Associated -Aint what they used to be?

[Demon-TC3]

hey all,
so i just received an order from RCboyz for more TC4 parts, and im delighted to see that the front arms i got are the original USA ones, not the chinese ones...
Is it me, or are these ones MUCH stronger than the chinese ones they now make? ive gone through about 4 of these chinese ones in 2 months whereas i would go through 1 of the original's in about 4 months...if that...
it could just be my driving has gone downhill...but i just dont think that the chinese ones are as strong...(material looks to be different as well)


anyone any idea?

Demon

(P.S dont get me wrong, im a die hard AE fan, but its something ive noticed)

[rccardude04]

You're right. They've sold their soul to an overseas company and no longer do what they used to.
I'm surprised Losi hasn't done it also, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time... They have fallen to the mainstreamness of mini cars though apparently.

Welcome to what I will always call the "Race Roller" era. It has begun...
-Eric

[Demon-TC3]

well, as far as i know Thunder tiger now owns AE...no idea where TT is based so i cant comment on the design of cars, but the TC4 was made during the original associated era and the design is purely associated, problem is, since they produce in china now, teh quality of the components is...not up to scratch...


An example, before on the original red and white packaged associated parts, the TC4 was really solid, each arm could handle so much abbuse it wasnt even funny, my car was renowned for being reliable! after one REALLY bad crash, i lost the a arm... so, no worries, at least AE parts are well priced, i had plenty more in nice blue/ white packaging....oh dear....

These arms are made in china (written in really small print in bottom corner) and i would go through one every other meeting, granted the impact that did break most of them was hefty( even though the original arms could take it i think) some of them was just a bump and they would break!

To be honest, my faith in AE is fairly shooken up over this...but, we will see...maybe they will sort something out with the production factory in china.

Take care all,
Demon

[rccardude04]

TT is based in Taiwan.
They have awesome helicopters, decent airplanes, and fairly good cars, but their plastics have always been an issue on the cars.
When TT bought them, it was supposed to be that they were not changing anything. However, it looks like they're even using RTR plastics in kit form.
Associated is dead to me.
-Eric

[Demon-TC3]

im not sure they are using tamiya grade ABS quite yet although its deffinately changed...the new stuff is even weaker than the old graphite ones (which was weaker than the old normal ones).

Ive always used the normal arms, non graphite as they are (or where) stronger and weighd such a tiny bit more that no one cared...

oh well, i sent AE an e-mail to see if its just my batch of arms that are garbage or what is going on, their customer support used to be fairly good, lets see what happens.

Peace,
Demon

[travis j]

Well from what I'v seen and heard,all of ae's kits and parts have been made overseas since 06,but ae dident change the "made in usa" on the bags until early this year.Having said that,Iv had great luck with tt made ae parts.

[Demon-TC3]

....so....the parts i got are chinese? DAMN!

my kit im fairly sure was made in USA..im only assuming as the stock arms are deffinately a different color to the ones i get nowadays....who knows.

All i know is that, change = bad in this case..

Anyone else feel free to comment (just dont turn into a flame war)

Peace,
Demon

[MattHiggins]

I tested the new TC5 on an indoor carpet track and let two other drivers run hot laps and nothing broke. I haven't witnessed any quality issues under Thunder Tiger. Just my two pennies, guys.

[Demon-TC3]

Well, i got an e-mail back from Ae saying the parts have always been made the same way in the same place...go figure?

Oh well, i guess i will put this one down to a bad month of driving :P


Take care all,
Demon

[Adanmtxt1]

How do you discern US parts from Chinese parts?

[rccardude04]

Maybe they had a bad run of plastic or something? That type of stuff happens sometimes.
-Eric

[Demon-TC3]

How do you discern US parts from Chinese parts?

Well, the packaging from the USA parts is the red/white american flag packaging, whereas the new is blue and white in a new scheme (i actually preffer the new packaging :P - no offence just think it looks cool)

Anywho , the color of the plastic itself is different as well...
And yea, thats what im putting it down to, bat batch of plastic...swapped out the arms and these ones seem to reaach me expectations,..

take care,
Demon

[RS4rally1124]

also if you are concerned about arm strength ever tried boiling them first? i know it used to make a huge difference on my hpi arms that broke so often.


jt

[Demon-TC3]

I thought that only worked for Graphite arms? if it works with regular as well, then ill get the kettle on!

How does it work exactly, i haerd allot about it but never done it....


Cheers.
Demon

[NORTEX-T1FK]

You cant throw a rock in, or outside your house and not hit something that is'nt made in the "east". Some manufacturers just have higher standards than others.

[Demon-TC3]

lol, well i dont mind products being made in any country to be honest, its just that i also expect the quality to be good. i talked to AE, customer support said that they are still making the TC4 parts the same way and in the same place as always and maybe there is a bad batch floating arround, i actually agree, i changed the arms (after they had broken) and the ones on now (still blue packaging) have survived a fair few knocks, so maybe they where on to something.


Ah well, who knows
take care,
Demon

[Adanmtxt1]

Boiling arms, shock towers, carriers, knuckles, and other parts work for typical plastics, carbon composites, and graphites. Yeah, outshoring shouldn't produce parts of lower quality, so it may just be a bad batch. It's a good thing parts for the TC4 are plentiful and relatively inexpensive! That's the good thing about having a popular car; great parts support.

[BIGDADDYV]

Guys I want to place a little light on this subject .... I am a DIE HARD AE fan .. I have probably owned all their rides to date with the exception of the newer nitro stuff and the tc5 ... They are great IMO .. What they told you was true as far as they knew but there are several things that play into a parts ability to work properly .....

I also want to go on record as saying that I am an EBMM ( EXTRUDED BLOW MOLDER MECHANIC ) ... Shedding a little more light on this I can tell you that there are hundreds of things that go into the factoring of plastics hardness .... Anything from the compounds themselves ( IE different UV protectorants to of roughly 100 others ) to barrel heats and or head heats ...... These will all in the long term effect the way plastic holds its shape and rigidity.. AE buys the plastic thats what we can call for the sake of this thread ( AE BLEND ) ... Then what happens to it after that is completly up to the manufacturer . How it is processed is usually a total mystery to AE all they knew is they bought the same stuff they have been using .... Now as a consumer we need to ( if theres a problem ofcourse) to tell them something is going wrong with thier product so they can have thier Q.A Dpt follow up on these complaints .. TRUST ME THEY WILL GIVE SOMEONE A CALL IF THERE IS A PROBLEM ....
You can also ask AE providing you have reciepts to send you some stuff due to the fact that you have spent this type of money and are willing to stay a loyal customer ... It might work and it might not but its always worth a shot...

Seriously sorry for your bad luck with the parts .... I say tone down the driving a bit ( INSERT WINK ) just to make sure it isnt operator malfunction and give them a call..... The worse they can say is Sorry about your bad luck ......

Thats my 3 cents .....

[Demon-TC3]

well to sum it up, that is what they said. i did contact them and they said, if you can send the parts over for inspection and replacement, unfortunately im in the UK and throw the packaging away as soon as i use the arms... i did send them some high res pics and they asked about the track and whatnot.

in the end they said that they cant monitor use and that every crash is different, they appologised and assured me they are made as they always have. they didnt rule out the possibility of a bad batch, although since i theres no hard proof i personally didnt see the point in further persuit.


Still, nice of AE to get in touch with me, most other guys wouldnt!

Take care all,
Demon