Overview
The Team Losi Racing 1/10 22 5.0 DC ELITE 2WD Buggy Race Kit represents the pinnacle of two-wheel drive buggy engineering and is specifically optimised for dirt and clay track racing. This is a professional-grade, full team-level kit that delivers championship-winning performance straight from the box, making it an exceptional choice for serious RC enthusiasts and competitive racers across the UK. The 22 5.0 platform has already proven itself as the next evolution of the legendary 22 2WD buggy line, and the DC ELITE variant elevates this further by incorporating all the factory race team specification parts that Team Losi Racing uses to win at the highest international levels of competition.
Whether you're competing in UK club racing, regional championships, or aiming for national honours, the 22 5.0 DC ELITE is designed to be podium-ready without requiring endless setup tweaking or expensive upgrades. This 1/10 scale electric RC buggy comes packed with carbon fibre option parts, black anodised aluminium components with silver edges, titanium turnbuckles, and all the performance-enhancing features that would normally require purchasing expensive aftermarket upgrades. For UK RC racing enthusiasts looking for a brushless electric 2WD buggy that delivers genuine competitive advantage, the 22 5.0 DC ELITE is an investment in performance and reliability.
The ELITE kit is significantly easier to drive whilst still delivering the mid-corner steering response and control that competitive racers demand. The revised steering geometry, smooth Gen3 shocks, and optimised chassis flex characteristics combine to create a buggy that is forgiving for newer drivers yet responsive enough for experienced competitors. This makes it an ideal choice whether you're stepping up from basher-style RC cars to serious racing, or you're an experienced racer seeking a proven platform for dirt and clay track competition.
Key Features
- Pro Level Ready Configuration — This kit includes all the key option parts that Team Losi Racing's factory race team uses to win at international competitions. Rather than requiring you to purchase carbon fibre parts, aluminium upgrades, and titanium components separately, they are already included in the box. This means your 22 5.0 DC ELITE arrives truly professional-specification from the moment you start building it.
- Carbon Fibre Option Parts Included — The most popular carbon fibre performance and tuning parts for the 22 5.0 platform come pre-included in the kit, including +2mm front and rear shock towers, an electronics mounting plate, and a rear wing washer. These parts provide weight savings and increased rigidity exactly where the racing community has proven they make the most performance difference.
- Black Anodised Aluminium Components with Silver Edges — All aluminium parts feature sharp black anodising with silver edges that create a professional race-ready appearance whilst offering superior durability compared to standard finishes. The contrast against the hard anodised chassis and shock bodies creates a visually striking and purposeful aesthetic.
- Aluminium Option Parts Pre-Installed — Rather than optional extras, the kit includes the aluminium components that Team Losi Racing's engineers have found improve both maintenance and performance. These include bell cranks, drag link, servo mount, outer front bearing inserts, rear camber block, C and D pivots, and aluminium nuts throughout the buggy.
- Fully Adjustable Rear Suspension with Variable Height Axles — The 22 5.0 DC ELITE features all-new inner rear pivots with roll centre, track width, anti-squat, and toe adjustment capabilities, paired with Variable Height Axle (VHA) rear hubs. This provides the most adjustable rear suspension Team Losi Racing has ever produced, allowing you to optimise the buggy for different track surfaces, grip levels, and weather conditions.
- Titanium Turnbuckles Throughout — Traditionally a premium upgrade that costs extra on other race kits, titanium turnbuckles are standard on the DC ELITE. These save weight and increase overall performance across the steering, suspension, and drivetrain geometry.
- Revamped Steering Geometry for Smooth Control — The 22 5.0 delivers what Team Losi Racing describes as the best steering feel of any 2WD buggy they have ever created. Increased bell crank and spindle arm lengths, combined with revised Ackermann angle geometry, produce significantly smoother steering feel, especially off-centre and at high speed, whilst increasing low-speed steering response for tight technical sections and 180-degree turns.
