Snow RC Car And Snowmobile For Beginners

When the sun is out, it is a good time for people to bring out their RC cars. But what happens when winter sets in? Most of the time, the newbie RC car hobbyist will retreat indoors, letting the RC car roam within the confines of the house. This is because not many RC cars are suited to be driven in the cold, especially when you are talking about snow that can be deep and soft at the same time. But to most seasoned hobbyist, it is a time to rejoice! This is really because there are quite a number of Snow RC car as well as Snowmobile that can be driven on snow, especially those deep soft snow that sinks in easily when you step foot ontop them.

Entry Level Snow RC Car And Snowmobile

For most people, the natural assumption that it can be tough to navigate the Snow RC car around in the snow, especially when it comes to deep soft snow. This can be true only if you are using the wrong RC car to drive around in the snow. Most regular RC car will not be suited for the snow, and you must be very mindful not to choose the wrong RC cars for this purpose.

Here are some of the top snow RC car and snowmobile for beginners

#1:  Traxxas 8S X-Maxx 4WD Brushless Electric Monster RTR Truck
#2: Traxxas 1/16 Summit 4WD Extreme Terrain Truck, Rock n’ Roll
#3: Traxxas 57076-4 Spartan Brushless 36 RTR Vehicle with TQi 2.4GHz
#4: Traxxas 1/10 Scale E-Revo Brushless Racing Monster Truck
#5: Kyosho Blizzard FR – Readyset (RTR) RC Track Vehicle
#6: Bruder Claas Axion 950 with Snow Chains & Snow Blower

1. Traxxas 8S X-Maxx 4WD Brushless Electric Monster RTR Truck

The Traxxas 8S X-Maxx 4WD Brushless Electric Monster RTR Truck might sound like a tough one to drive, but it is actually easy for beginners to use this simply because it is tough!

The Traxxas x-Maxx, a winner at the 2016 RC  Car Action Reader’s Choice Awards, is an extreme truck that is suitable to be driven in the snow. It contains 30+ volts of pure 8S power as well as having the ability to accerate faster enough to hit 50+ mph within seconds. Of course, when driving in the snow, you wouldn’t need to hit such speeds.

The entire body s designed in such a way that it can take on all kinds of extreme terrain, having collisions but yet still having the structural integrity that most RC cars do not have. The 8-inch tall tires, as well as the huge ground clearance, means that while driving in the snow, none of the snow will get lodged into the body, which we will know later on will not damage the electrical system in the RC car itself.

In terms of the battery, the 8S 30+ volt LiPo batteries ensure that the Cush drive system as well as the Torque-Biasing center drive system has the maximum power available to drive the RC truck for snow more efficiently than others. Of course, all of this power will be useful when driving through thick deep snow.

To maneuver it around, there is the TQi radio system. When coupled with the Traxxas Stability Management system as well as the Traxxas innovation that rights the RC car when it overturns, it will be pure ecstasy for anyone, including beginners, when they drive this RC car!

If you lurk around in the RC car forums long enough, you will notice that the Traxxas 1/16 Summit 4WD Extreme Terrain Truck, Rock n’ Roll often comes up when people ask for the best Snow RC car for beginners. Not surprisingly, when we did a review of the Traxxas Summit, it did not fail to live up to our expectations.

The Traxxas Summit uses the Titan 12T 550 motor that drives the snow RC car with a large torque which is much needed for fast acceleration as well as the capability to navigate through all terrains, snow included. Of course, a good torque alone is not enough should the snow RC car wishes to plow through the snow easily. It must have a good suspension as well as awesome 4-wheel drive traction, all of which the Summit is more than capable of!

The Summit is completely waterproof too, though additional care must be taken to ensure that the condensation of water from snow does not affect the electrical circuits. With the high clearance, this is a top contender for the best snow RC car for beginners!

3. Traxxas 57076-4 Spartan Brushless 36 RTR Vehicle with TQi 2.4GHz

While not exactly a snow RC car, what is stopping you from riding an RC boat across snow? And the best way to do this is actually to drive the Traxxas 57076-4 Spartan Brushless 36 RTR Vehicle with TQi 2.4GHz, which is stated to the best brushless RC snowmobile to drive across deep soft snow.

As mentioned, the Traxxas Spartan is designed to drive through the water effortlessly. However, when we tested it on snow, it is able to glide through deep soft snow too. Here is a video of someone trying to use the RC boat on snow.

While the experience might be different as compared to driving a snow RC car, it is always visually pleasing to be able to drive an RC boat across snow. This is made possible with the brushless motor that allows you to hit up to 50mph with optional batteries. The TQi 2.4GHZ radio system, as per the previous 2 Traxxas RC car for snow, allows you to have the best response rate as well as controls when driving this across snow.

The 36″ deep-v hull does allow for high-speed and stable performance in the snow.

4. Traxxas 1/10 Scale E-Revo Brushless Racing Monster Truck

I know, we have already reviewed three different RC vehicles from Traxxas that is capable of riding in the snow, but we are still compelled to include the Traxxas 1/10 Scale E-Revo Brushless Racing Monster Truck in our list of the best Snow RC car for beginners. Indeed, if you wanna compare, it can also be a good brushless RC snowmobile!

While the power output might not be as strong as the Summit or the X-Maxx, it is perhaps more suited for the true new beginner who is just starting on the journey of exploring driving RC snow in the snow. The power rating of 25+ volt is still more than enough to plow through snow. At its maximum efficiency, and coupled with the 2200kv brushless motor, you can expect a top speed of about 70+ mph, though we do not recommend you to use the top speed in the snow.

