So you've picked up the dream toy from your childhood, and you can't wait to put it proudly on a shelf display, or fire it up and let your children have a play? I hear you. One of the most relaxing things for me to do is to open up a dirty old broken R/C car, and bring it back to life.
But wait! It's not working? It's filthy? Never fear, here's my nifty guide to restoring a Tyco / Taiyo / Metro RC car in a hurry, with everything I've learned over the last few years doing this myself.
There are five basic steps for a simple restoration
Step 1. Clean
You will be surprised how far a simple clean goes to bringing your precious collectable back to life.
Every collector has their process, this is mine.
1. Bulk Clean
Use baby wipes across the whole car, wheels, tires, and suspension. Ideally use fragrance free, plenty of them, and ensure they're not too wet as this will damage the stickers.
For the "alloy" wheels, wrap a wipe around your finger and stick it deep inside the wheels from behind, twist all about, there will be heaps of dirt and dust in there. Use a wet qTip / cotton bud if needed, and Multi-Foam (see below).
For the rubber tires, if wipes are'nt enough then hold each tire (one at a time) under a tap and wash it properly, but don't get any water on the car. Dry with a cloth before continuing.
Next, remove the body (4 screws on bottom) and clean everything you can inside, as dirt/dust will have accumulated here and never been cleaned.
2. Detail
Many areas of the car will be too hard to reach and too small for your fingers. The solution to this are as follows.
- Ultra Soft Detailing Brush
- Multi-Foam with wipes & qTips
- Super Gel (optional)
This combination will get your car sparkling new. First use the detail brush to loosen and reach any corners that are still holding dirt. Get as much out as possible, then multi foam and use wipes and qTips / cotton buds to reach into crevices and clean out the loosened dirt.
Alternatively if you don't want to risk spraying chemicals which can damage stickers and electronics, Super Gel is a great alternative. It gets into the corners and pulls out the dirt fairly well and it's kinda fun to use!
3. Tire Shine
Baby wipes are fine for relatively clean tires, but anything with mud you need to carefully rinse them under a tap, being sure to avoid getting any water on the car itself.
Finally, followup with a quality silicon-free plastic vinyl protectant spray on the rubber tires will make them look good as new.
What I use for Step 1.
Baby Wipes (eBay link) - any brand, ideally non-scented, you'll use heaps so don't by expensive ones.
Super Gel (eBay Link) - great for corners, nooks, and crannies that you can't reach.
Ultra Soft Detailing Brush (eBay Link) - these are like a magic wand for cleaning tricky spots and hard to reach areas. Highly recommended!
Vinyl Protectant (eBay link) - for the tires only, ensure its silicone free or it will attract dust. Generally if it's good enough for your full size car dash, it's good for your scale tires.
Multi-Foam (eBay link) - This is what I use to avoid damaging delicate items, but it can still cause stickers to run so use it carefully. I buy on Amazon in Australia, but in the US seems eBay is best place.
Warning: Do not use just any spray cleaner!
I use Multi-Foam because its designed to be the least reactive, but even still it will blast the ink off many 'plastic' stickers, so only use on bare plastic.
Step 2. Fix Common Issues
The 3 most common problems are...
A. Won't Turn On / Move
- Old 9.6V and 6.0V battery packs are well past their expiry date and very likely the cause of problems. See Step 3 for answers on battery replacement.
- If yours uses AA batteries, ensure you're using fresh Alkaline batteries that are installed with positive (+) and negative(-) terminals facing the right directions. Even experienced people mess this up sometimes!
- Note that some models will power up (red light) even with one battery around the wrong way, since the circuit board is connected to only a few batteries (battery 1 through 4) while the motor requires all batteries connected (battery 1 through 8)
- If any sign of corrosion on terminals this is likely the problem. Sand them until they shine. Even a tiny bit of corrosion can break the link since AA's have only a tiny surface area to contact.
- If you have 'Blue Dust' (leaked battery acid as per photo) then you need to do a complete overhaul of battery terminals. Use vinegar and baking soda to make the acid inert, then sand sand sand! They must be shining, smooth, and clean with no corrosion.
Use a multi-meter to check that the full voltage is coming out of the pack, and help determine which battery may not be connecting properly.
