Question about saving a cheap car

[rccaflyinair]

Hi, I purchased a cheap 1/8 polar rc monster
I wanted to ask a question about maintenance
Most of the parts in this car are plastic because it's a cheap car
But there are few metal components.
Note that the car is waterproof
I usually drive a lot in the sands and throw a lot of dust with the car
After driving it is with a lot of sand
I want to keep the components as long as possible and clean it well
I expect after I finish driving to clean all the sand that there will be no damage to the components in the future
I wanted to ask the way of cleaning, is it possible to wash it or is there a risk?
How do I clean something like this or should I just not clean it and leave it like that?
And can I damage the speed controller in the wash or where do I know where it is so as not to splash water on it.

 

[ferp420]

pics?
never herd of that one

 

[rccaflyinair]

https://gcdnb.pbrd.co/images/bw7jzu2ZFXoM.jpg?o=1

 

[hnoroian]

clean all the sand that there will be no damage to the components in the future
I wanted to ask the way of cleaning, is it possible to wash it or is there a risk?
How do I clean something like this or should I just not clean it and leave it like that?
And can I damage the speed controller in the wash or where do I know where it is so as not to splash water on it.

This all the time. Old tooth brush, paint chip brush works well. Blow, dust off first then a quick hose rinse. Wipe and dry well. Waterproof is good but somehow some way it happens.

Looks like a nice truck to play with! Nothing wrong with cheap and some parts look similar to other brands you read about here, possibly a Traxxas Slash?

 

[rccaflyinair]

This all the time. Old tooth brush, paint chip brush works well. Blow, dust off first then a quick hose rinse. Wipe and dry well. Waterproof is good but somehow some way it happens.

Looks like a nice truck to play with! Nothing wrong with cheap and some parts look similar to other brands you read about here, possibly a Traxxas Slash?

Thanks for the offer.
Is it possible to wash the engine with water and then throw the water away with compressed air?
Or could it be harmful?
Because I believe that a lot of sand will enter the engine, it sits behind the cab not inside the car.

 

[ferp420]

brushed motors are waterproof
sand and mud will kill the motor pretty quick but you can buy high end replacements for cheap and not so quality for under $10 if ya look around

the electronic speed controler or "esc" is a 2 in 1 unit meaning it also has the reciver built in to it that basicly means if your esc goes out you will have to replace the esc and reciver and radio when anything goes out not a big deal but still costs money a cheap radio and reciver runs about $30 and the brushed escs i run are between $12-$15 but with out knowing the quality of the plastic used in this unit i dont know if its worth repairing if it breaks

theres nothing wrong with cheap as long as theres a pathway to upgrade

i have really cheap rigs ive ran for years with out problems and had name brand rigs break 5 min in to there first run so it really comes down to how you treat it and how good the plastic they used is and sometimes just plain luck
every brand is gonna have a bad part or 3 make it through quality control process at some point its just how it is the bigger companys will usualy take care of you buy those cheapies are what they are

just remeber the faster it is the more power it has the funner it is but the faster it breaks

 

[rccaflyinair]

I saw videos
who takes a rc car and washes it all in a stream of water
And then throw the water with air and dry

Is it safe to disconnect the battery?
And just spray a stream of water all over the car?

What parts of the car should be removed before washing the whole car with a stream of water?

 

[Gula]

Use a soft paint, or tooth brush to brush the dirt off. I wouldn't do much of anything else. No running water, as it will wash loose dirt into places it's not supposed to be in. Also no compressed air to "throw" the water away as you may push sand into the bearings. Does that have bearings? Looks like a xerox of a Rustler, or something like that.

 

[high plains drifter]

@rccaflyinair I've never used water to clean any of my RC's. Using some different sizes of soft to stiff brushes works well to clean things up. But I don't submerge any of my RC's in mud either. Dried mud makes cleaning much more time consuming and is difficult to remove... especially out of small spaces. I also use rags and cotton-swabs. I do use compressed air a lot but I'm very careful on things like bearings and shocks and around electronics like ESC's, servos, and motors... to not simply blast air indiscriminantly into crevices.

