Associated are very well known for
their products and quality, these attributes are found in the
RC18T. The 18T can be used for racing, bashing or just plain old
fun with the kids.
Out of the box I must say this car is a very well equipped RC,
it comes with fairly good electronics, micro steering servo and
a Super 370 motor will make the tires spin, with ease. The stock
setup is pretty fast with a lot of torque, digger donuts are
done with ease.
Drive
Train:
A long blue aluminum
drive shaft, delivers all the motor's power to the adjustable
ball diffs.. With metal shielded ball bearings everywhere, the
drive train spins really freely.
Suspension
Four plastic oil filled
shocks with coil over springs are used on each corner. Ride
height can be quickly adjusted by adding or removing preload
spacers. The front and rear shock tower has different mounting
holes to fine tune the suspension.
All four a-arms can be
installed in the front or rear or left or right. All suspension
components are made of molded plastic with captured suspension
hinge pins-no E-clips.
Steering
A C1016
steering servo provides bucket loads of torque and quick
response time to keep wheels pointed where you want in any
circumstance.
It’s a little
loose in the steering and the softness of the servo saver. I
have read up on this and Associated built it that way so it can
take more abuse.
Battery
Associated
gets four stars here. This is one of the best RTR batterys to
come in a box period. A 7.2v 1100 NiMH battery pack that comes
standard and they even include an overnight wall charger, this
is truly RTR.
Electronics
The RC18T
includes some middle of the road electronics. The ESC,
electronic speed control, is an Associated XPS 8023 Micro ESC
with forward and reverse/brake.
Dislikes:
A point that
could be improved is the spur gear. Spur gear is exposed to dirt
and rocks. Another improvement I would like to see is to change
the battery charger to a quick charge.
Likes:
I love how
they made the Rx and the ESC two separate units.
The Bucket
loads of torque in the motor that comes stock
Verdict:
This truck
makes it easy for anyone to get into the RC hobby. It's fast,
tough, affordable and all it’s a true RTR. The of RC18 line from
Associated is a good choice for any newbie to the sport, and can
be upgraded enough to make you a diehard racer. Come back soon
for head to head show down between all the rc’s I’ve tested.
Thank You
Associated for this kick Butt truck, I will also be reviewing
this with a lipo battery, so keep you eye open for that.......
With kind regards,
Franklin Nichols
