RC Car Glossary

Definitions for every RC term, setting, and piece of jargon.

A

Ackermann: Learn what the Ackermann setting is and how it affects your RC car's steering response
active toe: What is active toe and how is it different from static toe? Read on to understand.
anti-drag: Anti-drag can be helpful in tuning your ESC when using a brushed motor
anti-roll bar: Learn what a sway bar (anti-roll bar) is, and how it can be used for tuning an RC car's handling
anti-squat: What is anti-squat, and how can you use it to tune your RC car's performance? Learn about squat and dive and their effects here.
arm sweep: What is "sweep" on an RC car, and how does it affect the handling?
axle height: Learn how axle height is used to adjust roll center and keep your suspension geometry consistent.

B

batteries: Learn about RC car batteries, what their ratings mean, and how to choose one for your car and type of bashing or racing
battery position: Learn how moving your battery forward or rearward can help you improve the handling of your RC car
bite: What does "bite" mean when talking about RC cars?
bladder shocks: What are "bladder" style shocks and why would you use them on an RC car? Read on!
blinky mode: What is "blinky mode" on an RC electronic speed controller and why would I use it?
body position: Learn how body position affects the handling of an RC car.
boost: Learn about the boost setting on your RC car's electronic speed controller
boost end: Learn about the "boost end" setting on an RC car ESC
boost ramp: What is boost ramp, and how does it affect my RC car's acceleration?
boost start: Learn about the "boost start" setting on an RC car ESC
brake frequency: What is "brake frequency" on an RC car's ESC, and why would I want to change it?
brake strength: What is the "brake strength" or "brake control" setting on an RC car's speed controller?
bump steer: Learn what bump steer is and how you can use it to tune your RC car's suspension, so it handles just the way you want it.

C

c-hub: What is the c-hub on an RC car and how does it affect the car's handling?
camber: Learn how camber and camber gain can be used to improve the handling of your RC car. It's one of the most fundamental adjustments for both on-road and off-road cars.
camber gain: How does camber gain effect the handling of an RC car? Learn all about it here!
camber link: Learn what a camber link is and how to use it to tune your RC car's suspension
carb restrictor: What does a carb restrictor do on an RC car's engine?
carburetor: What is a carburetor and what does it do on an RC car engine?
caster: Learn about caster (aka castor) and how you can use it to tune your RC car. Very important for both on-road and off-road applications!
chassis: How does a chassis affect your car's handling? The answer may surprise you! Or not, I guess.
clutch: What is a clutch and why do you need one? Learn how they're used for tuning both electric and nitro RC cars.
clutch bell: What is a clutch bell on an RC car, and how does it work?
clutch bell gap: Overview of the clutch bell gap for nitro RC car engines
clutch shoes: Learn how clutch shoes and springs affect the acceleration of your nitro RC car, and how you can tune your car by adjusting them
clutch springs: Learn how clutch springs affect how your RC car accelerates and how you can use them to tune your car to your liking
coast: What is the "coast" setting on your RC car's speed controller, and how should you set it?
crankshaft endplay: What is crankshaft endplay, and should I be worried about it?
cross-weight: What is cross-weight, and how is it used in tuning RC oval race cars?
CVD driveshaft: What is a CVD driveshaft for an RC car, and why would I use one?

D

damping: What is "damping" and what does it have to do with RC car suspension?
differential: What type of differential should you use in your RC car? Why does it matter? Read on for the details.
differential fluid: Learn how to tune your RC car by changing the oil in the differentials, especially useful for 4WD cars!
differential height: Learn how differential height is affects an RC car's handling and why you might want to change it
dive: Learn how anti-dive and pro-dive affect an RC car's handling
double cardan joint driveshaft: What is a double cardan joint driveshaft for an RC car, and why would I use one?
drag brake: Drag brake is a setting on the speed controller - read on to learn what it does
driveshafts: Learn the difference between CVDs and Universal driveshafts, and when you should use one over the other on your RC car.
droop & downstop: Learn about droop and its impact on the handling of an RC car, and how to set it with downstops
dual-rate: Learn what the dual-rate adjustment is on your radio

E

electronic speed controller (ESC): Learn about the electronic speed controller for your RC car
emulsion shocks: What are "emulsion" style shocks and why would you use them on an RC car? Read on!
end-point adjustment (EPA): Learn what the End-Point Adjustment (EPA) does on your RC car
engine: Learn how to tune RC car nitro engines
exponential setting: What does the "exponential" setting do on your transmitter? Read on to find out.

