RC Hobby Tips and Guides — Troubleshooting, Upgrades & How-To Guides
RC Hobby Tips is a reference library for radio-control hobbyists working on cars, trucks, boats, planes and helicopters, plus the batteries, radios and tools that keep all of them running. Most visitors land here mid-repair: a motor that won't spin, a pack that won't hold voltage, a connector that melted under load. Every RC car troubleshooting guide on the site starts from that exact failure and works through cause, fix and part number, not generic advice. The rest of the library covers upgrades and buying comparisons, which connector, which motor size, which glue actually holds, the kind of practical RC hobby tips and guides that don't fit neatly into a single vehicle type.
Specs, failure patterns and fixes are documented from the part itself, not from a press release, and a guide gets updated when a better fix or a corrected spec turns up.
The LiPo & Connector Sizing Tool — and How to Use It
Connector and battery mismatches are one of the most common ways an RC build gets damaged, usually because a pack's discharge rating was never checked against the connector's amperage limit. The calculator below solves that in one step: pick a cell count, enter capacity and C-rating, and it returns the pack's maximum continuous discharge along with a recommended connector size, no digging through a datasheet to work out how to convert C-rating into a real number by hand. For the full amperage breakdown and when to size up, see the XT60 vs XT90 connector guide linked below the readout; the RC hobby buying guides elsewhere on the site cover the same math in more depth if you'd rather read the reasoning first.
Calculated from nominal cell voltage (3.7V/cell) and continuous C-rating. Actual safe limits vary by battery brand and connector manufacturer spec — treat this as a starting estimate, not a substitute for the manufacturer's datasheet.
See the full XT60 vs XT90 connector comparison for the amperage table this tool's suggestion is built from.
Top Guides to Start With
The list below pulls together the site's most-read comparisons and how-to guides across all seven sections, linked here regardless of which category page they normally live under.
Ducted Fan vs Propeller Explained
How ducted-fan and open-propeller propulsion compare on thrust, efficiency and noise.
C2 vs C4 Battery Ratings Explained
What the C2 vs C4 discharge-rate labeling actually changes for continuous amp draw.
XT60 vs XT90 Connector Comparison
Amperage ratings and physical fit differences between the two connector sizes.
Traxxas Slash 4x4 Motor Upgrade Guide
Matching motor KV and ESC amp rating for a brushless Slash 4x4 conversion.
Best Glue for RC Tires
Comparing tire adhesives for hold, cure time and heat resistance under real running loads.
How to Make a Remote Control Boat Trailer
A step-by-step build for a trailer sized to carry and launch an RC boat.
RC Motor Size Chart
Matching can size and KV rating to vehicle scale, gearing and intended use.
How Big Is a 1/8 Scale RC Car?
Real dimensions for 1/8 scale trucks and buggies, and how they compare to other scales.
Traxxas Slash 2WD Upgrade Path
A sensible upgrade order for suspension, drivetrain and electronics on the 2WD Slash.
Best RC Crawler Shocks
Oil weight and shock body length for smoother articulation on rock-crawling terrain.
How to Fix a Stripped Screw Hole in Plastic
Repair methods for a stripped chassis screw hole, from thread inserts to epoxy fill.
Charging a LiPo Battery Without a Charger
Safe and unsafe stopgap methods for topping off a pack with no balance charger on hand.
What Happened to Your Favorite RC Brands?
Some of the biggest names in this hobby disappeared, got bought out, or quietly stopped making the parts everyone depended on, and finding out whether a brand is still supported is its own kind of troubleshooting. A recurring series on the site traces what happened to well-known manufacturers, added as the research holds up.
What Happened to Great Planes Balsa Kits
How the hobby's shift to foam ARFs left balsa-kit lines like Great Planes behind, and what's still supported today.
Browse RC Hobby Tips and Guides by Category
Everything above sits inside seven sections of RC hobby tips and guides, organized by vehicle type and component so troubleshooting, upgrades and RC hobby buying guides for one part of the hobby stay together instead of scattered across the site.
Cars & Trucks
Crawler and basher upgrades, Traxxas-specific parts guides, tire and shock comparisons, and scale-size reference.
Batteries & Power
LiPo care and storage, connector comparisons, C-rating math and ESC troubleshooting.
Tools & Maintenance
Adhesive comparisons, tool-kit picks and the small repairs that keep a build running between race days.
Boats
Hull types, motor and power selection, and trailer and storage builds for RC boats.
Radio & Transmitters
Binding and compatibility questions, Spektrum-specific troubleshooting and servo comparisons.
Gear & Reference
Motor sizing and KV charts, nitro fuel ratios, chassis comparisons and general wiring reference.
Planes & Helis
Ducted-fan and propeller propulsion, FPV camera gear, and toy-grade helicopter troubleshooting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What topics does RC Hobby Tips cover?
The site covers RC hobby tips and guides for cars, trucks, boats, planes and helicopters, along with the batteries, radios and tools tied to all of them. Coverage splits into seven sections: troubleshooting, upgrades and buying comparisons for each vehicle type, plus shared reference material like motor sizing and connector ratings.
Which FPV and aerial gear does the site cover?
Flight controllers, FPV cameras, goggles and long-range links get covered alongside fixed-wing planes and toy-grade helicopters in the Planes & Helis section, from Betaflight and Cleanflight setup to antenna and goggle comparisons.
How is the site organized?
Content is grouped into seven sections by vehicle type and component: Cars & Trucks, Batteries & Power, Tools & Maintenance, Boats, Radio & Transmitters, Gear & Reference and Planes & Helis. Every guide also carries internal links to closely related pages outside its own section.
Where should I start if I'm new to the hobby?
Start with whichever section matches what you're working on, or open any RC car troubleshooting guide directly if a search brought you straight to it. Each guide is written to stand on its own without requiring the rest of the site.
What does the LiPo and connector calculator on this page do?
It converts a battery's cell count, capacity and C-rating into a maximum continuous discharge figure and a suggested connector size. A short note underneath explains how to read the output, and the XT60 vs XT90 guide covers the full amperage table behind the recommendation.
What is the "What Happened To..." series about?
It's a recurring series tracing what happened to RC manufacturers that disappeared, got bought out, or quietly stopped supporting older product lines, starting with the story behind Great Planes kit production. New entries get added as the research holds up.
Do you cover both electric and nitro-powered RC vehicles?
Both are covered. Nitro engines get their own reference material for fuel percentage, glow plug heat range and break-in procedure, while electric builds are covered across the battery, connector, motor and ESC guides that make up most of the site.