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Before contacting Technical Support please make sure and check to see
if your question has not already been answered here.
| GENERAL
INFORMATION
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NITRO R/C INFORMATION
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I think I would like to try this hobby, but isn't it
very expensive?
| In comparison with other hobbies such
as skiing, amateur radio, bowling, or even golf, it
is rather reasonable. |
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Does OFNA sell to the public?
| No. Please check with your local hobby
shop. |
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What does OFNA stand for?
| In California, registering a corporate
name under 4 letters in length is nearly impossible.
These letters were selected to form the corporate
name, with no particular significance given to the
name itself. Hence "OFNA" was born. |
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What is OFNA's return policy?
| We do not accept any returns, or perform
repairs/service/maintenance on any r/c vehicles. Return
policies are handled by the vendor you purchased your
car from. We will replace parts due to manufacturer
defect, usually after physical examination of the
defective parts by the OFNA Technical Department. |
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How and when can I contact OFNA Racing?
You may contact OFNA, Monday thru Friday
8am to 4:30pm PST, at 949-586-2910.
You may email Tech Support by filling out this
form.
You may also send us snail mail to:
22692 Granite Way, Ste. B,
Laguna Hills, CA 29653 |
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Are these car kits for kids?
| Nitro R/C cars are recommended for ages
16 and older. Nitro R/C cars have moving parts and
hot surfaces, which can be dangerous. They also need
regular maintenance and require a basic understanding
of mechanics. |
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I submitted a picture/video
to the user section. How long does it take to post?
| There is no regular schedule for posting
user submitted items. As the pics/vids come in they
are inserted into the qeue and included in groups
when enough have built up to warrant an update. You
will be notified whether your submission is accepted
or not. If you have not received notice that your
submission is rejected then it probably is waiting
in the qeue and will be included in the near future.
Please have patience. |
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When will the website be finished?
OFNA is working hard to bring the website
up to date. Due to the rather massive product line
this task will take some time. We are currently working
on making the product line database fully searchable
via the web.
As the new sections are added we will provide announcements,
so you will not miss the great new features. Stay
tuned!! |
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Who can be on the links page?
| Submission for the links page are
reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with no particular
criteria for approval, apart from we are not listing
ANY hobbyshops or retailers at this time.
If you have a site that benefits R/C racers in some
way, and does not directly oppose OFNA's marketing
efforts or is incongruous with OFNA's interests,
and you are willing to provide a link to OFNA, then
we will consider providing reciprocal links.
You will be notified whether your site is accepted
or declined. |
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I asked a question on the OFNA
messageboard and received no response. Does OFNA monitor
the messageboard?
| Yes, we admin the message board
for monkey business. The messageboard is provided
to facilitate the Nitro R/C community by bringing
R/C racers together in a forum where they can exchange
ideas, hot tips and information.
The messageboard is not intended for customer support
or service, nor for warrantly or setup issues. We
do check it and help out when we can, but we cannot
answer every question that appears on the messageboard.
If you cannot find an answer to your question in
this FAQ, and you cannot find the help you need
on the messageboard, please don't hesitate to call
OFNA technical support at 949-586-2910. |
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How fast do the Nitro R/C Cars
go?
| 1/8th scale off-road single speed
average 30-40 MPH. 2-Speed averages 40-50 MPH. Trucks
average 25-35 MPH. Speed variable depending upon
environmental conditions, motor size, tuning, gearing,
clutch bell size, etc.. OFNA offers many sizes. |
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With an RTR kit do I still
need to take some of it apart and use Loctite on the screws?
| No. Although for preventative measures
it is a good idea to Loctite any metal-to-metal
screws. The extreme vibration produced by the high
RPM's of nitro motors increase the chances of a
screw backing out. Better safe than sorry. |
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Is there any assembly with
an RTR kit?
| Yes, there is some minor assembly
required. For example: body mounting, decal application,
install batteries, apply oil to air filter foam,
etc..
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Does 'RTR'
mean 'Maintenance-Free'?
| No. The Nitro-based hobby in general
requires a fairly high degree of maintenance to
the vehicle.
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What type of maintenance
will I be required to perform?
| After the motor break-in process
is complete, once you have ran an additional 2 tanks,
you will need to check the following items:
* Receiver Battery
* Radio Battery
* Glow Plug
* Loctite/tighten any loose nuts, screws or bolts.
ie: set screws, engine mount screws, wheel nuts,
etc
* Clutch-bell and Spur Gear mesh
* Pullstart engine screws
* Nylon ties for exhaust
* Look for bent arm pins & dog bones - replace
if bent
* Examine shocks for oil leaks - replace/rebuild
as necessary
* Clean & Re-Oil or replace Foam Air Filter
element
* Ensure all servo & throttle linkage is straight
& in proper alignment
* Watch for bent wheels and axles - replace as necessary
* Ensure fuel system is free of obstruction, line
pinches, dirt & leaks
* Clean entire car after every tank - watch for
sand, rocks, mud, debris or anything that will hinder
proper operation and maintenance
The above maintenance should be observed ideally
after every run. |
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Can I get a copy of an OFNA
manual?
| Yes. Visit the OFNA
manuals section to find downloadable / printable
PDF manuals for your vehicle.
