Screwdrivers

Good-quality flat-head and Phillips-head screwdrivers are must-have items for any driver’s toolbox. For RC use, you’ll need no. 0-, no. 1- and no. 2-size drivers. These fit the smallest screws, such as the 2-56-size screw found on servos to the large, 8-32 screws holding the bulkhead to the chassis on an Associated 10L. DuraTrax screwdrivers are sold separately as well as in sets, and they feature coated tips and cushioned handles. Tamiya’s line is of very high quality, and Hudy offers the most finely finished drivers we’ve seen.

1. Tamiya no. 1 bladed—part no. 74008, $4.79.
2. Hudy no. 1 bladed—1155800, $12.95.
3. Trinity Phillips—RC2067, $10.95.
4. DuraTrax no. 1 bladed—DTXR012, $2.49.

If you are using the small, L-shaped Allen wrenches that came with your kit, find the nearest wastebasket and go for the three-point shot. Though good enough to get your car built, they aren’t strong enough to use constantly, and the L shape is difficult to turn in tight spots. A good set of hex drivers with screwdriver-type handles will make it much easier to build vehicles and will reduce the chance of damaging the screw.

1. Hudy 5mm driver—132040, $12.95.
2. OFNA 1/16-inch driver—10820, $10.95.
3. XTM 2.5mm driver—32216, $7.99.
4. Dynamite 1/16-inch driver—Dyn2710, $14.95.
5. Trinity 1/16-inch driver—RC2064, $10.99.

Of course, you have a pair of pliers in your toolbox. The question is, are they of an appropriate size for RC work? We’ve seen a few drivers out there working with pliers big enough to open fire hydrants. All you need for most jobs is a solid pair of needle-nose pliers. Some have cutters built into the bottom of the jaws, and these can be useful for clamping shock shafts by the threads. When you buy a pair, check the jaws to see whether they fit your needs; some have teeth for better grip, and some are smooth so they won’t mar the parts you hold with them.

1. Niftech—2375, $14.95.
2. Tamiya—74002, $21.49.
3. DuraTrax—DTXR0300, $4.99.

In general, combination tools are kind of hack and seldom work as well as the correct individual tools. The exception to this is the heavy-duty cross wrench. Particularly useful for nitro work, the cross wrench is versatile enough to handle four (or more) different nut sizes, and some even have storage for glow plugs. The cross shape also makes it easy to apply a lot of leverage to the fastener in question—just what you need for socking down clutch nuts and big, 1/8-scale buggy-wheel nuts.

1. Kyosho’s wrench—80312, $12.49, includes a crankshaft locking tool.
2. The DuraTrax Ultimate Car Wrench—1175, $7.99, stores four glow plugs and fits 7-, 8-, 10-, 12- and 17mm nuts and includes a 19mm socket for Kyosho 1/8-scale buggy-wheel nuts and a Phillips-head/flat-head screwdriver bit.
3. OFNA’s simple one-piece design—10801, $6.19, handles 7-, 8-, 10- and 17mm nuts.

This relative of the diagonal cutter is used to trim parts neatly from their trees without leaving a nub of plastic on the part, and they’re also useful for other soft-material-cutting chores. Stay away from music wire and other hardened materials; they’ll damage the jaws.

1. Tamiya’s sharp flush cutters—74001, $23.69).
2. A pair from Hobbico—278, $5.99.

Still relying on kit-supplied box wrenches for your nut-turning needs? A set of nut drivers is a better way to go; you’ll be able to sock down nuts more tightly, more quickly and more comfortably.

1. Tamiya’s deep-socket drivers are great for threading nuts over long screws—74027, $8.59.
2. Dynamite offers a fine-quality set of drivers like this 3/8-inch nut driver—DYN2756, $14.95.
3. Trinity’s 8mm driver—RC2072, $14.79, is of excellent quality.
4. One of Parma’s inexpensive set of drivers—7920, $7.99/set.
5. Traditional tools with handles are easiest to use, but Trinity’s space-saving Pocket Wrench drivers—TK5045, 3/8-inch, $21.99, are easy to stow and are great for jobs where a long handle gets in the way.

If you’re firing holes into your body with a big drill, you’re a bozo. Get a body ream and trim 8 pounds from your pit bag! Traditional multi-flute reams, such as Dynamite’s, are easier to control but don’t cut as cleanly as the razor-sharp two-flute type popularized by Hudy. But all are a giant step up from a big ol’ drill or from hacking holes in your body by twirling a hobby blade into the roof.

1. Trinity reamer—RC8105, $32.99.
2. Kyosho multi-flute reamer—80311, $19.99.
3. Dynamite reamer—DYN5515, $17.95.
4. OFNA reamer—10804, $25.95.
5. DuraTrax multi-flute reamer—728-0015, $11.99.

