Advanced Techniques for RC Rock Crawling: Taking Your Skills to the Next Level

You might be an excellent driver on the race track or even on the road, but it doesn’t necessarily translate to great RC rock crawling skills. RC rock crawling needs advanced techniques and an entirely different commitment Also, approach than most motorsports. 

RC rock crawling includes knowing your RC rock crawler on the inside and outside and comprehending what your RC rock crawler can handle. 

Here is how to take your skills to the next level:

Avoid Sudden Throttling & Steering

There are many ways you can improve your RC rock crawling skills and eventually maneuver advanced techniques, including steering and braking properly. This is one of the biggest mistakes new drivers make. 

Polishing your skills here will boost your rock-crawling skills and make you a better racer. Most unskilled drivers steer unpredictably from the beginning, and it eventually becomes a bad habit. For this reason, it’s vital to work on this first before proceeding to something else. 

But how do you fix this? First, you need to figure out where the sudden steering comes from. For some drivers, the RC rock crawler might be the issue, particularly if you have a drift vehicle. This can be solved by checking the steering servos. You’ll have to buy new ones if they are old and battered. If you see that the steering is much better after replacing the old ones, you’re rid of the culprit. 

On the other hand, it could be your fault. If you have a 4WD, you should be as gentle as possible with the steering, even more so if you own a 2WD. 

2WDs usually oversteer, which is something to appreciate since steering them correctly at high speeds is challenging. Due to their susceptibility to oversteering, you should be careful and avoid sudden jerks in the transmitter, or it’ll malfunction. 

Maintenance 

Something else that is often overlooked is maintenance. Besides being vital for your RC rock crawler’s longevity, it also guarantees that it performs excellently on the track. The parts that require maintenance include bushings, servos, differentials and shocks, and so on. 

For those who own a nitro, you have to maintain the motor frequently to get the most out of it. I usually leave my Nitro RC cars idle till they deplete the fuel, then let the motor cool. Next, I clean the interior using a dry fabric, pull out the glow plug, and pour some after-oil. 

This oil comes in handy in evaporating the nitro fuel remaining in the motor and lubricating the motor’s interior. Once you pour the oil into the motor, return the glow plug inside. It would help if you did this when you’re done driving your RC rock crawler. 

Additionally, you should clean the air filter using soap and, later on, apply some filter oil. Again, you should replace the oil in the shocks monthly, precisely if you use your vehicle often. The next thing to check on is the bushings since they might be worn out. Switching them for ball bearings might be a good idea for improved performance. 

Upgrade some Parts of your RC Rock Crawler

To improve your driving experience, you will have to look at the gear you’re utilizing. Prevalently, having a sub-standard transmitter, heavy car, and poor-quality internals will substantially impact your experience with the rock crawler. For this reason, you should assess your rock crawler to determine if anything is holding it back. 

Oftentimes, transmitters are the ones that require upgrading. If the receiver & transmitter you have on your car is the one you had when you bought it, you need an upgrade. However, this depends on the rock crawler model. 

In addition to the transmitter, you must check out the servos and assess whether they’re in good shape. While the servos in RTR vehicles are usually suitable for most rock crawling activities, they are not as sturdy as you’d like. For instance, if you’ve used your RC rock crawler for a few months, you might need to replace the servo. A new one will make a massive difference when driving, particularly in rough terrain. 

Lastly, it would be best if you upgraded your rock crawler. If you have a beginner-friendly rock crawler, consider purchasing a more expensive model better suited for off-road performance. Also, if you’ve retained your rock crawler for so long and most parts are worn out, including the chassis, you seriously need an upgrade. 

Related Questions

How Do I Save a Roll-Over?

The chances of flipping over backward are high, so before you begin your ascension, think of how you will climb and consider the obstacles present. 

Once you begin your ascension, the tires at the front begin lifting and run backward on you. Here is what you can do:

• Initiate the reverse gear to make the tires touch the ground once more. Nevertheless, some rock crawlers sport a double tap or delay reverse feature; therefore, hitting the reverse gear will backfire. 
• You can also balance your steering and remain on the throttle. Indeed, you’ll flip over, but the front tires will hit once more. Besides, if you remain in the forward throttle position, the front tires will flip your rock crawler back in position. It might be best to have a rounded-body rock crawler though most cars can do this. All you need to do is keep going forward. 
• Lastly, you can attempt the swift reverse if the first two don’t work; swiftly drive forward over the tall ledge. This move isn’t as good as the first two, but you can get it right with some practice. 

How Can I Ascend a Ledge With the Front Tires?

It isn’t easy to do this, but this doesn’t mean it’s not doable. Here’s how to go about it:

Climb the ledge, and as the tires at the front begin to crest atop, disengage the back axle. This halts the tires at the back from moving up hence making the front part of your car lift. Since you’re only using the front part of your rock crawler, the tires will begin digging for better traction. 

As the car begins to climb the ledge, re-engage the rear axle, and they’ll push your car up and over the ledge. 

In Conclusion

Amping your skills needs lots of interest and commitment. Hopefully, the pointers I’ve given you will come in handy in doing so.