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 DiveWhich Steel Pinion Gears Should You Use in Your Gearbox
A listener asked us about choosing the correct specific steel pinion gears to fit in the Tamiya Brat, Lancia 037 Rally, Frog, Grasshopper, Hornet, Blackfoot…
The RC Deep DiveWhat are the Best R/C Car, Truck, and Buggy Video Games?
Sometimes, the weather isn't conducive to running either your on-road or off-road R/C model vehicles outside, but you still want to bash, crawl, drift, or…
The RC Deep DiveGatekeeping in the R/C Model Hobbyist Community
In many hobbies, including the radio control model vehicle hobbyist community, there are veteran grognards who are the curators of safety, standards, skills…
The RC Deep DiveThe RC Deep Dive Podcast's Top 10 Vintage R/C Vehicles
Our "experts" here at the RC Deep Dive podcast have gotten together and made a list of our top 10 favorite vintage radio controlled model vehicles from the…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Fix, Manage, and Prevent RC Hobbyist Wrenching Swellbow
Olecranon bursitis, or swellbow, can happen from overuse of your elbow when wrenching your R/C model vehicles. So, if you get it, how do you fix this…
The RC Deep DiveThe History of Tamiya's Fictional and Real Racing Teams
Tamiya has a number of fictional racing teams like the 2-member Frog Racing Team, to the 4 member Team Hoppers a.k.a. the Grasshopper Racing Team, to the 3…
The RC Deep DiveTamiya Club: The Online R/C Model Hobbyist Community
Tamiya Club isn't an official part of Tamiya, Incorporated, but it may as well be. It's just that important to the R/C model vehicle hobbyist community…
The RC Deep DiveTrue Off-Road vs. Hyper Manicured "Off-Road" R/C Race Tracks
Off-road racing and bashing has really changed and diverged since the golden age of R/C of 1976-1991. So-called "true" off-road is driving in natural sand…
The RC Deep DiveTubes to Pots: The Container Change of the Holy Trinity of R/C Lubricants
Recently, AE (Associated Electronics) changed the containers that its TA (Team Associated) lubricants came in. The so-called holy trinity of radio control…
The RC Deep DiveThe Hop-Up Revolution: The History of Grassroot Garage Engineering
When the R/C model vehicle kit hobbyist community quickly decided that they wanted to hop-up their hobby-grade radio controlled vehicles, a grassroots…
The RC Deep DiveWhich MIP and Vessel Driver Handles and Heads Should R/C Model Hobbyists Use?
MIP (Moore's Ideal Products) recently rolled out a new version, Gen 2.0, of it's hex and nut drivers. Is this new version the best choice for radio controlled…
The RC Deep DiveTamiya Sand Blaster Tires vs. Sweep Racing Square Armor R/C Buggy Tires
What's the difference between 2 similar but very different wheels introduced 40 years apart? Both have square treads, both are popular on the Frog…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Add Headlamps While Respecting Your R/C Buggy's Structural Integrity
The Tamiya SuperShot a.k.a. the Super HotShot famously came without faux headlights. So in the quest to remedy this lack of eyes on this radio controlled…
The RC Deep DiveWhich Servo and Saver for the HotShot Family of 1/10th Scale 4WD R/C Buggies?
The Tamiya HotShot family of RC buggies were iconic and groundbreaking, but had a number of flaws, especially in their steering. Getting the right servos and…
The RC Deep DiveExactly Which Size MIP and Vessel Drivers Do Serious R/C Model Builders Need?
If you've decided that you are serious about being part of the R/C model vehicle hobbyist community and you want to get some pro level tools. Your local hobby…
The RC Deep DiveWhy Can't You Use Power Tools When Building R/C Model Vehicles?
Many things in life are built , repaired, it disassembled exclusively with power tools, but there's one thing that you should never use power tools on, and…
The RC Deep DiveCan You Leave Your Batteries Connected to Your R/C Vehicle When Turned Off?
Can you leave your fully-charged batteries plugged into your radio controlled car, buggy, truck, or van? What if the R/C battery is fully drained? Are the…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Easily Restore Your Yellowing, Brittle, Vintage Nylon Parts
Some of the greatest dyeable white nylon and hop-up parts made by CRP, Parma, Pro-Line, Tamiya, and others in the 1980s are starting to yellow and weaken…
The RC Deep DiveCan you Use a Plastic Bushing or Steel Ball Bearing as an Axle Spacer or Shim?
The Tamiya GH2 (Grasshopper II) comes with really wide pin drive to 4 point wheel adapter mounts on the rear axle, but if you upgrade your wheels to the Hornet…
The RC Deep DiveIs the C-Ring Necessary in Either the Stock or Hopped-Up Frogs?
In the instruction manual, Tamiya shows to install a C-Ring clip on to the spur gear. However, this piece often gets lost when trying to install it. So we…
The RC Deep DiveWhat Does the CRP HotShot Nerf Wing Do, and Can it Fit the Super HotShot?
