Whether you're a basher, a weekend racer, or a pro, you will eventually crash your RC car or truck. It's not always a big deal, but as you crash more over time, the body to your car may start to crack or chip. In this instructable, we'll be reinforcing the body with a strong but flexible material to prevent chipping. I hope you find this instructable helpful in caring for your RC car or truck. Please leave a comment for any questions, or if this worked for you. Also,the short course truck I'm using in this instructable is my brushed 2wd Traxxas Slash, Roxanne. :) She's all stock so far, except for the radio system I'm going to install afterwards.

Step 1: Step 1: Materials

You will need:

Dry wall tape (works better if it has adhesive)
Scissors
Paper towels
Shoe Goop (I used automotive goop; same thing really)

Step 2: Step 2: Cleaning

First, clean the inside of the body so the adhesive has a good surface to bond to. You can do this with a paper towel an water, or a cleaner if you see fit. As you can see, my truck was very dirty from running in the snow, so I had to spend a decent amount of time cleaning. Make sure that the surface is dry before you move on to the next step.

Step 3: Step 3: Tape It

Next, cut and lay drywall tape across the surface that you wish to reinforce. This will provide a structure to the shoe goo for added strength. If the tape does not have adhesive on the back, you may want to place a drop of shoe goo before applying the tape so it stays on its own. During the gooping and taping phase, make sure to eliminate any bubbling up of the tape to keep it close to the body.

Step 4: Quick Tip

If you want to support the area around the mounting holes on your body, you can glue on plastic discs to displace stress over a larger area. My truck came with spacers for the top and bottom, but i decided to only glue them on the bottom because of the curved shape on the top. If you don't want to buy spacers, you may be able to cut out a plastic gallon milk bottle.

Step 5: Step 4: Gooping

Next, apply a very liberal amount of shoe goo over the tape. Spread the goo completely over the desired area in a consistent layer; you may need to use a kneading kind of action with your thumb and index finger as it starts to harden to smooth out the goo. When finished, let cure for a few hours (I recommend overnight). To clean your fingers, rub them together until the goo rolls up and can be removed by hand; kind of like Elmer's white glue.

Step 6: Step 5: Cutting

Once the goo has hardened a bit, simply cut of the tape that is hanging over the edges with scissors or a knife. Once done, your reinforced body is complete! Thanks for reading

Step 7: Warning

Be careful not to get the goo on the outside of the body; if you do, remove it immediately. This stuff is a pain to remove when it is on the outside. I did, and I am having troubles removing it, but it is not very noticeable.