Reverse Engineering a Modern Rastar RTR RC Car - Bugatti Divo
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- BlackSeaRC presents the second video in a series looking at the new Rastar Bugatti Divo 1:14 scale radio-controlled hypercar. In the first video, we presented the unboxing, close-up look at all details, functional testing and assessment of good/bad points. Now in this follow up video, we find out what is "under the skin" of a modern Rastar RC hypercar by fully reverse engineering it, checking how it is assembled, what components are used and how it could be upgraded.
Not many people take apart a ready-to-run (RTR) RC car so this video aims to answer questions such as:
- How do I take apart / reverse engineer a RTR RC car?
- What is inside / under the body of a RTR RC car?
- How is a RTR RC car assembled?
- What components does a RTR RC car use?
- How would I upgrade a toy RTR RC car?
- Can a "toy grade" RC car be upgraded with "hobby grade" parts?
Let me know in the comments below if the subject of customising or upgrading a RC such as this would be of interest for future videos.
About Bugatti and the Divo:
If you are a hypercar fan, then the Bugatti marque has established itself as one of the leaders in the manufacture of extreme performance automobiles. This latest Divo is a limited edition car based on the Chiron platform but with its own unique bodywork. It was designed to give ultimate track performance in a fully road-legal package. Named after French racing driving Albert Divo, who drove for Bugatti in the 1920's and 30's, it incorporates advanced aerodynamic technologies to produce huge amounts of downforce. Consequently, it is quicker around the track than the Chiron but has a reduced top speed. For further details on the real Bugatti, see:
www.bugatti.co...
About Rastar:
Rastar Group is a leading Chinese manufacturer of RC models. This model is officially licensed by Bugatti. For further information about the Rastar brand and their products, see:
www.rastar.cn
www.rastar.com
About BlackSeaRC:
To find out more about BlackSeaRC, including photos and news, please visit the Facebook and Twitter pages:
/ blacksearc
/ blacksearc
That was a very interesting and informative video, thank you. When you see the number of components involved just to build such a model, you start to appreciate why these RC cars take a while to enter production and why they cost the amount they do.
Thanks for watching and leaving your comment. I often wondered why it takes so long from the time the real car is released to the point when the model is available. It is often several years or more. However, when you consider that all the parts have to be accurately scaled on the body and then adapted to a custom chassis, there is clearly a lot of work involved. That is why the Rastar chassis are standardised as far as possible between different models but there are still differences that makes the disassembly tricky if you don't know exactly how to do it.
I struggled with the rear wheels. Was ready to pull them off, but then found your video. Thank you sir!
I kept poking a pin around the centre of the wheel thinking that the joint of the cap was well hidden and then I thought the wheel could be push fitted but daren't pull it too hard in case I damaged it. In the end the answer was much more simple (when you know how!). Are you planning to do some modifications to yours?
@@BlackSeaRC I instantly upgrade all my cars (and not only cars, and not only toys) by making them work from Li-ion batteries. I got 3 pairs of them (different sizes, but all high voltage) a couple of years ago and have been using them for all my vehicles since then. It usually doesn't look pretty, because I try not to make irreversible modifications to expensive toys. E.g. I can just throw the battery into the cabin. Just finished doing it with my son's new Lambo Aventador convertible 1:12. He said he didn't want any other major modifications to a new car, so I just stiffened front suspension a bit and increased the max turning angle (the stock was unbelievably small).
Usually, when my son stops playing with a toy, I put a better motor in it, sometimes even brushless, and maybe a servo for steering. But the next thing on my mind is to semi-lock the diff, because these cars tend to get stuck a lot. I'll start with Mclaren Senna 1:14, which proved to be the most reliable toy I've ever seen. It survived 5 months of heavy beating by a 7 year old (stairs, crashes, etc) without a single repair.
Lambo's body doesn't look that robust, but I will think of how to protect it. At least at the front.
@@alexanderchurikov7026 That is interesting to know. Some of the latest Rastar RC cars have started to be supplied with USB chargers but on these models the price has been increased quite a lot. I think it is about time that RC manufacturers started to incorporate Li-Ion or LiPo rechargeable batteries as standard.
I try to use my Rastar cars outside if I can find a suitable place to run them. The drive configuration is not ideal if you take them onto rough ground though. For example, if you watch my Maserati Levante video, you will see that it often gets stuck. Proportional controls would be nice to have and companies such as WPL are already supplying 2.4GHz proportional electronics at this price point. This makes the driving experience much more controllable.
