How to Do Backflips with an RC Car (Step-by-Step)
Backflips are the crown jewel of RC stunt driving — and they're more achievable than most people think. This guide breaks down exactly how to set up your ramp, nail the throttle timing, and land consistent flips without destroying your truck in the process.
Watch the Tutorial
Tools You'll Need
- 1RC stunt truck (ideally a 6S backflip-capable model)
- 2Steep ramp — 60° or greater, or a dedicated stunt ramp
- 3Open flat landing zone — minimum 15 feet of clear space
- 4Fully charged 6S LiPo
- 5Spare servo saver (recommended)
Step-by-Step Guide
Use the right truck — this matters more than technique
Not every RC car can backflip. You need a truck with a high power-to-weight ratio, a wheelbase short enough to rotate quickly, and enough suspension travel to absorb the landing. The ARRMA Notorious 6S is the benchmark — it's the only production RTR truck specifically engineered for backflips, with a center of gravity and motor placement dialed in for rotation. Trying to flip a long-wheelbase crawler or a 10th-scale touring car is a recipe for broken parts, not backflips.
💡 Tip: If you're on the fence about the Notorious, know that its short wheelbase and 6S power make the flip feel inevitable once you have the ramp dialed — it wants to go over.
Build or find the right ramp
Backflips require a steep launch angle — 55° to 70° is the sweet spot. A 45° ramp will send your truck forward more than upward, and you'll run out of rotation before coming back around. Steeper is better for flips. A dedicated RC stunt ramp, a wooden quarter-pipe, or even a steep dirt berm can work. The surface of the ramp needs to be smooth and consistent — bumpy or warped ramp faces cause unpredictable launches that kill your rotation angle. Width should be at least 14 inches to give your truck a consistent line every time.
💡 Tip: If you built our 45° ramp, add a kicker at the top to steepen the launch angle — a 2×4 block cut at 20° screwed to the peak adds enough extra angle to get rotation started.
Set your landing zone
Clear a flat landing area of at least 15 feet in front of the ramp. Grass is ideal — it absorbs impact and slows the truck if the flip is short or long. Concrete and pavement are unforgiving on hard landings and will punish under-rotations. Remove any obstacles, rocks, or curbs from the landing zone. Your truck will come down roof-first on a good flip and wheels-first on a slight over-rotation — both are survivable on grass. Landing on pavement with a bad rotation can break arms, strip servo gears, or snap a hinge pin.
Hit the ramp straight and fast — no corrections mid-ramp
Approach the ramp head-on at full throttle. The biggest mistake beginners make is steering on the way up — any left-right correction on the ramp surface throws off your rotation axis and sends the truck into a barrel roll instead of a clean backflip. Pick your line 10 feet before the ramp and commit. Keep both thumbs in position but don't steer. Speed is your friend here — too slow and you won't complete the rotation, too fast and you over-rotate. With the Notorious on 6S, 60–70% throttle on approach is a solid starting point.
💡 Tip: Mark your approach line with cones or chalk so you hit the center of the ramp consistently every run.
Full throttle at the lip — the timing window is small
As your front wheels reach the top edge of the ramp, punch the throttle to 100%. This burst of power at the launch point drives the rear of the truck down and kicks the front up into the flip. The timing window is roughly half a second — too early and you're just going fast, too late and the truck has already left the ramp. The throttle burst is what separates a backflip from a long jump. You'll feel this timing become instinctive after a handful of attempts.
Cut throttle mid-air and let the rotation happen
Once you're airborne, come off the throttle completely. Fighting the controls mid-flip usually makes things worse — the truck is committed at this point. Watch the rotation and only make a small steering input if the truck is drifting heavily to one side. On a clean launch from a straight approach, the truck should track nose-over-tail with no steering input needed. Let it rotate.
Land and drive away
A completed backflip lands wheels-down. Slight over-rotation means roof-to-wheels — still survivable. Serious under-rotation (less than 270°) means nose-first or roof impact at speed — this is where parts break. If you're consistently under-rotating, increase approach speed or try a steeper ramp angle. If you're over-rotating, back off slightly on the throttle burst at the lip. After landing, immediately check servo response and steering before the next attempt. Inspect the truck after every session — hinge pins and servo savers take the most abuse.
💡 Tip: Film every attempt from the side at eye level. Slow-motion footage makes it immediately obvious whether your launch angle or throttle timing needs adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the minimum power level needed to backflip an RC car?
You need enough power to launch with serious authority — 4S is marginal for most ramp setups, 6S is the sweet spot. With a properly steep ramp and good technique you can coax a flip out of a 4S truck, but 6S makes the timing window much more forgiving.
Why does my truck barrel roll instead of backflipping?
Almost always caused by steering input on the ramp, an off-center approach, or a warped ramp surface. Approach dead-straight, hands off the steering stick until airborne, and make sure your ramp surface is flat with no side-to-side tilt.
How do I stop breaking parts on bad landings?
Land on grass instead of pavement whenever possible. RPM arms and a quality servo saver are the two upgrades that pay off the most on stunt trucks — OEM plastic arms are the first thing to snap on a nose-first landing.
Can I backflip without a ramp?
Technically yes — a steep dirt berm, a curb, or even a rock can act as a natural kicker. But results are much less consistent and harder to dial in. A purpose-built steep ramp gives you the repeatability to actually learn and improve.
Is the ARRMA Notorious good for beginners?
It's easy to drive but 6S power demands respect. If you're brand new to RC, spend a few sessions just driving and getting comfortable with the speed before attempting flips. The truck itself is forgiving — the physics are not.
Gear for This Guide
ARRMA Notorious 6S BLX Stunt Truck RTR
The truck this guide is built around. Short wheelbase, 6S power, and a weight distribution engineered specifically for backflips. Nothing else in the RTR market comes close for stunt work.
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