What makes this RC car move like this?

[CingularDuality]

http://www.hornblasters.com/vide.php?pic=23

Very interesting.


Oh, and you can get me one of those horns for Xmas if you want!

Watch the "Terror on the Streets" videos for some amusing reactions to some jerks driving around with one of these train horns mounted in their car! ***Warning for language: some of the reactions are foul-mouthed...***

[ScratchMonkey]

I like the Letters page. Like the guy who uses his calliope to keep the neighbors from playing their MTV too loud.

[Rincewind]

Oh man, that letters page is awesome!

About the RC car, maybe an electrical gyroscope was put on or near the rear axle. It wouldnt have to be very big to correct an RC car.

[.143 Beth©]

Oh, my specialty, Nitro powered R/C cars.

This one is easy.

He depresses the accelerator on a Traxxas T-maxx which has a .15 Cubic inch 2-stroke motor. It turns counter-clockwise if you look at the truck from the front.

When he hits the gas, it puts a counter-clockwise torque on the car( if you look at the truck from the front), then he jumps the ramp slightly off center, but the front right wheel comes off the ground a fraction of a second before the other wheels. This in turn makes that wheel spin much faster than the others (due to the 3 way differential). Faster spin=more momentum= more kinetic energy.

This combination of forces makes the truck torque counter clockwise (if you look at the truck from the front).

Then he lets off the gas and hits the carbon composite brakes (standard on the T-Maxx). This in turn stops the rolling momentum, and causes it to gyrate in the opposite direction. Because the speed of the front right tire is about 15 mph faster than the others the instant stop in momentum rebounds off the truck. While spinning the tire is trying to dig into the air with rolling momentum, then it rebounds.

It might be hard to understand, but I'll sum it up.


At first a count-clockwise torque is applied to the truck (if you look at the truck from the front). Then the brakes are pressed, and the instant stop in momentum acts against the truck in the opposite direction of the initial torque. It is all about the initial torque and then the brakes. I do it all the time, no biggie, you cna do it on a bike, ATV, dirbike, and R/C cars are the same.