I just noticed on the Assoc. web site that this is discontinued. Now I know I have been out for a while but what is up with AE? Are they getting out of the pan cars altogether seeing as they have been bought out?

Thank goodness for Murdock coming out with a front-end soon I guess.

CRC also has one but I do not think you can get it right now.

I spoke to Associated the other day, and from the conversation I had with them it appears that older kit parts are no longer a part of their business strategy (new kits B4, T4, TC5 etc... & rtr's seem to be the focus) . I was looking for a couple of parts that have been on back order for nearly a year and they feel that if they can't move at least 1000 pieces immediately (that's the minimum the company making parts for them requires they buy) or use them for current production kits then they won't bother. Old kits to them are just that old kits thet don't seem to care about them any more. So my advice is if you see something you might need for an older car you better grab it. Because once it's gone it's really gone.

John

Guess the price of kits will go up. Maybe CW or one of the other kit producers will buy a thousand and make them available? Ralf

Well I think there are enough aftermarket parts out there to get us by. IRS lower a arms, CRC upper a arms, KSG Castor Blocks(or others), CRC Titanium Upper turnbuckles, I think both CRC and Hyper Drive make the pivot balls. So the only thingsk I can think of is the upper eyelet, and the castor shims. Lets not panic yet, plus the above parts are generally far supirior to the original anyway.

Joel White

Need a spindle also...unless someone is making them that I don't know about. Spindle and upper eye are the only AE pieces you need really.

Not sure what a Spindle is... What part are you talking about?

that's what the axel rides in................................... :thumbsup:

The steering blocks?

Steering block?

I know Rob at Murdock has been working on the old TRC front end. It is very close to the AE the spindles(steering blocks) and the eyelets are the same I think. He has another post about this and should be available soon.

It seems Thunder Tiger has no idea what or who got the RC market started. AE did alot for the oval racers for many years and they are willing to let it die to focus on the RTR market. I understand business is business but how much does it really cost them to keep a staple set of parts. Once the other front parts are ready AE can fold up and disappear.

All the parts of the WT front end will cross over except the lower a arms and caster blocks. Upper A arms, upper links, eyelets, offset & inline steering blocks will all cross over to the assciated. All of those parts are available now if needed by anyone


Rob @ Windtunnel

Yeah, the steering blocks....we call them spindles in the big car world. The other part is the stub axle. Sorry about that!!

Thats what I thought you were talking about. I think RC4Less makes them, and windtunnel. I may be wrong, but I dont think they use the assoc ones?? Well I currently have a CRC front end, and I cant wait to get my hands on one of the windtunnel ones.

I've been using that TRC/Murdock front end since the beginning, I'm glad it is being made again. Its a better unit than the Assc. IMO. Its a great front end, try it you'll like it!

Maybe it was just a matter of time before Associated would drop the oval scene. L4 car is already what?! some 4-5 year-old concept and know from them there would never be any L5. So if you still wanna keep-race L3 or L4, you better looking for Silva parts since they 'put some evolution' on this brand. And that is why I put the front end issue thread around here.

Stephane Courchesne
Drummond,Quebec

I had the AE front end on my wish list at Tower, so they would notify me when it was back in stock. I received an e-mail from them today:

SCOTT HARPER, the following item can no longer be purchased from Tower Hobbies, therefore it has been removed from your Wish List:
Associated Suspension Kit Front End RC10L

The front end is NOT discontinued, production was limited due to a mold problem. We have plenty in stock and more on the way.

So Thunder Tiger is still going to produce it?

Just another reason NOT to order from Tower hobbies. It is discontinued only if they don't want to carry it anymore. What parts do you need? My local hobbyshop has all of the AE front parts on the shelf.

That's the word from MSA/Hyperdrive

That's the word from MSA/Hyperdrive

That's correct, they can still be had. We also still have them

-Eric

...I've been told that Associated/Thunder Tiger has or is changing the way they sell to OEM's too.

I've heard that a mininum order size (forget the number of peices I was told) would have to be Pre-Ordered before they are to be mfg'd, instead of THEM Stocking them for ever themselves.

IF this is true, I could see several of the smaller chassis makers and whatnot, going together to buy them as a co-op