General RC Drift Car Maintenance

While RC Drift and Touring cars aren’t known for getting covered in mud and grime, it’s certainly worth cleaning them regularly to ensure they stay in top condition. Fortunately, the drifters are road cars and don’t get dirty in the mud. However, over time, dirt and grime buildup can affect your car’s performance.

We recommend that you clean your vehicle every time you take it out. Especially since we like to play with cars! You can get away with cleaning your drift car after every other race. It all depends on the weather and how dusty the track you’ve been racing on is. Just remember, if you are a professional RC drifter, make sure your car has been cleaned well BEFORE a race event.

Helpful tools for top maintenance:

A packet of hand wipes – If you’re messing around, why then are you going to get your hands dirty?

A brush – Whether it’s a standard brush or a specialized RC brush, it’s great for removing dust.

Towel – Emergency towel to absorb spills.

Pit Mat – Rubber or plastic pit mats can help prevent misplaced pieces or ruining your kitchen table.

Toothpicks – Great for scraping dirt out of hard-to-reach places.

Cotton Swabs – When soaked in white spirit, they are perfect for cleaning specific areas of your car.

An Air Compressor – Blow away dust and dirt with this awesome tool. Also available in a can!

If you’re like us, the body of your drift car is of paramount importance as we all know that looking at the part is key to drifting. During your drift race, you are likely to scrape your car on many occasions and maybe even crash and roll your car during a race! His shell will show the marks of these accidents, so it is vital that you keep it clean. Most marks will come off with white spirit and a little effort. Most of the dust and dirt can be washed off with a damp towel or dry brush.

Occasionally you may hit a large puddle when driving in the rain. It’s important to remember that your car’s electronics will stop working if exposed to too much water. Your motor, receiver, speed controller, and servos can be expensive, so avoid putting these parts in contact with water. If any of your electronics get wet, immediately remove them from the car, use a towel to wipe up any excess water, and place them in a warm, dry environment, like your vent closet. Leave the pieces in there for 24 hours and they should be safe to use again.

TOP TIP: If you are going to race on a wet surface, spray the chassis and other parts of the car with WD-40. This will waterproof your car and prevent mud from sticking to it. Don’t do this on a dry dirt track though, as the dust will just stick to the WD-40!

If you are lucky enough to have an air compressor, cleaning your car can be extremely fun. Remove the body casing and all major components and put it to work with the compressor. Just be careful not to blow excess dirt and dust onto parts of the car that can be damaged, such as the motor or servo joints.

These simple tips can help you maintain the performance of your RC drift car. By cleaning regularly, you will be able to prolong the life of your parts and avoid unnecessary accidents caused by damaged components.