Author: Tony Phalen

As an avid RC enthusiast, Tony has been building, bashing and racing RC Cars for over 30 years. He has participated in every kind of surface racing events - 1/18 scale trucks, 1/10 scale TC, Rock Racers, Rally - if it had wheels, he's raced it! He's also worked on both sides of the industry fence; collaborating with many major manufacturers (as well as being a sponsored driver) to working for a high-profile industry magazine. During this time he has learned many tricks, tips and techniques and is sharing that knowledge on CompetitionX - the most informative RC website on the internet!

RC Differential Explained

RC Differential Explained

What Is A Differential? A Differential is a drivetrain component that allows the left and right wheels on the same axle to rotate at different ... Read More

Review: Tamiya BBX Buggy

Review: Tamiya BBX Buggy

As long as we've been in the RC industry, there's been roughly a dozen cars from different manufacturers that have caused quite the stir when ... Read More

Review: HPI Sport 3 Flux Audi e-tron Vision GT Supercar

Review: HPI Sport 3 Flux Audi e-tron Vision GT Supercar

It's been awhile since we've seen HPI product steadily rolling through the doors of US hobby shops, but thankfully that's starting to change. One of ... Read More

RC Motor kV Explained (Ultimate Guide)

RC Motor kV Explained (Ultimate Guide)

If you're just starting out in the RC world, chances are you've picked up a RTR of some sort that comes equipped with a brushless ... Read More

RC Weight Distribution Explained

RC Weight Distribution Explained

What Is Weight Distribution? Weight Distribution refers to how your RC car’s total weight is spread across the chassis - primarily front-to-rear, but also side-to-side. ... Read More

RC Slipper Clutch Explained

RC Slipper Clutch Explained

What Is A Slipper Clutch A Slipper Clutch is a drivetrain component designed to control how much power is transferred from the motor to the ... Read More

RC Quick Setup Guide

RC Quick Setup Guide

For those that don't want to shuffle through all of the information on the Tuning Guide pages, here is a more direct list that should ... Read More

RC Wings Explained

RC Wings Explained

What Are Wings? Wings are aerodynamic devices mounted to the front or rear of an RC car that are designed to generate downforce - a ... Read More

RC Body Position Explained

RC Body Position Explained

What Is Body Position? Body Position refers to the placement of the RC car body shell on the chassis - specifically how far forward or ... Read More

RC Arm Sweep Explained

RC Arm Sweep Explained

What Is Arm Sweep? Arm Sweep refers to the forward or backward angle of the front suspension arms, measured from the inner hinge pin when ... Read More

RC Active Rear Toe Explained

RC Active Rear Toe Explained

What Is Active Rear Toe? Active Rear Toe is the change in rear toe angle during suspension movement. In a static setup, rear toe is ... Read More

RC Tire Additive Explained

RC Tire Additive Explained

What Is Tire Additive? Tire Additive is a chemical compound applied to RC tires to change how the rubber interacts with the track surface. Its ... Read More

RC Belt Tension Explained

RC Belt Tension Explained

What Is Belt Tension? Belt tension refers to how tight or loose the drive belts are within a belt-driven RC drivetrain. These belts connect the ... Read More

RC Suspension Mounts Explained

RC Suspension Mounts Explained

What Are Suspension Mounts? Suspension Mounts are the blocks or braces that hold your suspension arms to the chassis. They define the hinge pin location ... Read More

RC Roll Out Explained

RC Roll Out Explained

What Is Roll Out? Roll Out is the distance your RC car travels forward in one full rotation of the drive wheels. It combines your ... Read More