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Ideas That Make a Model Car Go Faster

Model cars are built much along the same lines as the full-sized vehicles they're crafted after. Thanks to this, many of the techniques that apply to giving actual cars a boost in speed can be applied to model cars as well. While some of the modifications are simple in nature, others require major rebuilding. Modify your model car so that its speed increases as much as 30 percent. When multiple methods are combined, you can turn your slowest model into a racer.

More Power
- The amount of power your car can handle is a big part of the top speeds it can attain. Improving the power capability of your car can be as simple as changing the battery type. High-capacity batteries, such as those in racing-quality NiMH battery packs, make a big difference in electric-powered models, as they're specifically matched so each cell in the pack can provide the same power discharge, improving efficiency and giving maximum power every time. For fuel-powered models, a fuel with 20-percent nitro content provides for a big power boost, but more than 20-percent nitro will harm to your engines.
  
  Modifying your motor can lead to the biggest speed increases, and allow for better usage of the increased power. Look for modified motors that give up to a 30-percent increase in speed over stock versions.
Replacement Parts
- Replacing some of the parts of your model with upgraded or altered versions can give you a large boost in speed, but may require a bit of work. Adding ball bearings will help reduce friction in both the axles and transmission, which can give your model up to 20 percent more speed. Changing the chassis, screws and drive shafts to incorporate lighter materials will give your model less weight, increasing the car's speed up to 10 percent. Even changing the tires on your model can add road grip and give you an extra boost of speed.
Control
- The more control you have over your model, the better you will be at utilizing the speed of the car. There are a few modifications you can make to improve the handling of your vehicle. Replacing the suspension with oil-filled shock absorbers, specially tuned springs and sway bars can go a long way towards better control and speed when cornering. Replacing servos in remote-control cars with high-speed steering models, and replacing the mechanical speed controller with an electronic control also helps increase the response time of your car.

Toy Vehicles