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What type of plug should I use?
| Standard longs. No idle bar. One
washer only. Standard medium temperature. |
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Why does my pull-start
keep breaking?
| Pull-starts usually break when the
motor is flooded. The fuel in the cylinder will
not compress. Also, pull-starts should never be
pulled to its full extension/length. Limit the pull-throw
to 6 to 10 inches, and no further, otherwise you
put excessive stress on the parts involved and risk
premature failure. |
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What weight oil should I use
in my differentials?
| 10,000 in the front, 5,000 in the
center, 3,000 in the rear. Fill it 3/4 full. |
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Are the Hyper 7 and 9.5 parts
interchangeable?
| No. They are made by 2 different
factories. |
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Are the Ultra and 9.5 parts
interchangeable?
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What type of fuel does OFNA recommend?
| Byron's Premium Race Fuel. |
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Why do I keep breaking parts in cold weather?
| Cold temperatures make all plastic
and nylon parts more brittle. If you wish to run
your vehicle in cold weather (below 45 degrees F),
you may experience parts breaking more frequently.
One cold weather tip to help limit breakage and
increase the durability of nylon parts (chassis,
suspension arms, bulkheads, etc.) is to disassemble
the vehicle and boil only the nylon parts for 2
hours. This will cause the nylon parts to be more
flexible than usual. Please wait for the nylon parts
to cool completely before reassembly. This will
not solve all problems in cold weather running. |
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Can I run my R/C vehicle through
water/snow?
| This is not a good idea. Water will
foul your electronics if not properly wrapped, and
will rust some of the metals. Water in your intake
will destroy your motor. |
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Can I run my R/C vehicle in sandy conditions?
| Sand is one of the most abrasive
things that can get into your R/C vehicles. Offroad
vehicles can be run on sand if you take extra care
in preparing/cleaning the vehicle. First, clean
the vehicle entirely before you run on sand. We
recommend denatured alcohol in a squirt bottle,
a rag, and a toothbrush. Partially disassemble the
vehicle. Remove the gearbox, engine, and suspension.
Re-lube any lubricated parts after cleaning with
the alcohol, such as bushings, bearings, and gears.
Apply lubricant only in the areas that need it,
as excess oil will attract dirt, dust and sand.
IMPORTANT: To prevent damage to the engine, ensure
the air filter is clean, and will not pass any dust
or sand particles into the engine. If the filter
is old or you are unsure about it's condition, replace
it. After running in sand, shake the vehicle to
dislodge any sand that has collected and clean well
before running the vehicle again. Sand is one of
the worst surfaces that you can run on, but if you
observe the proper precautions it will not harm
your vehicle. Keep in mind, some parts will wear
out faster than normal. |
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My new NiMH batteries
don't seem to be charging to their full capacity. What's
wrong?
| When charging NiMH battery packs,
assuming you are using the correct charger it can
take a few charge and discharge cycles before the
battery packs will hold their full rated charge.
You should find that the NiMH battery packs will
increase in capacity as they are run through several
cycles.
If, after several charge/discharge cycles, the
packs still don't form up and hold their full capacity,
you may have bad packs, and they should be sent
to us for analysis and possible replacement. |
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Are the rechargeable batteries
charged or discharged when new?
| All rechargable batteries are shipped
in a discharged state for safety concerns. Charge
your batteries completely as indicated by the instructions
prior to installing in your model. |
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My nitro car runs fine,
but will not move. What is wrong?
| If the engine runs fine, but the
car won't go anywhere, chances are the problem is
something has come loose in the drive train.
Begin with the rear wheels and ensure the nuts
that affix them to the axles are secure. If the
nuts are loose, the axle will spin inside the wheels.
Next, move inward along the drive shafts to the
differential case. If there are universal joints
at the differential case, they are attached with
small set screws. The set screws hold the drive
joint onto the small stub shafts that protrude from
the case. If they have loosened, the stub shaft
will spin, but the drive joint will not. Align the
drive joint so that the set screw will tighten onto
the flat portion of the shaft. This may require
some disassembly of the suspension to get access.
Lastly, inspect the main gear, and ensure the gear
is tight on its shaft. When a slipper clutch is
slightly loose, the main gear will turn, although
power will not be transferred to the gearbox. You
can readily see this when the engine is operating.
The gear will turn, but the shaft will not.
These suggestions should help you to spot the problem.
Particularly with gas-powered model cars, the engine's
vibration tends to loosen every nut, bolt, and screw
in the model. As a result, there is about one-half
to 1 hour's worth of maintenance required for every
4 hours of running time to keep your vehicle in
top running shape. |
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How long can I store
unopened fuel? What about opened fuel?
| Unopened fuel which is stored out
of direct sunlight is fine for years. Although,
we recommend you use up your fuel annually, particularly
if exposed to sunlight.
Once fuel has been opened, it has been exposed
to air which includes moisture. Both water and sunlight
are your fuel's enemy, so the more frequently or
the longer it is exposed the more rapidly it will
deteriorate. As a rule of thumb, we recommend you
use all open containers of fuel in a single modeling
season then properly discard any remaining fuel. |
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I did not find the
answer to my question here.. Now what?
| You can call OFNA tech support,
or send an email to support@OFNA.com, or you can
try posting your issue to the OFNA Message Board.
There you will find many of other nitro racers ready
and willing to provide their tips & tricks.
Post a question and watch what happens. |
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