Just like full-scale cars, RC cars also benefit from having their tires balanced. Just ask Masami; he’s a freak about balanced tires. The Top Flite balancer suspends the wheel via magnets for a “zero-gravity” effect that makes it easy for you to find the “heavy” side of the wheel and compensate for it by sticking lead tape to the other side. Part no. 5700, $19.99.

DuraTrax ball-end tool

Who loves assembling camber links and tie rods? Nobody! A DuraTrax ball-end tool makes it much easier to hold and turn those finger-busting ball cups. Each tool is machined to fit a specific type of ball cup, and the knurled handle makes it easy to crank them onto the turnbuckles. A less substantial but very functional and inexpensive plastic model is also offered.

1. DuraTrax ball-cup driver for Associated—DTXR1130, $8.99.
2. DuraTrax ball-cup driver for Losi—DTXR1135, $8.99.
3. Universal—DTXR1126, $3.49.

Tamiya file set

A fine-tooth file should be part of every racer’s toolbox, but full-size files take up a lot of space. Tamiya’s Mini 4WD file set is aimed at fans of the sci-fi-inspired, free-running AA-powered cars, but RC racers will find the set very useful for hand-fitting suspension arms and de-burring parts.

When you need a tapped hole, you need a tap. Nothing else will do. Bolink makes a very handy 4-40 tap (the most popular thread type for American-made kits) that includes a T-handle tap holder and reusable clamshell case. Part no. BL-7615, $9.99.

Take a pair of straight scissors and try cutting out a wheel well—it isn’t going to happen. Curved Lexan scissors are an RC modeler’s best friend. They can not only easily trim tight curves on bodies, but their short blades are also useful for many other nipping tasks, from opening parts bags to trimming servo tape.

1. The extra-fine chrome scissors are from Trinity—7023, $9.49.
2. Parma—10398, 12.99. 3. DuraTrax—DTXR1150, $9.95.

They look alike, but note the slight differences in the blades; some have more or less curve, and blade length varies. The one that is best depends on the job at hand.

Ever shot an E-clip into never-never land (or your eye) as you tried to pop it onto a hinge pin or a shock shaft? Tamiya’s E-clip tools make installation much easier. Just push the clip onto the shaft with the tool’s curved jaw. 2mm tool—74032, $9.29; 4mm tool—74033, $9.29.

Oval guys, this is a must-have tool. Instead of marring those delicate plastic pivots with pliers, use this tool to painlessly squeeze the pesky buggers into place when you rebuild (and pop ’em out when they’re worn). Part no. R9020, $11.95.

Pinion gear setscrews can strip if they’re overtightened and leave you with a pinion-for-life or a date with the rotary tool for some hackery. Or, you could get Bolink’s pinion puller. This tool slips over the gear and yanks it off the motor shaft—no problemo. Part no. BL-6014, $9.95.

If you can’t get a grip on the flywheel to tighten the clutch nut, then you should pick up an OFNA universal flywheel wrench. It’s notched in several places to fit just about every style of flywheel. Simply slide the tool over the flywheel pins and tighten the clutch nut; engine assembly and disassembly will be a lot easier. Part no. 10799, $11.95.

Using a piston-locking tool can put stress on the connecting rod as you tighten the clutch nut. The Dynamite crank-lock tool is inserted in the back of the engine through the backplate opening to secure the crank for tightening the nut. To prevent it from marring engine components, this tool is made from Delrin, and it works for both .12 and .21 engines. Part no. DYN2519, $9.95.

Yes, you could use any 8mm socket to remove your glow plug—as long as the socket fits into the heat-sink head, that is. Real mechanics use a thin-wall glow-plug driver to do the job right. OFNA—10800, $5.95; 10801 (w/17mm end), $6.95.

When you’re trying to dial in your carburetor with your car’s body on, and you can’t reach the needle because your screwdriver is too short (or you can’t see what you’re doing because your big, greasy hand is in the way), you’ll wish you had an extra-long carburetor- tuning driver like the ones shown here. The XTM model even has a crank-locking tool that stows in its handle.

1. Hudy—154060, $10.95.
2. DuraTrax—DTXR0185, $5.49.
3. Trinity—RC2066, $10.99.
4. OFNA—10309, $1.95.
5. Dynamite—2775, $14.95.
6. XTM—146101, $7.99.

For light-duty engine work, a piston-locking tool like the one seen here from DuraTrax is all you need to prevent the crankshaft from rotating. To use the tool, simply remove the glow plug and screw the tool into place to hold the piston at bottom dead center. Don’t use this type of tool for heavy-duty tightening or loosening, as you may overstress the conrod or wristpin. Part no. DTXR1100, $9.99.