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Directions for How to Build an Electric Model Car

In the RC car hobby world, building your own car from a kit is a common entry-level project that helps you to understand the mechanics behind the vehicle you're controlling. With this understanding, you'll know the capabilities of your car better, leading you to greater levels of control. Each car kit is different, but no matter the make or model, putting it together follows the same general process. Knowing this process before you begin can save you time as well as reduce the possibility of making a mistake during the building process that can leave you with a box of nonresponsive parts.

Things You'll Need

RC electric car kit
Screwdriver
Radio transmitter
Matching radio crystals
Radio receiver

Instructions

- 1
  Purchase an RC model car kit in a scale that you feel able to handle in the space you have available. The larger the scale the more space you'll need, so stick with smaller scaled cars such as 1/20th for indoor use and larger scaled cars up to 1/10th scale for outdoor use. Choose a kit that's specified for the use you intend to put it through primarily, on-road for indoor and pavement use, off-road for use on dirt tracks grass fields. Make sure the kit is complete, with the car motor, RC servos, a speed controller and battery pack included.
- 2
  Purchase a radio two-channel RC transmitter and receiver with matching radio crystals. For ease of handling, a pistol grip controller with a steering wheel is best. The trigger controls speed and forward or reverse motion, while the steering wheel allows you to precisely direct the vehicle while driving.
- 3
  Place the car parts and the instructions onto a flat work surface. Spread the instructions out so that you can easily reference them during the building process. Check the parts present against the parts list in the kit to make sure you have everything. If parts are missing, contact the retailer for an exchange.
- 4
  Assemble the car chassis using a Phillips-head screwdriver to connect the parts. Follow the assembly instructions provided by the manufacturer for proper part placement. Mount the shocks to the chassis. Build each of the shock towers that contain the shock springs before attaching them to the chassis to serve as wheel mounts. Test the shocks by carefully bouncing the chassis on all four shocks using light pressure on the chassis top. Make sure all shocks act independently according to where you place pressure on the chassis. Adjust any shock towers that show stiff or loose shock reaction.
- 5
  Mount the wheels to the shock towers. Make sure you follow the manufacturer instructions closely as you mount the gear system for the wheels to make certain the gears turn properly. Test the wheels by turning them through rotation of the gears, and by changing wheel direction on the front wheels. Make sure the front wheels will swivel in place together to give you good directional control.
- 6
  Install the motor into the chassis and connect it to the wheel gear system. Install the speed controller and the servo that connects the controller to the motor. Install the second servo to the front wheels to direct the steering.
- 7
  Mount the radio receiver onto the chassis and then connect the speed controller and steering server to the receiver. Secure the car battery in the chassis using the plastic bands rising from the chassis body and then connect the battery to the speed controller. Plug the receiver crystal into the marked socket of the radio receiver, and then plug the transmitter crystal into the radio transmitter.
- 8
  Cover the chassis with the RC car body by placing the four post holes in the tip of the chassis through the four holes in the molded body. Place the four mounting clips through the holes to hold the body in place. Turn on the transmitter and then turn on the car to begin using the electric model.

Toy Vehicles