Easy to Build 3D Printed RC Car - Dragon R1

Hey folks,

I have been interested in 3D printed RC projects for a while now. Over the past year I have been designing and 3D printing scale model parts. So I decided to make an RC racing car inspired by concept cars. These are the features which liked to incorporate in this design;

• Maximum 3D printed parts
• Easy to source hardware
• Simple Assembly
• Easy maintenance and battery access
• Dual wishbone suspension
• Open differential
• Low noise drive (using Blheli ESC)
• Printable with a 200mm size printer

If you want to add some more cool features, Go ahead; The whole project is Open Source.

3d printing:

1. PLA filament - around 800g required
2. Flexible filament - for tyres

Hardware:

1. 608 bearing - 6pcs
2. M3 Screws:
3. M3 8mm - 35pcs
4. M3 12mm - 22pcs
5. M3 16mm - 4pcs
6. M3 20mm - 10pcs
7. Ø2mm rod - 16mm
8. Rubber bands

Electronics:

1. Generic 2212 BLDC motor
2. ESC (Blheli ESC recommended)
3. 9g Servo
4. 2-3S Lithium Battery
5. RC Transmitter and Receiver

The total cost was ~$40 (excluding transmitter and receiver), The cost may vary depending on your location.

Required Tools:

1. Screw driver
2. Cutting Pliers
3. Ruler
4. Glue Gun
5. Hobby knife
6. Soldering Iron

I have used maximum 3D printed parts and common hardware like 608 skateboard bearings. Thus it should be easy for anyone to source them.

The motor used here is a generic A2212 BLDC motor, this has enough power to reach good speeds without any heating issues.

The power from the motor is distributed to the rear wheels with an open differential.

The wishbone suspension uses common rubber bands, its works well.

A maintenance door is added to the underside of the car to allow easy access of the electronics and battery.

Likewise I have managed to use the least number of parts to simplify the assembly process without much trade-off in features.

Model is 1/12 scale;

• length: 396mm
• width: 164mm
• height: 71mm

This project is designed in Fusion 360, all the source CAD files are provided here.

The parts can be printed with any 200mm size printer. I recommend Cura Slicer since it is perfect for small parts and supports are much better. It is recommended to use rafts for small parts like gears.

PLA is recommended for all the parts. I have used Orange and Grey for a nice Dual colour look.

The tyres need to be printed with a flexible material like TPU.

Some parts are intricate and require a well calibrated printer to work well. So please start by printing the test print, this can help to check if your printer/ print settings are good.

Download STLs from Printables

The assembly process is divided into 3 main parts:

1. Rear chassis
2. Rear axle
3. Differential
4. Rear Suspension
5. Front chassis
6. Steering mechanism
7. Front suspension
8. Body assembly
9. Base chassis
10. Body

Finally connect the electronics, check the servo and motor direction. You're good to go

The performance is impressive for a 3D printed RC car. The car runs effortlessly on flat surfaces like Asphalt, Parking lots, etc. Drifting is also possible on smooth surfaces.

If you like this Go ahead and build one!

Print! Build! Race!

What do you like about this design? Share your experience with us!

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