1. Flat Spots Are Bad

It’s imperative to store your car or truck on a car stand to prevent the tires and foams from developing flat spots, but how many of us actually follow this tip?

If your tires have been sitting for too long, it’s a good idea to invest in a new set. Rubber doesn’t age well, and older tires that have not been stored in a sealed bag won’t provide as much traction.

2. Break ‘Em In

If you need to pick up some new treads, make sure to break them in before racing. Either scuff the tires by holding your car in place while applying throttle or plan on running a few “practice” battery packs before actually racing. Tires that are broken-in are generally faster and provide more grip.

Another great suggestion is to use a tire warmer to heat the surface of your rubber to provide better grip when starting a race.

3. Check Your Batteries

The ProTek iChecker is a perfect tool for checking the voltage of your race packs. If they’ve been left too long and don’t hold their voltage, it’s time to invest in some new batteries.

If you’re after the LiPos our pros run, you can see the ProTek R/C lineup here. Need a little help on what to do with your LiPos after they sat unused during the off-season? Watch our video!

4. Recheck Ride Height

Checking your ride height can be done in a matter of seconds, and it’s one of the most crucial adjustments you can make to your car.

We recommend the VRP Clicker, it is simple and easy to use.  Just set your preferred height on the magnetic dial and slip it under your chassis. 

5. Shock O-Rings

O-Rings can either swell or become disfigured over time. If it's been a few months since you've driven your car, you'll want to open up the shocks and replace all of the O-rings. Swollen O-rings will cause your shocks to bind and lower your kit's ability to absorb bumps and reduce the car's traction, making for inconsistent runs.

Hint: Opening and cleaning the dirt from your shocks from time to time will extend the life of your shocks.

6. Check Hingepins

Ensure that your suspension is not bound up and that you don’t hear any unnecessary squeaks. If you do hear squeaks, remove your car’s hingepins and wipe them down with a clean rag and blow off the dust that accumulates around the hingepin openings on your suspension components.

Are you experiencing performance issues with your suspension?  This video addresses binding problems and how to fix them.

7. What’s Hot?

Having information about the hottest tires, setup tweaks, and popular race classes at your track will be critical when you show up on race day. Asking a racing buddy in the “know” is your best place to start to ensure that you’re prepared with the correct setup, tires, and motor. In addition, we have tons of helpful videos available to help you along the way.

Example: See how we made our stock car faster without breaking the rules.

8. The Hardware Once Over

Check to make sure all of the upper and lower screws of your car are tight. It’s also important to tighten the ball studs, wheels, and shock anchoring screws.

It wouldn't hurt to remove these screws and clean both the screw and threads with isopropyl alcohol before applying thread lock.  Isopropyl alcohol has a high evaporation rate and won't rust like soap & water.

9. Drivetrain Noise Is Bad

Using a small dab of grease on the spur and pinion gears will not only reduce friction, but it will keep your drivetrain that much quieter.

Take a look at the ProTek R/C “Premier White” Grease, specifically designed to reduce noise and friction.

10. Don’t Get Sloppy

Isolate the turnbuckles on your ride to find any excess slop in the ball cups. If you find any slop, take a few minutes, and replace those ball cups. Worn-out ball cups are liabilities because they can easily pop off during a race, and your car won’t feel as consistent.

For stability and handling, be sure to lengthen or shorten your camber links for proper traction on the track.  The longer the link, the more traction—perfect for high grip tracks. Shorten the link for medium grip loose tracks.

11. Bring The Kitchen Sink

Before heading to the track, make sure you have all the tools, tires, spare parts, and equipment you need for a victorious outing. Being over-prepared is a good thing, and you certainly know where to shop.

Want to know what our racers put in their hauler bags? Click this link to take a look at what's inside.