Team Associated TC6 Factory Team Review
The RC10TC6 Factory Team kit is the newest edition to the family and legacy of competitive, high performance 4WD touring cars by Team Associated. Designed to take full advantage of all the latest technological advances made in 1:10 scale electronics, the TC6 has been optimised to use all of the benefits offered by brushless motor systems and LiPo batteries. The engineers behind the doors of Area 51 have been hard at work developing the TC6 to blend the best qualities of high performance and adjustability without sacrificing durability or ease of maintenance.First Impressions:
On first impression the Carbon fibre was very nice. The chassis is a nice design and pretty narrow. Parts were packed nicely and organised.
The following night I got to work on the kit. I may have been one of the lucky ones but my kit was flawless. I have heard of some of the earlier kits missing some parts or not having a bulkhead tapped. I had no problems whatsoever. All the parts were very high quality and most everything went together easily.
Shocks:
The TC6 shocks are very smooth. The screwed in piston is a welcome change from the Photon. The Photon uses e-clips which developed a click if not shimmed properly.The TC6 includes the Factory Team VCS3 shock package that features hard-anodised threaded shock bodies with bottom-loaded seals. The VCS3 shocks are super smooth and have an increased stroke for more up-travel at the wheels, all adding up to more consistent overall traction.
Slipper Spool:
The Slipper Spool seems like a good idea, we will see over time. High traction, boards, a spool, and rubber tires are a recipe for broken front suspension parts.I do like the concept of the slipper spool allowing some give in the front end during crashes or hitting boards.
Differential:
Absolutely awesome. This Diff is so smooth I still can’t believe it.
Turn-buckles:
The blue titanium turn-buckles sure look good in the bag. Then you touch them and they turn dark and dull. Regardless, titanium is a nice touch.
Bulkheads and Suspension arms:
I like that both ends of the car use the exact same bulkheads. The use of the TC5 hard suspension arms makes for better availability of parts. I was told to switch the arm mount shims to aluminium because they stay more accurate overtime.
Shock Towers:
Shock towers are thick and look like they will hold up well. I love the shock bushings. This makes it much easier to quickly remove your shocks without the screws falling out of the shock tower while you handle your car.
Spur Gear Hub/Shaft/Bulkheads:
Excellent. Simple. Light. I also love having the gear shaft locked into place in one spot. This is way better than the Photon. The Photon later improved some with their aluminium spur gear centre pulley but the slot for adjustment sucked. Just one more thing to loosen up and mess up your belts.
Belt Tensioning Cams:
Excellent. The two piece design is way better than the Photon’s once piece design. No more sliding them in and using your flash light to look for the damn locating mark. Set them and they are ready every time you reinstall your diff.
Motor Mount Plate:
Excellent. This is one of the elegant solutions I mentioned earlier. I love the motor mount screw locations. They lock the motor from twisting and you simply slide it fore and after to set your gear mesh. Also, the low profile design in combination with the high top deck allows plenty of room for accessing pinions from the top!
Anti-roll Bars:
Another area that goes to the TC6. The way the ball stud mounts to the suspension arms allows you to pop off the anti-roll bar quickly during a practice run. The little plastic bulkhead mounts add a few extra parts but when you remove them your shock tower doesn’t come off like on the Photon.
TC6 Factory Team Kit Features
On first impression the Carbon fibre was very nice. The chassis is a nice design and pretty narrow. Parts were packed nicely and organised.
The following night I got to work on the kit. I may have been one of the lucky ones but my kit was flawless. I have heard of some of the earlier kits missing some parts or not having a bulkhead tapped. I had no problems whatsoever. All the parts were very high quality and most everything went together easily.
Shocks:
The TC6 shocks are very smooth. The screwed in piston is a welcome change from the Photon. The Photon uses e-clips which developed a click if not shimmed properly.The TC6 includes the Factory Team VCS3 shock package that features hard-anodised threaded shock bodies with bottom-loaded seals. The VCS3 shocks are super smooth and have an increased stroke for more up-travel at the wheels, all adding up to more consistent overall traction.
Slipper Spool:
The Slipper Spool seems like a good idea, we will see over time. High traction, boards, a spool, and rubber tires are a recipe for broken front suspension parts.I do like the concept of the slipper spool allowing some give in the front end during crashes or hitting boards.
Differential:
Absolutely awesome. This Diff is so smooth I still can’t believe it.
Turn-buckles:
The blue titanium turn-buckles sure look good in the bag. Then you touch them and they turn dark and dull. Regardless, titanium is a nice touch.
Bulkheads and Suspension arms:
I like that both ends of the car use the exact same bulkheads. The use of the TC5 hard suspension arms makes for better availability of parts. I was told to switch the arm mount shims to aluminium because they stay more accurate overtime.
Shock Towers:
Shock towers are thick and look like they will hold up well. I love the shock bushings. This makes it much easier to quickly remove your shocks without the screws falling out of the shock tower while you handle your car.
Spur Gear Hub/Shaft/Bulkheads:
Excellent. Simple. Light. I also love having the gear shaft locked into place in one spot. This is way better than the Photon. The Photon later improved some with their aluminium spur gear centre pulley but the slot for adjustment sucked. Just one more thing to loosen up and mess up your belts.
Belt Tensioning Cams:
Excellent. The two piece design is way better than the Photon’s once piece design. No more sliding them in and using your flash light to look for the damn locating mark. Set them and they are ready every time you reinstall your diff.
Motor Mount Plate:
Excellent. This is one of the elegant solutions I mentioned earlier. I love the motor mount screw locations. They lock the motor from twisting and you simply slide it fore and after to set your gear mesh. Also, the low profile design in combination with the high top deck allows plenty of room for accessing pinions from the top!
Anti-roll Bars:
Another area that goes to the TC6. The way the ball stud mounts to the suspension arms allows you to pop off the anti-roll bar quickly during a practice run. The little plastic bulkhead mounts add a few extra parts but when you remove them your shock tower doesn’t come off like on the Photon.
TC6 Factory Team Kit Features
- Chassis optimised for LiPo batteries and brushless motors
- Motor moved 13mm in toward the chassis centre, and spur gear lowered 5mm from TC5
- Servo mounting slots to ensure proper fit of multiple servos
- Symmetrical bulkheads utilised throughout the TC6 chassis
- Updated steering system featuring more Ackermann options for improved steering input rate, resulting in more consistent handling
- VCS3 shock with hard-anodised threaded shock bodies that feature bottom-loaded seals and additional stroke for more up-travel at the wheels
- Long upper camber link option for increased corner speed
- Easy-access suspension arm mounting screws thread into bulkheads
- Titanium turnbuckles with new ballcup eyelets for easy access to ball stud
- Hard-anodised diff outdrives for low wear and long life
- 20 precision ball bearings
- Cross-compatibility with TC5 suspension components
- Hardened steel CVAs with cross-pin retaining clips
- Front and rear anti-roll bars included
- Belt drive with adjustable differential heights and belt tension