@@BlackSeaRC Thanks for all the info! I agree to everything.
It seems WPL specializes on crawlers, so they have to provide proportional controls :)
@@alexanderchurikov7026 The WPL D-Series for example offers scale realistic bodies, functional suspension, proper steering servo and proportional controls so it is easy to drive indoors or outside.
Awesome video. I’ve modified a number of Rastar RCs. It’s interesting to see how these newer models are made. Some interesting differences from some of the older models I’ve worked on. The change of wheel design is good to know since I have a few newer types. I’ve had good success modifying some Rastar RCs. I have videos on my channel if you’re interested. Again, awesome video.
Thanks for watching and adding your comments. I watched quite a few of your videos to see what is possible from a modification and upgrade point of view. It is interesting how there are subtle differences between some Rastar models. Initially I got stuck at the gearbox removal stage as I took off the front wheels first, removed the cover and saw no fixing visible. I assumed the rear wheels would be the same. After a while of deliberating whether to drill the wheel in search of a cap that might be tightly fitted, I took off the rear wheels and the fixings were right there! So what are your thoughts on how the front wheels are fitted on this Bugatti Divo model? Not that I need to disassemble the front wheels further but do you think the wheel is press fitted to the stud or is there a hidden screw behind a centre cap?
@@BlackSeaRC The only front wheel I took the center piece out of was one from a 911 GT3. It was not held in place by a screw, like the rear wheels, but by a metal rivet or something.
@@2005silver The back of the wheel hub shows a stainless steel pin and based on this I thought the front wheel might be press-fitted in place. I don't need to remove the wheel so I didn't attempt to use too much force. If I try and it breaks then I'll never find spare wheel parts and the model will be scrap.
Hey @BlackSeaRC - this is a great video! I'm working on a story where I'll be mentioning disassembling a model car. Do you mind if I use a few seconds of your video in my story? I'm happy to credit you on-screen and link to your video in my description. Thank you, Cindy
That sounds okay to me. I am happy for you to use short sections of video if you credit my channel.
@@BlackSeaRC Thank you and will do!
Also well done
Thank you my friend! I started this video quite a while ago and then got stuck trying to remove the gearbox. It wasn't obvious how to remove the rear wheels. With these cars sometimes the parts are fitted by a machine in the factory and it isn't easy to take them apart. Luckily the rear wheels are different to the fronts and when I got the covers off I found the screws hidden underneath.
Besides these upgrades, part of the problem is actually the durability of the gearbox. It would be good to get some advice on this matter. In some upgrade videos, I have seen that only a few gears are replaced with metal ones, but wouldn't this lead to faster wear of the remaining plastic gears?"
The gearbox is certainly a weak link with many conversions, especially when people install very fast brushless motors. The problem is that the standard configuration of plastic gears used by Rastar is not easily upgradeable with dimensionally identical metal gears. Using a combination of plastic and metal gears is likely to cause wear issues over time, but it is also true that certain gears are weaker than others due to the size and number of teeth. If possible, replacing the weaker gears first will help, even if it is metal running with plastic. The teeth must have the same profile though. I have recently bought some components to try a conversion of my own. So many people were asking about it that I decided I should experiment myself. I chose a brushless motor but not a super fast one as I knew it would probably just strip the gears. My aim is to reach the scale top speed of the vehicle. So, if I use a model of a real car that has a maximum speed of 200-250mph, this will be a target of 14-18mph at 1:14 scale. The standard top speed is around 5-6mph so that would make the modified car about 3 times faster. My main aim is not to make the fastest ever Rastar RC car but to improve the driving experience by giving it fully proportional controls so that control of the vehicle is much enhanced.
@@BlackSeaRC Thank you for your interest and detailed comment. When upgrading, my preference is also for durability and driving pleasure. I'm looking forward to a detailed conversion video from you; that would be great.
@@osmansozen3963 The key thing about Rastar cars is that they always look fantastic and have great scale realism. I want to retain that and certainly don't want to have big high-speed crashes as the body won't survive unscathed. My emphasis will be on better control and drivability, hopefully without significantly affecting the reliability (although that is yet to be proven). I haven't decided upon what donor car to use for the project yet but will be making my selection soon.
Put two springs on steering, connect a motor with variable supply and you will have proportional steering system.
The whole steering arrangement seems to be a little bit strange to me. It would surely be simpler for Rastar to buy in a mass produced, very cheap, mini servo and just plug it in. It could be incorporated into all their cars. It would be far simpler to assemble and it would perform better. The current arrangement is like they are replicating a servo but on a much larger scale and without a neat mounting assembly.
