Team Associated vs. TLR

There’s no doubt that in the USA, the two main competitors when it comes to race-level RC cars is Team Associated (AE) and TLR.  Go to any major race in the U.S., and drivers for these two brands will be at the top duking it out to stand atop the podium.

Having owned a couple of AE cars (B5 and B5M lite) and TLR cars (22SCT 2.0 and 22T 2.0), there are definitely some different design philosophies at play here that reflect each company’s character.  I thought I’d go over the main differences you’ll find when you purchase one of the two competitor’s kits, and overall who I feel has the advantage in each category.

Manuals:
I find the Associated manuals a little more accurate with fewer mistakes, but the TLR manuals tend to be a little more like technical books with nice CAD drawings.  I like the fact that AE manuals are English specific and have additional tips and tuning suggestions, while the TLR manuals are language-free and uses symbols which is less readable for Americans.

Advantage:  AE

Plastics:
The AE plastics feel like they contain more fiber content and usually beefier than their TLR counterparts.  AE plastics also have a softer feel to them, although they are quite firm.  TLR plastics feel like they have a harder shell with a softer core almost.  Both plastics are fine, but I like the feel of the AE plastics better and I feel like the screws thread into them a little better.

Advantage:  AE

Metals:

I find the TLR metals parts to be of very high quality.  The anodizing is really clear and even, the metals are sturdy, even the ballstud spacers are amazing.  AE metals aren’t bad, but seem a half step down from TLR parts.

Advantage:  TLR

Design:
There’s no doubt that the AE line of cars are very elegant and are put together with fewer parts.  The 22 2.0 line of cars are a little more fiddly, like someone grabbed a bunch of LEGO bricks together and slapped them together, but this may be in part due to having a convertible rear and mid-motor platform.  The steering bellcranks in particular are horribly fiddly.  TLR cars also tend to be very adjustable, and they like to use shims to angle and adjust kickup, anti-squat, etc.  Whereas AE tends to use inserts and different parts to make adjustments.

Advantage:  AE

Shocks:
TLR makes hands-down top-shelf shocks.  There is no comparison.  The pistons are machined, the caps are machined aluminum, the bleeder screws use copper seals, they are awesome.  The fit and finish is amazing and the final product is super-smooth and doesn’t leak.

AE shocks feel more like a mass-produced budget shock and usually need some upgrades to get them halfway decent (V2 pistons/shafts, X-rings).

Advantage:  TLR

Tunability:

Nearly all TLR parts are interchangeable across all of their platforms, and as such there is a plethora of factory tuning parts available.  You can get parts in plastic, brass, aluminum, titanium, etc., different height ballstuds, different width hexes.  In fact, there are usually so many interchangeable parts, it’s easy to get confused on what part is actually kit and what setting the kit is at!

On the other hand, the aftermarket is usually more limited for TLR cars and for the AE kits this is one of their strengths.  So I would say factory parts the advantage goes to TLR, and aftermarket parts the advantage goes to AE.

Advantage:  tie