New 1/8 MT from Associated! Looks interesting. Rival MT8

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Dude, I relate. TA has been trying to catch up with the Basher crowd to break into this large market. Too little too late for them. They just keep producing garbage IMHO. One hit wonders with all the hype to match initially. If they were anything close to decent models, they would last for at least 5-8 years running with complete parts support to match. Like Arrma/HH does. And Trx.
Go to TA's website, they list numerous models. And a very large percentage say Discontinued. Look at what is not discontinued, and try finding every part for it. You will see there are very little for what they do still sell. TA's site has a bad webmaster and is poorly done and rarely updated well. The site is all hype and marketing. If you look closely, there's only a few Track Race Grade expensive kits that are worth anything. TA rests on their Old Race heritage/laurals. That's how TT sees it. TA has been poorly mismanaged by TT. A shame, because TA put surface RC on the map many years ago.
My spin.

Every race kit manufacturer only keeps parts for a few years because their cars get updated every 1-2 years. This includes Team Losi Racing.

Team Associated still makes top-level race kits (for sure the most popular, and arguably the best) and has always been a race first brand.

Their RTR stuff is hit or miss, some is just rebranded OEM stuff, some is cheapo versions based on their race kits. It all depends. There are complex stories behind all of them. But yeah, they don't keep parts support for most of them for lots of different reasons, a main one being that one of the factories they used went belly-up.
 
Yup 1/10 scale for sure 😂

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Video comparison with many RC vehicles, including the Kaiju :
I actually have an extra Kaiju that I'm not using. Maybe if I see that the MT8 chassis can take at least 26ft landings on grass/dirt I might consider a roller for the right amount. I would put the Kaiju electronics on it and a servo that I have laying around. Maybe 🤔
 
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Every race kit manufacturer only keeps parts for a few years because their cars get updated every 1-2 years. This includes Team Losi Racing.

Team Associated still makes top-level race kits (for sure the most popular, and arguably the best) and has always been a race first brand.

Their RTR stuff is hit or miss, some is just rebranded OEM stuff, some is cheapo versions based on their race kits. It all depends. There are complex stories behind all of them. But yeah, they don't keep parts support for most of them for lots of different reasons, a main one being that one of the factories they used went belly-up.
AE/TA has always been considered among the best Race rigs out there. Still to this day. I will never argue otherwise. Most popular in the states as a track kit brand.
TT allows them pretty much full autonomy with their Race Program and its budget.
Like you said their RTR stuff is hit or miss. Wouldn't be so much of a miss if they chose to develop a model better over the course of 8 years. Instead of discontinuing it after a very short while. Then pushing another for 2- 3 years, etc. Basher Hobbyists would invest in them more, if support was steady. TT is more in control of the RTR TA division. IMHO. A fail.
 
How does the MT8 drive compared to the Maxx?
I don't have the MT8, but I do have the Kaiju. I think that they drive around the same when going straight and they área not that good at cornering. The MT8 would probably be around the same experience. I'm just assuming though 😂. What I know for sure is that my bigger rigs are easier to jump while going full speed towards ramps in uneven terrain, but that wasn't your question.
 
I am not sure if team associated racing division is separate. I have an old sc5m and it's the best handling 2wd short course I ever drove, and it's super reliable. But I am not impressed with rtr stuff. I don't have to many of their rtr, just apex, but that's the worst name brand car I have. It's cringe when I see new apex 2 brushed that sells for 400$. I am not even sure why apex is not just rtr tc3, it may look similar but at least suspension parts are completely different
Still have my TC3 from when I carpet raced in early 2000's. The last rig I ever competed with. It was never quite dialed how I liked it. The only TA kit rig I was ever disappointed with, no mattered what I tried. It was the Factory Team edition. And then I added every single composite part available and the CF driveshaft. By comparison to todays stuff it is still made well. It is stiff and rigid with chassis and arms. How I like my rigs for the track.
 
AE/TA has always been considered among the best Race rigs out there. Still to this day. I will never argue otherwise. Most popular in the states as a track kit brand.
TT allows them pretty much full autonomy with their Race Program and its budget.
Like you said their RTR stuff is hit or miss. Wouldn't be so much of a miss if they chose to develop a model better over the course of 8 years. Instead of discontinuing it after a very short while. Then pushing another for 2- 3 years, etc. Basher Hobbyists would invest in them more, if support was steady. TT is more in control of the RTR TA division. IMHO. A fail.
And Thunder Tiger never really had that many great vehicles when they did make rc cars. Other than the MT-4 G3 I cannot really recall any Thunder Tiger vehicles that really interested me.
 
Yup 1/10 scale for sure 😂

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For real though. I tell myself "look at that appropriately sized 1/10 scale" everytime I walk into my garage. And with production tires almost the size of the 1/6 scale xmaxx's.
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How does a Porsche compare to an RV?
Well say what you want about the Maxx. I've never broken mine this fast. And I've even jumped it off a chain link fence with many concrete landings. The Rival, it only took one concrete jump towards the end of this video on YT I'm not a racer or go around a track. So for me, durability trumps all that. The jumps is at the 9:54 mark. It was kind of a one wheel landing. Maxx would have driven away from that . The V1 or V2

 
That was a bad landing TBH. I still like the truck, good comparison between the kaiju and MT8 suspension arms. So the MT8 arms are def meatier but possibly too stiff. If I were on the market for a cheaper 6s rig, the MT8 looks pretty good for the money. Options are always good.
I suppose the mojave arms would work on the MT8 as well.
 