@@BlackSeaRC You say it for people who put that kind of differential instead of classic one with crown gears.
I’ve taken two 1/14 scale models apart and removed both rear wheels after taking the centre caps off each wheel to reveal the screw.
On your models, how were the front wheels attached? Also with centre caps over screws?
@@BlackSeaRC i have the chiron 1:14 from rastar, and i think i have to remove the center caps too, any ideas on how to do it?
@@adrianmunoz3220 First, check from behind the wheel that there is not a wheel cover that push fits in place. If not, you need to just feel on the outer surface of the wheel with a very fine head screwdriver to see if you can locate a join. Possibly you could also try a sewing pin. If you find a small join, gently push the pin into the gap, gradually work around it and try to prise out the cap. The trouble with these caps is that they are a fairly tight push fit and not really intended to be removed. There is a chance to damage the cap or the wheel if you do not work carefully and finding a replacement will be virtually impossible.
@@adrianmunoz3220 First, check from behind the wheel that there is not a wheel cover that push fits in place. If not, you need to just feel on the outer surface of the wheel with a very fine head screwdriver to see if you can locate a join. Possibly you could also try a sewing pin. If you find a small join, gently push the pin into the gap, gradually work around it and try to prise out the cap. The trouble with these caps is that they are a fairly tight push fit and not really intended to be removed. There is a chance to damage the cap or the wheel if you do not work carefully and finding a replacement will be virtually impossible.
@@BlackSeaRC I finally removed them, what im trying to do is increase the power of the car, but i dont really know how, any ideas too?
very noice video
Thanks very much. I have a number of Rastar RC cars in my collection and was always interested what is "under the skin". When you take one apart it gives you a better understanding of how they work and how they could be upgraded.
Are you able to do a video on assembling this car
These models are surprisingly easy to take apart and put back together once you know the correct technique. Everything is just done in reverse to put it back together. One good thing is that most of the parts are screwed in place rather than push fitted so re-assembly is easier. The only part I found slightly tricky was aligning the body back on the chassis for the final stage.
For a school project I want to take the components of this car and 3d print stuff to create a new car would it be reasonable to take the electric components from this car to do this and would it work the same way the original car intended
That sounds like an interesting project. It would certainly be possible to re-use the existing electronics or you could look at upgrading them. The problem with the existing electronics is that they are not very adaptable unless you have a similar configuration. You would most likely need to use the same gearbox module and steering gearbox arrangement. The suspension is also an area where the standard design is very basic. I suppose it all depends upon how radically you want to change the donor car. As for upgrades, the main reason to do it is to get fully-proportional controls and better performance. I have recently purchased a set of components to enable me to do this. I tried to find components at a good price because most people are on a tight budget. It includes a new fully-proportional trigger and wheel style RC handset, new receiver, new electronic speed controller, new motor, new rechargeable battery and a steering servo. The parts will require chassis modifications but I will try to keep all changes to a minimum. It would be great to 3D print some parts because hand-modified plastics never give a neat finish.
@@BlackSeaRC the car I want to create is the rbx2010 how should I do this thanks for the advice
@@dhsaka7794 The Red Bull X2010 is quite a radical shape. To get the front suspension and steering layout, you would be better to start with a Rastar F1 chassis. Look at my video of the McLaren MCL36 here: czcams.com/video/jP0Op7sM19U/video.html
The internal component layout would also be more suited to the RB X2010 body. That is where I would start and work from there.
@@BlackSeaRC Thanks! I’ll let you know if I ever need any other advice
@@dhsaka7794 Okay, no problem. I shall be starting my Rastar upgrade project as soon as I decide upon a suitable donor chassis.
Can you change up the gears a certain way to make it go faster?
The usual way to upgrade the performance is to fit a better motor. This gives higher speed with the standard gearing as it is quite difficult to find alternative gearing of the correct dimensions, tooth pitch, etc. Of course, you do have to be careful as the original gears were not designed to transmit a great increase in power. Swapping from 'AA' type batteries to a LiPo battery pack also helps.
On the steering motor is attached centrifugal clutch so the gears have longer life.
Yes, I suppose I should have taken this steering assembly apart a little bit more to show the circular disc with two tiny semi-circular components inside. I am amazed that Rastar went to that much trouble but obviously they think that this little assembly is worth the effort to provide a bit more durability to the steering.
