RC Parts Materials - Plastic to Metal

Metals and plastics are used to make RC parts and accessories. Each has special traits that make it perfect for various uses. This article discusses the materials frequently utilized in radio control applications and their purposes.

Replacement parts for RC are frequently composed of titanium, carbon fibre, and plastic aluminium. Steel and brass components are also offered for RC hop-ups. Each of these materials has a specific role in RC and offers something unique, such as being heavy or lightweight or adding or eliminating flex from your vehicle. We will attempt to keep this subject as straightforward as possible. The components, materials, and methods employed might be highly intricate. Therefore, this is by no means an all-inclusive guide to the materials. This is merely a brief synopsis of some of the materials that are utilized to create RC parts.

Plastic RC Parts

Plastic is a cheap, lightweight material that can be moulded into almost any shape you require. Plastics typically have a significant amount of flex, which allows the material to absorb impact energy and stretch before returning to its original shape. However, this isn't always the case. The quality of plastics differs from brand to brand since they can be created in various combinations or composites.

Additionally, plastic RC parts tend to wear out with time. They usually lose their tolerance as a result of wear and strain. For example, the hole in the suspension arm where the hinge pin is inserted may sag. Alternatively, those bearing holes in a hub where the bearings will be installed before the axle is slid through may eventually wallow out. After a severe collision, you can also find that your suspension components have more play and wiggle. Plastic does, nevertheless, have its limits before breaking.

Generally speaking, the temperature outside impacts how much plastic flexes. For instance, plastic stiffens and becomes more brittle under colder ambient temperatures, making breaking easier. However, plastic has the reverse effect in really hot weather. It usually becomes much softer, more flexible, and looser.

Nylon-based plastic parts from RPM R/C Products are excellent at giving any part a great deal of flex. Because of the nylon, they absorb impact energy and regain their shape. Therefore, they are ideal improvements for specific applications, such as steering components, hubs, and suspension arms. The RPM part will survive longer than the OEM plastic part, making them perfect upgrades for already broken parts.

Aluminum RC Parts

Although aluminium is a lightweight, robust, and rigid metal, it will not be as light as a part made of plastic. Aluminium comes in a wide variety of alloys. In RC, 6061 and 7075 are a few more popular. Although 7075 is a stronger aluminium alloy, it is typically used for chassis and similar applications. Aside from the various aluminium alloys, aluminium RC parts can be made using multiple techniques, such as casting and machining.

Although a machined part will cost more, it will be stronger. Because the computer process maintains exact and tight tolerances, it will be stiff and unyielding and will not wear out as quickly as a plastic part. In contrast to plastic, a machined aluminium object will not flex at all. Regardless of the temperature outdoors, it will remain rigid and stiff. Therefore, metal parts won't shatter in a collision, unlike plastic parts. On a "really hard" impact, aluminium tends to flex instead. The component can be bent back into shape, but it will be much weaker and more likely to bend in the same spot because it has been weakened.

Aluminium is excellent for hubs, hinge pin blocks, or steering components like bell cranks and steering racks where you want a crisp feel because it may be far more precise and durable than plastic. Aluminium servo horns are also quite popular since they are an excellent way to increase the steering system's strength without removing its internal spline, which is often the case with plastic horns.

You must exercise caution when employing aluminium steering components and servo horns because a servo with only plastic gears inside might not withstand a severe hit. Therefore, those plastic gears will be the ones to strip out and break if your tyres are struck or jolt. If your servo includes plastic gears, it might be wiser to continue using a plastic servo horn depending on your driving style because replacing it is far less expensive than buying a new servo.

Aluminium option parts are excellent tuning aids because they may also be a fantastic method to decrease flex from your car. You may stiffen up your platform and eliminate the flex the plastic counterparts would have offered by using components like aluminium shock towers, chassis, upper decks, OLC heads, top plates, and chassis braces. They look fantastic and are long-lasting. You may purchase aluminium alternative components in various anodized colours if you want a specific design or appearance.

Lastly, aluminium absorbs heat away from a heat source since it is an excellent heat conductor. This explains why RC cars and trucks use aluminium for their motor plates and heat sinks. Although aluminium might be ideal in high-temperature settings or applications, it's vital to remember that an upgraded aluminium part will cost more than a plastic one.

Carbon Fiber RC Parts

The next substance is carbon fiber, which consists of thousands of carbon bundles joined by epoxy and laminated to create flat sheets of different thicknesses. Carbon fibre may be utilized to construct almost any flat item, including upper decks, steering components, shock towers, and chassis.

