Poor quality?

[V-Rossi]

Has anyone here noticed any quality issues concerning Associated products? A lot of people here driving the B4, X-6, S2, so cars using the Associated front end, are breaking a lot of wishbones front and rear (except for the X-6, only front).
These breakages weren't caused by big crashes, but by landing not 100% right, hitting the edges of the track,... things like that. The fitting of the parts isn't as good as usual anymore as well.

[Danosborne6661]

Could just be that its winter! The cold makes the plastic that much more brittle

[i4n]

What might be happening is you're seeing the crash that breaks them (which is the small bump) but what you haven't seen is the massive full speed smash 3 weeks earlier that has severely weakened the arm etc.

I've done similar with my Losi, massive crash and then several weeks later you catch a track marker and the arm snaps.

[Mike Hudson]

never broken a rear b4 wishbone or b44 rear! Not had a problem with fronts either, only broke 2 oneyear old abused fronts wishbones last season American plastic quality seems to have fallen abit since the beginning of last year, it's little softer but not by much.

[Belsten]

Originally Posted by Mike Hudson

never broken a rear b4 wishbone or b44 rear! Not had a problem with fronts either, only broke 2 oneyear old abused fronts wishbones last season American plastic quality seems to have fallen abit since the beginning of last year, it's little softer but not by much.

I have All my fault though. Its not made in america any more though is it ?

[Southwell]

Originally Posted by Belsten

I have All my fault though. Its not made in america any more though is it ?

Nope, China i think.

Before i switched i saw a noticeable difference in the quality of parts (i.e. wishbones and shock towers breaking in crashes which they never did before production moved.

[V-Rossi]

During the winter I'm racing indoor, so temperature isn't the issue here, and indeed some wishbones might have had a few crashes which damaged the wishbone and continued doing this, but certainly not all.
British drivers don't have this problem, they can drive

Production moving to China was indeed a big difference, maybe cheaper to make for AE, but more expensive for the drivers as the quality is below standards.

[Chrislong]

I go through phases, and I think it is me rather than the wishbones - but I can go for months and months and not break one. Then go through loads at one event, such as Stotfold national last year, think I did 5 between 2 cars.

I consider them to have a sweet spot - where if caught at a particular angle they'll go with little force, whereas othertimes I can cartwheel for miles, or nose dive from a jump and it keep on going - unweakened.

Also same with towers, can have some large crashs and it'll be fine, then on a relatively lame roll the familiar crack noise brings a broken shock tower.

Perhaps it is the phantom noise that breaks the plastic rather than the crash.