To maximize the life and enjoyment of your Kyosho RC cars, there are certain routine maintenance jobs that you should execute on your vehicle periodically. High speed moving parts are found throughout your vehicle, and friction will eventually wear them down if they are not properly maintained. Luckily, a small amount of effort occasionally will prevent this from occurring, while allowing for consistant peak performance.

Kyosho recommends that you perform a complete inspection of your vehicle before each run. Not taking the short time to make sure everything is assembled properly will cost much more time and money to repair later should a failure occur. If in doubt, take the time to make your repairs before racing. Check the tires for missing chunks, gouges, cuts, etc. Verify that each tire is on the wheel evenly and securely. A crash at high speed will cost you much more than the price of a replacement tire.

Lubrication is a very important aspect of routine maintenance. Are your axles, joints, bushings, or bearings dry? All moving parts must move freely and do so without resistance. Use oil where necessary. Inspect the vehicle for any damage. Cracks in parts can cause failure under stress. Aside from maintaining lubrication, special care should be taken to ensure that moving parts are relatively clean and free of dust. The electric motor is especially susceptible to dirt, as it turns at such a high rate of speed. If you use your vehicle off road, or if it is especially dirty you should wipe down all surfaces prior to inspection, as cracks or other mechanical problems may be obscured. The suspension of your vehicle is a part that gets quite a bit of wear. Make sure all 4 shocks travel freely and with even resistance.

Batteries should be completely charged, and disconnected when full. They should be discharged completely as well, to ensure that their “zero point” does not change. This will extend the life of your batteries substantially. After extended use, the high-output electric motor found in some of our vehicles should be allowed to cool down so that the magnets retain their charge and peak performance is assured. If you are not going to be using your vehicle for a significant period of time, remove the batteries and store them separately to prevent leakage and/or corrosion.

Other vehicles offered utilize a gas-powered engine, which has its own set of checkpoints. Rust can be an issue with RC car engines, especially when using substandard fuels. To avoid this, after a long run you should add a bit of oil to your engine. Crank it over a few times to make sure everything is evenly lubricated before storing it away.

Over time, vibration and movement can cause screws to come loose. It is important to make sure that all screws on your Kyosho USA vehicle are tightened and secure. This is not something that necessarily needs to be done before each race, but from time to time should be checked out. You wouldn’t want something coming loose right before crossing the finish line!

Using these basic tips, your Kyosho RC car should last you many years to come. Neglecting a damaged part will increase stress on other parts at best, or at worst lead to catastrophic failure. Remember, it is much easier to take care of a little problem now, rather than a big one later!