RCScale.co
Corner weight & balance — any scale RC
Front/Rear Weights
Enter front and rear totals from your scale. Left/right is assumed equal on each axle. Weigh in race-ready trim (battery, body, normal ride height) — the label only changes the suffix; it does not convert numbers between units.
Vehicle Visualization
Weight Scale
Weight Distribution
Tuning tips & context
These are common starting points from the RC world, not rules. Your chassis, tires, surface, and driving style always matter more than a number on a screen. Use percentages and cross-weight together with how the car actually handles.
Every scale & power type
Micro (1/24–1/18), 1/10, 1/8, 1/5, on-road, off-road, electric or nitro — the same percentage math applies. Only absolute corner weights change with vehicle size and how you build it.
On-road & touring
Many drivers chase near 50/50 front-to-rear and left-to-right symmetry, with cross-weight close to 50% on each diagonal, then fine-tune for traction and tire wear.
Crawlers & trail trucks
Comp-style crawlers are often deliberately front-heavy (roughly mid-50s to mid-60s percent front is a common ballpark) for climb traction; trail rigs vary widely. Cross-weight near 50% per diagonal is a frequent baseline before you chase handling quirks.
Bashers, short course, monster / stadium trucks
Targets are highly setup-dependent. Use this tool to document baselines after spring/oil/battery changes, compare before/after, and keep left/right reasonable unless you want asymmetric behavior.
Drag or speed-run builds
Weight bias is often used for traction off the line or stability at speed. Record what works on your prep and surface; small shifts in battery or electronics placement show up clearly in the percentages.
How to Weigh Your RC Car
Same technique works for any RC scale or class — micro, 1/10, 1/8, 1/5, on-road or off-road. Use one good scale, level the wheels you are not weighing, and record front and rear (or each corner) in consistent units.
Prepare Your Setup
- Place your scale on a flat, level surface to ensure accurate readings.
- Ensure your RC car is in its race-ready state with all batteries, parts, and tires mounted.
- Zero or tare your scale before each measurement.
Weigh the Front Wheels
- Place both front wheels on the scale platform.
- Level the rear wheels using blocks or shims of equal height to match the scale platform height.
- Wait for the reading to stabilize, then record as your front weight.
Weigh the Rear Wheels
- Turn the car around and place both rear wheels on the scale platform.
- Level the front wheels using the same blocks or shims.
- Once the reading stabilizes, record as your rear weight.
Pro Tip: Verify Your Measurements
For best accuracy, measure the total weight of the car with all four wheels on the scale. The sum of your front and rear weights should match this total weight (within a small margin for scale precision).
Frequently asked questions
- What does RCScale.co do?
- RCScale.co is a free calculator for RC vehicle weight distribution. Enter front and rear weights (basic mode) or all four corner weights (advanced mode) to see left/right split, front/rear balance, cross weight on both diagonals, and total weight — with optional 2D or 3D visualization and installable PWA support.
- Does this work for all RC cars and scales?
- Yes. The math is the same for micro crawlers, 1/10 and 1/8 off-road or on-road, large-scale (e.g. 1/5), drag builds, bashers, and nitro or electric — only the absolute corner weights change. Pick the unit label (g, kg, oz, lb) that matches what your scale shows; we do not convert numbers between units, so stay consistent.
- Can I measure corner weights with only one scale?
- Yes. Weigh both front wheels together, then both rear wheels together, and use basic mode — or follow the step-by-step guide on this page to level the wheels you are not weighing. For true per-corner data, weigh one corner at a time with the other three supported at the same height.
- When should I use basic vs advanced mode?
- Use basic when you only have front and rear totals (left/right is assumed equal on each axle). Use advanced when you have four corner loads from individual weigh-ins or four load cells — you will see left/right imbalance and both cross-weight percentages.
- What do the g / kg / oz / lb buttons do?
- They only change the label next to your numbers. Percentages stay the same. Type values in whatever unit your scale displays, select that label, and use it for every field so your totals stay meaningful.
- Is RCScale.co free?
- Yes. The app is free in the browser. You can also install it as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on your phone or desktop for quick access.
- What is cross weight on an RC car?
- Cross weight (sometimes called wedge) is the combined weight on diagonal corners — typically left-front plus right-rear versus right-front plus left-rear, each as a percentage of total weight. It describes how load is split across diagonals, which affects handling and traction.