
A Beginners Guide To RC: The Different Types of Off-Road RC Vehicles
If you’re looking to get into the fun and engaging hobby of RC vehicles, then you have a lot to look forward to and be excited about. If you’re just about to buy your first RC truck, then I kind of envy your excitement, but at the same time, I don’t miss the stress that comes with the indecisiveness about which type and model you should buy. Because after all, RC vehicles can be quite expensive, and you may end up not enjoying the hobby.
However, in order to ensure that you do have a blast while enjoying its perks, it’s best you get informed about all the different types and models of RC vehicles. The major decision you’ll have to make is whether you want an off, or an on-road vehicle. Most of the time, newcomers to the hobby opt for an off-road vehicle as it provides them with the opportunity to use it literally anywhere. The most popular types of off-road RC vehicles are stadium RC trucks, buggies, monster trucks and crawlers.
Buggies are your classic off-road RC vehicle. They’re very lightweight and are designed to go over rough terrain rather quickly. However, due to their low center of gravity, they have a low ground clearance, which means that you’ll likely have trouble passing through larger obstacles such as giant dirt clods.
Similar off-road RC vehicles to the buggies are stadium RC trucks. The main difference between them is the width and the fact that stadium trucks feature longer suspension arms. Both of these features give them more stability. Moreover, due to the fact that they’re higher off the ground, they’re capable of riding through a more rough terrain. They’re also quite fast, which makes them perfect for racing. Lastly, they’re 2WD vehicles and are quite versatile, which makes them ideal for beginners.
Monster RC trucks are built similarly to the real deal – they’re huge with giant wheels. The wheels are typically in a V pattern, so you wouldn’t really want to race with them. Instead, they’re ideal to drive through obstacles and they look amazing while doing it.
Crawlers are oftentimes considered the mountain goats of the RC world. They’re designed to climb over tough obstacles, they have a high-torque and slow-running motors that basically give them A LOT of climbing power. They feature a high chassis and their suspension gives the axles a lot of space to move. Lastly, their wheels are quite large and provide a lot of traction.