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Welcome to The RC Deep Dive podcast, your daily masterclass in the world of Tamiya radio-controlled model vehicles in under 30 minutes.
This is the ultimate anti-fluff resource for Tamiya RC builders, bashers, crawlers, collectors, drifters, racers, and speed runners. We publish a new, concise episode every day, focusing on the vintage, classic, and rere (re-release) models that have defined the radio control hobby.
We go beyond the RC hobby workbench. One day we're detailing HOW-TO guides for hop-ups, CVA dampers, or MIP super ball diffs, and the next, we explore the applied physics and chemistry of why they work. We also uncover the lost RC cultural history of the Golden Age—from the Tamiya-Futaba alliance to the transfer of CRP's business assets to a new entity, Team CRP, or Parma PSE (Parma Speed Experts) International being bought by Mid-America Products.
This is your daily dose of R/C knowledge. No fluff, just the deep dive. We are all about that RC life!
Got a Tamiya question you can't solve? Ask it in the reviews or comments. It might become a future 5-15 minute deep dive. Subscribe now so you don't miss tomorrow's deep dive. It's the perfect anti-fluff way to start your day at the RC hobby workbench.
A NOTE ON CLARITY: This podcast is 100% human-researched by lifelong hobbyists. To deliver a crystal-clear, professional-sounding, anti-fluff episode every single day, we use modern AI-assisted production tools for maximum listenability. Our focus is on the knowledge, not the noise.
SPOTIFY LISTENERS: Welcome! Please note that Spotify does not carry our full daily episode archive. For the complete list, searchable back-catalog, please find us on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, YouTube, or any other podcast aggregators via our Linktree https://linktr.ee/rcdeepdive
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253 Episodes
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1The rere (re-release) Tamiya HotShot 1/10th scale 4WD (Four Wheel Drive) radio controlled buggy has two dummy heat sinks, while the vintage original's heatsinks were functional and served a purpose more than good stylistic looks. Why? We go into the philosophy of this rare fashion over function decision when Tamiya rereleased their first ever 1:10th scale 4WD R/C car in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
Tamiya discontinued it's tubes and pots of it's standard ceramic grease and replaced them with Cera Grease HG. Many R/C model vehicle hobbyists in the community and in club forums claimed it was the same thing just now in a bigger 10 oz. tube rather than the previous 1, 3, and 5 ounce containers just to charge more money. However, these uniformed rumors are not accurate. We mind the knowledge gap and get inside the tube and explain the chemistry differences and why this new grease is far superior to the old standard in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
Mirage RC makes craft bespoke aluminum hop-up parts for many vintage and rere (re-released) Radio Controlled model vehicle kits, most famously for the HotShot, HotShot II, and SuperShot/Super HotShot 1/10th 4WD (Four Wheel Drive) R/C buggies. If you aren't in the UK (United Kingdom) or EU (European Union), is it worth the very long time and extremely high cost to have these made to order and to then ship these items internationally when communication from the company can be more miss than hit with one review saying there was 4 months between email sent about not receiving their product and replies? We break the bank's balance sheets open and uncover the true value in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
Do you love your Tamiya 1/10th scale Grasshopper and/or Grasshopper II radio controlled buggy but hate how serious bashing can break the hard ABS body shells? In today's episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig deep into how to convert your GH1 to body clips and cotter pins and how to get clear Lexan polycarbonate bodies for both your original Grasshopper and Grasshopper 2 R/C model vehicle kits.
Punky Brewster was played by actress Soleil Moon Frye who helped normalize girls building, collecting, bashing, and racing radio controlled cars, trucks, buggies, jeeps, and vans. But does Soleil Moon Frye still drive R/C model vehicles? How did her joining the radio control hobbyist community affect her life? We dig into her biography and give you these answers s and more in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
There have been many complaints online that the old heads in the radio control hobbyist community from Generation X are implementing new age divisions in vintage and rere (re-release) radio-controlled car, buggy, and truck races because they are tired of the younger generations like Gen Z and the Alpha Generation smoking them in races. While this is a rumor, it isn't actually factual at most R/C racetracks. We break out the rulebooks and give you the generational knowledge on why these age divisions exist in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
There are a lot of thoughts about what the future radio controlled model vehicle battery type might be with something that is even more powerful than LiPo (Lithium-Polymer) batteries and safer than LiFe (Lithium-Phosphate) batteries. We dig into the chemistry and physics behind the future contenders, both SSB (Solid-State Batteries) and Li-S (Lithium Sulphur) in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
The need for speed sometimes comes along with a need for cooling. You can get fans for your motors, ESC (electronic speed controller), and servo, but what is the best way to install them and power these active forced convection cooling fans? We blow past the fluff and get right to the coolest info in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
[NOTE: We are aware that there is a tiny glitch in the audio at one point in this episode, but it's placement was very fitting, we thought, so we kept it in and didn't re-record this daily episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. Please let us know what you think in the comments below.]