- Failing that, open up the car. Connections can come loose very easily, old solder joints break. If you had Blue Dust, it may have spread to your circuit board and corroded it away. This is a bad situation and there's no 'quick fix' I can describe here, but often the board may be damaged so much it needs replacement.
B. Turns on but responds erratically
E.g. steering triggers it to drive forward.
This is usually either because you've got the wrong controller (go to the page for your model at TycoCollectors and see what the controller should look like) or the controller needs cleaned inside.
Especially for Pistol Grip controllers, often the grease added to the controller trigger degrades over the last few decades, liquefies, and then gets all over the metal pads which control acceleration and creates mixed signals. To fix this you need to open up the controller and completely clean it out with alcohol so there's no cross-signalling.
C. Steering makes noise but doesn't move wheels
Typically this means the servo linkage is broken or simply has come out of its normal position.
Take the top off the car and inspect the steering mechanism at the front. You may need to unscrew the components that are screwed directly into the servo head, clean them up, and put it all back together in the correct position to ensure it's working correctly.
Unfortunately servos are often known to fail, and if this occurs the choice you have is to find the same parts from another working car (does not need to be exact same model, just similar), or it may be time to convert your Toy Grade RC into a Hobby Grade RC!
Other issues of this nature can get quite complicated, and often it's just easier to start replacing parts using other cars or a similar model or design.
Step 3. Batteries
The most common problem with Vintage R/C Toys is simply an old battery.
If you're using an original 6.0V Jet Turbo battery cartridge, a 9.6V Turbo battery pack or similar then chances are it's already stuffed, or will be soon. So what to do?
6.0V Jet Turbo Battery
I've written an entire article on these, including how to find replacement batteries and chargers.
Click here to open that article on Replacement 6V Battery Packs
9.6V Turbo Battery Pack
Finding a replacement 9.6V battery is thankfully much easier than any other, since they remain a standard size today.
Should I get the exact same NiCd battery or an upgraded NiMh battery?
Definitely upgrade to a NiMh battery! The originals 8 x AA Nickel Cadmium batteries have several disadvantages.
- NiCd batteries are Toxic to you and the environment.
Upon disposal they can leak chemicals more toxic than lithium or any other technology
- Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries have the dreaded 'memory effect'
Unless you follow a perfect discharge to flat and charge routine, your usable capacity will decrease over time until your car is running for noticeably less time than new. This is primarily caused by charging the battery when it's not entirely flat, making it 'remember' that half full state as the new 'flat'. - Increasingly harder to find
Fat less popular today, though often cheaper, it's simply harder to get a decent NiCd battery and charger than it is a good quality NiMh.
What are the disadvantages to NiMh? Not many. They will self-discharge (go flat) faster if left around, but will happily recharge from any state. You'll also need a NiMh charger, but these are often included with the NiMh batteries anyway.
Cheapest Option - Fluro Green
These are found all over eBay, Amazon, and elsewhere, often for very cheap prices including a charger or even 2 batteries.
These are perfectly fine if you don't have high expectations, and just want to have a little blast around the house for nostalgia in your old TYCO.
But beware:
- They are not 2000Mah, probably more like 750Mah.
- Don't pay over $16 USD for Battery + USB Charger.
- The yellow ones are NiCd. Avoid.
Links to Buy
Decent Option - GeiliEnergy
This battery doesn't cost much more, is more honest with the capacity, and they're widely used. I've bought several myself, and received them in used cars from both Japan and the USA.
Are they the best? Nope. But they're decent enough.
Links to buy:
Amazon Link 1 Amazon Link 2
Best Option - Hi Discharge Branded
dvantages to spending more on a battery all come down to how much power it can supply in a short amount of time, such as when you need that extra burst of power.
This is less noticeable in small brushed motor based toys like the Tyco RC, however you will notice the difference in charging speed, with these batteries being compatible with higher power chargers to get you running again much faster.
The battery I'm recommending here comes with a decent 3A charger, and you'll find even better ones at your local hobby store, but be prepared to pay for it.
Look for batteries with a 1C (or better) charge rate, and a proper plug pack charger (or better yet, buy the charger separately).
Links to Buy
eBay Link 2 (3A Charger)
Harder on battery, but charges it faster
eBay Link 1 (1.2A Charger)
Easier on battery, but takes more time.
