The RC Deep Dive

The RC Deep Dive

We take a daily deep dive into the world of hop-ups, quick fixes, culture, upgrades, repairs, workarounds, reviews, philosophy, physics, chemistry, history, hobbyist community culture, and reviews of R/C (radio control) cars, buggies, trucks, vans, etc., especially vintage, classic, (but also some modern) and rere (re-release) Tamiya radio controlled model vehicles. We are all about that RC life! Please download, subscribe, like, comment, and review today. #rc #rccar #rccars #vintagerc #rcbuggy #rcbuggies #tamiya #hopups #rctruck #rctrucks #fix #repair #upgrade #rcvan #rcvans #podcast #podcasts #rcdeepdive #thercdeepdivepodcast #rcdd #rcdeepdive #thercdeepdive #dd #rcdeepdivepodcast #review #ai #reviews #culture #history #jargon #philosophy #rchobby #rchobbyist #deepdive #rchobbyistcommunity #rcmodel #rcvehicle #radio #baja #radiocontrol #radiocontrolled #rally #offroad #onroad #bashing #basher #bashers #race #racing #rclife #rcculture #rclifestyle #physics #chemistry #rcbus Artificial Intelligence Disclaimer: We do use some AI in our podcasts to help with the listenability and also occasionally curating thumbnails for the podcast.

Episodes

July 30, 2025 6 mins

Box art dictates that the Tamiya (Mighty) Frog is painted pink, white, and black. (Although box art shows a red helmet for the driver, the vintage directions say a blue helmet for the driver, and the rere [re-release] directions show a white helmet) However both all pink and all green are popular alternate liveries. We wondered what the most popular colors for the Frog were, so we dig deep and research Frog owners' favorite colors ...

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The CRP (Custom Racing Products) #3043 ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) Chassis Stiffener for the BRAT, Frog, Blackfoot, and Super Beetle, is more than a replacement skid plate, but also an integral hop-up that strengthens the chassis and helps fix front steering issues. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast, we dig into why this one item, especially when combined with the CRP #3044  ORV Front Bumper, is a must-have hop-up system for i...

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Often when you buy an ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) for your radio controlled vehicle, you get a Dean's connector T-plug, but your battery may have a Tamiya plug connector or a different type of connector. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast we dig into your options how to fix this issue, including step-by-step directions how to solder new connectors, even if you've never soldered before.

 

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[NOTE: This was recorded before the completion of Poor Boys RC Summer 2025 Speed Run Challenge announced in June]

The Tamiya Grasshopper 2WD R/C buggy is an icon and a legend that originally topped out, in it's stock configuration, at approximately 12 mph / 19 kph. We dig deeply into the speedrunning records year by year since 1984, going to 62 mph / 100 kph in 2023, and the speedrunners' quest in 2025 to get a Tamiya Grasshopper b...

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The Pro-Line and CRP (Custom Racing Products) dyeable white nylon bumper have both been called a "must-have" Hop-Up for the Frog and other ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) chassis R/C model vehicles. However, when deciding between the two, many vintage Tamiya radio control hobbyists realized that the two hop-ups were exactly the same. Why is this? We dig into this mystery and solve it in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

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The ORV chassis is an icon in the R/C hobbyist community. In this episode of the RC Deep Dive we dig into this legendary radio controlled model chassis and its history supporting many of Tamiya's radio control cars, buggies, trucks, and vans in a range of colors which each had a hidden meaning which we uncover. 

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The HotShot family (HotShot, SuperShot, HotShot II, Bigwig, Boomerang, Super Sabre, HotShot 2 Blockhead Motors Edition, and Super HotShot) of 4WD radio controlled buggies were a revolution for Tamiya, however they had issues including front end slop. We take a deep dive into the numerous way to fix this in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

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OC Racing, Option No. 1, and other 3rd party aftermarket R/C hop-up manufacturers make bars that go between the top and bottom rear shock mounts on the Tamiya Grasshopper, Hornet, Grasshopper II, and Super Hornet 1/10th scale radio controlled model buggies. But do these hop-up bars really help? We take a deep dive into the truths and myths of these hop-ups and show you what they can do and what they absolutely cannot do in this epi...