- Super Heavy Duty Slipper (SHDS) — The updated slipper clutch system features all-new slipper plates, pads, spring, spur gears, and top shaft with sturdy M4 lock nut. The refined slipper pads accommodate spur gears from 69T to 81T, whilst reduced pad area provides more linear slip through throttle application. Thicker slipper plates maintain consistent pressure across the pad surface for reliable performance throughout a race.
- Gen3 12mm Big Bore Shocks for Smooth Plush Handling — The new generation 3 shocks deliver the plush handling and consistent, leak-free bleeding of previous generations with significant ease-of-use improvements. Pistons are now secured by screws rather than e-clips, new shock caps and bodies increase spring collar height by 3mm for lower ride heights, and new eyelets with screw-in features prevent spring cups from popping off. Two eyelet lengths allow switching between different ride heights, and revised shock balls slide smoothly into front arms.
- 2.0mm Milled Aluminium Chassis — The 7075-T6 aluminium milled plate chassis at 2.0mm thickness is engineered to maximise flex characteristics for all track surfaces. This thickness provides the ideal balance of rigidity and flex for smooth cornering, optimised weight distribution, and bounce-free landings on jumps.
- Fully Updated Ball Differential — All components in the ball differential have been revised from the proven 22 2.0 design to deliver super-smooth, long-lasting performance. Features include revised thrust washers, tungsten carbide diff balls and thrust balls, one-piece nut design, and self-centering diff gear for reliability throughout extended racing sessions.
- Built-In Motor Fan Mount — Spec racing often requires motor cooling fans to manage temperatures during extended heats. Rather than using adhesive tape or aftermarket brackets, the 22 5.0 DC ELITE includes a moulded fan mount secured directly to the mud guard for easy, dependable fan installation without additional drilling or modifications.
- Lightweight Polycarbonate Body — The 22T 5.0 cab forward body is pulled from 0.8mm polycarbonate plate, providing a lightweight construction that maintains excellent balance, grip, and stability whilst offering fantastic durability. The body is pre-cut in the kit and comes unpainted, ready for your chosen colour scheme.
- Laydown Transmission Configuration — The three-gear laydown transmission moves the motor forward by over 20mm to a more centralised chassis location. This engineering benefit results in a chassis that drives much flatter through corners and carries significantly more speed mid-turn compared to traditional transmission layouts.
- Stiffezel Suspension Components — The suspension uses optimised Stiffezel material for front suspension arms, mud guards, waterfall, and soft rear suspension arms. These composite materials provide the ideal balance of durability and consistent performance that racing demands.
- Front Roll Centre Adjustment System — The kit includes the standard low roll centre (LRC) front pivot with kick shim, and optional high roll centre (HRC) pivot is available separately. New 1mm thick kick shim allows racers to run super low, low, medium, or high roll centre options with a 3mm total adjustment window for precise handling tuning.
- New Front Camber Block with Multiple Position Options — The redesigned front camber block adds a third camber adjustment position between the traditional inside and outside holes. This new position provides the best balance of steering response and stability across many different track conditions, allowing the 22 5.0 to be dialled in across varying grip levels.
- Versatile Battery Hold Down System — The most versatile and easiest to use battery system in its class, the plastic battery cradles key into the mud guards for five fixed and easily reproducible battery positions. Elastomer straps at each end stretch to fit any height shorty battery and weight plates, allowing removal and installation in seconds flat.
- Differential Height Adjustment Options — The 22 5.0 DC includes multiple differential height settings: 0mm, +1mm, +1.75mm, +2.5mm, and +3.5mm. This allows optimisation of bone plunge for different axle heights, ride heights, and grip levels to match your specific track conditions.
- 6.5-Inch Rear Wing Included — The included TLR 6.5-inch rear wing is pulled from ultra-durable 1.2mm polycarbonate and has proven itself as the longest-lasting and most stable rear wing available for 1/10 2WD buggies over the past several years. This wing provides essential downforce stability on high-speed high-grip modern racing surfaces.