Hi I have a problem
When I teardown my RC car
I should remove the gearbox
But my RC car model hasn't wheel cover
(Same brand but another model bmw i8)
So I can't find any screws on my wheel
Can you help me?
On the outside face of the wheel, check closely for a small centre cap. Get the smallest flat head screwdriver you can find and check for a gap. It will be a tight fit but if there is a centre cap you can prise it out. Hopefully you will see a cap and the screw will be underneath.
@@BlackSeaRC oh it's work thank you
@@믕_meung It's only easy when you know how! I spent hours trying to get the gearbox out on mine before spotting the wheel cover that clipped on behind the wheel.
пробовали ли вы сами модернизировать эти модели? хочу попробовать заапгрейдить ф40 под дрифт на почти таком же шасси, поставив сенсорный безколлекторный электродвигатель и гироскоп.
Сам не пробовал, потому что сложно подобрать правильные детали. Множество людей переоборудовали эти автомобили, но, поскольку требуются модификации шасси, полезно иметь доступ к технологии 3D-печати. Если у вас есть тело, которое вы любите, то это интересный проект, но не обязательно экономически эффективный.
I haven't tried myself because it is hard to source the right selection of parts. Plenty of people have converted these cars but as chassis modifications shall be required, it helps if you have access to 3D-printing technology. If you have a body that you love, then it makes an interesting project, but it is not necessarily a cost effective one.
Если вам нужен именно дрифт-кар, вам придется сменить шины, поскольку стандартные резиновые шины довольно хорошо сцепляются с дорогой. Однако я не уверен, где вы найдете что-то, совместимое с колесами Rastar.
If you specifically want a drift car, you are going to have to change the tyres as the standard rubber tyres grip quite well. I'm not sure where you would find something compatible with the Rastar wheels though.
Can you show how to remove the doors
I haven't specifically removed the doors myself and the car is now fully reassembled. However, if you check the video at approx. 19:36, I think the door module can be taken off by removing the screws at the back of the front wheel arch.
This is what I call mission impossible
I had wondered what was inside a RC car like this for quite a while so decided to get one of the latest cars and finally find out. Usually the wiring is a bit of a pest but I was pleasantly surprised that first of all, the body came straight off (with no wires attached) and secondly, that the circuit board had connectors with colour coding rather than all the wires just being soldered in place. That made the whole disassembly much simpler and the layout is neat in most areas. I am 99% confident that it will go back together easily and run again without any visible signs that it was ever in pieces.
It's easy, the GPS Drone are way harder.
@@GF-mf7ml I can imagine that would be an interesting project! It's a pity that no one makes a flying car RC model yet.
As you can see, the rear gearbox contain Torrsen Differential what is the main reason why you can't disassemble it easily.
I didn't expect to see a differential like that when I took it apart. Somehow I thought it would be a crown wheel style differential but thinking about it now, I guess the straight-cut plastic gears are simpler, cheaper and more reliable to make in a Torsen style differential.
@@BlackSeaRC All toy grade RC cars in that scale has Torrsen differential. Classic one have cars in smaller scale.
Make electric brakes and you can use it rear gearbox for RC tank.
Well that's an interesting idea I hadn't considered. A tracked vehicle would be a nice addition to the BlackSeaRC collection. I am also looking for something amphibious...
@@BlackSeaRC Than buy a Ripsaw tank.It's brushless
@@onlinehelper374 The Ripsaw style tank does look interesting but I have seen very varied reviews on them.
@@onlinehelper374 I have my eye on a very special amphibious RC vehicle instead. I just have to convince myself that I can justify the expense!
@@BlackSeaRC I've been thinking about building an R/C amphibious FPV BMP (or other scale amphibious tracked vehicle) with an electronic autoloading high powered pellet rifle like the Gamo Swarm Maxxim. You have any thoughts on how to do the vehicle not so much the gun but if you had info on that thatd be great too
Do you really think that you replace the motor by another one faster ?
There are opportunities to fit a motor which gives better performance but this modification can't really be done in isolation. I think if you are going to upgrade this RC car you have to also consider other modifications at the same time. It is no good having a fast car if you have the same non-proportional controls as it will be hard to drive smoothly. Plus, a better motor will demand better batteries and then an upgraded control board. So modifications to cars like this are often "all or nothing".