For the best stability, there is the Traxxas Stability management system that helps to give the best stability ever. Also, if your RC vehicle gets flipped over, there is the self-righting system that sets the E-Revo upright within a matter of seconds.

The ability to drive in the snow is also made possible from the awesome drivetrain. Some of the standout features of the drivetrain include the Torque-biasing center drive as well as the huge steel driveshafts, all of which will be able to provide the maximum power to the wheels, which is needed to drive through deep soft snow.

For the ease of driving this, you can use the TQi 2.4 GHz radio system. it is able to provide real-time information to you, which can be necessary when driving through snow so that you can monitor the vehicle’s condition.

5. Kyosho Blizzard FR – Readyset (RTR) RC Track Vehicle

If you are looking for something that gives you the thrill of plowing through snow and yet having fun at the same time, then the Kyosho Blizzard FR – Readyset (RTR) RC Track Vehicle should be the top choice for you. Indeed, the controls, when tested, are easy to use, hence this is very suitable for anyone!

What makes it a good RC vehicle to ride in the snow is due to the presence of two motors that work independently. This means that the power delivery to the tracks are dedicated, which translates to a more effective way to drive the RC snow vehicle through thick layers of snow. There is also the suspension system that is added into the design of the wheels, so it will be able to navigate all sorts of terrain.

The controls are easy to navigate too, and you will watch with joy looking at the beginner riding this through the snow. Clearing snow using an RC vehicle will never be as easy as this. Though they don’t travel fast, it is still fun to drive this!

6. Bruder Claas Axion 950 with Snow Chains & Snow Blower

The Bruder Claas Axion 950 with Snow Chains & Snow Blower is not exactly the fastest RC vehicle that can traverse quickly on snow, but it is one of the most effective RC snowblowers for beginners. The controls are indeed intuitive, and you really do not need much training before you can use this.

The sole purpose of this RC snowblower is to allow your child to ride through snow and blowing it from the front. It is easy to control it, and itis fun at the same time.

Top 7 Things To Note For When Driving RC Car In Winter

Before you dive in straight to run your Rc car in winter, here are some of the things that you will need to know, lest you destroy your RC car the moment you bring it out in the cold!

Breakage

When it comes to winter, your RC car will become prone to cracking. This is because the material used in the construction of the RC body is usually reinforced plastic, and it does become brittle during the winter. While you can certainly circumvent the issue by using other alloys, you will create a new problem as the body might bend more easily too.

There isn’t much you can do about this. You just need to be more careful in your driving to ensure that the RC car or Snowmobile does not break upon collision.

Oil

We all know that oil and greases coagulate when the temperature is cold. This is especially true when it comes to using either silicone oil or your normal greases. To solve this, you can always choose to use thinner oil when it comes to cold weather. Try using a 20WT oil during winter.

Problem firing up the engine

During winter, it can be tough trying to fire up the RC car. If you are trying to operate a totally new RC car during winter, it will be tougher too. This is because the materials in the RC car will shrine at different rates due to the properties of the materials itself.

To solve this, all you need to do is to keep your nitro RC car or snowmobile in a warm place during winter, and only to fire it up in warmer conditions. If it ever gets stuck, you can use a hair dryer or any other heat source to warm up the RC car’s engine.

Too Much Air

During winter, some owners, out of pure inexperienced, will allow too much air into the engine. This results in leaning, and this will delay the process of starting the engine due to the excess cold air. To solve this, all you need to do is to cover the venting holes in the card car with a tape. You can also opt to wrap the heat sink with a thin aluminum tape so that the cold air stream does not affect its heat sinking abilities.

Batteries

In all types of cars, whether it is nitro powered or electrical powered, you will face an issue of the battery being weaker during winter. This has something got to do with chemistry The best way to stop this problem from impeding your drive is to use soldered single cell battery pack as compared to using dry cell batteries that usually comes when you purchase the RTR car.

Corrosion

What happens when you combine ice, water, air to your RC car? You will get a rusty RC car that has suffered from corrosion. Indeed, the corrosion can eat into the electronics as well, hence rendering the snowmobile useless. This includes ruining the chassis, suspension and even the drivetrain. Of course, when the chassis is corroded, it will also spread to the inner parts of the RC car, which includes the bearings or the drive shafts.

To prevent yourself from owning an ugly, dirty and unmovable RC car during the snow, you should coat the metal parts with thin oil. Make sure the coat is light, as anything thicker will actually attract dirt and dust. With a lighter coat, it is actually easier for you to clean the RC car when you really need to do so. We recommend using a brush to lightly coat the exposed metal parts when during storage too. Try to store your RC car in a well-ventilated place away from water sources. Best is to install a dehumidifier near the RC car!

Insulating Against Water

While most RC cars for snow is insulated against water, sometimes the water can be present in notches that can cause damage to the RC car itself. This is true when the snow melts and the water gets into the RC box. As such, there is a need to protect and insulate the RC box against water.

You can use an electric insulating tape around the servo casing to protect it from the water. If there are any gaps, you can always use a thin layer of silicone to help insulate it against the water. For the case of the motor, what we do is to wrap the motor with a special rubber insulator that you can easily find in most hobby shops. This isn’t enough though as you would need to remove water from condensation after each run in the snow.

As for the receivers itself, there isn’t much to do except to wrap them with towels that can soak up the moisture and enclose them in a protective casing. A thin layer or rubber will do the trick.

Always remember to wipe away any moisture from condensation after each run!