Electric RC Drift Cars - A Beginner's Guide

Electric RC Drift Cars - A Beginner's Guide

Electric RC drift cars are the most accessible RC cars for drifting, and the best suited for beginners. Unlike their Nitro counterparts, they are more widely available, less expensive, and easier to maintain. Also, they almost always come assembled, so that they can be used out of the box. This is not the case with Nitro RC drift cars, which often need to be assembled by the buyer.
Models
Most electric RC drift cars use a 4WD chassis, have a 1/10 scale, and use rechargeable batteries. Theoretically, almost any RC on-road car with 4 wheel drive can be used for drifting, provided that it has suitable tires. However, there are an increasing number of manufacturers that sell RC cars specially optimized for drifting. These require little to no adjustments before usage.
These cars can have brushed or brushless motors. The latter are faster, though still relatively easy to control. New brushless models are extremely fast, the best one being capable to stand up to Nitro models. Brushless electric cars are more expensive than brushed ones, but they are well worth it.
Although any RC car can drift if equipped with drifting tires and driven skillfully, it's better to start with a model optimized for drifting if you're a beginner. There's a great variety of models available, in all price ranges. Some excellent models for a beginner include Cyclone S, Yokomo, Team Associated TC5, and Sprint 2 Drift.
Tires
Any RC touring car can be converted into a drift car if you put drift tires on it. When it comes to drift tires, you have two options: to buy them ready made, or to make them yourself. Ready made tires cost around $40. There are also some drift rings which you can fit over special tires, but these tend to be rather expensive. You can make your own drift tires from ABS, which is a kind of black piping hardware stores sell. Go with your electric RC drift car's rim to a hardware store and see if the piping fits it. If you have a 1/10 model, look for 51 mm ABS. With $5 you can get about 10 feet of ABS piping, from which you can make many tires. You may also make drift tires from spray paint cans, which you fit over standard rubber tires, or electric tape, which you simply wrap around your rims.
Customization

The great thing about electric RC drift cars is that there are many parts sold by manufacturers that you can use to customize and upgrade your model. In the beginning you may want to stick to aesthetic modifications such as paint, decals, wide body kits, and LED light kits, to make your model resemble a real drift car. It's better not to do any handling or engine modifications unless you know what you're doing, as improper mods could lead to damage and possible physical harm.
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