An Introduction to Gas Powered RC Trucks

As you've probably guessed from the title, I'm a huge fan of Gas Powered RC trucks! Nothing beats the smell and sound of a nitro engine wide open propelling a truck over whatever terrain you have targeted that day. Tarmac, grass, mud, snow and ice have all been negotiated by trucks in my collection over the years and in most cases they've come through unscathed. I say most because as anyone in the hobby will tell you, things don't always turn out the way you plan them!

That's all part of the fun, the challenge is what draws you back in. If you didn't manage to get your truck up that steep slippery slope the first time around you want to go back and try again and again until you conquer it. The tinkering and tweaking of engine, suspension and steering all come in to play, there's nothing quite like getting that perfect setup that allows you to beat your friend's RC truck over your latest improvised assault course.

Of course you sometimes get it wrong and your truck can wipeout in spectacular fashion but once you've overcome the sadness of a repair bill you can look back on these times with a smile too. With each minor setback you learn a little more and the next time around you'll be ready so you don't make the same mistake again.

If you've ever stared in wonder at these scaled down engineering marvels as they tear up the local park perhaps now is the time for you to jump in to the hobby. Gas RC Trucks have never been so accessible and affordable as they are right now, why not give them a try?

So you've decided you'd like to enter the fast and fun world of Gas RC Trucks, where do you start? You'll soon realise that their are many decisions to be made when choosing your first truck and it may all seem a bit daunting.

The first decision to make is what type of vehicle you want. Stadium trucks, monster trucks and buggies are amongst the many options open to you. Do you want 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive? These are personal choices that are best made based on where and how you intend to make use of your new hobby. For the rough stuff you're probably going to want a 4WD monster truck. If smooth dirt track racing is your thing then you might want to look at a stadium truck. For the terrain in between a 2WD or 4WD buggy would make a good choice. There is no right or wrong answer here, it's about what is best for you.

Next and possibly the biggest decision, do you want a kit to build or a pre-built ready to run (RTR) vehicle? Beginners are often put off by the task of building a truck and opt for a RTR version but if you fancy a challenge then a kit might be for you! Modern kits are much easier to assemble than they used to be and the instructions usually make the entire process both painless and enjoyable. If your throttle finger is twitching however and you just can't wait to get out there running your new truck then the ready to run trucks are ideal for you, fill it up with nitro and off you go!

You'll also need to choose between the various starting methods that these trucks have to offer. Some have pull starts (like your gas lawnmower) whilst others make use of seperate starter boxes or power drill attachments to get the engine turning over. There's no clear winner here, it all comes down to how you intend to use your truck and what equipment you are comfortable lugging around with you.

With any luck I have given you sufficient insight to get you started on the road to RC nirvana, I hope you enjoy the hobby as much as I do!