pxt-calliope/docs/projects/rc-car.md

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# RC Car
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Hack a toy RC car and control it with your @boardname@ and Kitronik parts!
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https://youtu.be/xQJCZwVvjyw
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**Warning**
This activity involves opening an electronic toy, cutting its wires and reconnecting them. Your toy could end up becoming totally useless. Hacking has its risks and rewards!
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## Materials
* toy RC car with 4 or 6 AA batteries
* 1 @boardname@ (optionally, another @boardname@ too if you want radio control)
* wire trimmer
* small Philips screw driver
* [1 Kitronik motor driver](https://www.kitronik.co.uk/5620-motor-driver-board-for-the-bbc-microbit-v2.html)
## What's our hack plan?
Most toy RC cars use 3 small DC motors to operate:
* 1 DC motor to spin (torque) the back wheels
* 1 DC motor to spin (torque) the front wheels
* 1 DC motor to steer the front wheels
What we're going to do is open up the RC car, remove the existing electronic controller, and replace it with the **Kitronik** motor driver that controls 2 DC motors. We will connect the two torque motors to one controller and the steering motor to the other controller.
After the motor driver is connected, we will use a @boardname@ to control it. Also, we can use another @boardname@ as a radio controller for the @boardname@ that's in the car.
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**Getting a car to hack**
Ask friends or family members if they have any old RC cars lying around. Scout around at thrift shops and other second hand stores for donated RC cars.
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## Activities
* [Make](/projects/rc-car/make)
* [Code](/projects/rc-car/code)
* [Connect](/projects/rc-car/connect)
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Let's make it!
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