Braking And Electric RC Cars

The speed control performs braking by making the motor run as a generator. Some high-frequency speed controls actually charge your batteries during braking. You adjust the brakes when you are adjusting the transmitter and speed control.

On pistol-grip transmitters, you push forward with the trigger finger to apply brakes. This forward push is much less sensitive than the pulling motion used for throttle control. In effect, you have an on-off control for brakes unless you are very talented with the trigger finger.

The other adjustment at your disposal is how much braking, if any, is applied when the trigger is at its neutral point (i.e. finger off the trigger.)

The amount of braking you have at neutral affects the way your car enters turns and goes through them. More braking transfers more weight to the front tires and allows you to turn more, which sounds good at first. But too much braking causes the car to spin out unpredictably as it enters turns. Too much braking also slows the car down before it finishes the turn, so you have to get back on the throttle. When you get back on the throttle the weight transfers off the front and the car steers a wider arc. You will be faster with a smoother turn that carries more speed all the way through. So you see that a balance is needed in the neutral brake adjustment, and this balance may depend upon the course you are driving. Most top drivers today dial in no neutral braking at all on a typical off-road course.

Push brakes are useful in order to slow down before turning into a tight corner. You want to brake while going in a straight line, then let off the brakes and turn in. If you turn while braking the rear end will skid, which may get you turned around quickly but is difficult to control lap after lap. Adjust the push brakes to slow the car as fast as possible without locking up the rear wheels.

Brake adjustment depends on the motor you are using, because motors have different amounts of inherent braking. A stock motor may have a lot of inherent braking (due to its large timing advance, heavy springs, and bronze bushings) so you get significant braking without dialing in any brakes. With a modified motor you might have to dial in some brakes to get the same effect. If you run the same car in stock and modified and forget to make this adjustment, you are likely to be disappointed at the results.