Dude that motor doesn't make any sence powering up the véhicule i think they should have put 2 instead of 1
It certainly explains why the 1:14 scale cars by Rastar are not very fast. The silly thing about it is that I was checking these motors and they are very very cheap. They could easily fit a much better one and the cost difference would be very small. Similarly the steering. A hobby grade RC car has a fully self-contained steering servo in an enclosed case with all the gearing protected. I'm not sure why Rastar uses a motor and a whole selection of gears to achieve the same end result in a more complicated way.
I wouldn't upgrade it because I'm not too crazy about the suspension. You'll end up with a car that slides to much.
The issue with upgrading is that it is not very effective to do it in parts. You could upgrade the motor and batteries to get better speed but then the gearbox also needs uprating. Then you still don't have the control required with the standard non-proportional handset so you need to replace the ESC and all the electronics. Next, the steering and suspension. In reality it is difficult to even do anything much with the suspension as the chassis is moulded in one piece. Maybe with a 3D printer you have the chance to design and make something but options are limited. Everything works as a package and upgrading one part without the rest will leave a poor handling car. So essentially you would have to spend quite a lot of money, time and effort. If you like the challenge of such a project then it would be fun but realistically, it is not really going to be cost effective to undertake such a redesign.
As for the steering motor, I don't know why Rastar doesn't just use a micro servo. They are very low cost and you would think the installation would be much simplified.
I Have it
Do you have any other Rastar cars? I try to find some of the rarer models for my RC collection now.
@@BlackSeaRC My rastar car is little broken its bugatti divo.
@@user-ek6ix4hz5x What seems to be the problem with it?
does the front make light
@@asadkamal3313 The 1:14 scale Rastar models such as this Divo usually have front and rear lights. The 1:24 scale versions typically don't have this feature though.
можете и у меня тоже посмотреть такие машинки
Мне нравятся ваши Maserati Levante и Volvo XC90 от Rastar.
@@BlackSeaRC редкие
@@o_sis_o Правда, я никогда не видел Rastar Volvo.
Worse than analog cars we had half a century ago...
Commercially available electrically-powered radio-controlled toy cars were first available around 1966. For example, Testors in USA introduced the Mustang GT RC car with 27MHz electronics in 1966. The price at the time was 70 USD. A similar non-RC battery electric toy car sold for 5 USD. Meanwhile, in Europe, Elettronica Giocattoli based in Italy also introduced a Ferrari 250LM RC car in the same year. RC vehicles didn't become widely available until the end of the 1970's. During the 1980's, the popularity of RC vehicles grew substantially, as did the choice of products available. However, it wasn't until much later that RC cars became affordable and viable cost-wise as throw-away toys. For reference, adjusting the 1966 price for inflation, 70 USD is the equivalent of around 677 USD in 2024.
The Bugatti Divo RC car in this video is currently available for under 35 USD. It has 2.4GHz electronics. If you want fully-proportional control, this is now available at this price point. However, if your budget is 600-700 USD, you can get something absolutely fantastic.
@@BlackSeaRC Thanks for the extensive answer. My "rant" was more in the direction that with the advancement of digital technology and step motors one would hope things to be more available to the general public than 30-50 years ago.
I still can't see teens from the countries like Philipines to Khazakhstan or Peru (don't hold me to details) where monthly family budget is $200-$800 could be getting those cars.
I really don't count unproportionate RC controls, as a rational thing. I just don't get why that technology is even made anymore. It's like, when we switched from CRT to flat screens, someone started making black & white LCD's, and is selling them even now in 2024, marketing color LCD as an "advanced technology for hobbyist". And saying: if you want color LCD the cheapest model is $1500, like it was (including inflation) in 1970.
There are like real metal diecast car models for $30.. I get you that there is Bugatti Divo RC for the same money, but that's just one model. There should be like 80% of them for under $100.
Someone is still trying to make money on something that should have already been a lowest possible standard on the market.
Proportionate steering is not a hobbyist thing anymore. It' like saying today that ABS, is only for cars enthusiasts, or ESP is only for race drivers, and selling those models for like 2x more money than the ones that don't have that technology. Yep it was a wonder 20-30 years ago, but today it's like standard.
Thanks again, for taking time to answer.🙏
@@kornelijekovac9793 I get what you are saying. I got my first RC car in the mid 1980's. You can see it in my vintage Tamiya Holiday Buggy video. It has all the original electronics and still powers up with the original Nickel-Cadmium battery that is 40+ years old. To me, these electronics seemed better built than the modern ones. Batteries are a prime example. Many of my much newer batteries have failed and the latest Li-Po batteries must be treated very carefully to keep them useable and safe. In that respect, we have gone backwards!