Pit tips

Radio Control Car Action, Apr 2003 by Baker, David

SPONSORED BY

OFNA Picco

HINTS, TRICKS, TIPS AND IDEAS FROM READERS LIKE YOU

NONSTICK AIRBRUSH NEEDLE

After you clean your airbrush, spray the needle with nonstick cooking spray; it will help prevent paint buildup on the needle.

Tommy Roberts

Lake Villa, IL

TA04 EASY REAR BELT REPLACEMENT

Save yourself some extra steps when you replace the rear belt on a Tamiya TAo4. Drill an access hole in the motor plate that's large enough to accept a screwdriver tip. This way, you can unscrew and remove the bulkhead support that captures the belt without removing the motor plate.

Victor Y. Tan

Davao City Philippines

HOMEMADE DIFF-- TUNING STAND

It's east/ to build this simple and very handy stand for tuning ball differentials. Drive two finishing nails (nails without large heads) into a piece of wood. Space them so that the outdrives of the diff can be slid over the nails. Steve Tidd

Ado, MI QUICK AND PERFECT BODY-MOUNT TRIMMING

To cut body mounts cleanly and quickly, use a pair of Craftsman Accu-Cut cutters. The blade is sharp, so it won't

pinch the plastic. You'll be left with a clean, flat cut.

Jason Bothel Liberty, NY SOFTER TIRES

If your tires are too hard and you want more traction, rub a liberal amount of WD-40 onto them and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. Wipe the tires off, and you'll find that the oil has softened them, thereby giving you more grip.

Dustin Miyakawa Honolulu, HI TRANSMITTER RECHARGING

For transmitters that use battery trays,

use this tip to recharge your individual NiMH and Ni-Cd cells. Remove the tray from the transmitter, and insert a battery bar where the radio wires connect for power. Clip the charger leads to the battery bar, and you're ready to juice up the pack.

Keith Price Vernon, AL STAY-PUT TOOLS

To prevent a tool from rolling off the workbench, attach a zip-tie over the handle.

Denny Ellis Warwick, RI EXTRA HAND

You can convert your pliers into a no-hands holding tool by wrapping a rubber band around the grips. Now the pliers can hold parts firmly while you have two hands free to solder, paint, etc.

Craig Hall

Moorestown, NJ SECURE FUEL LINES

An excellent way to prevent fuel lines from sliding off fuel nipples is to use an 0-ring with an 1/8-inch inside diameter to hold the tubing in place. Stretch the 0-ring using needle-nose pliers, then slip the fuel line through it and push the 0-ring-tightened tubing over the fuel nipple. The 0-ring provides the additional grip to secure your fuel line. Todd Gaines

Myerstown, PA MAD FORCE CHAIN GUARD

The Kyosho Mad Force's chain is partially exposed on the underside of the chassis. To protect it, make a chain guard out of scrap Lexan. Cut the Lexan so that it covers the exposed area of the chain, and use double-sided tape to hold the shield in place.

Justin O'Neill Attleboro, MA

"Pit Tips" are submitted by readers and are screened for functionality, feasibility and safety but are not tested by Radio Control Car Action. Radio Control CarAction and the submitting authors are not responsible for personalinjury or damage to module or tools resulting from readers' use of "Pit Tips."

WIN AN OFNA YO-YO AND RC CAR ACTION SUBSCRIPTION! Radio control Car Action will give as-month subscription (or extend an existing subscription) and an OFNA Yo-Yo to the author of each idea used in "Pit Tips." The "Top Tip" winners will also be considered for "Tip of the Year" to be selected at the end of each year. The "Tip of the Year" winner will receive an OFNA OB4 International RTR electric car kit. Send a rough sketch to "Pit Tips." c/o Radio Control Car Action, 100 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT 06877-4606 USA. BE SURE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ARE CLEARLY PRINTED ON EACH SKETCH, PHOTO AND NOTE YOU SUBMIT. We're unable to publish many good tips because we don't have the sender's name and address. Please note: because of the number of ideas we receive, we can neither acknowledge every one nor return unused material.