The Top Ten Upgrades for Your RC Truck

When someone buys their first radio control truck, they usually aren’t thinking about adding anything to it that isn’t already in the box. They just want to get their hands on the transmitter and drive.

But before long, the RC truck awakens their inner mechanical engineer. Leaving the RC truck as it came off the shelf is no longer enough. They start to think about what they can do to make it go faster, run longer, and handle better. They want to customize its performance specifically for the way they drive, using the top RC truck upgrades.

For most hobbyists, adding RC truck upgrades to their model is nearly as much fun as taking it out to bash, crawl, or race. Unlike the makers of toy remote control trucks, the manufacturers of hobby RC trucks offer a wide variety of replacement and optional parts for their vehicles. With them, you can improve your RC truck’s performance and keep it running for years.

When you decide it’s time to start adding RC truck upgrades, where do you begin? If you ask a dozen experienced RC truck hobbyists, you’ll get almost a dozen different answers. Our experts have put together a list of the top ten RC truck upgrades that every driver should eventually consider. We’ll discuss them here one by one.

#1 RC Truck Upgrade: Tires and Wheels

Whether it’s a basher, a crawler, or a racer, your RC truck needs a solid grip on the ground to deliver the best performance. A good set of tires and wheels, matched to the driving surface, should be one of your top RC truck upgrades. Not only do they dramatically improve handling and stability, but they’re also affordable and easy to install.

Originally, your RC truck’s manufacturer may have included all-terrain tires on the vehicle to provide good traction anywhere you happen to drive. If you’ve found that you enjoy running it on a few specific types of terrain, then you should keep RC tires on hand that are made with rubber compounds and tread patterns best-suited for those.

RC truck tires are available with deep, aggressive tread patterns for optimal performance on rough terrain like dirt and gravel. There are also slick, or minimally treaded, tires for use on smooth surfaces. Paddle tires excel in sand, while knobby tires are ideal for off-road bashing. If scale realism is a priority, manufacturers like Pro-Line offer officially licensed RC truck tires that duplicate the looks and tread patterns of popular full-size truck tires.

As for tire compounds, they’re usually described as “soft,” “medium,” or “hard”. A soft compound is best for hard-packed surfaces without much loose material to interfere with the grip. Choose medium compound for driving over loose dirt or tracks with spots of rubble or wetness. Hard compound tires are preferable on carpet or artificial tracks and when running your truck in hot weather.

You can make a significant difference in your RC truck’s speed, cornering ability, and stability depending on the tire compound and tread pattern you choose. And if you upgrade to bead lock wheels, you’ll increase the security of your traction. Bead lock wheels can prevent tires from slipping off during high-torque situations.

#2 RC Truck Upgrade: Brass Parts

The weight distribution of your RC truck has a huge influence on its performance — especially if you’re running an RC rock crawler. Imagine trying to maneuver a top-heavy crawler up a steep incline or over a large rock, while the pull of its weight wants to flip the truck over. What can you do?

One way to lower the RC truck’s center of gravity is to replace some of its lightweight aluminum components with RC truck upgrade parts made from brass. Brass is significantly heavier than aluminum and even steel. By strategically placing brass RC truck upgrade parts (such as wheel hubs and diff covers) down low on your vehicle, you’ll make it less likely to tip over. Avoid going too far with adding brass, though. Too much weight could strain the drivetrain, and your RC truck will struggle to get over obstacles.

It’s interesting to note that brass parts are also used to improve the performance of high-speed RC vehicles. When lightweight RC race cars scream down the track at 100+ mph, their front ends can lift if there’s insufficient downforce. Then the car becomes airborne. We’ve seen drivers solve this problem by installing heavy brass front bumpers on their cars.

#3 RC Truck Upgrade: LiPo Battery

If you’re currently powering your RC truck with a NiMH battery, it might be time for an RC truck upgrade to LiPo power. You’ll see immediate improvements. Compared to NiMH batteries, LiPo packs will deliver significantly more power, better acceleration, faster speeds, longer run times, and smoother power delivery. If your RC truck came with a 2S LiPo, you might consider moving up to a more powerful 3S.

Making a battery RC truck upgrade isn’t always as simple as just popping in a more powerful pack. There are other important considerations to keep in mind — like making sure your truck’s [bold] ESC and motor are compatible with the increased battery power.[end bold] If they’re not, you’ll have to upgrade the entire power system.

Also, if you’re changing battery chemistries, make sure that your battery charger is still compatible. LiPo batteries have special handling and charging requirements for safe usage that are important to learn and follow.

One of our RC crawler experts adds that if it’s more power you want for your RC rig — but you don’t know whether to get a bigger battery, a higher Kv motor, or both — it’s best to get your extra power from a new battery. Pairing a higher voltage battery with a lower Kv motor provides the best balance of performance and electronic stress.

#4 RC Truck Upgrade: Brushless Motor

Switching from a brushed to a brushless motor system is one of the most significant RC truck upgrades that you can make for higher top speeds. Other advantages of brushless power include better acceleration, increased torque, improved power efficiency, and reduced maintenance requirements. Brushless motors also last longer compared to brushed motors.

