The Most Essential RC Tool: Hex Wrench

When you're just starting out with RCs you probably already have some of the most basic tools -- like flathead and Phillip's head screwdrivers. And when you purchase RTR RCs the manufacturer often includes little specialty tools such as a glow plug wrench. But do you have a good set of hex head wrenches? Also called hex keys or Allen wrenches, these are little L-shaped tools used for screws and bolts that have hexagonal (6-sided) sockets. And on most RCs, there are lots of those.

So, along with your precision screwdrivers and needle nose pliers, get yourself a variety of the smaller hex head wrenches, often sold in sets, in both SAE and metric sizes. You'll use them for taking off pinion gears, adjusting throttle linkage on nitro engines, loosening drive cups on mini and micro RCs, putting on new helicopter blades and making blade adjustments, replacing the shaft, and the list goes on and on.

And for those who might not be all that familiar with hex wrenches here's a few pointers:

• You can use either end.
• Use the short end in the screw or bolt when you need more torque or power (such as on an especially stubborn screw).
• Use the long end in the screw for those deep, hard to reach or tight spots on the RC.