Important Factors to Consider Before Buying Your First RC Monster Truck

As kids, we always played with miniature versions of real-life objects and we always had a lot of fun. But what if you could do the same as a grown-up? RC cars can be seen as a childish hobby but if you delve into it a bit deeper, you’ll see that it is a hobby that knows no age. Everyone can have fun with RC cars, especially when you can drive your RC car everywhere. This is especially the case for monster trucks, which thanks to their big tyres can be driven virtually anywhere.

No matter whether grass, gravel or dirt, there’s no terrain or obstacle an RC car monster truck can’t go over. These big RC vehicles may not be as fast as a street RC car but they are more fun when you want to do jumps. You don’t have to worry about breaking them as much either, since they are made to take a beating. Monster trucks, unlike other RC cars, are able to drive in reverse and they run much longer before they need to be refilled or charged up. So what’s stopping you from getting a monster RC truck?

What You Should Consider

Speed

The first thing you need to consider when buying an RC car monster truck for your or your kid is speed. While a fast RC monster truck is something that is hard to find, that doesn’t mean you should get a slow one either. Speed is still important to get over the bumps on the road and sandy hills on the beach.

Durability & Lifespan

Obviously, just like everything else you buy you want a monster truck to be durable. Unlike other RC cars, monster trucks are one of the more durable types since they are made to be flipped over and to sustain impacts from various objects including other RC cars. The Lexan plastic the body of a monster truck is made of is rigid enough to make a monster truck last a long time even if you subject yours through a lot of abuse.

Battery/Tank Size

One thing that will determine the runtime of your monster truck is the size of the fuel tank or battery it has on board. The bigger the tank/battery, the more you can get out of it every time you put your monster truck to the test. But you must remember that the bigger the tank or battery, the heavier the vehicle.

This also means that the truck will need more fuel/charge to start moving. This is not always the case with batteries though, since some can have a higher energy density, allowing them to have a bigger capacity than another same-size battery. RC batteries are just as important as smartphone batteries or solar batteries for your RV so make sure you get a monster truck with adequate battery size.

Range

If you want to be able to control your monster truck from afar, then you should get one with a controller that allows that. Not all controller will allow you to have control over your truck from large distances. Usually, the range isn’t that important but it can be if you don’t want to keep your RC monster car near you at all times.

Use

What you’ll use your monster truck for will help determine what you’ll need to focus on. If you’re going to use your monster truck simply for bashing with other RC enthusiast’s monster trucks, then go for one with a rigid body. But if you want to be able to go over any type of terrain more easily make sure you pay attention to the runtime and tyres.

Terrain

If you want to be able to go through different types of terrain you must decide which types of terrain you’ll have your RC monster car drive on the most. A monster truck isn’t capable of going through mud or any soft ground. If you are going to be driving it mostly through tall grass, then make sure the truck is tall enough.

2WD vs 4WD

Something that determines how well a monster truck will perform on climbing over hills and going over bumps on the road is its drivetrain. A monster truck with a 2-wheel drivetrain is not going to be as powerful when it comes to these things, but a 4-wheel drivetrain is. This is because the latter sends power to all four wheels instead of the front or rear two.

What Type of Monster Truck is best For me?

Nitro

Nitro-powered monster trucks are more powerful and have a longer runtime. While they are not as quiet as electric ones, they are not going to stall on any bump or holes. But you have to keep in mind that refilling nitro monster trucks is not as convenient as charging an electric one.

Electric

Be it a brushed or a brushless electric motor, an electric RC monster truck is going to be ideal if you’re going to be driving your truck mainly in a closed space. Electric trucks are usually not as powerful or have as long runtimes as nitro ones, but there are monster trucks with brushless motors that can be as powerful and offer as long run times. Some can offer even better performance and longer runtimes than nitro-powered monster trucks.