RC cars are used for different activities such as racing, off-roading, rock crawling, mudding, RC car soccer, RC car bowling, and drifting. Drifting is one of the most exciting and thrilling RC car activities that you can engage in. It involves the RC car operator using the brakes, throttle, steering input, clutch, and gear shifting to keep the vehicle in an oversteer condition.
Some of the best RC drift cars are Kyosho Mazda RX-7, Super GT RC Sport Racing Drift Car, Redcat Racing Lightning EPX, HPI Racing Falken Nissan S13, and Exceed RC MadDrift Limited Edition. Some of the things that make a great RC drift car are the tires, chassis, differentials, and motor.
Not all RC manufacturing companies produce drift cars, but you can still get several RC drift cars on the market. These vehicles are all different and have special qualities, but they are also very suitable for drifting.
Best RC Drift Cars
If you are a fan of drifting but cannot get a real full-sized drift car, you can get an RC drift car and enjoy drifting instead. Drift cars come in three different categories: drift car kits, RTR drift cars, and drift car chassis. RTR drift cars are the most common and easiest to operate. Let us explore some of the best RC drift cars.
Redcat Racing Lightning EPX
Redcat Racing Lightning EPX is a 1/10 scale electric RC drift car with a 19T RC550 brushed waterproof ESC motor. It uses drift-specific tires that allow effortless drifting along with corners while maintaining steady momentum. It has a lightweight chassis made of plastic that ensures drift recovery and quick response to direction changes.
It uses a 2.4 GHz radio system that provides reliable control for maneuvering while drifting. This vehicle features aluminum-capped oil-filled shocks with selectable mounting positions, adjustable ride height, adjustable camber angle, tunable 4-wheel independent suspension, and adjustable toe angle that allows the vehicle to be operated on any track.
Super GT RC Sport Racing Drift Car
Super GT RC Sport Racing Drift Car is an electric 1/10 scale RC drift car; it features a 2.4GHz remote control that allows you to drive with multiple cars without interference. This vehicle can perform the U-shaped drift and the figure 8 drift. Its shell is made from high-quality PC material, which makes it very realistic.
It comes with 4 drift tires and 4-speed tires; hence you can operate it as a regular RC car using the speed tires or as a drift car with the drift tires. It has a charge time of 90 minutes and a run time of 10 to 25 minutes. It uses a 4-wheel drive system and comes ready to run with two sets of batteries.
Exceed RC MadDrift Limited Edition
Exceed RC MadDrift Limited Edition is a ready-to-run RC drift car powered by a high-performance 540L 2150KV brushless motor. Its motor delivers enough power and torque to reach a high revolution per minute required for high-speed drifting. It uses a 2.4 GHz radio system that guarantees full control for its operator.
This vehicle features aluminum shock towers, oil-filled shocks, aluminum chassis, and aluminum steering Ackerman. It also has sway bars that protect the vehicle from crashing during hard cornering while drifting. This RC drift car comes with 2 2.7 4V 3300mAh LiPo batteries but does not come with a charger.
HPI Racing Falken Nissan S13
HPI Racing Falken Nissan S13 is one of the most realistic RC drift cars; it features a 4-wheel drive system and a nitro star 3.0 engine that provides enough power making it a perfect tool for drifting. It comes with an adjustable motor, a battery holder, and a bathtub-type Nitro and RS4 chassis whose thickness is 0.078.
This vehicle also has a 2.4GHz transmitter that prevents any form of interference during operation among other RC cars. It has a large bumper that protects the vehicle and a very strong suspension and chassis that increase durability and performance. Its drift tires make it suitable for drifting over any terrain.
Can Any RC Car Be A Drift Car?
Yes, any RC car can be a drift car; all standard RC cars can drift. However, when you drift with a regular RC car, you might damage some car components because it was not designed for drifting. There are some basic changes and chassis modifications that you must make in your RC car before it can drift without any damage.
A major thing most standard RC cars lack is drift tires. Drift tires are the main component of a drift car; without a drift tire, an RC car cannot be regarded as a drift car. Using a regular RC car tire to drift will damage the tires and make them wear out more quickly than they should. You will need to get tires designed to withstand high temperatures and high pressure.
You will also have to lock the vehicle's rear differential as it prevents both wheels of the vehicle from turning simultaneously, which must take place during drifting. Also, the chassis of your vehicle affects it when drifting; it would be best to get a belt-driven chassis rather than a shaft-driven one as a belt-driven chassis has more advantages than a shaft-driven one.
Best RC Drift Cars For Beginners
If you are new to RC cars and are just learning how to operate them, it is necessary that you purchase a car suitable for beginners. However, if you are big on drifting, there are also suitable RC drift cars for beginners.
As a beginner driver, you must not use an advanced RC drift car but get one suitable and designed for beginners so that you do not end up losing control of the vehicle while trying to drift. Below are some of the best RC drift cars for beginners.
Exceed RC Electric DriftStar 350Z
Exceed RC Electric DriftStar 350Z is a 1/10 scale drift car designed to be suitable for beginner drivers. It is powered by electricity and can be used both indoors and outdoors. This vehicle comes with pre-mounted high-performance wheels and solid compound drift tires that are specially designed and make it appropriate for drifting.
It uses a powerful RC 540 motor with high-performance front and rear differentials, excellent front and rear camber, stable suspension arms, and a solid shock tower. It has front bumper foam (extra-large) that protects the vehicle from collision impact and is a 4-wheel drive system drift car.
HPI Racing Sprint 2 Drift RC Car
HPI Racing Sprint 2 Drift RC Car is one of the best RC drift cars for beginners because it is easy to drive and simple to maintain. It comes with a composite double-deck chassis, maintenance-free gear differentials, dual belt drive, and water-resistant electronics. It uses a 2.4GHz radio transmission which prevents any form of signal interference during operation.
This vehicle's body comes completely trimmed and mounted; it also has a functional street wing making it one of the best realistic RC drift cars. It is compatible with NiMH batteries and LiPo batteries. Its fully independent suspension makes it fully flexible and provides fantastic grip and control of the vehicle.
Final Thoughts
Drifting with an RC car is a lot of fun; however, if you are drifting with the wrong car, there is a high chance of a crash or body damage. Hence, if you want to drift with an RC car, it is best to do so with an RC drift car. The good thing about an RC drift car is that you can use it for drifting and use it as a regular RC car.
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Shawn Manaher loves to play with new toys and dive into new hobbies. As a serial entrepreneur, work definitely comes first but there is always room for hobbies.