PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES.
1:8 scale off road racing is one of the hobby’s most challenging disciplines; it requires a high standard and demands attention to detail. The latest development to come from Associated Electrics’ Area 51 is designed to push boundaries of performance and build upon the number of accolades accumulated by the RC8 series.
RC8B4 Team Kit Features
Innovative front-end geometry with reduced kingpin inclination steering blocks places the wheel pivot in the center of the front tire for increased stability and consistent steering through the entire steering throw
- Paired with a new wider upper suspension arm pivot
New gearboxes are specific to front and rear
- Front gearbox features a 3.5 deg. inclined pinion gear angle to straighten the center driveshaft for increased drivetrain efficiency and reduced phasing and vibration
- Rear gearbox features a 0 deg. pinion gear angle and center mounted rear chassis brace mount
- Both gearboxes feature larger bearing sizes over RC8B3. Switching to a 6x13x5mm flanged bearing (from a 6x12x4mm non-flanged) results in longer life of bearings and ring and pinion gears
- Reduced hardware on anti-roll bar cap for easy assembly and maintenance
- Increased strength in common areas of part fatigue; particularly around the pinion gear and outer cap
New front upper suspension arm design
- Designed to accommodate a wide range of flex and stiffness options
- Optional inserts will be made available for fine tuning flex and stiffness and will fit on the top or bottom of the arm
- Includes a molded “wing” insert for increased front-end downforce
- Uses a replaceable molded hinge pin bushing to reduce slop and increase suspension dynamics
New front lower suspension arm design
- Designed to accommodate a wide range of flex and stiffness options. Optional inserts will be made available for fine tuning flex and stiffness
- New one-piece anti-roll bar link mounts in-line with the anti-roll bar with a BHCS instead of a shock pin for simplified assembly
- Optional inserts mount to the top or bottom face of the arm–racers choice!
New rear suspension arm design
- Designed to be of optimal flex and stiffness with no insert. However, optional inserts will be made available for fine tuning flex.
- Optional inserts will be made available for fine tuning flex and stiffness and will fit on the top or bottom of the arm
- New angled one-piece anti-roll bar link is mounted in-line with the anti-roll bar with a BHCS instead of a shock pin for simplified assembly
New rear wing mount has adjustable wing angle shims, significant strength improvements, an aerodynamic shape, and extra clearance for shock position adjustment
- Two wing height options are available to tune the rear downforce
- Three wing angle positions: 0, -2, and -4 degrees.
- The improved design also secures the wing mounting nuts so that they will not spin in the mount
- The four wing mount screws into the rear tower access from the rear end of the buggy for simplified maintenance
New rear wing has more vertical fins for increased straight-line stability, a taller rear wickerbill height for increased downforce, increased strength in various areas to reduce bending fatigue, and dimples on the backside as a template for cutout holes
- Two wing buttons are included for additional tuning options: the first is a traditional one-piece flat button and the second is a vertical stabilizing fin for even more straight-line stability
New rear chassis brace has several design features and flex options
- Rear brace is mounted centrally to the gearbox, which reduces material fatigue, centralizes shear forces, and improves the life of rear end drivetrain parts
- Has three different chassis flex options using two chassis hole mounting locations
1. Use both screws (most rigid).
2. Use one screw, long location.
3. Use one screw, short location (most flexible)
- The upper brace joint has two flex tuning options at the gearbox
1. With included molded inserts that prevent twisting and only allow flex along the centerline pivot of the brace.
2. With optional turnbuckle ball for flex in more degrees of freedom.
- Removable insert to customize the amount of flex in the brace
New +1mm offset rear hub features a symmetrical left and right common design with axle height inserts for adjustable roll center tuning
- The standard bearing size used is an 8x16x5mm flanged but the hub will still accept 15x21x4mm bearing for CVA axle tuning options
New fuel tank with many new features
- A new footprint to integrate with new steering bellcrank position
- Optimized fuel tank capacity
- Includes an ergonomically designed lid puller
- Dash marks on the upper fuel tank half are measurement indications for quickly checking remaining fuel capacity after a session
- Increased splash guard height
- Longer lid pivot length results in a better closure and seal between lid and tank
- Three stackable inserts are included for volume adjustment at sanctioned events
Major Wins for the RC8 Platform, 2009-2022 (PDF)
Due to ongoing R&D, photos may not match final kit. Vehicle shown on these pages equipped with items NOT included in kit: engine, pipe and header, transponder, servos, receiver, wheels, tires. Assembly and painting required.
