lbz34

iTrader: (28)

RB5 gets my vote, so much batter than the associated I have in quality, and way smoother but it is the SP2 WC

Ctimrun

iTrader: (18)

RB6 is my choice. Buying a B4.1 and all the typical upgrades for it closes the price gap between the two to a negligible amount. The quality alone of the Kyosho cars is worth the price difference, not to mention all the steering.

Davidka

iTrader: (86)

No reasonable racer will spend $200 (the price difference between the B4 and the RB6) into maintaining the car for a season or even two seasons.

Your statement also implies that the cost of maintaining an RB6 across that timeline will be far less. How much to Kyosho CVD's cost again?

Stealth_RT

iTrader: (5)

No one's mentioned gearing options. I know with the AE, you can get 72T spur gears, or even use 22 slipper pads and a 22 70T spur gear, so you can gear high enough for a 17.5 blinky class. What spur gear options are there for the RB6? (I don't have one, and haven't seen one at the track yet, so I don't know) How big of a pinion can you fit on the car with the smallest K-car spur gear? Something you need to find out before making a final decision.

The only ridiculously overpriced parts that Kyosho sells, that I've noticed, is their bb shock springs. $20 a pair???@!?!?!?! Are you kidding me? REALLY@!!!?????? I can buy 1/8th scale springs for less than that! I guess if you bought the RB6, you could always use AE BB springs and save the cash for tires.

t8rtot

iTrader: (14)

That's like buying a ferrari and filling it with 87 unleaded fuel.. You'll do more harm than good and AE springs don't go thru the same range of stiffness as the X-Gear springs.

the kit setup is money, but if you do need to change springs they're cheaper at Speedtech, just like 90% of the other parts compared to Amain etc..

You guys kill me with your thought processes.. I understand cost plays a factor but I don't understand how you guys can so blindly follow AE down a path of just ”Good Enough” products.

Everytime a company develops something new or different or something to compete against AE if you guys can't find any other fault of the kit you guys go too the one place no one can match AE.. price.

You admit the quality is inferior, the the supply chains are good but the car is aging, and is starting to need alot more hop ups to stay competitive.. So company X comes along with 50yrs of quality, and world championship winning experience and rolls out a BENTLEY (compared to AE) and this car handles better, is stronger, last longer, will provide the newest technology and materials and continue to push the edge of R&D. But you guys don't think you should have to pay for any of that? You guys try to find cheaper ways to maintain it and would rather stick to a company that has rested on it's laurels and truly will just continue to buy the best racers to keep it's customer base.

When was the last time AE came out the the next Revolution? The don't push the edge, they wait until Traxxas makes it popular then they roll their version out which usually means modifying their existing chassis'

While KYO maybe not be revolutionary on the offroad side minus shocks and the MP9 they really own alot of other markets.

Not saying AE is crap but if you're comparing cost or is the Kyo worth it or better, then you need to hold one and drive one.. I've owed 8 different brands in the last 4yrs in various classes and I'll never go back to AE just off of quality alone. Way too many better products to justify it, and going with KYO, SCHUMACHER, TAMIYA etc, the phrase ” you get what you pay for” holds true every time

Rant over

Davidka

iTrader: (86)

In bold: How can you even say that? The B4 has needed the fewest hopups out of the box of any of it's competitors throughout its history and AE has always updated the kit setup to maintain that. See the RB5's development history ($150+ or rear end updates) for a glimpse into the RB6's future.

Technology? An aluminum slab is not technology. It's a slab of aluminum that copied the TLR22, another proven, revolutionary platform that costs more than $200 less than the RB6 so no, we do not believe Kyosho's asking price is worth it, otherwise this thread would be full of recommendations for the RB6.

aeRayls

iTrader: (3)

I'll say this: I've been in the hobby 20 years. Owned quite a few brands. I've raced for a few companies including kyosho and I now run for Associated. Kyosho/Tamiya quality is just plain awesome, it really is. BUT...BUT!!!! That quality absolutely, positively, Does NOT translate into a faster car!

The slop that the ae cars develope does not affect lap times negatively, it just doesn't. I go through a lot of kits... A LOT, only because I like building new fresh kits. Every time i get a new car it runs the exact same lap times as my supposedly "slopped out" car.

Look at it like this:
B4.2 $280, only item I see needed is rear C hubs=$12... $292

RB6 $450 I can only assume it needs a couple extra... But still that's a difference of $158 bucks... That's a lot of spares/diff rebuilds/tires/wheels (metric screw kit for the original poster) etc... Before you just get to the kit cost of the RB6.

JiuHaWong

I'd go with Kyosho. AE's quality control has slipped since their acquisition by Thunder Tiger. I've been building AE kits since the late 80's, and they have always required some hand-fitting. No Kyosho or Tamiya kit that I've built required such work.

Sure, the kit can still perform, no one would argue that. But Kyosho has better fitment than the AE by far. Prior to the 4.2 coming out, you would spend as much as the the price of the Rb6 to get all the goodies: (BB, Hexes, steering rack etc). Were the extra parts necessary? Not really, but most weekly racers would upgrade with those parts anyways.

BRSracing

iTrader: (67)

I have have built a lot of Associated cars recently and have never had a issue with any fitting. Both cars are good, one huge factor that would help me decide is what does the hobby store stock for parts. Both cars will need stuff over time, make sure your local hobby store stocks parts for which ever one you choose.

teeforb

iTrader: (94)

I almost always get my parts online. Cheaper and more convenient for me. I also don't want to limit what I buy with the part availibility at the track or local stores.

What are the necessary upgrades to the rb6?

What's the durability between the two? (Eating pop corn)

Cpt.America

iTrader: (52)

The price difference is NOT $200.

yes, FAR less (iv run two different iterations of the B4 for two full seasons, and have equal run time on the RB5 and 6 combined)... and for the swing shafts, its all about M.I.P. Once they release their swing shafts for the 5 and 6, that price point will go out the window. They are already released for the SC, and have been in testing for the buggies for the last couple months.

nismomike

iTrader: (6)

Something to consider is the country which these cars are manufactured in. China, Taiwan, and Japan. Different rules and Types of government control as far as manufacturing costs and wages. That all leads to bottom line costs.

Gitsum

iTrader: (1)

There are no necessary hop ups for the Rb6. It comes with all you need straight out of the box. On the gearing issue for 17.5. The Losi spurs fit fine with Losi slipper pads. AE spurs fit as well but the kyosho slipper disks are a larger diameter then AE so it's no good they ride on the ridges that hold the pads in place. If you want to spend the cash get the avid top shaft and avid slipper.

BRSracing

iTrader: (67)

Main reason I say check what your track stocks is if your at the track and your car breaks you can get back on the track vs ordering. Plus buying local keeps the doors open when you do need something. From what I have seen Associated breaks less, at least at our track that is my observation. But when I say less its not something that would sway me one way or the other both hold up well under normal racing conditions. I run Associated but would not hesitate to run a Kyosho either. What I don't like about Kyosho is parts availability and price. Parts are harder to come by, even online and they are more expensive like the kit.

teeforb

iTrader: (94)

I have hears the steering rack breaks a lot and was a necessary upgrade.