3D Printed RC car (1-5 scale)

Details

Ever wondered if you could build an RC car almost entirely out of 3D-printed parts? No aluminum, no steel gears, no premade components - just plastic, screws, electronics, and a whole lot of guts.

That’s precisely what I attempted. My mission was simple: create a fully printable RC car using only a printer’s build volume as a limitation. On paper, it sounded straightforward… but reality quickly proved otherwise.

🎯 The Philosophy: Budget-Friendly & Printable
Most RC cars rely on brushless motors, metal gears, rubber tires, and metal suspension. Not mine. I wanted everything to be affordable and printable, starting with a brushed motor, TPU wheels, and all-mechanical plastic parts. The goal: make something incredible without spending a fortune.

Components

1 × 775 motor https://amzn.to/44Z6bfQ

1 × IBT-4 Motor controller https://amzn.to/4k9dvdm

1 × DC 24V-12V Converter https://amzn.to/42XORoY

1 × DC 12V-5V Converter https://amzn.to/3GFTblj

1 × Li-Po 6S battery https://amzn.to/4k7C1vo

Project Logs

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Final Thoughts: A "Successful Disaster"
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 01:02 • 0 comments

Did it work? In some ways - yes. In others - no.

The RC car drove, spun, crashed, and broke, but each failure taught me something invaluable.

While plastic filament has come a long way, it still can’t match metal for durability.
Final Fixes: CV Joints & Reinforcements
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 01:01 • 0 comments

Still one wheel failed mid - run due to a U-joint issue.
I replaced it with a CV joint—stronger, more reliable. After reprinting, the entire system was ready for one last test in the wild.
A Grass Cutting Test & Differential Failure
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 00:55 • 0 comments

Next obstacle: grass. Total fail—the plastic differential shredded both pinion and ring gears.
But failure led to innovation: I swapped to a multi-stage planetary gear reduction and temporarily locked the rear wheels together. It worked, though imperfectly.
Outdoor Trials: Snow, Cliff Jumps & Broken Bones
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 00:52 • 0 comments

First test: snow. Gorgeous—until I pulled full power and sent the car off my deck.

The result: a shattered wheel arm.
Fixed with a PETG replacement, but a few minutes later the pinion lost teeth again.
Motor Power & Unexpected Blasts
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 00:50 • 0 comments

A 775 brushed motor at 45° angle powered the car, driven via an H-Bridge.
On the first test, it seemed to work—until I heard a pop: the H‑Bridge blew up (twice). It lacked thermal protection and failed under load, so I upgraded to a more robust controller.
Suspension Without Springs
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 00:48 • 0 comments

Without metal, I crafted a suspension using stacked TPU disks and ball joints. Surprisingly, it handled rough terrain better than expected—until it didn’t.
The Wheels: Airless & TPU
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 00:47 • 0 comments

I designed almost 6-inch tires inspired by Michelin’s airless concepts, all printed in TPU. They turned out great—each tire took around a day to print. Bearings were added early to ensure smooth rotation.
Stage 2: Bearings to the Rescue
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 00:45 • 0 comments

Next, I added bearings to reduce friction and even added observation holes to monitor the setup.
With vents, it worked temporarily, but failed while sealed. After dozens of iterations (and switching to stronger nylon filament),

the differential finally survived long enough to move on.
Stage 1: Differential Drama
Eugene Tkachenko • 06/28/2025 at 00:43 • 0 comments

I began with a planetary-style differential designed in Fusion 360. But when I tested the first PLA prototype, it melted almost immediately. After just ten seconds of operation, the pinion gear stalled, the case warped, and the shaft fused to the plastic. PLA failed; so did PETG. Heat + friction = melted mess.