The fastest driver at club night isn't always the one with the best motor. Often it's the one whose car finishes all three qualifiers. DNFs at our track have a pattern: a wheel nut that walked off, a pinion set screw that let go, a shock that pumped out its oil two heats ago. None of those are bad luck. They're ten minutes of checking that didn't happen.
This is the checklist our racing desk runs after every session, track or backyard. It's built to take ten minutes with a basic set of drivers, and it follows the inspection lists Traxxas prints in its owner's manuals. It won't make you faster on its own, but it keeps you from losing laps to things that never should have broken.
The Short Answer
After every run: pull and inspect the battery, blow off and brush the dirt, check wheel nuts, inspect the spur, pinion and gear mesh, spin-test the drivetrain and bearings, look over shocks, suspension and steering, and check for loose screws and frayed wiring.
- Screws: check the motor mount, pinion set screw and wheel nuts after every run. Do a full chassis and suspension screw check every few runs, and after any crash.
- Threadlock: blue (medium) on metal-to-metal screws only, never into plastic.
- Wet runs: Traxxas recommends drying the truck and spraying bearings, drivetrain and fasteners with a water-displacing light oil.
- Storage: always take the battery out. Store LiPos per the manufacturer's storage instructions.
1. The Checklist: Ten Minutes, Seven Stops
Do it in the same order every time and it becomes muscle memory. Here's the clock.
The ten-minute timeline
| Minute | Job | What you're looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00-1:00 | Battery out, pack check | Puffing, damaged wrap, a hot cell or connector |
| 1:00-3:00 | Blow off and brush | Dirt in the gears, motor fins, steering and suspension pivots |
| 3:00-4:00 | Wheels and wheel nuts | Loose nuts, chunked tires, wobble, tire glue letting go |
| 4:00-6:00 | Drivetrain | Spur teeth, gear mesh, pinion set screw, notchy spin, slop |
| 6:00-7:30 | Suspension and steering | Leaking shocks, bent hinge pins and shafts, cracked arms, binding steering |
| 7:30-9:00 | Screws and electronics | Backed-out motor and chassis screws, frayed wires, loose plugs |
| 9:00-10:00 | Notes and parts list | Write down what to order before you forget |
The core items match Traxxas' routine inspection list: cracked or bent parts, binding wheels and steering, shock operation, frayed wires or loose connections, wheel nut tightness, radio batteries and loose screws (Traxxas owner's manual).
Minute 0: battery out, always
Unplug and remove the pack before you touch anything else. A spinning tire and a screwdriver don't mix. Traxxas says to always remove the battery from a model in storage, and to pull the transmitter batteries too if it'll sit a long time.
While the pack's in your hand, look at it. Puffing, a split wrap or a connector that's hotter than the rest means it's done. For LiPos you won't run again in a day or two, use your charger's storage mode and store them cool and dry. Traxxas warns against storage temperatures over 140°F, which includes a car trunk in a Georgia August. More in our battery and charging guide.
Minutes 1 to 3: clean before you inspect
You can't see a crack under a layer of red clay. Blow the car off with compressed air (wear safety glasses) or use a soft brush. Traxxas suggests both, and Horizon Hobby recommends a soft brush, such as a toothbrush or detailing brush, for tight spots (Horizon Hobby). Focus on the gears, motor cooling fins, steering pivots and suspension hinge pins. Keeping the motor and ESC free of grime also keeps them cooler, per Traxxas.
Skip the hose for routine cleaning. Water and bearings aren't friends.
2. Drivetrain, Wheels and Bearings: Where DNFs Come From
Most of the breakage we see at the track starts in the drivetrain, and it usually announces itself first as a noise or a bit of slop.
Wheels and wheel nuts
Put a nut driver on every wheel nut. Don't just eyeball them. A loose nut wallows out the hex and eventually leaves you with three wheels. While the wheel's in your hand, check the tire glue around the bead. A tire coming unglued balloons at speed and costs you a heat. A metric nut driver set beats the cross wrench from the box.
Spur, pinion and mesh
Pop the gear cover. Traxxas says to inspect the spur for wear and check the pinion set screws every time. Look for chipped or shiny-worn teeth, then check mesh with the paper test and the rock test: a tiny click of play, no binding. If the mesh moved, a motor screw is loosening. Find out why now, not in the next main. Our gear mesh guide has the full procedure.
