No comments about 1/8 Factory Team RC8 Buggy Kit 4WD.

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1 comments about Factory Team RC18T Kit.

1. The RC18T Team factory kit from associated electrics is by far one of the best electric offroad vehicles available. At 1/18th scale, its tiny, able to fit in a shoebox. Make no mistake though, even in its small size it can handle many huge obstacles and is loads of fun.
   
   The first thing you should know abou this is that it is a kit. This means you have to assemble everything, and I mean everything. You also must paint the body, apply the decals, put the tires on the wheels, etc. Another important note, is that the car does not come with everything you need. In addition to this kit, you will need a radio transmitter (and batteries for it), a reciever, esc (last two items can be purchased as a single item sometimes, at a loss in quality), a micro or mini sized servo, and 300 sized motor, batteries for the car, and a charger. If this is your first kit, expect to pay at minimum another $200 just to get the car running. This does not include spare tires for varying terrain conditions, paint for the body, and spare parts. This may seem like a lot, but it will be the same for every other car kit. Also, many things, such as batteries, transmitter, and charger can be used among other cars as you get more into the hobby, so its more like a wide investment.
   
   Because you assemble the kit yourself, you guarantee the quality of the build. Associated is known for good cars, regardless if they are factory assembled, but with a kit you know how much effor was put into the car, and as long as you follow the directions, know everything will work fine. The factory team kit also comes with several upgraded parts, including nuts, battery strap, upgraded shocks, linkage arms, etc.
   
   The car itself is great. With a mamba ESC/Brushless motor and lithium batteries, the truck is capable of speeds of 60 miles per hour. At this point, most drivers would not be able to control the car, it is simply too fast for anything but the most experienced drivers. Luckily, most set ups will get the car to have a top speed of 40 miles per hour, which is fast enough to win many competitions, beat your friends in races, and have a great time. The battery strap allows up to 3 LiPo cells or 6 sub c NiMH cells, but can be modified to fit 7 NiMH for more punch.
   
   The car is shaft driven 4WD, meaning you get more power, more offroad capability, and better turning from a small package at a great price. The endless supply of "hop-up" upgrade parts means the car's ability can grow as your skill level increases.
   
   For some reason, Associated did not include a slipper clutch into the car, which would prevent many of these issues. Unfortunatly there is no upgrade. One way to get around this is to make the differentials slightly loose, and replace them more often due to wear. Your other option is to get a nicer ESC that allows to adjust your starting curves, so the motor doesnt strip the gears. Or just be careful not to hit the gas too hard, and make sure everything is tuned up. The steering can get a little loose, but not enoguht to be a problem except for racers, who should be experienced enough to engineer their own solutions.
   
   The car is almost too powerful for its own good. Starting at resting and hitting full throttle immediatly can damage the drive gears if your ESC doesn't have a slow start up rate. Excessive power can strip the parts of the differential. In other words, buy spare parts and aluminum alloy ones instead of plastic, when possible. Every few runs, make sure the differentials are at the correct tightness.
   
   DO NOT LET THOSE MILD FLAWS FOOL YOU. Almost every r/c car out there has similar problems. The RC18T is a very durable truck. It can handle jumps several feet tall, take hard crashes, and keep running. It is more durable than the comparable Losi mini-t. The mini-t is a great beginner car as well, but at a cheaper price, the saying "you get what you pay for" comes into play.
   
   On a building note, there has been an issue lately where the differential loses grip. Instead of oiling between the outdrives and D shaped rings when assembling the differential, sand them lightly and glue the differential rings with the flat side in place. This will prevent them from slipping, and will lengthen the life of your differntials.
   
   Recommended parts are the Associated C1016 servo. This servo is the best one that fits in the car stock (not using the optional mounting equipment). It has the most torque and is fastest. It is also the servo included in the RTR version of the car. A mamba esc/motor is a good, but high end brushless system. Any Reedy brushed motor with a LRP, Novak, or Tekin brushed ESC (micro sized) would be a cheaper and still great option. GP1100 battery packs are recommended, but any 6 cell NiMH bar will work. LiPos are a higher end and more expensive, but ultimatly the best choice for racing or serious driving. Any micro reciever and compatible transmitter will work fine, only 2 channels are needed. Make sure its rated for surface r/c use.
   
   In the end, building your own r/c car can be a very educational experience. It can teach a lot about physics, gear ratios, radio transmission, electronics, and more. Also, since you choose your own parts based on what you feel is important, and paint your own car body, a kit makes your car a very personal item that you can quickly become very attached to.

1 comments about Team Up 1:18 Scale Dale Earnhardt Jr. Radio Control Car.

1. I bought this for my six year old son who has somehow become a Nascar fan. He loves it and has played with it often -- so far, so good.
   
   From a product review perspective, I like it because the controls are so simple to use (forward back / left right) that even my three year old can run it with no problems. Car is fast and the radio range is good. There are two negatives, though. First is that it doesn't have a rechargeable battery pack -- this is minor, but would have been nice. The other negative is a little more serious -- the car is very low to the ground. The ground clearance cannot be more than 3/8, so every crack and pebble it hits causes the car to jump and lurch which makes steering difficult. If you were running it on a completely flat surface (i.e. tennis court), it would not be noticeable, but we run it on our street and driveway and you can definitely see the affect of the ground on the car. Not a huge negative, but another 3/8 inch of clearance would have really helped.

No comments about Team Up International #24 Jeff Gordon Nascar 1:18 Scale RC Race Car.

No comments about Team Up 1:18 Scale Jeff Gordon Radio Control Car.