CRP (Custom Racing Products) made a nerf wing for the vintage Tamiya HotShot to protect it's monocoque chassis and battery. But many R/C model vehicle…
The RC Deep DiveThe Frog Fit: The Proper Way to Mount Your R/C Buggy Body
Many RC model vehicle hobbyists have a hard time getting the Frog Lexan body shell on and off it's ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis. One of the reasons is that…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Fix the Front Top Shock Mount Screws From Sticking Out So Far
The Grasshopper, Hornet, Lunchbox, GH2 (Grasshopper II), Super Hornet, Rising Fighter, and many other Tamiya R/C model vehicles have an extra long to front…
The RC Deep DiveThe Unseen Advantage: The Best and Cheapest R/C Tire Balance Compounds
Balancing your radio controlled vehicles' tires and wheels gives you advantages with speed, control, and less time between repairs, not to mention a better…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Fix a Hornet Rear Shock Mount Hop-Up on the Grasshopper Preventing Proper Body Fitment
When using the Tamiya Hornet R/C buggy top rear shock extender mounts on the Grasshopper, the brass tube bushings that protect the shock eye are just wide…
The RC Deep DiveHow Can the Miniature Manufacturing CNC Alloy Heatsink Save Your R/C Model Vehicle?
Miniature Manufacturing makes a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Machined Alloy Heatsink for the Tamiya 1/10th scale Lancia 037 Rally, Subaru BRAT, Frog…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Get the Most out of Your A3 Hobby Mats and R/C Car Stands
Many radio control hobbyists, when building their vintage, classic, rere, and modern radio controlled model cars, buggies, trucks, and vans use an RC vehicle…
The RC Deep DiveWhat are CRP Hop-Up Nerf Wings, and Do You Still Need Them Today?
CRP (Custom Racing Products) made Nerf Wings for the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) Chassis R/C cars, trucks, and buggies like the Lancia 037 Rally, the Subaru BRAT…
The RC Deep DiveTo Paint the Windows or to Not Paint the Windows? That is the Question
As you finish building your R/C buggy, it's time to paint the body shell. But do you paint the rear window? And if it has a windscreen/windshield in the front…
The RC Deep DiveThe Tamiya Electric Handy Drill: A Great Tool for Hop-Ups that Needs Hop-Ups Itself!
The Tamiya Electric Handy Drill model kit is great for hop-ups that require you to make a hole in your R/C model vehicle chassis, such as many AmPro…
The RC Deep DivePower to the People: Alternate Placement of the Power Switch
The vintage Tamiya Frog instructed builders to attach the power switch to the rear window of the R/C buggy, causing massive issues for bashers and racers…
The RC Deep DiveWhy do Some Tamiya R/C ReRes Come on Completely Different Chassis?
Many of Tamiya's rere (re-release) R/C model vehicles have been reissued with entirely different chassis than the ones their vintage release originally came…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Paint Chrome Details on Your R/C Model Vehicles
How do you get perfect chrome on your R/C model vehicles? Airbrushing, markers, powders, inks, paints, glosses, polishes, foils, clear coats, etc. all claim to…
The RC Deep DiveShould you Combine Ball Diffs with Carbon Fiber Gearboxes and Support Tensioners?
It is often said to fix the ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis gearbox flex you either need to install either the MIP Super Ball Diff (Differential) or the…
The RC Deep DiveThe Super Sabre v Thunder Shot Problem of 1987 and 2022/2023
In 1987, the last member of the 1/10th scale HotShot 4WD R/C buggy family came out... ....but not in a vacuum. Along with it, radio control model hobby shops…
The RC Deep DiveAnytime Baby! The Wild Story of Tail Wing Mottos on Tamiya R/C Model Buggies
Say, "No Guts, No Glory!" to an R/C buggy enthusiast and they think of the Frog. Say, "Being Nuts is Neat!" And the same be radio control model hobbyist will…
The RC Deep DiveWhat are the Most Popular Colors to Paint the Tamiya Frog?
Box art dictates that the Tamiya (Mighty) Frog is painted pink, white, and black. (Although box art shows a red helmet for the driver, the vintage directions…
The RC Deep DiveWhat is the CRP ORV Chassis Stiffener for the BRAT, Frog, Blackfoot, Super Beetle, etc.
The CRP (Custom Racing Products) #3043 ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) Chassis Stiffener for the BRAT, Frog, Blackfoot, and Super Beetle, is more than a replacement…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Fix Mismatched R/C Electronics Connectors
Often when you buy an ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) for your radio controlled vehicle, you get a Dean's connector T-plug, but your battery may have a…
The RC Deep DiveHopper to Rocket: The History of Speed Running the Tamiya Grasshopper
[NOTE: This was recorded before the completion of Poor Boys RC Summer 2025 Speed Run Challenge announced in June] The Tamiya Grasshopper 2WD R/C buggy is an…
The RC Deep DiveWhy are the Pro-Line and CRP ORV Hop-Up Bumper Exactly the Same?