After heavy or repeated use in dusty/ sandy conditions it's a good idea to subsequenly remove and/ or dismantle some parts to inspect and detail-clean... bearings, differentials, drive-shafts, etc... areas where you have gears or moving parts. After a lot of dust, sand, mud, or water... you may need to lubricate certain parts as well.

 

[rccaflyinair]

Thanks for the tips
I saw some videos that clean at first with air pressure
sand and dirt
and then rinse with water
with it also through
Because it feels faster

 

[rccaflyinair]

What do you think about it?

 

[high plains drifter]

I didn't watch the video but I just wanna say that in my experience the easy way is typically not the best way to do anything.

Regarding your RC vehicle- Water intrusion happens anyplace that is not fully sealed or water-tight. Many times things are listed as waterproof but are still susceptible to water intrusion especially if submerged or pressure driven ( as in the case with compressed air) so you need to know with confidence that all vulnerable areas are indeed completely sealed.

Using water to clean your rig requires even more time in the long run because there is even more reason to inspect, disassemble, re-lube, etc areas like drive-lines, gear-boxes, and other components. Are you 100% that your ESC, servos, etc are fully water tight? And water resistant does not mean waterproof just to be clear.

Rust is another potential issue with using water to clean. If you're not going back over metal hardware and components with some type of oil or rust inhibitor then you are only inviting rust into vital areas of your RC vehicle. Not to mention that black-oxide hardware will rust when exposed to too much moisture and/ or for prolonged time. That could mean a stripped out hex-head or threads that can lead to frustration/ failure of that hardware or the components that they are holding together.

Allowing plenty of dry time will not necessarily nullify potential issues... as in the case of a differential where the water will remain inside the diff indefinitely even though there may be plenty of grease inside the housing. And water can wreak havoc on gears.

Just one guy's opinion but you're inviting trouble if you take the wash/ rinse with water approach and don't plan to do much follow-up regarding break-down, inspection, lubrication after the exposure to water.

 

[rccaflyinair]

I saw in alixprees that they sell foam material
which helps to remove dirt more easily without the need to wash with water possible with wipes

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256806598214628.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.5.13951e62wgjUUv&dp=2441407099&af=32858&algo_pvid=b64154cc-0212-4e2e-abea-9dbc3fa23965&algo_exp_id=b64154cc-0212-4e2e-abea-9dbc3fa23965-2&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21ILS%2125.92%218.03%21%21%2150.48%2115.65%21%40213bdb8817326238956337916ea833%2112000038288039574%21sea%21IL%21855771645%21X&curPageLogUid=C1wDhtOW2E7U&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A&aff_fcid=a550287885044a9d87b4e3d662e9f183-1732657214149-05555-_Dc7G5vh&tt=CPS_NORMAL&aff_fsk=_Dc7G5vh&aff_platform=portals-tool&sk=_Dc7G5vh&aff_trace_key=a550287885044a9d87b4e3d662e9f183-1732657214149-05555-_Dc7G5vh&terminal_id=9ea056b097b04964a520b2ed3200d11f&afSmartRedirect=y&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

Can it fit to help clean up?

30/60/100/150ML Multi-Purpose Foam Cleaner Leather Curing Agent Bubble Cleaning Spray Car Interior Wash Maintenance

Feature:
1. Clean Any Surface: This multi-purpose foam cleaner is suitable for use on any material including fabric, canvas, finished leather, PVC, glass, vinyl, rubber, metal, wood, gelcoat, fibreglass and more. Users can use the same product for different types of surfaces, increasing flexibility and practicality.
2. Keeps the Car Fresh: The spray foam cleaner has a fresh lemon scent that keeps the interior of the car fresh and removes odours. This design increases the added value of the product and provides a better user experience.
3. Removes Sticky Dirt: The bubble cleaner removes sticky dirt, leaving a non-greasy, dry, matt, odourless surface. This design allows the user to clean surfaces easily while improving cleaning results.
4. UV Resistant Protective Coating: This foam cleaning agent has a UV resistant protective coating that prevents fading and cracking due to harmful UV rays. This design extends the life of the surface and increases its durability and reliability.
5. No Rinsing Required after Cleaning: This foam curing agent is easy to clean without rinsing. This design saves the user the hassle of rinsing and reduces the waste of time and water.

