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Can You Use An RC Car On The Beach?

When playing with your RC car, you have probably realized that your yard is not big enough to race and have fun for a long time. This is because RC cars need open space to race with each other and a long stretch to hit their top speeds. 

Because most people here in the United States have small yards, this limits how fast RC cars can go. You are also limited by the space you have to race or bash with your friends. 

If you live near a beach though, you have probably thought about just taking your RC to the beach with you to use. Obviously, you don’t want to break any laws though, so can you use your RC car on the beach?

Because there are no laws against using your RC car on the beach, many people will take their RC cars with them to race and bash with them on every single beach trip! Using your RC car on the beach is extremely fun, and you can even catch some nice air if you use the sand to make a jump. 

There are so many different things you can do when you use your RC car on the beach. You can race, bash, make jumps, and even get some great video shots of your RC car tearing through the water and sand! 

If you are the only one with an RC car, the beach is also a good place to go to possibly find someone to race with and have fun together with your RC car. No one wants to be alone playing with their RC car; it is far more fun to do it with other people. 

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HYPER GO H16DR 1:16 Scale Ready to Run 4X4 Fast Remote Control Car, High Speed Big Jump RC Monster Truck, Off Road RC Cars, 4WD All Terrain RTR RC Truck with 2 LiPo Batteries for Boys and Adults

A good RC car doesn’t have to cost a fortune. This 1/16 scale model is 4WD and can reach a top speed of almost 30 MPH!

With speeds like that and 4WD you can take this RC car almost anywhere!

Will Using My RC Car In The Sand Damage It?

While taking your RC car to the beach is so much fun, many people are worried about damaging it with sand and water. This is because people think that water or sand can easily damage the battery, or RC car if you drive it on them. 

Because not everyone believes this, you may begin to wonder just how much truth there is to this. After all, you do not want to damage your RC car just for a few minutes in the sand. 

Using your RC car in the sand will not damage your car at all. You should make sure that once you do go home though, you give your RC car a thorough cleaning to make sure that no sand is stuck on the RC car. 

Everyone knows that sand is easily stuck in the tiniest places, and on an RC car that would include the bearings for the car. If bearings do get sand in them and they are not cleaned out, they will become damaged over time. 

This is why it is important to clean your RC car when you get home and not leave it for a while. It is easy to want to leave your RC car and not take the time to clean it when you get home, especially if you are tired and just want to relax. 

Leaving your RC car with sand and water on it will cause damage to it depending on how long it is left unattended. If the water on your RC car has salt in it, you will also want to make sure that you thoroughly clean your RC car to avoid damaging it. 

Best RC Cars For The Beach

So you now know that you can use an RC car on the beach and can drive it in the sand without any issues. However, which RC cars are the best for driving on a beach?

Any RC car that has a decent amount of ground clearance and a decent top speed can be used on the beach. Whether you choose a generic RC car or one like the Traxxas Slash as long it will be able to handle the sand and water that are found on a beach.

Personally, I would recommend getting a more durable off-road vehicle like the Slash or Stampede that sits far enough off the ground while also having decent top speeds (even right out of the box). You can adjust the gears on these RC trucks to get even faster speeds as you drive across the dunes.

With many RC vehicles, you can choose to get a four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive car. If you want the ultimate off-road RC vehicle that can handle the racing track, backyard, skatepark, or beach I would recommend getting a 4WD model.

If you prefer to crawl up the more extensive terrain that can be found on a beach you will want to consider RC crawlers as well. Although a rock crawler won’t go as fast as a monster truck might they will have better traction and allow you to handle climbing over much more than just smooth surfaces because of their high riding height.

Another thing to consider when driving an RC car at the beach is waterproofing. If you will be driving in the water at the beach you will want to get a remote-control car that has a waterproof ESC (electronic speed controller), servo, etc. Most of the time a generic radio-controlled car will not have waterproof electronics while a more expensive model like the Traxxas Rustler will have those parts waterproof.

Most hobby-grade RC cars will have waterproof electronics that can easily handle the water from driving along the beach but you will want to be wary of rust or corrosion on any of the metal parts of your RC vehicle no matter which model you choose to buy. After driving your RC car on the beach or through the surf it is a good idea to grab a hose and rinse all of the dust and sand off.

The body shell won’t normally have any metal parts that can corrode but it can be damaged if you don’t clean it as often as you should.

Are RC Cars Illegal?

When you go to purchase an RC car you will notice that there are many different ones that you can choose from. They range from extremely cheap to expensive and slow to extremely fast. 

Before you choose your RC car though you may wonder if certain of them are illegal in your state. This is a good question as every state has different laws regarding its motor vehicles. 

There are actually no laws in regard to RC cars which means they are fully legal to buy and use in all 50 states. There may be some local ordinances that do not allow you to use them in specific areas such as parks, but if you are courteous they are not normally enforced. 

Because RC cars are not illegal, many people will purchase them for their friends and family as Christmas or birthday presents. RC cars make great gifts for people of all ages and can be found by clicking here.

If you do run into any issues when you are using your RC car, most of the time they will simply just let you know of the rules and allow you to take your RC car elsewhere to race. Most of the time they assume you do not know the local ordinances and you are not breaking them on purpose. 

Is An RC Car Considered A Motorized Vehicle?

Because every state has different motor vehicle laws, you may be wondering what, if any, your particular state has. Because you do not want to break any laws, you have probably been diligent in looking at what local laws there are for your RC car. 

Even though there are specific laws about motorized vehicles in your state, you do not have to worry as an RC car is not considered a motorized vehicle. This is because a motorized vehicle is something used for the transportation of people or cargo, and an RC car does not fit that description. 

There are a lot of other things that make up a motor vehicle, but the biggest is the fact that it needs to be used to transport people or cargo. RC cars are fun to race and use, but they are definitely not used to transport people or cargo. 

Most RC cars are not strong enough to transport people or cargo, which is why if you own an RC car you can race them and use them basically anywhere. The only time you may have issues is if you make someone upset as some people call RC cars disturbing the peace. 

Conclusion 

Now that you know all about using your RC car on the beach if you live near one you will definitely want to try this out. Racing and bashing your RC car on the beach is extremely fun and is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing if you do not live near a beach. 

Even though using your RC car in the sand will not damage it, you will want to make sure that you give it a thorough cleaning when you get home. This is because the sand in salt water can get into tiny cracks and crevices and cause damage if not cleaned. 

Thankfully RC cars are not illegal like some people think, but you will want to be cautious where you use them as some people do not like them being driven around them. For the most part, though you will not have any issues driving your RC car anywhere. 

Now that you know an RC car is not considered a motorized vehicle you do not have to worry about any of your local laws applying to your RC car. RC cars are designed for you to have fun and not worry about the laws or getting in trouble. 

This is why if you own an RC car you should simply find other people who own them as well so they can race with you. Racing with other people or bashing them is a great way to make new friends and have fun no matter where you are.