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R/C hobby grade CA (cyanoacrylate) glue or super glue has been the standard adhesive for tires to seal to modern one-piece wheels. However, recently, in the vintage radio controlled model vehicle hobbyist community, another tire to wheel sealant as begun to gain popularity, clear silicon sealant. We compare and contrast these two tire sealing adhesives in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

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Aluminum steering knuckles are often considered a must-have first hop-up for the vintage and rere (re-release) HotShot Family of R/C buggies (HotShot, HotShot II, SuperShot, Boomerang, Bigwig, Super Sabre, HotShot 2 Blockhead Motors Edition, Super HotShot). We take a deep dive into the pros and cons of this hop-up in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast.

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AE (Associated Electronics), creators of the RC10, RC12, and RC100, are R/C model competitors of Tamiya, but many loyal Tamiya fans find themselves using Team Associated FT (Factory Team) Green Slime, Black Grease, and Stealth Diff (Differential) Lube. We take a deep dive into these three lubricants and see why the R/C model hobbyist community loves these lubes for their radio controlled vehicle shock o-rings and MIP Super Ball Dif...

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Tamiya's PS spray paints are for Lexan (polycarbonate) radio control vehicle body shells. However, with Pearl paints being a more transparent paint, should it always be the first layer applied, it can it be a clear coat over the decals on the outside of the R/C model body? We open up the oyster of knowledge and see how to make your RC car shine like a pearl in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

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The (Mighty) Frog was first made by Tamiya in 1983. In 1984 Tamiya came out with the Grasshopper, then the Hornet. A decade later they manufactured the Grasshopper II and the Super Hornet. However, even with all the hop-ups available for these for iconic radio controlled buggies, none of them, whether vintage or rere (re-release) R/C models can compare to the mighty Frog. We take a deep dive into why this frog eats bugs for breakfa...

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The original Grasshopper, which shares it's chassis with the Hornet, had 3 different chassis sib-models during it's original vintage run of manufacturing. The Grasshopper II/Super Hornet saw similar running changes, and surprisingly so did the reres (re-releases) of all 4 buggies! We take a deep drive into the ever changing and improving chassis of Tamiya's iconic buggies' quasi-monocoque bathtub chassis in this episode of the RC D...

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Since the Tamiya Grasshopper II 1/10th scale R/C buggy has 1.9" wheels, the best way to build a square set-up is to use Tamiya's own Hornet Large Diameter Wheels and Rock Block tires to make an off-road monster buggy that can proudly be called Project: Rock Hopper. We take a deep drive into every part you will need to make this radio controlled buggy live up to it's name in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

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Your gently drive a screw in your radio controlled vehicle's chassis or gearbox and those white lines appear. You now have those horrible stress marks and you know it's not good. How did it happen and how do you fix it? We take a deep dive into these internal breakages in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

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You are carefully cutting out your polycarbonate body so that you can paint it with your choice of PS paints. But then your hobby knife slips and you cut a line or make a hole in the shell, tearing a place where there shouldn't be one. What do you do? How do you fix it? We take a deep dive into the multiple ways to fix your Lexan R/C vehicle body in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

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Vintage, classic, and rere (re-release) radio controlled buggies like the Grasshopper, Hornet, Grasshopper II, Super Hornet, Rising Fighter, etc. have a pivot point at the back of the bottom of the chassis that seems to be a friction magnet that could be improved with grease. But if this theory is correct, which R/C Grease should be used? AW (Anti-Wear), Cera Grease HG (High Grade), or something else? We take a deep dive into this ...

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In 1983 Tamiya made the 2 most iconic class B rally cars into 1/10th scale R/C models. However, when they re-released these radio controlled vehicles in the modern era they used different chassis and modified other parts, including the body shells, changing them from off-road vehicles to on-road RC race cars. Why did Tamiya do this and are the vintage or more modern recreations better? We take a "rally" deep look into these RCRC (r...

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The R/C hobby isn't just collecting, building, and racing. There's also bashing, crawling, drifting, and speed running, each activity having a number of sub-genres within that radio controlled vehicles usage. We take a deep dive into our virtual hunting dictionary to help new RC model hobbyists understand the radio control hobby jargon and specific sub-communities in this episode of the RC Deep Dive podcast. 

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