Pairing your choice of brushless motor with a high-performance brushless ESC ensures that your brushless RC truck upgrade will result in smoother power delivery and improved throttle response. Spektrum Firma brushless motor and ESC combos are available for RC trucks and make it easy to choose a perfectly matched brushless power system upgrade for your model.

#5 RC Truck Upgrade: Aluminum-Bodied Shocks

The more durable you can make your RC truck, the better — whether you’re bashing, racing, or crawling on the trails. So if your truck came equipped with molded plastic shock absorbers, then aluminum-bodied shocks

are a top ten RC truck upgrade you’ll definitely want to consider.

Aluminum-bodied shocks, such as Pro-Line PowerStroke shocks, are precision-machined to finer tolerances than molded shocks. Not only are they stronger and less prone to leaking over time, but they’re also smoother and improve handling on rough surfaces.

You can change the settings on adjustable aluminum shocks to make your RC truck handle differently in different surface conditions. For example, you can adjust the shocks for a smoother ride over bumpy terrain, or to provide a tighter steering feel when cornering.

#6 RC Truck Upgrade: Metal Bumpers

There are many reasons why you might want to upgrade your RC truck’s bumpers. For one, the protection offered by factory bumpers isn’t always enough for heavy-duty bashing and off-roading. Compared to the stock plastic bumpers, an RC truck upgrade bumper made of steel or aluminum can withstand greater impacts without breaking or cracking.

An RC truck upgrade bumper might also be necessary if you’re planning to install functional accessories. Aftermarket bumpers are available that already have mounting points built-in for a winch, LED lights, or recovery hooks.

RC crawling enthusiasts look for upgrade bumpers to improve their rig’s ability to navigate uneven terrain. For example, RC truck bumpers are available that can provide additional ground clearance and different approach and departure angles.

#7 RC Truck Upgrade: High-Torque Steering Servo

You can improve the precision and responsiveness of your RC truck’s steering by upgrading to a high-quality servo. A servo upgrade can increase durability, provide better control on uneven surfaces, and improve reaction time to help you feel more connected to your model.

For off-road RC trucks, high-torque servos are especially important to withstand the stress of steering through rough terrain. Avoid servos with plastic gears — look for those that include metal gears and ball bearings.

#8 RC Truck Upgrade: Metal Gears

A weak point common to many off-the-shelf RC trucks is the use of plastic gears, especially in the transmission and differential. Upgrading to metal gears improves the smoothness of power delivery and increases durability under high torque. You can be confident that your truck will be able to handle more power without stripping the gears. That means you can spend more time in action, and less time performing maintenance and repairs.

#9 RC Truck Upgrade: Adjustable Suspension Links

Your RC truck’s suspension links play a major role in how well it absorbs shocks and handles various terrain. That’s why adjustable suspension links are a top ten RC truck upgrade. They let you fine-tune the suspension geometry for the best performance in conditions ranging from smooth asphalt to rocky trails.

Adjustable suspension links allow for changes to camber, toe angle, and ride height. Reducing camber provides more grip when cornering, while increasing camber improves stability for off-road crawling. Dialing in a softer suspension with increased ground clearance is ideal for tackling uneven surfaces, while a stiffer setup with lower ground clearance works well on flat tracks. Such versatility and precision isn’t possible with fixed suspension links.

In addition, adjustable suspension links are also often constructed from high-quality materials such as aluminum or titanium, making them more durable than standard plastic links.

#10 RC Truck Upgrade: Transmitter

When you think about making your RC truck upgrades, don’t overlook the potential upgrade that you hold in the palm of your hand — your RC transmitter. If it’s a basic 2-channel radio that was included with a ready-to-run package, chances are its features don’t go much beyond what’s absolutely necessary to control your truck.

Take a look at the added capabilities that more sophisticated transmitters can bring to your RC truck driving. By making micro-precise adjustments to steering and throttle response, you can literally customize many RC transmitters to your personal touch. Programmable functions on advanced computer transmitters let you save your preferred settings for different conditions, ready to recall for precise and nuanced control in any situation.

The telemetry capabilities of Spektrum Smart radio technology definitely belong in any list of top ten RC truck upgrades. Batteries and electronics equipped with easy-to-use Smart technology send all kinds of useful performance data straight to your fingertips. For example, you can follow your truck’s battery capacity on the transmitter’s voltage level indicator and know exactly when it’s time to stop and recharge.

Important Reminder About the Top Ten RC Truck Upgrades

Before buying any RC truck upgrades, research their compatibility first. Maks sure that the parts you’re thinking about buying will work with your brand and style of RC truck. Also confirm that you have all of the tools you’ll need to install the upgrade. Every RC hobby workshop needs a good set of hex drivers, pliers, and a soldering kit.

If you use your RC truck primarily for bashing, give upgrades that improve durability top priority.

With RC crawling trucks, you’ll benefit most from option parts that increase maneuverability. If you’re interested in racing, focus on performance enhancements.

Finally, keep in mind that you may need to “balance your build”. Changing one component, like the motor, might require making simultaneous upgrades in your RC truck’s drivetrain or suspension to make sure the entire vehicle will operate at its best.