The Pro-Line and CRP (Custom Racing Products) dyeable white nylon bumper have both been called a "must-have" Hop-Up for the Frog and other ORV (Off-Road…
The RC Deep DiveWhat is the History of the ORV Chassis and it's Many Colors?
The ORV chassis is an icon in the R/C hobbyist community. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive we dig into this legendary radio controlled model chassis and its…
The RC Deep DiveFixing All Front End Slop in the HotShot Family of 4WD R/C Buggies
The HotShot family (HotShot, SuperShot, HotShot II, Bigwig, Boomerang, Super Sabre, HotShot 2 Blockhead Motors Edition, and Super HotShot) of 4WD radio…
The RC Deep DiveAre Grasshopper and Hornet Shock Brace Bars the Real Deal?
OC Racing, Option No. 1, and other 3rd party aftermarket R/C hop-up manufacturers make bars that go between the top and bottom rear shock mounts on the Tamiya…
The RC Deep DiveCA Super Glue vs Clear Silicon Sealant for Tire Glueing
R/C hobby grade CA (cyanoacrylate) glue or super glue has been the standard adhesive for tires to seal to modern one-piece wheels. However, recently, in the…
The RC Deep DiveWhy Aluminum Knuckles for the HotShot 4WD Family of R/C Buggies?
Aluminum steering knuckles are often considered a must-have first hop-up for the vintage and rere (re-release) HotShot Family of R/C buggies (HotShot, HotShot…
The RC Deep DiveTeam Associated Green Slime, Black Grease, and Stealth Diff Lube
AE (Associated Electronics), creators of the RC10, RC12, and RC100, are R/C model competitors of Tamiya, but many loyal Tamiya fans find themselves using Team…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Use Tamiya PS Pearl Spray Paints Correctly
Tamiya's PS spray paints are for Lexan (polycarbonate) radio control vehicle body shells. However, with Pearl paints being a more transparent paint, should it…
The RC Deep DiveThe Superiority of the (Mighty) Frog Over Other Vintage & Rere 2WD R/C Buggies
The (Mighty) Frog was first made by Tamiya in 1983. In 1984 Tamiya came out with the Grasshopper, then the Hornet. A decade later they manufactured the…
The RC Deep DiveThe Many Evolutions of the Grasshopper/Hornet Chassis
The original Grasshopper, which shares it's chassis with the Hornet, had 3 different chassis sib-models during it's original vintage run of manufacturing. The…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Build a Grasshopper II into a Rock Hopper
Since the Tamiya Grasshopper II 1/10th scale R/C buggy has 1.9" wheels, the best way to build a square set-up is to use Tamiya's own Hornet Large Diameter…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Fix White Stress Lines in Your R/C Model Chassis
Your gently drive a screw in your radio controlled vehicle's chassis or gearbox and those white lines appear. You now have those horrible stress marks and you…
The RC Deep DiveHOW-TO: Fix Lexan (Polycarbonate) Body Shell Cutting Mistakes
You are carefully cutting out your polycarbonate body so that you can paint it with your choice of PS paints. But then your hobby knife slips and you cut a…
The RC Deep DiveShould You Grease Your Gearbox Where it Connects to Your Chassis?
Vintage, classic, and rere (re-release) radio controlled buggies like the Grasshopper, Hornet, Grasshopper II, Super Hornet, Rising Fighter, etc. have a pivot…
The RC Deep DiveR/C Rally Car Legends: Audi Quattro vs. Lancia 037
In 1983 Tamiya made the 2 most iconic class B rally cars into 1/10th scale R/C models. However, when they re-released these radio controlled vehicles in the…
The RC Deep DiveR/C Jargon: Racing, Bashing, Crawling, Drifting, Speed Running, and More!
The R/C hobby isn't just collecting, building, and racing. There's also bashing, crawling, drifting, and speed running, each activity having a number of…
The RC Deep DiveWhat are Parma Double Wheel Adapters and How Do They Work?
In the 1980s, Parma created one of the more unusual hop-ups that allows you to put double wheels on both the front and rear axles of your Tamiya Frog…
The RC Deep DiveDo Softer Shock Springs Require Harder Damper Oil?
There's a lot of confusion about how radio control model vehicle shock springs and damper oil work together and exactly what each one does. In this episode of…
The RC Deep DiveThe Importance of Supporting Your Local RC Hobby Shops and Race Tracks
Why is it so important to support your local R/C model hobby shop and RC car race track, if you are lucky enough to have one (or more). We take a really deep…
The RC Deep DiveThe RestoMod Movement, Blockhead Motors, and Jun Watanabe
The resto-mod (restored and modified with modern hop-ups) movement is highly popular in the vintage RC hobbyist community in recent times. Jun Watanabe's…