Amazon: I can't see anything similar for sale at Amazon, however check this link for the products near your area. Look for a non-USB charger, and a branded 9.6V NiMh battery.
Step 4. Controller
Missing a controller?
You don't need an identical match! Like all toy companies, Tyco and Taiyo would re-use components and designs across their model range, and so while there are many many variants of controller (50+) there are relatively few differences in the internals (8+).
If you need a replacement controller and can't find the identical version, the most important distinguishing factors are:
- Frequency, obviously.
You'll need one that has the identical frequency. All cars and controllers have a sticker with their frequency, so find an exact match. - Case indicating Model / Year
While the case has no effect itself, it does identify the approximate Year and Model Range of your car, and so finding a controller that looks the same, even if the sticker on the controller is for a different car, will increase the odds of the controller working for you. - Taiyo Radio Control Chip
Ultimately this is the only determining factor. Taiyo (Japan) who manufactured the cars also manufactured their own Integrated Circuits for the radio controllers, with around 8 variants over the two decades of production.
Matching these is only possible when taking apart the controller, but it's important to be aware of.
Need help finding a matching controller?
Most model pages on Tyco Collectors have an indication of what controller they use in the specifications which you can click, and it will take you to a list of all the other items we believe use the same controller. Make sure you double check before buying anything though, as there's some variation across countries and production runs.
Step 5. Replacement Parts
Antenna, Battery Cover, Tires, Wheels, Bumper, etc.
Need a Tyco Antenna?
The Tyco antennas have an unusual size and connection, so while you might see very similar ones on eBay, I've tested several and they don't fit.
However if you have a Bandit, Heads Up Hopper, Turbo Hopper, Jet Hopper, or similar chassis, then you're in luck!
These may work on some other models, but I've not personally tested on anything but a Bandit.
Buy Replacement Tyco Bandit / Turbo Hopper Antenna here
Need a Tyco Bumper?
Bumpers are readily available for several Tyco R/C cars via 3D printable models, and already printed items from eBay.
Buy these bumpers:
3D Print these bumpers:
- MK1 Tyco Turbo Hopper Bumper
- MK1 Taiyo Jet Hopper Bumper
- Tyco 9.6V Lamborghini Bumper
- Tyco 9.6V Ferrari Bumper
- Tyco 9.6V Indy Car Bumper
- Taiyo Super Fight F1 Bumper
- Tyco 9.6V Turbo Hopper Bumper
- Tyco 9.6V Heads Up Hopper Bumper
- Tyco 9.6V Wild Thing Bumper
These may work on some other models, but I've not personally tested on anything but a Bandit.
Several other parts for the Tyco Bandit are also sold at the GTEK store, such as Rear Roll bars.
Springs / Shock Absorbers are also a part that frequently needs replaced.
You can buy standard Tyco Springs here.
Buy Bumper for Tyco Turbo Hopper / Heads Up Hopper here
Buy Bumper for Tyco Bandit here
Need a Tyco Battery Cover?
You can buy battery covers of several types here.
Buy Tyco RC Controller covers here:
- Tyco controller battery cover
- Alt. Tyco Controller battery cover
- Tyco Pistol Grip Controller battery cover
If those are sold out, try searching eBay.
You can also download a 3D Printable 9V Battery Cover here (mislabeled as 6V I believe)
Buy Tyco RC Car covers here:
- Tyco Bandit Battery Cover
- Tyco Turbo Hopper Battery Cover
- Tyco Eliminator Battery Cover
- Tyco Wild Thing Battery Cover
3D Printable Battery Covers available here.
I've tested several of these myself.
There used to be many more car battery cover .stl files but they've disappeared. I think I've saved many somewhere, so will update this when I can.
Buy Battery Cover for Tyco Bandit, Turbo Hopper, Eliminator, and Wild Thing here
Buy Battery Cover for Tyco Controllers here
Alternate link: https://ebay.us/DlrtyQ
Join the community!
The most important tip for anyone looking to collect and restore a Tyco, Taiyo, Metro, Dickie, or similar Toy RC is to join a community of like minded people who can provide advice.
You can do that by:
- Post on our forum. Say hello, and ask your question. Photos and detail help!
- Join the Tyco Collectors Facebook group to connect with over 1,500 other fans, many of whom are experts at restoring these toys.