How To Drift an RC Car in a Proper Way?

how to drift a rc car

The thrill of driving a RC car is intense. This is not a video simulation but a car with engine, wheels and fuel. You are negotiating turns and basically avoiding collisions.

You can control the car but here’s a challenge. Can you drift a RC car? This means negotiating a serious of turns as you oversteer in a controlled environment. Sharp corners are hard to maneuver even for expert drivers.

Drifting requires another level of expertise and gaining experience is will give you a head start. You also have to know what and how to modify your car. We are here to show you how it’s done.

What armory should you and the car have?

Drifting was born in Japan and has grown popular in other countries. The best RC car model for drifting is electric although other players use nitro or gas powered vehicles. If you don’t have a RC drift car, modify the your car so that it can drift easily. Replace the shocks, tires, brakes, and weight balance.


The wheels should have low traction to aid in control when you oversteer. Use tires with ABS plastic or PVC piping. ABS tires last longer while PVC boast of physical hardness. The tires offer a controllable and realistic driving experience for specific situations. They are relatively cheap unlike tires made for drift purposes only.


Some of the RC cars available on the market come with fantastic designs. We doubt that everyone can afford a RC drift car. So go ahead and design or paint your car in a unique way. Use LED light, flared guards, decal, Front Mounted Intercooler and roll cages to stand out from the rest.


Professional drifting organizations such as D1 Grand Prix set the guidelines for drifting competitions. Studying the guidelines can help you master this art and avoid breaking any rules. The judging criteria include factors like drift angle, speed, drift line and show factor.

  • Line: identified by clipping zones which the driver has come close to while driving
  • Angle: the judges monitor excessive steeping input, any understeer and complement smooth transitions from opposite directions
  • Speed: a speed trap measures the while negotiation the first corner. Most judges use the eyes to monitor speed all through the course.

Drifting events often have no category due to the various modifications are done on the vehicles. Some enthusiasts use parts from other companies to modify their cars. This leads to losing out on the sponsorship from their original companies.

You can enter a tandem-drift competition where you’re paired with another car in a lead-chase format.

rc drift

Step by step guide of RC car drifting

  • Electric RC car

It has to be four-wheel with low-traction tires. This element of control keeps your car stable. A vehicle with waterproof electronics ensures the car safe from environments elements. The power in the front wheels helps evade a spin, mostly for beginners.

  • Spoof and front diff

The main car control skill you need is the counter steer. Why is it vital? While driving power is fed to the front and back wheels. In the case of drifting differential, adjustments are made to the rear wheels will usually turn faster than the front.  This is known as rear differential or spoof diff.

The wheels should turn together, then the car can break and you get traction on demand. This process makes drifts much simpler to control. Use a one-way front diff to prevent the vehicle from spinning out during the drift.

  • Drift area

You can drift in any area that’s open and smooth. Keep in mind the drifting criteria of speed, angle and racing line. The drifting process goes as follow is:

  • Drive on a straight line and throttle control must be consistent. Sudden change will throw the RC car out of balance.
  • Accelerate hard when you reach the apex of a corner to allow the rear to break loose
  • As the rear of the RC car begins to slide turn the steering wheel to the other direction
  • Apply the throttle and steady the drift thus returning the controls to neutral position
  • Once the car is stable accelerate gradually and exit
  • Thumbs up, that was a successful drift

Best RC Cars for Drift

Last Words:

Once you learn to drift a RC car you’ll realize its complexities. A lot comes into play but the vital component is the speed.  You can upgrade your car or just buy a RC drift car will all the modifications. Recent innovations of self-driving RC car trucks will help develop a system essential for self-driving. The system will enable cars to remain constant at all time regardless of the terrain.

Seee More: Best RC Excavator in 2019 – Reviews





Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here