Vebeto RC Drift Car Noise: How to Find and Stop It

Vebeto RC drift car noise is easy to blame on the motor, but the sound can come from several places. Some of it is just the tires sliding, and some of it is worth checking before something gets damaged.

Contents hide

1 Some Noise Is Normal on a Drift Car

2 Whine Under Throttle

3 Vebeto RC Drift Car Noise: Grinding or Gritty Sounds

4 Rattles, Clicks, and Buzzing

5 Check out these related posts:

Some Noise Is Normal on a Drift Car

The first thing I’d check is the surface you’re driving on. The hard plastic tires on a drift car can get surprisingly loud on tile or concrete. The sound is louder when the car slides than when it drives straight, and that’s not necessarily a problem with the car. Try a different floor or a rubber mat and see if the sound changes.

I’d also give the wheels a quick wiggle. A loose wheel nut can make a clicking sound that makes you think something inside the drivetrain is broken. It’s a quick check.

Whine Under Throttle

If the noise gets louder when you press the throttle, lift the car off the ground and give it a little throttle. Listen to see if the same sound is still there. If it is, I’d start looking at the gears and motor rather than the tires.

If the noise is still there with the car off the ground, I’d take a look at the pinion and spur gear next. If they’re sitting too tightly together, you might hear a high-pitched whine. If there’s too much space between them, you can get a ticking sound instead.

One thing you can try is the paper trick. Put a thin strip of paper between the gears, move the motor into position, and tighten the mount before pulling the paper out. It leaves a little clearance between the gears. Just check your Vebeto’s motor mount first, because the adjustment isn’t exactly the same on every RC car.

Vebeto RC Drift Car Noise: Grinding or Gritty Sounds

A grinding sound is a different story. If it sounds rough, almost like there’s dirt or sand caught somewhere, I’d stop running the car for a moment and check it out. It could be a bearing, something stuck in the gears, or the motor.

Lift the car and spin the wheels by hand. They should turn without feeling rough or getting stuck at one particular point. If a wheel feels gritty, I’d check the bearing first.

Also, don’t forget about hair and dust. If you’ve been driving on carpet or a dusty floor, those little fibers can get wrapped around the axle or caught in the gears. Sometimes, all it takes is a small brush and a few minutes of cleaning.

If the wheels and gears seem fine, I’d move on to the motor. I also have a separate guide on an RC car motor making a grinding noise if you want to take a closer look at that part.

You can also check whether the noise is coming from the motor itself by briefly testing it with the gears disconnected, as long as your model allows it and you follow the appropriate safety precautions.

Rattles, Clicks, and Buzzing

Rattling sounds can be frustrating because they’re not always easy to locate. I’d start with the things that are easiest to check. Check for loose screws, make sure the battery is sitting properly, and see if any wires are hanging close to the spur gear.

A wire touching the gear can make a clicking sound every time it goes around. If you find one, move it away and secure it so it doesn’t get caught.

If the car has a steering servo or gyro, listen to it while the car is powered on but sitting still. A constant buzzing sound might be related to the steering system.

Turn the power off and check the steering by hand. Does it move smoothly, or does it feel like something is holding it back? If it feels stuck, I’d check the steering linkage before assuming the servo itself is bad.

If a bearing is dry, a small amount of a suitable lubricant may help, but make sure you’re using a product that’s appropriate for that bearing. Keep oil away from the motor, brushes, and tires. You don’t want to create another problem while trying to fix the noise.

My advice is to change one thing at a time. Check the tires, then the gears, then the bearings and motor. Run the car after each check so you can tell what actually made a difference.

It’s a lot easier to find the source of a strange noise when you don’t change five things at once.