RC Vehicle Preservation Guide (Part II)

Most people collect something, but how many of us actually properly take care of what we own? Preserving the past and what we have worked so hard to find is important. This second in a series of articles will give you a brief idea of how to store and care for your RC or any collectible in general. ​

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General Storage

• Store loose RC kits (those without a kit box) in acid free boxes designed for this purpose.
• Tires and rims should be removed from the vehicle and placed in sealed air tight or vacuum packed UV resistant plastic bags with O2 absorbers to prevent oxidation.
• Chassis should be stored in a sealed plastic bag with both O2 and silica desiccant to prevent parts from rusting.
• Boxed kits should be stored in sealed plastic bags with both O2 and silica desiccant placed into the box to prevent parts from rusting.
• Boxed kits should be laid flat on a shelf without stacking. Boxes should never be stored on concrete as concrete is alkaline and can induce condensation encouraging the oxidation of metal parts.

PAPER INSTRUCTIONS & KIT BOXEs

• Store instructions and kit boxes in a climate controlled environment, not in attics, basements, or garages. Paper products are subject to mold growth. Store or display below 72 degrees F and 50% to 55% humidity.
• Store instructions flat without folds or creases. Folded paper is weakened at the point of the fold and will deteriorate faster at the fold.
• Paper products are sensitive to attack by pests. Inspect paper products regularly for pest infestation.
• Display paper products away from sunlight or florescent light. Excessive light will cause inks to fade and hasten the deterioration of the paper.
• Instructions should be stored in acid free folders, boxes or chemically inert plastic sleeves.
• Do not use rubber bands, staples, or paper clips when storing instruction as all of these can seriously damage the document over time.
• To minimize the risk of water damage, do not store kit boxes on the floor.
• Boxed kits should be stored in sealed plastic bags with both O2 and silica desiccant placed into the box prevent parts from rusting.
• Boxed kits should be laid flat on a shelf without stacking. Boxes should never be stored on concrete as concrete is alkaline and can induce condensation encouraging the oxidation of metal parts.

METAL PRESERVATION

​All metals with the exception of gold are susceptible to oxidation or corrosion. Prevention of corrosion should be the most important aspect of caring for your RC as it is much easier, and less costly to prevent oxidation than it is to restore the metal. Most corrosion is caused by moisture. The obvious answer to preventing oxidation to your RC is to store them in a relatively dry environment.
The naturally occurring oils on skin can be very damaging to metal. Do not handle metal parts with bare hands, gloves should be used when possible. Again, this is not always a practical consideration for an RC that is still in use, but once the kit is deemed to be in a “collector status” the kit should be refurbished, prepped for storage and handled with gloves whenever possible.

​STEEL: This is one of the most common metals and is commonly found in RC, axles, hardware, gears, and motor cans are often made of steel. Steel parts should be preserved by keeping them oiled with lightweight oil. When reassembling a kit, screws can be oiled, the excess wiped off, and reinstalled. Axles should be removed from the kit and the same steps followed as with oiling hardware. Do not forget to also oil treat out drives from the transmission.

ALUMINUM & ZINC (AKA Pot Metal & White Metal): Most aluminum utilized in RC is anodized and thus protected from oxidation. Bare aluminum and zinc (often found on AYK, early Tamiya and Kyosho kits) will oxidize if exposed to excessive moisture. The oxidation of these metals will often result in a “fish scale” or powder like film. These metals should be protected with an oil coating or silicone based spray. A secondary option for bare aluminum or Zinc parts is to clear coat the part resulting in a permanent sealing of the component.

RUBBER TIRES AND WIRING

Mint condition vintage tires, bodies and chassis are the hardest parts to locate, and as time passes, kits with intact OEM tires will be highly sought after as rubber degrades rapidly. Museum curators often state that the preservation of rubber parts is the most time consuming and challenging aspect of their positions. This is a serious issue that effects more than RC. Rubber parts of WWII weapons systems, tires, belts, hoses, and even Neil Armstrong's NASA space suit are in serious jeopardy of disappearing due to the degradation of their rubber components. With care, the life of your rubber RC parts can be extended.

• In general, rubber is degraded by UV light, air pollutants, and exposure to oxygen. Tires should be stored in sealed plastic bags with a means of O2 absorption.
• If possible, store tires in a flat position, without bends. Tires should be stored while still mounted to the rim to help maintain the original shape of the tire. Ball bearings should be removed from the front rims. An exception to this is metal rims. Rubber parts should not be stored in contact with metal as this will hasten degradation. Gravity acts with the weight of the tire to alter the original shape and condition of the tire. If displaying a kit, it should be placed on a stand so that the weight of the kit is not on the tires. If forced to display a kit on its tires, do so for as little time as possible and spin the tires often to prevent flat spotting.
• Never use any type of petroleum based solvent or oil on rubber for restorative or storage purposes. Doing so can be deceiving in that the application of oils to rubber can give it a like new sheen, however, the molecules of the rubber are degraded by petroleum products and highly susceptible to future cracking. The shortening of the rubber molecule chains can result in a “softer” stickier rubber and this is often why racers will experiment with differing rubber applications, almost all petroleum distillate based. If it is known that the tire was raced under these conditions a suitable stock replacement should be located and the treated tire discarded.
• It is not recommended that silica desiccant be used in the storage of rubber parts in that a raised humidity level can be beneficial for long term storage of rubber. Extreme drying of the rubber will of course result in cracking. Keeping an increased humidity level when storing rubber tires will prove beneficial to increasing the life of the tire.
• Several museums have experimented with rubber refrigeration (NOT freezing) and long term submersion in water as viable rubber storage options. It is doubtful that either of these methods would be economical for the scale of our hobby. It should be noted that the water preservation method, most likely works due to isolating the rubber object from airborne oxygen.
• An ideal storage system for RC tires would be placing the tires into a plastic box, such as a Tupperware container, with several vent holes drilled into the box and than vacuum packaging the box (or the injection of atmosphere displacing and inert nitrogen). This would maintain the shape of the tire while at the same time protecting the rubber from the effects of atmospheric oxygen. Several food sealing methods exist on the market and if you have access to this equipment it would be advisable to utilize it.
• Silicone based preservatives, such as automotive tire shine products, can also have their place in the protection of rubber parts. The majority of these preservatives operate by replacing the naturally occurring voids in the molecular rubber with silicone. This replacement helps seal the tire away from the oxidizing effects of O2. For display purposes, or shelf storage, this is the best option for protecting your RC tires. It should be remembered that even rubber treated with silicone will still eventually crack, discolor and degrade. For long term storage, the non chemical methods mentioned above are still the preferable means for protecting your RC rubber parts.

​RC can be expensive, and collecting vintage cars, even more so. Most of the points in this article are common sense, but taking care of your collection starts with knowing how to do it right.