From Michael James,
Your Guide to Radio Controlled Vehicles.
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When you're ready to add to your basic RC tools, this particular setup adds easier-to-use cordless equipment, some RC-specific items and other extras that help simplify common and some less common repairs and troubleshooting tasks. This standard RC tools setup should satisfy all but the most hardcore, do-it-yourself RC owner.

Along with the basic RC tools setup you might want to consider adding additional gadgets to your tool box. Here are a few that I recommend that make a great addtion to the basic tool box.

• Basic RC Tools Setup
  • Tool Box
  • Assortment of small, precision screwdrivers
  • Assortment of flat-head and Philips-head screwdrivers
  • Needlenose pliers
  • Standard and metric nut drivers
  • Assortment of hex wrenches
  Plus,
  
  
• Car stand
• Fuel filler bottle
• Utility knife
• Rotary tool
• Soldering kit
• Glue gun
• Cordless screwdriver
• Peak charger
• Digital multimeter
• Temperature gauge

These are just a few RC tools you might want to consider when building up the tool set of your choice. Adding to your tool box is only limited by your imagination and wallet. With these RC tools and supplies you should be able to tackle just about any RC repair or maintenance task.

Car Stand
A car stand lifts your RC up off the workbench and provides easier access to all the parts. Not absolutely essential, it is a nice item to have when you have a lot of repair and maintenance to do on a single vehicle.

Fuel Bottle
Instead of lugging around a gallon size can of nitro fuel, put a smaller amount in a fuel filler bottle that you can keep handy. They come with long, angled tubes that make it easier to fuel your nitro engine in the field.

Buy Direct: XTM 500cc Fuel Bottle
Buy Direct: XTM 350cc Fuel Bottle

Cutting and Fastening Tools
A utility or hobby knife has dozens of uses from trimming tire wells or other areas of your RC body to cutting tubing, wires, and plastic straps.

Buy Direct: Retractable Utility Knife
Buy Direct: Hobby (Exacto) Knife

Rotary tools are one of those multi-function tools that you might not realize you need but once you have it can't live without. Use them for cleaning, cutting, drilling, shaping, and sanding. If you do your own electronics repair, a basic soldering kit is a must-have. Glue guns provide a quick-fix for in-the-field repairs such as reattaching wings and other broken parts. A cordless screwdriver can speed assembly and disassembly tasks.

Basic Rotary Tools
Basic Soldering Irons
Glue Guns
Cordless Screwdriver

Batteries and Chargers
A digital multimeter is an all-around testing tool for your batteries and electronic circuitry while a peak charger can speed up charge times and protect your battery packs from overcharging.

Digital Multi-Meter
Buy Direct: AC/DC Delta Peak 20-Min Fast Charger
Buy Direct: Pro-Peak Quattro Lithuim Charger
Buy Direct: SuperBrain AC/DC Peak Charge
Review: Twin Peak AC/DC Dual Output Peak Detection Charger

The Standard Travel Toolbox

In addition to a few spacesaving basic tools, you can lighten the load when you head to field by leaving behind the power tools and going with the items most needed for quick fixes and basic troubleshooting. It would probably be a good idea to take along a temperature gauge, a digital multimeter (Compare Prices), a fast charger (Buy Direct) and a utility knife (Buy Direct). If you're running a nitro car, a basic nitro starter kit (Compare Prices) will have some necessities such as fuel bottle, 4-way wrench, quart of fuel, and a glow starter.

Many of the standard RC tools are multi-purpose workshop and household items. However, there are many tools, supplies, and accessories that are very specific to the RC hobby. But even if you don't need it all, there are some nice options in the Ultimate RC Tool Box that you might consider when upgrading your tool box.

Comment on the RC tools in your toolbox.