F

final drive ratio: Learn what the Final Drive Ratio is and how you can use it to compare your RC car's gearing to others, even if they're different cars
flex: What is "flex" and how does it affect an RC car's handling? Read on!
flywheel: What is the "flywheel" on an RC car engine, and what does it do?
fuel (nitro): Learn how to choose nitro for your RC race car to get the performance you want

G

gear pitch: What does gear "pitch" mean in RC racing, and what pitch should I use?
gear ratio: What is an RC car's "gear ratio", and how can you use it to alter your car's performance?
glow plugs: Learn how glow plugs affect the performance of your RC car's engine, and how to choose them to improve it
grip: What is "grip" when it comes to RC racing? And is there such a thing as too much grip?

H

head clearance: Learn how head clearance affects the performance of your RC car's nitro engine
header: What is the "header" on an RC car engine?

I

idle: What is the "idle" on an RC car's engine?
idle gap: What is the idle gap on an RC car's engine, and how does it affect performance?
initial brake: What is the "initial brake" setting on my RC car's electronic speed controller?
initial throttle: What is the "initial throttle" setting on an RC car's electronic speed controller?

K

kick-up: Learn about kick-up and caster, how they are related, and how they affect the handling of an RC car.
kingpin: What is the kingpin on an RC car, and what does it do?
kingpin inclination: Learn about kingpin inclination and how it affects the handling of an RC car

M

manifold: What is the "exhaust manifold" on an RC car engine?
motor: Learn about the types of brushless motors and how to choose the right one for your RC car
motor Kv constant: What is the Kv constant, and what does it tell you about an RC car's motor? Read on to find out.
motor timing: What is an RC car motor's "timing", and why would someone advance to decrease it? Read on for answers.
motor wind: How does the wind (or number of turns) of an motor affect an RC car's acceleration, torque and top speed?
muffler: What is the "muffler" on an RC car engine?

N

neutral range: Learn about the neutral range setting on your RC car's ESC

P

pack: Learn how pack affects your shock absorber's performance, and how to use it to smooth out the bumps
pill inserts: What are "pill inserts" and how do the affect the handling of an RC car?
pillow ball: What are pillow balls on an RC car, and how do they affect the car's suspension and handling?
pinion gear: Learn how to tune your RC car's drivetrain with the pinion and spur gears
pipe: What is the "pipe" on an RC car engine?
pivot ball: What is pivot ball suspension on an RC car, and how is it used to tune the car's handling?
push control: Learn about push control and what setting it does on your RC car's ESC

R

ride height: Learn what ride height is and how you can use it to tune your RC car's handling
roll center: Learn what roll center is, how to adjust it, and how you can use it to tune your RC car. Roll center is a fundamental concept, so it's important to get it right!
rollout: What is rollout, and how can you use it to find just the right pinion for your RC car?
rotor diameter: How does the diameter of a brushless motor's rotor affect it's performance?
rotor length: How does the length of a brushless motor's rotor affect it's performance?