Onisiki is a favorite battery brand among many vintage and rere (rerelease) 1/10th scale radio-controlled model vehicle racers, speed runners, drifters, crawlers, and bashers. Why is this, especially when their batteries are smaller than similar Traxxas, Venom, and Gens Ace NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries while also weighing less than most of their competitors as well? We dig into the chemistry and physics that makes this brand the Goldilocks battery for your vintage and rere radio control cars, buggies, trucks, vans, busses, jeeps, and tanks in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
In Japan, LiFe (Lithium Phosphate) batteries are popular amongst many in the vintage, classic, rere (re-release), and modern R/C hobbyist community, while globally NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries are popular among the vintage, classic, and rere radio control enthusiasts even though LiPo (Lithium Polymer) reigns supreme among modern radio controlled model vehicle fans. We ask why and find the unique answers in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
There has been a long debate in the radio control hobbyist community about which direction the fins go on the CRP and Parma Nerf Wing. We dig into the aerodynamics, geometry, material science, and physics and explain why there is only one correct way that makes sense for your need wings and while the other way can actually hurt your ORV Chassis radio controlled car, truck, or buggy on this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
"Boys Will Be Girls" is an iconic 2nd season episode of the original Punky Brewster television series that gets watched a lot by those in the radio control model hobbyist community via the Peacock streaming app. In this episode, Tamiya USA provided a large number of popular radio controlled buggies, cars, trucks, and jeeps. We identify all of those R/C model vehicles and their hop-ups, and who was their owner and driver in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
Tamiya is known for scale accuracy and being number one in quality around the world. However, they went SD (super deformed) with their comical series of 2WD (two wheel drive) and 4WD (four wheel drive) versions of their iconic 1/10th scale radio controlled buggies in an effort to engage young children and families with these easier to build model kits. We turn back time to look at this series and the decisions that made them come to life in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
Do the otaku, waifu, weeb, and itasha community have anything to do with the Japanese radio control hobbyist and enthusiasts communities? If so, what are the connections besides Tamiya and Kyosho R/C model cars, trucks, buggies, vans, jeeps, and busses being from Japan? We take a deep look into psychology and philosophy and uncover any hidden or visible radio-controlled micro vehicle hobbyist community connections in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
Aerated oil-filled dampers need a different cSt (centistokes) of oil than that which you put in your stock shocks or CVA oil-filled dampers. Why is this and what should you use when replacing your stock shocks with these TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) hop-up options? We measure the oil and give you all the whats, whys, and hows in this shocking episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
If you want to upgrade your front end suspension on your Tamiya ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis R/C model car, buggy, or truck like the Subaru BRAT, the Lancia 037 Rally, or the Frogfrom a horizontal spring and plungers damper to full oil-filled shocks you have many options from Parma to CRP (Custom Racing Products) to RC Channel to Tamiya. We spring into action and compare and contrast all these options in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
[NOTE: While this hop-up option is a popular choice, we at the RC Deep Dive podcast feel that adding dual vertical shocks to either the Frog or HotShot takes away the soul of those radio controlled buggies from Tamiya. However we wanted to provide you with a HOW-TO in case it's a modification you covet for your R/C buggy.]
This comprehensive guide to R/C bead lock wheels examines their mechanical principles, weighs their pros and cons against traditional glue-on alternatives, and analyzes their specific suitability for diverse applications including rock crawling, bashing, high-speed racing, and drifting, to help radio-controlled model vehicle enthusiasts make an informed choice in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
When applying a CRP (Custom Racing Products) rear bumper on a ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis gearbox with a gearbox support gear tensioner, like the ones from Skibby's Performance Mods, depending on the direction you place the metal pieces, your white dyeable nylon bumper will either bend outward or inward. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we check all perspectives to see which of these options, convex or concave, is best for your Subaru BRAT, vintage Lancia 037 Rally, Mighty Frog, Blackfoot, Super Beetle, etc. by using material science and the laws of physics and geometry to give you the best bump for your buck.
A popular hop-up option is to replace the stock faux headlamp buckets on radion control cars, trucks, buggies, jeeps, busses, and vans with real working LED (Light-Emitting Diode) headlights. There are PnP (Plug-and-Play) hop-up options from companies like Tamiya, but DIY (Do-It-Yourself) options are widely available as well. We unwire and illuminate the step-by-step directions on how to assemble and install these enlightening hop-ups in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
Tamiya's the (Mighty) Frog radio-controlled 1/10th scale 2WD (Two Wheel Drive) model buggy kit has box art livery and instructions that direct you to paint it like the Mazda K360 three wheeled delivery trucks that were famously called Frog Delivery Trucks in Japan. We drive deep into the swamp, below the lily pads, and get you all the details on the correct information for Tamiya's first national off-road R/C buggy race winner in this mighty episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.
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