That was a bad landing TBH. I still like the truck, good comparison between the kaiju and MT8 suspension arms. So the MT8 arms are def meatier but possibly too stiff. If I were on the market for a cheaper 6s rig, the MT8 looks pretty good for the money. Options are always good.
I suppose the mojave arms would work on the MT8 as well.
It doesn't matter when you have a bad landing with the Maxx. Even on concrete. I try to avoid concrete landings now, but that was a little baby jump that broke the MT8 . There's no denying that out of the box, the Maxx is more durable when I'm in the 26ft jump zone. Heck even my 28lbs Xmaxx would have driven away from that bad landing. I have many times with it. Even on concrete. TBH, I'm glad that I didn't go through with the MT8 purchase. It's just a Kaiju with a metal chassis (mostly). Yeah it probably handles better, but the durability when it comes to the Kaiju components is going to be the same. And I'm still skeptical about that metal chassis.
 
It doesn't matter when you have a bad landing with the Maxx. Even on concrete. I try to avoid concrete landings now, but that was a little baby jump that broke the MT8 . There's no denying that out of the box, the Maxx is more durable when I'm in the 26ft jump zone. Heck even my 28lbs Xmaxx would have driven away from that bad landing. I have many times with it. Even on concrete. TBH, I'm glad that I didn't go through with the MT8 purchase. It's just a Kaiju with a metal chassis (mostly). Yeah it probably handles better, but the durability when it comes to the Kaiju components is going to be the same. And I'm still skeptical about that metal chassis.
I hear ya. No arguments from me about which is tougher. I def like my kaiju,but with better handling I might choose the MT8 if I were to do it again..not sure.
I guess it really depends on what your preferred bashing style is. I like a better handling rig myself,even if it means sacrificing some durability. But hey, as long as we're having fun with em!!🤘🍻
 
I hear ya. No arguments from me about which is tougher. I def like my kaiju,but with better handling I might choose the MT8 if I were to do it again..not sure.
I guess it really depends on what your preferred bashing style is. I like a better handling rig myself,even if it means sacrificing some durability. But hey, as long as we're having fun with em!!🤘🍻
Absolutely. I would pick the MT8 for light bashing and tearing through some race tracks. It's still not going to handle too well since it's a MT. It all depends on the driver too. Hehe. I prefer fixed links on the Xmaxx and Maxx for example. They rarely break on me. I've actually never broken a top arm on either of those trucks. I did once on the Xmaxx when I was trying Vivaton front hubs . I removed those and that never happened again. They bend with time, but that's about it. Same thing with the fixed steering links on those rigs. Very durable. Less adjustability, but bettering for extreme bashing. Many broken links on the Arrma rings and Kaijus.
 
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Absolutely. I would pick the MT8 for light bashing and tearing through some race tracks. It's still not going to handle too well since it's a MT. It all depends on the driver too. Hehe. I prefer fixed links on the Xmaxx and Maxx for example. They rarely break on me. I've actually never seen broken a top arm on either of those trucks. I did once on the Xmaxx when I was trying Vivaton from the hubs. I removed those and that nevermind happened again. They bend with time, but that's about it. Same thing with the fixed steering links on those rigs. Very durable. Less adjustability, but bettering for extreme bashing. Many broken links on the Arrma rings and Kaijus.
Good points.. I always looked at the maxx trucks and thought "that aint gonna hold up, plastic links,steering..no adjustments", but, yeah, they do hold up pretty damn good. TBH, I hardly ever actually adjust camber or toe on a basher either🤔
 
Well say what you want about the Maxx. I've never broken mine this fast. And I've even jumped it off a chain link fence with many concrete landings. The Rival, it only took one concrete jump towards the end of this video on YT I'm not a racer or go around a track. So for me, durability trumps all that. The jumps is at the 9:54 mark. It was kind of a one wheel landing. Maxx would have driven away from that . The V1 or V2


The Maxx is the most durable RC car I have, no doubt. They stiffened up the arms on the MT8, but yeah I'm not convinced it's better. I partially broke one on my first pack. The outdrive problem seems better but I personally think the extra flexibility of the Kaiju arms allowed them to deflect more and let the driveshafts slam into the outdrive cups. So it's a tradeoff between breaking the arms or outdrives. I got a new set of MT8 arms, so we'll see if they last longer.
 
The Maxx is the most durable RC car I have, no doubt. They stiffened up the arms on the MT8, but yeah I'm not convinced it's better. I partially broke one on my first pack. The outdrive problem seems better but I personally think the extra flexibility of the Kaiju arms allowed them to deflect more and let the driveshafts slam into the outdrive cups. So it's a tradeoff between breaking the arms or outdrives. I got a new set of MT8 arms, so we'll see if they last longer.
Cool. Yeah. After installing the bearings around my diff cups on my Kaijus, they never broke again. I hope that one day the Kaiju and MT8 get better arms(more flexible and durable) for both the upper and lower. The bulkheads, shock towers, and other big compoments are very durable and I have never broken or cracked any of them in my Kaijus. Even the plastic chassis is original. I'm hus hoping that the MT8 chassis holds up short and long term 👍
 
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