Mesh Problems and Loose Motor Mount Screws
If your R/C motor mount screws come loose this can cause a failure in your pinion gear to counter gear mesh. This is especially a problem when bashing the…
The RC Deep DiveWhat is the Fastest Motor You Can Put in a Neo Fighter DT-03?
If you have hopped-up your Neo Fighter DT-03 (a.k.a. the Neo-Frog DT-03 [Dirt Two Wheel Drive Generation 3 chassis]) and want the fastest 540 motor possible…
The RC Deep DiveWhat to Do if a Dog Attacks Your R/C Model Vehicle
What should you do if you are running you radio-controlled car, truck, buggy, jeep, van, bus, or tank and an unleashed dog charges your R/C model vehicle and…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Kindly and Politely Deny Usage of Your R/C Model Vehicle
In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we go over the best ways to just say no to letting someone you don't know drive your radio controlled car, buggy…
The RC Deep DiveAll About Tamiya Racing Factory VG Bearing Oils and Greases
What is TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) VG (Viscosity Grade) bearing oil? How does it compare to other TRF and other brand bearing oils? And what is the difference…
The RC Deep DiveTamiya's Dirt Four-Wheel Drive R/C Model Vehicles: The DF-01, DF-02, and DF-03
What makes Tamiya's dirt four-wheel drive series so special in the hearts and minds of many R/C model vehicle enthusiast? What are the difference between the…
The RC Deep DiveTamiya's Dirt Two-Wheel Drive Series: The DT-01, DT-02, DT-03, and DT-04
What makes Tamiya's dirt two-wheel drive series so special in the hearts and minds of many R/C model vehicle enthusiast? What are the difference between the…
The RC Deep DiveWhat Hollywood, Mass Media, and Commercial Ads get Wrong About the R/C Hobby
Just like skateboarders and TTRPG (Tabletop Role-Playing Game) players, the media gets the R/C model vehicle hobbyist community wrong on so many levels. Why…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Install a Gyro into Your R/C Model Vehicle
If you have every considered installing a gyro in your R/C model vehicle you might have wondered how difficult it is. It's relatively straightforward, however…
The RC Deep DiveWhy Some R/C Model Vehicle Hobbyists Hate Gyros and AI
While in general, the R/C model vehicle enthusiast community has accepted new technologies like ball diffs. ESCs, 2.4GHZ radio equipment, NiMh, LiFe, or LiPo…
The RC Deep DiveTrust But Verify: The Advantages and Disadvantages of R/C Forums vs. Podcasts
The R/C Forums are in many ways a lifeline of the radio-controlled model vehicle hobbyist community. However, with so the information they have and the good…
The RC Deep DiveThe 1980's R/C Racer Uniforms of the Golden Era of Radio-Control
In the iconic 1980's Punky Brewster episode, "Girls Will be Boys", the backyard R/C racer boys, as well as Punky Brewster herself, wore racecar driver racing…
The RC Deep DiveWho First Gave the Tamiya R/C ORV Chassis it's Name?
In 1983 Tamiya created 3 very different radio-controlled model vehicles on the same chassis; the Lancia 037 Rally Car, the Subaru BRAT, and the original racing…
The RC Deep DiveR/C Print Magazines Survival Models in Japan, Germany, and France
In a previous episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we covered the last 2 surviving English language print radio-controlled model vehicle magazines. But in this…
The RC Deep DiveWhy Vertical Shocks Destroy the Mighty Frog R/C Buggy
Many 3rd party aftermarket manufacturers since the 1980s to the present have made vertical shocks for both the front and rear of the Mighty Frog. However, a…
The RC Deep DiveWhy the R/C Hobbyist Community Decided the Frog Needed a White Bumper
Pro-Line and CRP (Custom Racing Products) made white dyable nylon bumpers for the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis R/C model vehicles, when it came to the Frog…
The RC Deep DiveAn R/C Hobbyist Community Call to Action: Go RC Day and R/C Hobby Shop Day
This is a call to arms and scrub for the radio control hobbyist community: we need our own radio-controlled model vehicle specific holidays like other hobbies…
The RC Deep DiveThe Dharma and Samsara of Radio Controlled Model Vehicles
The lifecycle of a radio-controlled model; vehicle from building to running to repairing to upgrading or hopping-up to rebuilding to retiring your R/C car…
The RC Deep DiveHow R/C Wrenching Makes You a Better Auto Mechanic
Many people don't think about it, but by lawn mower regularly wrenching on your R/C model vehicle, you become an amateurs engineer and have a better…
The RC Deep DiveHow R/C Bashing, Crawling, Racing, and Drifting Makes You a Better Driver
Bashing, Crawling, Racing, and Drifting a radio-controlled model vehicle can actually make your a much better driver in your full scale car, truck, jeep, van…
The RC Deep DiveR/C Wrenching: What Exactly is it and What is it Not?
