Home » Team Associated SC10 4x4 Review AE's New Short Course Winning Truck

Team Associated SC10 4×4 Review

The Team Associated SC10 4×4 is AE’s new flagship vehicle.

It is AE’s new ground up design and build model that is aimed

directly at winning short course races.

Team Associated SC10 4×4 short course racer has three different bodies to choose from: the Lucas Oil, the Pro Comp truck and the Rockstar/Makita. Each body is sleek, stylish replica of the full size race versions driven by pro-race drivers Carl Renezeder, Travis Coyle, Kyle and Todd LeDuc.

They are now available at your local hobby shop or via an online retail website.

An Overview of Some of the Best Features of the Team Associated SC10 4×4

While there is a detailed review of the Team Associated SC10 4×4′s features below, following are some features that stand out as being unique and highly desirable:

Composite Modular Chassis
Water Resistant XP SC700 Speed Control
Ability to Switch from One Way Drive to Four Way Drive

This truck has a huge power potential, meaning it has the ability to accelerate and reach speeds not found in other short course trucks in it’s class. While it is not perfect, it does get five star review ratings from numerous users. Following is a detailed description of AE’s new 4×4 short course race truck and all that it has to offer.

Suspension

The SC10 4×4 is designed and built to handle the rigors of short course racing and it certainly shines in this arena. Just don’t let that fool you into thinking that is all this truck can do. This 4×4 truck is equally at home bashin’ around your backyard or where ever you like to drive.
Following are some of the features that make this truck stronger than any other truck on the market:

Thick Suspension Arms
Aluminum Big-Bore Shocks
Heavy Duty Rod Ends
3.5 mm Hingepins
32 Pitch Gears

As you can see, this truck is designed to handle anything that may be thrown at it. It does not matter whether you decide to race the Team Associated SC10 4×4 in short course or go bashin’ through a muddy forest. I think AE have designed this truck to take a beating.

Work from the Top

When looking over the SC10 I nearly missed the fact (Ok someone else pointed it out to me) that there are no screws on the under-side – well 2 only. The bottom is as smooth as glass. All the internal parts are worked on and removed from the top.
Another small fact I overlooked but picked up by another reviewer was it also eliminated having to clean out the screw heads of packed in dirt.

Decoupled Slipper

While the SC10 4×4 does not have a center diff, it does have a decoupled slipper. In fact, this type of slipper is the best option in many ways, as it allows the front and rear tires to slip independently. This provides the SC10 4×4 with excellent traction and you get better steering in loose or bumpy corners.

Click Click Click – Front Clicker

Designed with the pro-racer in mind, they can loosen off the clicker depending on the track and set up they want. This still allows full use of 4WD under acceleration but under breaking for those sharp corners, the clicker allows the front drivetrain to freewheel – this is when you can here hear it clicking, hence the name – and allows full breaking to the rear enabling the driver to slide around the corner just like the pro’s do in the full size race trucks.
For the bashers having it locked down will probably be the best position, allowing 50/50 breaking to the front and rear.

Front Driveshaft – Nope! Drivebelt

The belt on the Team Associated SC10 4×4 is truly unique for a short course race truck. Unlike other racers, this truck has a thick yet lightweight belt driving the front running gear; a standard three gear gearbox is used to drive the rear. According to AE the belt is used to obtain high acceleration speeds, while reducing friction. As many of us know the road guys have been using belts in their nitro race cars with a great deal of success.

Large Shocks

On all four corners large 13mm adjustable shocks are fitted. They have the ability to be fine tuned by the driver to suit driving style and track conditions

Motor

The SC10 4×4 comes with a Reedy 550 SL brushless motor. Controlling the motor is the XP SC700 speed controller (ESC) which is water resistant and fan cooled.
The power department is always personal preference and for those that wish to switch motors, all 540 brushless motors fit and most 550 motors do. There are a couple of 550′s that require some minor chassis mods to get them to fit. (www.rctech.net has some good threads about motors)

Just How Well Does the Team Associated SC10 4×4 Work?

