Micro RC Car Teardown

This is sort of an "example" instructable for the Dr Destruct-O Teardowns group; something I did a few years ago. I don't know if this particular car is still available, but...

This is one of those mini remote controller cars that was all over, selling for $10 or less. It wasn't so great as a car; the "stunt" capability is derived from spinning the front set of wheels on a axis that runs down the centerline of the car, so you can't really steer it; you can just make it go forward, back, and tumble around. But the two channel Radio control might be reusable, and perhaps there are some tiny gear motors that might be extractable...

Step 1 Under the cover

I recall this being pretty easy to take apart. The body of the car comes off in an obvious way (small philips head screws?) This is what it looks like under the body, before further disassembly.

Comments

[snoopindaweb]

Thanks for verifing the parts, My Step Dad was a TV & Radio repairman in the 60's, but thats about It, cOOl. G-G

[adave123xx]

what is axle?

[Gamernotnerd]

what is car?

[lunchboxslayer27]

what is air?

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

what is internet?

[Justdoofus]

what is pr0n?

[Derin]

internet is a tubezorz delivering cats to ur computorz

[Jedx]

I just had a vision of a tiny tank robot with those two motors and batteries.

[tobyscool]

I have the same kind of toy like that :P

[pennnny]

what would you recomend using the stuff for?

[aeronut01]

Thanks for posting this! It was helpful in aiding me in taking apart one of these without destroying it. I used the receiver in a remote controlled firework igntier and it was a huge success! I'm making an instructable on that soon, and I was wondering if it would be alright to put a link on my instructable that would lead to yours? It's to show the viewers what R/C device I used and how to disassemble it to get the receiver out.

[watson9194]

i just got this very car to cannibalize for parts and its great! enough motors to keep me going for a long time.

[lunchboxslayer27]

you're a plastic car?

[liketoblowthingsup48]

Hey, I have this same RC....I am ready to take mine apart... Any Ideas on what i could use the engine, wheels, and batteries with?? Awesome pics!! plz reply

[Colonel88]

If you have the Vulcan,(nerf gun) or any other battery powered gun you can hook the motor up so it spins the gun left and right.Hook up the other motors wires to the trigger. And there, you have a radio-controlled weapon of mass destruction.

[absolute zero]

a bit heavy fr these tiny motors dont'cha think?

[Colonel88]

maybe... but i meant you just use the RF receiver module from the car and use some really nice, really powerful gear motors or servos.

[Madrias357]

Make a plane using them. That's what I did once. Lasted a week though (paper doesn't crash well, but looks awesome doing it.)

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

paper can be set on fire too :-P

[Madrias357]

I know.  One of my friends lights paper planes on fire and throws them.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

he throws them into pools right?

[Madrias357]

Wherever he wants, actually.  They land in pools, knock over drinks, land on glass tables, sail into other yards.  But, he usually follows them up with a bucket of water if they land somewhere where they can cause harm.  One managed to get away and landed in the river, though.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

haha

[Colonel88]

great i think ill go hook up a couple of those motors up to make a new custom car (?). Or I could just hook-up the servos to a radio controlled nerf gun, *evil laugh*

[zaktanandy]

are the motors the size of pager motors

[westfw]

Yes. Larger pager motors. but still tiny. 3/8 inch diameter, I think?

[adave123xx]

its so cool i dont know how to make it i dont have any materials can you make it very easy simple materials

[westfw]

This "instructable" is about how to take it apart (and what's inside), not how to "make" one...

[adave123xx]

what kind of motor?

[adave123xx]

what kind of battery are those too..

[adave123xx]

what kind of antenna?are those?

[adave123xx]

can you?then show me please thank you very much god Bless

[jongscx]

I always assumed these micro-RC cars were powered by a small capacitor bank...

[alex-sharetskiy]

thats would make them expensive

[Madrias357]

Would probably run longer, too...

[alex-sharetskiy]

if it had super capacitors, then yes

[amando96]

How about mini plane/glider? the chip and motors dont even weigh 100 grams... with big light wings... could it happen?

[TheCheese9921]

when I was like 8 i ripped one of these apart in hopes of creating a micro rc boat after 5 minuets I got confused

[Polymorph]

You've got to write down -everything- as you take it apart.

[amando96]

i love polymorph! anyways i disassembled one of these but the wires came off the motors, so i advise everyone that does this to like glue 'em with a hot glue gun so they wont snap so easily, they are very thin...