S

scrub radius: Learn how scrub radius and kingpin inclination affect the handling of your RC car
shock caps: Learn about shock caps and how they can affect the tuning of an RC car's shocks
shock limiters: What are shock limiters, and how are they used to control droop on an RC car? Read on for answers.
shock mounting: Where should you mount the shocks on your RC car? Read on to learn how to choose mounting positions on the shock tower and suspension arms.
shock oil: Learn about shock oil and shock pistons and how to use them to get your RC car handling just right, either on-road or off-road
shock orientation: Should you consider running your shocks upside down? Learn what it does for your RC car's handling and the pros and cons.
shock pistons: Learn how shock pistons affect your RC car's handling, and how to choose the right pistons
shock pre-load: Learn about shock pre-load and how to use it on your RC to set the ride height
shock rebound: Learn what shock rebound is and how it can be used to make your RC car handle better
shock springs: Learn how shock springs affect the handling of your RC car, and how to choose whether lighter or stiffer springs will help your handling.
side links: Learn about side links on RC on-road pan cars and how to use them to tune your car's handling
slip angle: Learn what the slip angle is and how it relates to a tire's traction
slipper clutch: Learn how a slipper clutch affects the acceleration of your RC car
solid axle: Learn when and why solid axles are used on RC cars
spool: What is a spool in RC racing, and how does it affect the car's steering?
spur gear: The pinion gear and the spur gear are the most important tools for drivetrain tuning - read up here to understand how to use them.
stagger: What is "stagger", and why would you stagger your tires when racing RC dirt oval?
steering axis inclination: What is steering axis inclination, and how does it affect the handling of an RC car?
steering block: What is a steering block, and how to use it to tune your RC car's steering
steering links: What are steering links, and how are they used to tweak the suspension of an RC car?
stroke: Learn what stroke is and how it can be used to change your cars range of suspension travel and droop.
suspension arms: Learn how suspension arms affect your RC car's handling, and how you can tune them to get the handling characteristics you want.
suspension mounts: Suspension mounts allow some of the most fundamental adjustments on RC cars, from roll center to kick-up. Read on to learn what they're capable of and how to tune them.
sway bar: Learn what a sway bar (anti-roll bar) is, and how it can be used for tuning an RC car's handling

T

throttle frequency: Learn how throttle frequency affects the throttle response of your RC car
throttle profile: Learn what throttle profile is and how it affects your ESC's response
throttle strength: What does the "throttle strength" or "throttle rate control" setting on your RC car's ESC do?
tire additive: Learn how tire additive is used to increase traction in an RC car
tire compounds: Learn about tire compounds and how you can use them to get the most grip for your RC car when racing
tire diameter: How is tire diameter used in tuning RC cars?
tire glue diameter: What is tire glue diameter, and how does it affect the handling of an RC car?
tire gluing: Learn about RC tire gluing - how to prep your tires, how to glue them so they stay, and how gluing can affect handling
tire inserts: Learn about RC car tire inserts and how to choose them to get the handling you want
tire prep: Learn about tire preparation for RC racing
toe: Learn what "toe" is on an RC car, how it's measured, and how to use it to improve your car's handling
track width: Track width measures the distance from the wheel on one side to the wheel on the other. Learn how it can affect your RC car's handling here.
traction: What actually is "traction" when it comes to RC cars?
trail: Learn what "trail" is in RC car suspension tuning, and how to use it to make your car easier to drive
transmission: Should you go with a 3-gear or 4-gear transmission? Stand-up or laydown? Find out how to tune your handling of your RC car with each of them.
transmission ratio: What is the transmission ratio (or primary ratio) of an RC, and how do you use it to tune your car? Read on to find out.
turbo: What is turbo timing and turbo delay, and how should I set them on my RC car's electronic speed controller?
turbo delay: What is the "turbo delay" setting on my RC car's speed controller?
turbo ramp: What is turbo ramp on an RC car's electronic speed controller?
turbo timing: What is the "turbo timing" setting on my car's ESC?
tweak: Learn about tweak on RC cars, what it is, and how to fix it

U

universal driveshaft: What is a universal driveshaft for an RC car, and why would I use one?

W

wedge: What is wedge in a dirt oval RC car, and how can I use it to improve my car's handling?
weight distribution: Learn how weight distribution affects the handling of your RC car
wheel hexes: What are "wheel hexes" and how are they used in RC car tuning?
wheelbase: Learn how the wheelbase of an RC car affects its handling, and why you might want to change it
wings: Learn how rear and front wings affect you RC car's handling and how to tune them to get your car running and jumping right
wishbones: What are wishbones on an RC car, anyways? Same as suspension arms. Read on to learn more.