Introduction
Measuring RC cars can be complicated. The scale determines how small they will be compared to real cars. The ⅛ scale means the vehicle is 8 times smaller than the real version. Most people who are new to the RC world have this question.
How big is a 1/8 scale RC car?
The length range of 1/8 cars is 18.5-23.43 inches. The width and height ranges are 10.4-16.6 inches and 3.9-9.8 inches, respectively. The 1/8 usually weigh around 5.1-10 pounds or 2.4-4.6 kg. As there are different types of RC cars it’s obvious that the dimensions will vary from type to type.
There’s actually a lot more to know about the size of a 1/8 scale RC car. Whether it affects the speed of the car or it’s carrying ability all are closely related to the size of the RC car’s size.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive deep into it.
What Does 1/8 Scale Mean?
The 1/8 scale means that the RC car model’s size is 8 times smaller than the actual car. Let’s say the actual car model, on which the RC Car is based is 12 ft in length then the RC car’s length would be 12/8 ft or 1.5 ft in length.
So, you might wonder what does 1/12 scale mean or a 1/16 scale mean. The answer is the same it’ll be 12 times smaller and 16 times smaller than the original model respectively.
The smaller the scale is, the smaller the RC car is. A 1/16 car is smaller than a 1/10 car. Irrespective of the size of the car, choosing good-quality tires is crucial in the RC hobby.
Measuring the RC Car
Now you have a clear idea how does rc scale work. It’s time you get deep into the measurement of your RC car.
Because it will help you to gain proper control of your RC car. And if you’re going to mod your car in future then knowing the measurement of your car is really important.
And there are several factors that needs to be known before getting into the RC-verse.
- Length
- Width
- Wheelbase
- Camber
- Ride Height
Measuring Length
First you need to get a measuring tape which will be used for all of the measurements below. Next, measure the car from the back to the tip of its nose.
There’s a small misconception that smaller RC car will move faster. Let me clear that once and for all- the length of your RC car will not affect the speed.
However, knowing the length will help you to pick up the right size bag to carry the car from venue to venue though.
Measuring Width
Now let’s move onto the width of your vehicle. All you need to do for measuring the width, measure from the right to the left side at the widest point of the car.
The width of the RC car also does not affect the speed of the car or the handling either. But as mentioned earlier it will help you to pick up the bag.
Measuring Wheelbase
Here comes the real deal now! Your wheelbase measurement will help your RC cars performance.
The shorter wheelbase help you to turn your car faster. However, the longer wheelbase will give your car stability.
Now, let’s find out how to measure rc car wheelbase!
Wheelbase is the linear distance between the center of the front and rear wheels or axles. You can use a measurement tape in order to get the measurement. But ensure that you’re measuring from center to center.
Measuring Camber
Camber actually doesn’t have much to do with the scale but it’s a crucial point to keep an eye on if you’re trying to ensure better grip.
Camber is the measurment of the tires’ angle perpendicular to the ground. If the angle is degree then it means that the tire is totally perpendicular to the ground.
Negative camber means that the tires are leaned in at the top. Positive camber means that the tires are leaned out at the top.
So, how do you measure camber?
You can use a camber gauge to measure the angle. But there are two ways to measure the angle. One is by putting the car in the ground and pressing the chassis and then measuring. Other one is to keep the car wheels hanging down lose with full shock extension and then measure with the gauge.
Measuring Ride Height
Ride Height is the height of the car’s chassis from the ground.
Lower ride height gives you better handling and is good for smooth surfaces. Higher ride height is good for bumpy surfaces.
Dimensions and Weight of 1/8 Scale RC Cars
From Monster Trucks to Truggies, there is a wide range of 1/8 RC cars. Their sizes also vary depending on the cars. Thus there are ranges of dimensions of ⅛ cars.
Typically, the length of 1/8 cars ranges from 470-600 mm or 18.5-23.43 inches. Similarly, the width of the cars varies from 262-425 mm or 10.4-16.6 inches.
Lastly, the height range is usually from 100-255 mm or 3.9-9.8 inches.
Just like the size, the weight of 1/8 cars differs a lot as per different vehicles. The weight of a 1/8 Buggy is not as much as a ⅛ monster truck. So once again, there is a range of weights for 1/8 RC car as size.