 

[high plains drifter]

Starting to feel like I'm beating a dead horse.

The stuff you linked above is available on Amazon too and with pretty poor reviews. This stuff is for a completely different application as well... for use inside interiors of full size autos.

Not sure what your end-game is here but at this point I'd say to go for whatever you think will take care of your needs. I've tried to steer you away from taking the easy way out but maybe you're simply in the mindset of doing a quickie cleaning and that you'll be good to go. You can likely get away with that routine for a while but it WILL eventually cause your rig performance loss and parts failure. That's just the nature of the game.

Many of us actually enjoy ( or at least respect and appreciate) performing maintenance that will improve and prolong the performance of our electronics, motors, gears, etc, etc... and accept that there is a good deal of periodic cleaning and maintenance required. Working on these rigs is part of the fun for a lot of us. Some tasks are certainly more of a chore or more mundane than others but with all the tiny parts and tolerances, it's just something that comes with the territory. Some people might get away with dedicating a minimal amount of time/ effort to keep their rig running well ( depending on the rig and the type/ amount of contamination that infiltrates it) but overall, taking some time to perform detailed maintenance is typically an intricate part of this hobby.

 

[ferp420]

mud and dirt is a badge of honor

 

[Gula]

Starting to feel like I'm beating a dead horse.

Bro, lol, you my friend, can only "lead" a horse to water, however, you can't "make" an ass drink it! We all tried telling him in every possible way without being an hat

Op seems stuck on h²o for some reason, shit, pour some gasoline on it and call it a day

Buy whatever you heart desires and clean your toy with that, and stop asking us silly questions?

 

[rccaflyinair]

I understand - I'm new to the field.
That's why I check all kinds of available options
I understand what is being said here
I just asked about this material because it is possible to use this material
without water
And maybe it
Remove the dirt easily
So I wanted to check if anyone here has used it.

After using sand in rc
Is there maybe a video guide for beginners?

Which parts need to be disassembled to check for oil and in which materials to oil etc.?

 

[ferp420]

i run mine in sand every day i have never had any issues heck iv had mud caked on rigs for years i think my clod buster still has dirt from when i ran it in the snow when i lived in tahoe 7 years ago
if i do need to clean one i just toss it in the shower and rinse it off no big deal its just a toy and if for some reason something isent waterproof well f-it replace it with something that is usualy stuff just need to dry off then will work again but not always
a cheap buggy like the op had all the electronics combined dont add up to more than $50 so its not the end of the world when something fails or you want to upgrade
most exspensive part is a new radio if needed cause the esc looks to have the reciver built in but even a cheap set up would be a upgrade so hay do it up then upgrade

dont over think it

 

[89Industries]

I'm with ferp on this one. I try not to clean stuff too much because that causes problems too.

But sometimes mud happens.

Take the battery out for sure.

Use low pressure water, try to keep it away from stuff where it could cause problems (electronics, bearings).

Try to dry it off as good as possible. Paper towels, put it over a heating vent in the house, etc. Not too hot (hair dryer on low probably work pretty well).

Use a little lube once in a while.

Also, wd-40 is "water displacement. It goes in, absorbs the water and allows it to evaporate easily. But remember it's not a lube, and use sparingly.

With dry stuff like sand and the decomposed granite I have here that doesn't really stick, I usually just take the body if and shake and tap out the dirt. I'd use compressed air if needed. Just use short bursts and don't aim it at bearings.

Brushes work too though.

The more you spend on something the more it costs to replace so you start taking more care.