Nothing ruins a great day of bashing or racing faster than a seized bearing, a bone-dry differential, or a snapped flex shaft. While modern RC vehicles from brands like Traxxas and Arrma are built tough, they aren't indestructible.
If you want to keep your RC car running at peak performance and avoid expensive repair bills, here is our official guide on exactly when to service your RC car or RC boat.
1. Shock Oil Changes: Handling the Bumps
If your truck is bouncing around like a pogo stick or bottoming out on simple jumps, your shock oil is likely depleted or contaminated.
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The Timeline: Every 15 to 20 battery packs for normal bashing, or immediately after running in heavy dust, mud, or sand.
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Recommended Service: RC-N-Go Shock Oil Change. We’ll drain the old fluid and refill your shocks with fresh, factory‑spec silicone oil to restore peak suspension performance.
Want complete seal confidence? Add our full seal inspection and overhaul service for maximum long‑term reliability.
2. Differential Oil & Grease Service: Protecting the Drivetrain
Your differentials (diffs) distribute power to your wheels. Over time, the internal silicone oil breaks down from heat, and the external gears lose their protective grease.
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The Timeline: Every 30 to 40 battery packs, or at least once a season. High-voltage (4S/6S/8S) bashers need this checked more frequently.
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Recommended Service: RC-N-Go Diff Oil and Grease Change. We remove built‑up metal shavings and degraded grease, then apply fresh, high‑quality differential fluid and heavy‑duty grease to ensure smooth, reliable drivetrain performance. For added protection, include our full seal and gear inspection service.
3. Tire Care: Maximizing Traction
RC tires take a beating from high-speed centrifugal force, water, and rough terrain. Unmaintained tires can quickly unglue from the rim, tear open, or absorb water that rots the inner foam inserts.
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The Timeline: After every wet/sand run, or whenever you notice a loose tire bead.
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Recommended Service: RC-N-Go Tire Mounting & Repair. Need new rubber glued or old tires unbonded and swapped onto new rims? Bring your wheels into the shop and let us handle the messy glue work for you.
4. RC Boat Flex Shaft Care: Keeping it Spinning
The flex shaft is the spine of your RC boat, transferring massive RPMs from the motor to the prop. Without regular grease, friction will cause the shaft to overheat, bind, and snap inside the stuffing tube.
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The Timeline: After every use, not to exceed 15 minutes of runtime.
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Recommended Service: RC-N-Go Boat Flex Shaft Regrease. Don't feel like getting grease all over your workbench? Bring it to us. We pull the shaft, clean off the old water-logged sludge, inspect it for kinks or wear, and coat it in premium marine-grade grease.
5. Marine Cooling Flush: Fighting the Salt/Brackish Water
If you run your RC boat in brackish water or the ocean over at Jax Beach, salt buildup inside your motor and ESC cooling jackets will quickly cause your electronics to overheat.
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The Timeline: Immediately after every salt or brackish water run. No exceptions!
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Recommended Service: RC-N-Go Boat Line Flush & Chemical Coating. We don't just flush your cooling lines with tap water. We use a specialized marine chemical that breaks down salt crystals on contact and leaves behind a protective, anti-corrosive coating inside your cooling jackets to help prevent future buildup.
Visit RC-N-Go Today!
Don't wait for your gears to strip or your motor to overheat. Bring your trucks, buggies, or boats into the shop, and let our technicians handle the messy work for you so you can focus on driving.
Please Note: Maintenance intervals can vary wildly depending on how hard you run your vehicles and the environments you drive in. Always monitor your vehicle’s temperatures and mechanical condition closely.