Hop-Ups that every Nitro machine should have done before it’s first run

January 1, 2003

Key Benefits:

  • Safety
  • Reliability
  • Longevity

In-Line Fuel Filter – For whatever reason, most manufactures do NOT include a fuel filter. Though this is one of if not the easiest way for dirt to enter your engine. How many people refill their tanks in a perfectly clean environment? I know I dont…usually its somewhere where the dirt is already flying in the air from bashing, the truck is already covered in dust, dirt, mud or whatever. So when dirt gets in the tank it goes straight to the heart of your R/C…the engine.

Simply put – Get a fuel filter!

High Quality Air Filter – I personally recommend using a Motor Saver air filter. Motor Saver air filters come in either a two staged or three staged filter system. Most .12 – .15 engines will use a two stage filter system. The first stage being a fine mesh screen that houses the second stage, the foam element. The super duty filter adds a third stage, that being a cover or cap that fits over the mesh screen to protect it from larger dirt particles, mud, and even water.

For .21 engines and larger most motor saver filters use a three stage filter system. The first stage being an outer foam element, the second being the fine screen mesh that houses the third stage being yet another foam element. This filter is HUGE! See a full review HERE on the HPI High Performance air filter which is nothing more then a Motor Saver rename.

Without a decent air filter, your engine is only on the way to an early death!

Electronic Fail Safe – Imagine if you will, your out bashing your R/C around the neighborhood when suddenly your batteries die. You now have a car traveling full throttle toward your neighbors house, how do you stop it?

Well there's two answers to this question. One you let it hit the house and hope you have enough in the savings to repair the damage OR you let the fail safe kick in and it will put the breaks on for you, thus saving you a LOT of time and money.

A “fail safe” is an electronic device that monitors your on board electric's for any of the following problems:

– Low Batteries transmitter OR receiver
– Radio Interference
– Loss of radio signal
– Shorts

You place the “fail safe” In-Line between your receiver and your throttle/brake servo using included cables. Then, using a VERY simple procedure you program a “set point” for your throttle/brake servo. If any of the above conditions are encountered, your servo returns to the exact “set point” that you programmed.

So its up to you, spend $30-40 for a fail safe now or spend much more then twice that much after you get done picking the parts off your neighbors house.

Throttle Return Spring – Use the throttle return spring as a backup for the Fail Safe. The spring is set up with enough tension so that if your system loses power it will PULL the servo back to an idle position. If you don't get a fail safe, at the bare minimum get a return spring on that car!