Radio Controlled Crawlers

While radio controlled crawlers are not the fastest RC cars available, they are some of the toughest vehicles a hobbyist could own. These robust cars and trucks are designed to scale vertical cliffs and conquer terrain that would doom other vehicles. With their superior off-road capabilities, RC crawlers can operate in all types of terrain.

What Is A Radio Controlled Crawler?

As a beginning RC hobbyist, you are probably wondering just what a radio controlled crawler is. A radio controlled crawler is a car or truck that has been outfitted with heavy-duty motors, servos, and suspension parts. In addition to this, a crawler usually has a very high ground clearance and wide stubby tires that allow it to easily clear obstacles. Simply put, a radio controlled rock crawler is designed to be the best off-road RC vehicle possible.

What Type of Fuel Do RC Crawlers Use?

RC crawlers use a wide variety of fuels. Many top-notch RC crawlers are designed to operate on gasoline. Other crawlers use nitromethane fuel. However, some of the best crawlers are electric-powered models. Electric-powered models are considered by some hobbyists to be the best type of crawlers because they possess tremendous power and are easy to maintain. The fact that electric-powered crawlers have fully enclosed motors and speed controls is seen as an advantage. This is because dirt and grime is kept out of the intricate operating parts of the vehicle and there is less chance for severe damage.

Crawlers that use gas and nitromethane have exposed operating parts and a hobbyist must thoroughly clean these parts after each use. If you fail to completely clean a nitro or gas powered crawler, then the motor can be irreparably damaged due to dirt and grime getting into it.

How Do RC Crawlers Differ from Regular RC Cars?

RC crawlers differ from regular RC cars in many ways. One of the most noticeable differences is that regular RC cars usually operate at speeds of at least 10 miles per hour. Radio controlled crawlers operate at an average speed of about three miles per hour.

Another major difference between regular RC cars and RC crawlers is in the area of their ground clearances. Regular radio controlled cars typically have very low ground clearances in order to enhance their aerodynamic qualities. Radio controlled crawlers usually have ground clearances of a couple of inches in order to allow them to easily move over rocks, logs, and other obstacles.

What Type of Tires Do Radio Controlled Crawlers Use?

Radio controlled crawlers have tires that are considerably different from the type of tires found on most RC cars. Crawlers usually have wide knobby tires that are designed to dig into the ground and have a firm grip on any terrain they roll over. This allows RC crawlers to be very agile and gives them the ability to drive through any type of terrain they encounter.

What Are Some Popular Radio Controlled Crawler Models?

There are a couple of different models of RC crawlers that are found to be very popular with hobbyists. One of the most popular models is the HPI Crawler King with the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Body. This RC crawler comes from the factory ready-to-run and can take on any kind of terrain you can throw at it. With its trademark high ground clearance and firm gripping Rock Grabber tires, this model will provide you with countless hours of off-road fun.

Another crawler that is highly sought after is the Tamiya CR-01. This radio controlled crawler is available with a Toyota Land Cruiser body and is equipped with a powerful 540 Type Tamiya motor. This crawler also has 4-link coil spring suspension and massive rock crawler tires that measure a massive 56mm wide and 125mm in diameter. All in all, this vehicle is one of the preeminent off-road RC trucks available to remote control hobbyists.