Cool runnings

[gordb]

Apologies if this has been covered before (I did a quick search, and only found an entry about radio gear with a quick mention of plastics and batteries) ... but I'm wondering if anyone has any advice/tips for driving cars when it's cold (-15 or there abouts)?

I did see the post mentioning that plastics are more brittle in the cold - but are we talking explosively fragile, or just a little weaker than usual?

Are there any special preparations/precautions I should be taking?

I'm currently finishing up my hilift build, so that's the guinea pig as soon as my speed controller arrives for it. Am I just asking for trouble taking a hard body out?

Any tips apreciated!

Cheers,

G

[OCD]

Personally I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Yeah, plastic is a bit more brttle in the cold, especially the vintage plastics, but so is metal.  In fact, just about every material on your truck will be a bit more brittle, but not so much that it will be breaking under its own weight or anything. I think your F350 should be fine as long as you have resonable expectations of what your truck can withstand.  I wouldn't be doing 2-foot drops in 0 degree weather.  (That's like a bunch of centimeters and negative degrees for the rest of you[]) Just take it easy.

Whatever you do, be sure to get some pictures or video of it; I love running my cars in the snow, but we don't get any of that here!! [ip]

 

-Steve 

[gordb]

That's what I was hoping to hear - thanks Steve!

I bought the hilux as a runner for my son and I - so I'm not overly concerned if it's a little worse for wear at the end of it - I just wanted to make sure all the ceramic grease wouldn't sieze up and trash my gear box or anything daft.

I'll try and get some pics ... unfortunately the little guy's only 2 and not much of a dab hand with the camera right now =)

Cheers!

G

 

 

[Mad Ax]

In the past I've found lexan and hardbodies become brittle in cold (frosty) conditions that we get in english winters.

Lexan

seems to lose its flex when its cold and cracks more easily. 

Screw lugs on hardbodies are more prone to breaking off after an impact.

But

not so brittle that it will fall apart as soon as it goes over a bump,

mind you - don't crash it and you won't break it []  

[gordb]

Sounds like I should stock up on those 350 body kits then =)

[Mad Ax]

I'm only saying, 'cos when I got my King Cab many years ago, it was

without bodyshell, and I went along to the LHS and picked up a generic

lexan lid, which I lovingly painted (using TS paints and old brushes

[] ) and promptly destroyed in a matter of days.  Every big roll

or crash and the body posts would puncture the lexan, and a bad crash

underneath my dad's Land Rover finished off the front end...

Chassis

etc was fine - just the lexan went very brittle (although that might

have been some kind of material fatigue from the TS paint) 

[necronomicon]

On the plus side, running electric RC cars in the cold, is it true to say the motor and battery run cooler, so more power?- thought I'd throw that one in. i agree, seeing RC cars running in snow is cool and there arn't many videos / pictures showing this.

chers

Neil