Spin-test the bearings
With the wheels off, spin each axle and the drivetrain by hand. Smooth and quiet is good. Gritty, notchy or a hub that stops dead means a bearing is going. One drop of light oil from a needle oiler like the Zona Precision Oiler (36-105) brings a dry bearing back. A crunchy one gets replaced. After a wet run, Traxxas recommends spraying the bearings, drivetrain and fasteners with WD-40 or a similar water-displacing light oil, letting it dry, and removing the receiver box cover so moisture can escape.
Drive shafts and outdrives
Look for bent dogbones and CVDs, missing pins and rounded outdrive cups. Grab each wheel and twist: a little backlash is normal, a clunk isn't. On 3S bashers, outdrives are a known weak spot. See our ARRMA 223S breakage guide.
3. Suspension, Steering, Screws and Electronics
The last four minutes are about the things that fail slowly. They're the easiest to catch early and the most annoying to find mid-race.
Shocks and suspension
Push each corner down and let it go. It should rebound smoothly, not pogo. Oil on the shock body means a leaking seal. Traxxas notes that leaking at the top usually points to a damaged bladder or an over-tightened cap, and leaking at the bottom means it's time for a rebuild. Our shock rebuild guide walks through it without air bubbles. Roll the hinge pins and shock shafts. A bent one binds and makes the car unpredictable.
Steering
Turn the wheel lock to lock with the car on. It should move freely and return to center. Check for binding, a loose servo horn, a stripped servo saver and slop in the tie rods. Traxxas notes that toe links wear over time and loosen the steering. If the car won't track straight after a crash, look here before you touch the trim.
How often should I check screws?
Every run: the motor mount screws, pinion set screw and wheel nuts, because they take the most load and vibration. Every few runs, and after any big crash: a full pass over chassis, shock tower and suspension screws. Use a real driver from a set like the Bold RC 1/10 Quick Drive Hex & Nut Driver 5-Piece Set so you don't round heads.
Blue threadlock such as TLR Lok Blue Threadlock or our brush-in-cap blue threadlocker goes on metal-to-metal threads only: motor screws, set screws, screws into aluminum. Keep it away from screws going into plastic, where it can weaken the part. Shop thread lockers.
Wiring, radio and a written list
Check for frayed motor wires, scorched bullet connectors, a loose receiver plug and an antenna tube that's been knocked loose. Check the transmitter batteries too. Weak AAs are a leading cause of glitches. Then write down anything you need to order. A note on your phone beats discovering at 6 p.m. on race day that you used your last spare arm.
Conclusion
Ten minutes after the run beats an hour of repairs before the next one. Battery out, clean it, wheels, drivetrain, bearings, suspension, steering, screws and wires, in that order, every time. You'll catch the loose pinion before it eats a spur and the leaking shock before it costs you a qualifier. Your lap times will thank you, and so will your parts budget.
Stock your pit box from our RC tools and thread lockers, or stop by the store and we'll show you the checklist on your own car.
Found something you can't fix in ten minutes? Bring it to the repair bench at our Cumming, GA store and we'll take a look.
Gear Mentioned in This Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What maintenance does an RC car need after every run?
Remove and inspect the battery, clean off dirt, check wheel nuts, inspect the spur, pinion and gear mesh, spin-test bearings and the drivetrain, check shocks, suspension and steering for leaks, bends and binding, and look for loose screws and frayed wires.
How often should I check the screws on my RC car?
Check the motor mount screws, pinion set screw and wheel nuts after every run. Do a full chassis and suspension screw check every few runs and after any hard crash. Use blue threadlock on metal-to-metal screws.
Should I use threadlock on RC car screws?
Use blue (medium-strength) threadlock on metal-to-metal threads such as motor screws, pinion set screws and screws into aluminum parts. Don't use it on screws threaded into plastic.
How do I clean an RC car after running?
Blow it off with compressed air (wear eye protection) or use a soft brush. Avoid hosing it down for routine cleaning. After wet or muddy runs, rinse with low-pressure water, dry it, and spray bearings, drivetrain and fasteners with a water-displacing light oil, as Traxxas recommends.
How do I know if my RC bearings are bad?
Spin the wheel or shaft by hand. A good bearing is smooth and quiet. A gritty, notchy or sticky feel means it needs cleaning and a drop of light oil, or replacement if it stays rough.
Should I take the battery out of my RC car when storing it?
Yes. Traxxas says to always disconnect and remove the battery whenever the model is stored, and to remove the transmitter batteries for long-term storage. Store LiPos cool and dry, and follow the manufacturer's storage-charge instructions.
