How to Clean and Lubricate Your Redcat Racing Parts

Quick answer

Clean first, lubricate second, and never the reverse. Brush or wipe away grit and dust while parts are dry, then apply a thin, targeted film of lubricant only to moving joints, bearings, and exposed metal. Most Redcat wear comes from abrasive dirt trapped in grease, not from running out of oil, so a dry clean before every lubrication session is the single habit that protects the parts you already own.

Dirt is the quiet killer of RC drivetrains. Grit that reaches a pinion gear, a CVA joint, or a suspension pivot turns into grinding paste, and no amount of fresh oil will undo that damage once it starts. Cleaning and lubricating on a schedule is cheaper than replacing parts, and it takes less time than most owners expect.

This guide walks through a repeatable process you can run after a dusty bash session or a wet run. It covers tools you probably already have, the order of operations, and the checkpoints that tell you when a part is worn enough to swap rather than clean.

What you need before you start

You do not need a parts washer. A soft-bristle brush, an old toothbrush, lint-free rags, a can of compressed air or a small blower, and a light machine oil or RC-specific bearing lubricant cover almost every job. Keep a separate dry brush for electronics and a second one for greasy drivetrain parts so you are not spreading oil onto sensitive boards.

Work over a tray or a light-colored towel. Small parts like pins, shims, and e-clips vanish into carpet, and a tray also shows you how much grit and metal dust came off the vehicle. That debris is your first clue about where wear is happening.

• Never use water alone on bearings or electronics; moisture trapped inside a bearing causes rust faster than dirt does.
• Keep lubricant away from brake discs, clutch surfaces, and tire beads, where it reduces grip.

Step 1: Strip the vehicle down

Remove the body, battery, and wheels before cleaning anything. This gets heavy dirt out of the way and lets you inspect the chassis, suspension arms, and drivetrain without obstructions. On a truck or crawler, pulling the wheels also exposes the hexes and axle pins where grit packs in tight.

Lay removed hardware in order on your tray. If you are working on a specific assembly, note which side each part came from, because suspension arms and shafts are often side-specific. Reinstalling a left arm on the right side is a common mistake that shows up later as odd camber or rubbing.

• Checkpoint: if a screw will not break free by hand, stop and use the correct driver size rather than forcing it and stripping the head.

Step 2: Dry-clean before you touch any lubricant

Brush off loose dirt while everything is dry. Start high and work down so debris does not fall back onto parts you already cleaned. Use the toothbrush on gear teeth, pivot points, and around bearing shields, and use compressed air to blow dust out of recesses and motor vents. Hold the air can upright so it does not spit propellant onto plastic.

For caked-on mud, let it dry fully first, then brush it off. Wiping wet mud just pushes it deeper into seams. If a part is genuinely greasy, use a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on a rag, wipe it clean, and let it evaporate completely before lubricating.

• Common mistake: spraying lubricant onto a dirty part. The oil carries grit into the joint and accelerates the wear you were trying to prevent.

Step 3: Inspect for wear while parts are clean

A clean part is much easier to judge. Look for flat spots on pins, notchy or gritty-feeling bearings, bent shafts, cracked suspension arms, and gear teeth that have gone sharp or shiny. Run a finger along a shaft to feel for grooves, and spin each bearing slowly to listen for roughness.

This is the moment to decide between cleaning and replacing. Cleaning restores function to a part that is dirty but sound. It cannot restore metal that has already worn away, and continuing to run a worn pinion or shaft damages the parts it meshes with.

• If a bearing feels gritty after cleaning, replace it rather than re-oiling it.
• If a gear tooth is visibly hooked or sharpened, replace the gear before it takes out its partner.

Step 4: Lubricate moving joints and bearings

Apply lubricant sparingly and only where metal moves against metal or against a bearing surface. A drop on each bearing, a thin film on CVA joint pins, and a light wipe on suspension pivot points is usually enough. More lubricant is not better; excess oil collects dust and turns into the abrasive paste you just removed.

For bearings, a proper RC bearing oil or light machine oil works well. Avoid heavy grease on exposed drivetrain parts that see dirt, because it holds grit. If a bearing has a removable shield, add a small amount of oil, spin it to distribute, and wipe away anything that squeezes out.

• Checkpoint: after lubricating, spin or cycle the part by hand. It should move freely and quietly, with no gritty feel.

Step 5: Reassemble and do a function check

Reinstall parts in reverse order, tightening screws evenly and not overtightening into plastic. Once the vehicle is back together, cycle the suspension by hand and turn the drivetrain to confirm nothing binds. A bind after reassembly usually means a misaligned arm, an over-tightened screw, or a pin that did not seat fully.

Run the vehicle briefly at low speed and listen. New noises after a clean-and-lube session almost always point to a part that was reinstalled incorrectly or a bearing that was already failing and is now audible without the masking effect of dirt.

• Recheck wheel nuts and hex pins after the first short run, since freshly cleaned threads can settle.

How often to do this

After every dusty or wet run, do the dry brush-down. Do the full clean-and-lubricate routine every few sessions, or whenever you notice a change in noise, steering feel, or drivetrain drag. Vehicles run in sand, mud, or fine dust need it more often than those run on pavement or carpet.

Keep a small log of what you replaced and when. Patterns emerge quickly, and knowing that a pinion gear lasts a certain number of packs helps you order the next one before a failure ends your run day.

• Store the vehicle clean and dry, with the battery removed, between sessions.

Your repeatable clean-and-lube checklist

1. Strip and tray the parts: Remove body, battery, and wheels, and lay hardware out in order on a tray. Checkpoint: if a screw resists, use the correct driver instead of forcing it.
2. Dry-brush before any oil: Brush loose dirt off from top to bottom and blow out recesses with compressed air. Mistake to avoid: lubricating a dirty joint, which grinds grit into the surface.
3. Inspect for real wear: Spin bearings, feel shafts for grooves, and check gear teeth for sharpening or hooks. Replace worn parts; cleaning cannot restore missing metal.
4. Lubricate sparingly: One drop per bearing and a thin film on CVA pins and suspension pivots. Checkpoint: parts should cycle freely and quietly afterward.
5. Reassemble and test: Tighten evenly, cycle the suspension and drivetrain by hand, then run briefly at low speed. New noises mean a mis-seated pin, a bind, or a bearing that was already failing.

Parts worth knowing about for this routine

• RER29270: CVA Shafts w/ pins (1set) CVA joints are a key lubrication point. Keeping the pins clean and lightly oiled reduces slop and wear; if a pin is flat-spotted, this set restores the joint.
• 13817: Differential Pinion Gear (1pc) Pinion gears live in a gritty environment. Cleaning before lubrication matters here more than almost anywhere, and a sharpened or hooked tooth means replacement rather than more oil.
• 13851: Pre-Mounted Interco Super Swamper Tires w/ Firm Foam (2pcs) Tires and foam collect dirt and moisture. Wiping them down and letting foam dry fully prevents the wheel and hex area from rusting between runs.

Cleaning and lubricating your Redcat is a short routine with an outsized payoff: fewer surprise failures, smoother running, and parts that last through more packs. Clean dry, inspect honestly, lubricate lightly, and replace anything that has already worn past saving.