Radio-controlled drifting
Encyclopedia
Radio-controlled drifting refers to the act of drifting
with a radio-controlled car
(R/C car). R/C cars are equipped with low-traction tires to aid in the ease of inducing and maintaining controlled oversteer. Car setups are often modified to allow the car to drift more easily, by replacing motors
, shock
s, tire
s, weight balance, brakes, and other factors. R/C drifting is typically performed with four wheel drive
(4WD) electric R/C cars, although some practitioners use gas-powered (Nitro) R/C cars and/or rear-wheel drive vehicles.
As a hobby, radio-controlled drifting is one of many variations of R/C car types and activities. Informal or formal practice events and competitions are held worldwide. When one judging R/C drifting competitions, R/C drifting typically follows the guidelines and judging criteria set by professional drifting organizations like the D1 Grand Prix
. These judging criteria often include drift factors such as racing line, drift angle, speed, and show factor. Some R/C drifting competitions include the use of "tsuiso" or tandem-drift competition in which competitors are paired together to drift in a lead-chase format.
The cost of a 4WD chassis can range from $100 to $250. However, it is possible for the intermediate or advanced RC car hobbyist to convert any touring car chassis into a drift car fairly easily, using easily sourced tires, wheels and bodies from a model shop or online store.
There are several companies that make "Drift Specific" chassis. These chassis are generally based on already existing 1:10 Scale R/C Touring Chassis feature drift-specific tires and modern or 'retro' style bodyshells to represent popular street racers or professional drift cars.
Most pre-fabricated drift tires are made of rubber, plastic or polymers and come in many varieties of traction as well as tread. ABS tires last for hours, and PVC for longer, due to their physical hardness. Other types of plastics such as PVDF, PE, PP and their derivatives are also used due to their amount of traction and sliding combination. Fabricated drift tires are comparatively cheaper than manufactured drift tires.
Manufactured drift tires promised a more realistic and controllable driving experience under certain circumstances.
There are many makers of drift tires especially from Japan as the main source of RC drifting.
The development of tires within Japan itself is staggeringly fast compared to the rest of the world that have little access and yet couldn't relinquish its dependencies. This has reflected to less growth of development of drift tires either being use or make between the two sides.
However, R/C drift is still a new art, and advances in the state of technology for drift tires are still in the works.
s (Front Mounted Intercooler), decals, flared guards, and roll cages so they can achieve a realistic looking drift car. The aesthetics of painting one's own car is also a point of interest for some hobbyists. Some will go as far to create their own shells.
Another aspect in customization of a R/C drift car is the modification of the car's handling. Most R/C enthusiasts prefer of using "Counter-steer conversion", a kind of gear ratio customization by means of changing the default front and rear gear ratio settings, depending on the desired gear ratio to make a realistic drifts (usually seen of slower front drive and faster rear drive to make a rear wheel drive-like handling). However, some R/C companies doesn't support this kind of modification and doesn't give any qualification for their officially sponsored events because most enthusiasts can create this kind of modification from recycled parts or parts from third-party companies, that makes the R/C car out-of-warranty; so most of the R/C drifting events are usually in open category.
and other video sharing websites. RC drift videos on YouTube
Drifting (motorsport)
Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally over steers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed...
with a radio-controlled car
Radio-controlled car
Radio-controlled cars are self-powered model cars or trucks that can be controlled from a distance using a specialized transmitter...
(R/C car). R/C cars are equipped with low-traction tires to aid in the ease of inducing and maintaining controlled oversteer. Car setups are often modified to allow the car to drift more easily, by replacing motors
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
, shock
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
s, tire
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
s, weight balance, brakes, and other factors. R/C drifting is typically performed with four wheel drive
Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
(4WD) electric R/C cars, although some practitioners use gas-powered (Nitro) R/C cars and/or rear-wheel drive vehicles.