AE’s new flagship short course truck has performed superbly in test drives. The acceleration is simply beautiful. The truck instantly speeds off in the direction that you point it without delay. It really has the feel of a driving a truck lighter than what it actually is, giving the driver a feeling of competence and control.

The main challenge with driving this 4WD racer is handling the steering. It almost has to much! It certainly does not suffer the problem many other 4WD’s do, like pushing in the corners commonly known as understeer. The decoupled slipper design, mentioned above, helps the truck to steer and you may find yourself going around bumpy corners tighter than expected, with ease. The front clicker will also aid in cornering but for many of us leaving it locked down will be the perfect set up.

Does the SC10 4×4 Have any Drawbacks?

Since the release of the Team Associated SC10 4×4 it gets mostly five star reviews from experts and users alike. However it is not without its drawbacks and small flaws.
Most notable are…

Less than simple topping or refilling of diff oils – Not really a major problem. If you don’t mind a little bit of work it will never bother you.
Requires sway bars – These unfortunately are a must have item.
Limited to 6 cell or 2s lipo batteries – Again not a major problem unless you are into extorting insane speeds from your truck.

This truck is specifically designed for those who are serious about racing. But….. it makes one very good basher once you get used to the steering.

SC10 4×4 Features – In Summary

The Team Associated SC10 4×4 is a new racer that is making waves in the short course racing world. As a quick rundown, following are some of this vehicle’s most important features:

4WD
Thick belt
Decoupled slipper
Front clicker
Composite modular three piece chassis
Sealed receiver box
Reedy 550 SL brushless motor
Water resistant XP SC700
12mm hex drives
Top mount body
Oversized shocks

Why You Should Consider the SC10 4×4

Out of the box this RC short course truck is hard to beat. The front clicker ensures that the vehicle can easily brake steer around sharp corners and any obstacles present. The chassis is strong and can hold up to wear and tear; at the same time, the top mount style ensures that the Team Associated SC10 4×4 is easy to clean. The large shocks work well, enhance the vehicle’s appearance and give it an edge over the competition. The front drive belt has been criticized by some, it works well and I have yet to see or hear of any failures and enables the vehicle to accelerate quickly and smoothly.

If you are sitting on the fence still wondering whether this truck is the right one, my advice is just get one, I doubt you would be disappointed the SC10 4×4 really does do everything well.

Vehicle Specifications

Power Source:       Electric
Terrain:                    Off-Road
Body Style:             Truck
Scale Size:               1:10 Scale
Assembly Level: Ready-To-Run
Length:                    377mm (14.84in)
Width:                      293mm (11.54in)
Wheelbase:            327mm (12.87in)
Weight:                    2775g (6.12 lbs)
Internal
Gear Ratio:             2.57:1
Drive:                       4WD

What you Need

This vehicle is fully assembled and ready to run right out of the box.

Required to Complete:

Eight (8) AA batteries
6-cell sub-C or 2S LiPo rechargeable battery pack with Deans Ultra Plug
Appropriate battery charger

Summary

While this truck does have its small flaws, it is currently one of the best short course racers on the market. It is fast, fun to drive, sleek, steady and durable. It is everything that a professional racer and basher could wish for and more. Anyone who is wanting to race with a truck right out of the box will want to invest in the Team Associated SC10 4×4 and try it out for themselves. The fact that most people who have purchased the Team Associated SC10 4×4 give it five star review ratings shows clearly that this short course race truck is worth your time to take a closer look.

Where to Buy the SC10 4×4?

Currently online stocks are thin to say the least.
By mid November most stores should have them on the shelves and in the warehouses. It may be first in first served because of pre-ordering for Christmas. One thing I noticed in the past couple of days, prices are already getting competitive.
Hobby People is one place that has good deals going for the SC10 4×4 and they are good to deal with. They are not new to the hobby scene they have been around for more than a few years and if you are in Southern California or Las Vegas drop into one of there stores and check them out.
Alternatively you can go to their website www.hobbypeople.net and see the greats deals they have including the Team Associated SC10 4×4.