R/C wrenching isn't just using a Tamiya box wrench t-tool. It's the building, tuning, hopping-up, and repairing your radio controlled model vehicles. But how…
The RC Deep DiveHow R/C Wrenching Releases Stress, Restores Calm, and Builds Resiliency
That vintage or rere (re-release) R/C model vehicle on your workbench is far more than a simple hobby; it's a powerful neurological tool that actively rewires…
The RC Deep DiveHow to Convert 2 Wheel Steering to 4 Wheel Steering in Your 6x6 R/C Model Vehicle
Did you know that you can convert the stock 2WS (Two Wheel Steering) to 4WS (For Wheel Steering) in your 6WD (Six Wheel Drive) radio-controlled model vehicle?…
The RC Deep DiveWhat are the Proper Shock Springs and Damper Oil for Tamiya's 6X6 R/C Model Vehicles?
A must-have hop-up for any of the 6X6 G6-01 and G6-01TR chassis R/C model vehicles by Tamiya are the aluminium CVA (Constant Volume Adjustable) oil-filled…
The RC Deep DiveWhat Other 6X6 Model Vehicles Does Tamiya Make?
We have been talking a lot recently about the Tamiya King Yellow and KongHead radio-controlled monster trucks, as they are the most popular 6WD (Six Wheel…
The RC Deep DiveWhat ESC, Servo, and Servo Saver Do You Need After Upgrading to a 550! Motor?
If you've made a bulletproof King Yellow or KongHead radio-controlled monster truck with a brushed 550 motor, steel pinion gear, and aluminium CVA (Constant…
The RC Deep DiveMechanical Theatre: The Benefits of the Clear Gearbox and Colored Gears
The Kong Head and King Yellow radio controlled monster vehicles have a set of hop-ups that one the surface look like they are just for aesthetic purposes. But…
The RC Deep DiveWhat are the Differences Between Brushed 540 and 550 Motors?
Most 1:10th scale radio-controlled model vehicles run on a brushed 380 or 540 motor. But a select few can really benefit from a brushed 550 motor. What is a…
The RC Deep DiveWhere are All of the Radio-Controlled Museums
Have you ever been to a R/C model vehicle museum? Do you know where you can find one to visit? In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we pull out the map…
The RC Deep DiveWhat was the First Ever R/C Hobby Shop in the World?
Do you know where the world's first radio-controlled model vehicle hobby shop was located? Do you know if they are still operating at the same location after…
The RC Deep DiveNikola Tesla: Grandfather of the Radio Controlled Model Vehicle
Long time listeners to the RC deep dive podcast will know that Nikola Tesla's 1898 teleautomoton was the first radio-controlled model vehicle. But there are…
The RC Deep DiveThe Differing Design Thinking and Corporate Philosophies of Tamiya and Traxxas
The aesthetics, design thinking, and corporate philosophies of radio control vehicle companies, Tamiya and Traxxas, are as different as night and day. This is…
The RC Deep DiveAre R/C Tanks and Off-Road Model Vehicles the Future of Warfare?
With this decade seeing a massive increase in militaries using radio controlled rockets, airplanes, and drones, are R/C tanks and 4x4 and 6x6 AWD (All Wheel…
The RC Deep DiveWhy are Tamiya and a Kyosho so Popular in Oceania?
In Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, etc.) Both Tamiya and Kyosho have remained super popular in the radio-controlled hobbyist…
The RC Deep DiveWhy is Tamiya so Popular in the UK and Germany When Traxxas and Arrma Rule the Rest of Europe?
While Traxxas and Arrma are there most popular radio-controlled car manufacturers in Europe, in the UK (United Kingdom) and Germany Tamiya still rules as King…