Usually, the weights of ⅛ cars are between 5.1-10 pounds or 2.4-4.6 kg.
So far, we’ve talked about the size and weight range of 1/8 RC cars. Now let’s have a look at the dimensions of some of the most popular 1/8 vehicles. That will surely give you a better idea about them.
1/8 Scale Truggy Size and Weight
Despite having similarities in the name, the Truggy and Buggy are very different cars. We’ve provided the dimensions of the 1/8 scale Truggy below-
| Length | Width | Height | Weight | Wheelbase |
| 535 mm or 21 inches | 420 mm or 16.5 inches | 187 mm or 7.5 inches | 9 pounds or around 4 kg | 370 mm or 14.6 inches |
The length of the 1/8 scale truggy is 21 inches (535 mm), width is 16.5 inches (420 mm) and the height 7.5 inches (187 mm). Also the weight is around 9 pounds or 4 kgs and wheelbase is around 14.6 inches (370 mm).
1/8 Scale Monster Truck Size and Weight
The general dimension of 1/8 scale monster truck is a bit smaller than the truggys. However, the height is lot larger than the truggy.
The length of the 1/8 scale monster truck is 20 inches (510 mm), width is 15 inches (380 mm) and the height 9.8 inches (250 mm). Also the weight is around 10 pounds or 4.5 kgs and wheelbase is around 12.8 inches (325 mm).
Here are the dimensions of the 1/8 scale Monster Truck.
| Length | Width | Height | Weight | Wheelbase |
| 510 mm or 20 inches | 380 mm or 15 inches | 250 mm or 9.8 inches | 10 pounds or around 4.5 kg | 325 mm or 12.8 inches |
1/8 Scale On Road RC Car Size and Weight
An on road RC car is smaller in every dimension as well as the weight than other RC cars here.
The length of the 1/8 scale monster truck is 18.5 inches (470 mm), width is 10.4 inches (2656 mm) and the height 4 inches (100 mm). Also the weight is around 5.4 pounds or 2.45 kgs and wheelbase is around 11.5 inches (292 mm).
The dimensions of the 1/8 scale On-Road are given below-
| Length | Width | Height | Weight | Wheelbase |
| 470 mm or 18.5 inches | 265 mm or 10.4 inches | 100 mm or around 4 inches | 5.4 pounds or 2.45 kg | 292 mm or 11.5 inches |
1/8 Scale RC Short Course Truck Size and Weight
Here are the dimensions of the ⅛ scale Short Course Truck-
| Length | Width | Height | Weight | Wheelbase |
| 595 mm or around 23.5 inches | 300 mm or around 12 inches | 190 mm or 7.5 inches | 6.7 pounds or around 3 kg | 327.6 mm or 12.9 inches |
The length of the 1/8 scale monster truck is 23.5 inches (595 mm), width is 12 inches (300 mm) and the height 7.5 inches (190 mm). Also the weight is around 6.7 pounds or 3 kgs and wheelbase is around 12.9 inches (327.66 mm).
Alongside the size, you must also know more about your RC car. As RC cars sometimes have moving issues. There can be various reasons and solutions as well. So knowing about these will help prepare you beforehand.
So that was all about the size and weight of ⅛ scale RC cars. We hope our guide was helpful enough for you to understand the concept of scale in RC. Now, you can easily differentiate between 1/8, 1/10 or 1/16 scale RC.
FAQs
Question: How fast is a 1/8 scale RC car?
Answer: A ⅛ scale RC with a listed speed of 110 mph has an actual speed of around 13-14 mph. In comparison, a 1/64 car with the same listed speed can have an actual speed of 1.7 mph.
Question: Is 1/8 scale bigger than 1/10?
Answer: The bigger the scale is, the bigger the size of the car is. As 1/8 is bigger than 1/10, they are the bigger cars. They are also the more powerful ones.
Question: What scale is the biggest RC car?
Answer: The Primal RC Raminator Monster truck is considered the biggest RC Car. It’s a ⅕ scale RC car and weighs around 80 pounds.
Last Words
We have come to the conclusion of how big is a 1/8 scale RC car. Hope our guide cleared all your queries. If you still come across any questions, do let us know.
The RC car hobby is a fascinating one. Day by day, more people are getting into it. We wish you good luck with your RC car collection.
Until next time, sayonara!