As a hobby, radio-controlled drifting is one of many variations of R/C car types and activities. Informal or formal practice events and competitions are held worldwide. When one judging R/C drifting competitions, R/C drifting typically follows the guidelines and judging criteria set by professional drifting organizations like the D1 Grand Prix
D1 Grand Prix
The , abbreviated as D1GP and subtitled Professional Drift, is a production car drifting series from Japan. After several years of hosting amateur drifting contests, Option magazine & Tokyo Auto Salon founder Daijiro Inada, and drifting legend Keiichi Tsuchiya hosted a professional level drifting...
. These judging criteria often include drift factors such as racing line, drift angle, speed, and show factor. Some R/C drifting competitions include the use of "tsuiso" or tandem-drift competition in which competitors are paired together to drift in a lead-chase format.
Car type
For R/C drifting, most 4WD touring car chassis will suffice. Typical vehicles used in R/C drifting are 4WD, electric powered, 1/10 scale vehicles, although nitro (fuel) powered versions exist. The use of an RWD drifting chassis is uncommon; unlike their real-world counterparts, RWD R/C cars behave much differently due to the R/C car's scaled-down structure, which in turn changes weight distribution and general behavior.The cost of a 4WD chassis can range from $100 to $250. However, it is possible for the intermediate or advanced RC car hobbyist to convert any touring car chassis into a drift car fairly easily, using easily sourced tires, wheels and bodies from a model shop or online store.
There are several companies that make "Drift Specific" chassis. These chassis are generally based on already existing 1:10 Scale R/C Touring Chassis feature drift-specific tires and modern or 'retro' style bodyshells to represent popular street racers or professional drift cars.
Tires
Unlike R/C racing where rubber or foam tires are constantly changed and have short life spans, R/C drifting can be done with tires made of ABS plastic piping. ABS piping can be purchased pre-cut from various R/C drifting companies or you can also fabricate your own tires with ABS piping purchased from a plumbing or hardware store. For 1/10 scale R/C vehicles, 2 inches (50.8 mm) ABS piping fits snug over the appropriate wheels for that scale vehicle. Drift tires can also be created out of white PVC piping due to the inherent frictionless behavior exhibited by PVC on concrete; however, the inherent white coloration of the material can be undesirable. Some users will paint these wheels to compensate.Most pre-fabricated drift tires are made of rubber, plastic or polymers and come in many varieties of traction as well as tread. ABS tires last for hours, and PVC for longer, due to their physical hardness. Other types of plastics such as PVDF, PE, PP and their derivatives are also used due to their amount of traction and sliding combination. Fabricated drift tires are comparatively cheaper than manufactured drift tires.
Manufactured drift tires promised a more realistic and controllable driving experience under certain circumstances.
There are many makers of drift tires especially from Japan as the main source of RC drifting.
The development of tires within Japan itself is staggeringly fast compared to the rest of the world that have little access and yet couldn't relinquish its dependencies. This has reflected to less growth of development of drift tires either being use or make between the two sides.
However, R/C drift is still a new art, and advances in the state of technology for drift tires are still in the works.
Customization
A notable aspect of R/C drifting is the creation and customization of the vehicle body or shell. Using paint, decals, and other craft type items some enthusiasts make replicas of their favorite real-world drift cars or come up with their own unique designs. Additional aesthetic modifications include LED light kits, ground effects, wide body kits, FMICIntercooler
An intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling, which removes...
s (Front Mounted Intercooler), decals, flared guards, and roll cages so they can achieve a realistic looking drift car. The aesthetics of painting one's own car is also a point of interest for some hobbyists. Some will go as far to create their own shells.
Another aspect in customization of a R/C drift car is the modification of the car's handling. Most R/C enthusiasts prefer of using "Counter-steer conversion", a kind of gear ratio customization by means of changing the default front and rear gear ratio settings, depending on the desired gear ratio to make a realistic drifts (usually seen of slower front drive and faster rear drive to make a rear wheel drive-like handling). However, some R/C companies doesn't support this kind of modification and doesn't give any qualification for their officially sponsored events because most enthusiasts can create this kind of modification from recycled parts or parts from third-party companies, that makes the R/C car out-of-warranty; so most of the R/C drifting events are usually in open category.
Videos
Many RC drifting hobbyists share videos of their racing and practice sessions on YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and other video sharing websites. RC drift videos on YouTube