You Tool!

What are some of the necessary pieces of the RC toolbox?

Having left a lot of my tools back in Japan. I've slowly been building a decent "Basic" tool set.

While I'd love to spend a few hundred dollars on a full TRF, HUDY or EDS alloy tool set, I'd rather add more parts to my chassis or bodies to my collection.

So I only have the basics.

When you first purchase an RC car, there is usually a few things in the box.

Tamiya  X wrench
This is still one of my most used items. There small size makes them useful for holding nuts while you attach a screw or bolt.

Chassis Height / Droop gauge
It takes a while for most people to learn what in hell this black stick is for.

Turnbuckle wrench.
I've since replaced the small hard to use kit version with the blue speed way pal item you see in the picture.
Very often used for small camber and toe adjustments.

Calipers
Also very useful for making sure one side of the car matches the other. Balance is key.

Camber gauge
Going for stance! You need one.

Then the basics.


Knifes
Always needed. I have 3 basic choices depending on the power or finesse required.

Pliers 
A good strong point nose set is essential.

Screw Drivers / Hex Drivers
As I have upgraded there have become less and less + head screws on my chassis and more hex screws
Over a long period of time, you tend to find one screw driver with the perfect head that wont damage the heads. I only need this one.
For the Hex screws, 1.5 and 2mm is about all you need.
I use them so often that I invested in a couple of decent quality items but I still use the original Allen wrench on any pinion. I get a better feel of how tight it is.

Cordless screwdriver.
If you are building a chassis, a cordless can save a lot of time and effort.
**Just remember to turn the torque to a low setting to prevent over-tightening. 


Thread Lock.
Always good to stop those CVD and Pinion headless screws from coming loose.
When using a lot of alloy components it becomes more necessary than plastic.
 
Wheel nuts.
If you pop wheels on and off as often as I do, the little Tamiya wrench starts to become tedious.
You will love the reduced effort required as finger power is replaced by forearm power.


Theres some other stuff I use but a handy tool is my Dremel. I thoroughly recommend one. you will be surprised how many uses you will find.

Have fun.