Although carbon fibre RC parts are typically more costly than plastic, they will weigh less than their equal plastic counterpart. Although carbon will remain more rigid and stiff than plastic, it generally is not more rigid and stiff than an equivalent metal item. Naturally, several factors affect the thickness of carbon and the grade of aluminium. However, comparing two identical shock towers, the carbon shock tower would be lighter while the aluminium shock tower would be stiffer.

The idea is that carbon fibre will flex slightly and not be impacted by the outside temperature. However, frigid temperatures may affect the epoxy that holds all those fibre bundles together. However, because carbon fibre is so light, it's a perfect improvement if you want to reduce the weight of pieces up high to lower your centre of gravity or if you're seeking to reduce the weight of your vehicle. Shock towers, for instance, are common carbon fibre additions as they are typically located at the highest point of your car. Therefore, you can successfully lower the CG of your R/C by decreasing or reducing that weight up top. Carbon components will bend slightly during a collision, but if struck too forcefully, they will break, delaminate, or crack.

The thickness of a piece of carbon fibre determines its strength and rigidity; the thicker the piece, the stiffer and more rigid it will be. The woven appearance of carbon fibre makes carbon fibre accessories and hop-up parts look fantastic. More and more carbon fibre items are now available in attractive colours if that's your thing.

Brass RC Parts

The next substance is brass, an alloy made of zinc and copper. Brass RC parts, which are heavy and typically located low on the chassis, are used to increase a car's weight—trail trucks and rock crawlers like them. Some race buggies also have fragile brass plates under the battery. However, once more, the goal is to reduce the centre of gravity by adding weight down low.

Your plastic bulkhead can be transformed into a brass one with brass alternative pieces for the race audience. A brass suspension hinge pin holder might be available, or you could use a brass bulkhead instead of the aluminium one. However, once more, brass R/C components are designed to increase the weight of particular areas of your car.

Steel RC Parts

Steel RC parts are not as hefty as brass, but steel parts are sturdy and somewhat substantial. Hinges, bolts, screws, shock shafts, transmission gears, pinion gears, and other similar components are frequently made of steel. This is the metal to use when you want excellent strength at a fair price with the added benefit of weight.

As we previously stated, steel is far stronger than brass despite being lighter. Steel components resist weather, don't flex, and quickly lose tolerances. Steel parts, such as steel spur gears or transmission gears, are occasionally given as an alternative to plastic parts. Additionally, those steel components are excellent improvements for high-performance vehicles or those requiring tremendous torque, such as rock crawlers and trail trucks, because of their extreme strength.

Steel hop-ups are uncommon, though. The required steel components in strategic locations are likely already present in your car, although you may find hardened steel hinge pins, gears, and other pieces.

Titanium RC Parts

The next substance we will discuss is titanium, one of the rarest metals on the market. Similar to aluminum, titanium is available in a wide range of alloys; grade five is most likely the most widely used in radio control. 6AL-4V, another name for grade five, is incredibly lightweight and robust. Its strength-to-weight ratio is actually among the highest on the market.

Titanium parts are typically the priciest RC accessories due to their extensive, expensive, and machined manufacturing process. As a result, titanium generally is not used to create larger components, such as titanium chassis, as this would be highly costly. Because of this, titanium RC components are usually smaller items used as an alternative to steel in RC. This implies that your titanium accessories and hop-ups will most likely consist of components such as titanium ball studs and screws, as well as gears, transmission shafts, nuts, and other hardware items.

Additionally, titanium components maintain their tolerances well. The temperature outdoors does not affect them, and they do not flex when struck. Rather, titanium will shear or break off in a rough collision, but it can occasionally flex. However, machine grade five titanium enhancements are among the best available for remarkable strength and near-weightlessness. These items are excellent for your vehicle's high points when you want to lower the centre of gravity and minimize all that weight. For instance, you can lower the weight up high in your car by using titanium screws in combination with carbon fibre shock towers or something similar.

Summary

Materials come in a wide variety and can range in strength or grade. However, the aluminium upgrades will generally be an accessory or hop-up for some plastic parts. Upgrades made of carbon fibre will replace those made of plastic or aluminium. Brass parts are merely there to provide weight and aesthetic appeal whenever possible, while titanium parts are typically used as an alternative to steel parts.

You may learn more about these metals and different alloys by visiting the wiki links we've placed throughout this post; it's interesting reading.