- Ballast Tuning Options Available — Optional brass ballast weights can be mounted under the servo, under the battery, and under the laydown transmission idler (sold separately). This allows easy tuning of static weight and weight bias for changing track conditions, with higher static weight creating a more neutral easier-to-drive chassis on ultra-high-grip surfaces.
- All Metric Hardware — The exclusive use of metric hardware makes it simple to find replacement screws, nuts, and washers, and significantly reduces the number of different tools required in your workshop toolbox.
- Water-Resistant Design — The 22 5.0 DC ELITE is engineered as water-resistant, allowing you to race on wet tracks and muddy clay surfaces without damage to the mechanical components.
Technical Performance
The TLR 22 5.0 DC ELITE represents serious engineering for competitive 1/10 2WD racing. Built on a 7075-T6 aluminium milled chassis plate measuring 2.0mm thick, the platform delivers exceptional rigidity where needed whilst maintaining enough flex for smooth bump compliance. At 1/10 scale with dimensions of 382mm length, 250mm width, and 148mm height, the buggy presents a compact competitive footprint suited to both indoor carpet and outdoor dirt and clay racing surfaces. The wheelbase spans 280mm with front and rear track widths of 249mm each, creating a stable platform optimised for technical racing. The 2.43:1 internal gear ratio with 48-pitch gears provides competitive gearing suitable for electric brushless drive systems, and the laydown transmission configuration positions the motor centrally for improved handling characteristics. The ball differential features tungsten carbide balls and revised thrust washers for smooth, reliable performance. The suspension employs 12mm big bore oil-filled shocks with new generation 3 technology, featuring screw-secured pistons rather than e-clips, new shock caps with increased spring collar height, and innovative eyelet systems that prevent springs from dislodging. Front suspension uses Stiffezel arms paired with revised geometry for enhanced steering response, whilst rear suspension features full adjustability including new variable height hubs and inner pivots with roll centre, track width, anti-squat, and toe adjustment. The super heavy duty slipper clutch accommodates spur gears from 69T to 81T with refined slip characteristics. The pre-cut polycarbonate body in 0.8mm thickness maintains excellent balance and durability. As this is a kit requiring assembly, you will need to supply a brushless motor, electronic speed controller, servo, radio system, 48-pitch pinion gear, battery, charger, wheels, tyres, and paint to complete the build. Approximate assembly time is 3-5 hours for a competent builder. The kit includes a full set of rubber-sealed ball bearings and comes with comprehensive multilingual documentation and setup sheets from successful Team Losi Racing drivers.
What's in the Box
- 1× 22 5.0 DC ELITE Complete Kit
- 1× 22T 5.0 Cab Forward Pre-Cut Polycarbonate Body
- 1× Instruction Manual with Parts List and Explosion Diagrams (Multilingual)
- Carbon Fibre Option Parts (+2mm Front and Rear Shock Towers, Electronics Mounting Plate, Rear Wing Washer)
- Black Anodised Aluminium Components (Bell Cranks, Drag Link, Servo Mount, Front Bearing Inserts, Rear Camber Block, C and D Pivots, Aluminium Nuts)
- Titanium Turnbuckles Throughout
- Gen3 12mm Big Bore Oil-Filled Shocks with New Eyelets and Spring Cups
- Variable Height Rear Hubs with Adjustable Inner Rear Pivots
- Super Heavy Duty Slipper Clutch with Revised Components
- Fully Updated Ball Differential with Tungsten Carbide Balls
- 7075-T6 Aluminium 2.0mm Milled Chassis
- Stiffezel Front Suspension Arms and Rear Suspension Components
- Full Set Rubber-Sealed Ball Bearings
- Built-In Motor Fan Mount
- Low Roll Centre Front Pivot with Kick Shim
- New Front Camber Block with Multiple Position Options
- Versatile Elastomer Strap Battery Hold Down System
- 6.5-Inch Rear Wing (1.2mm Polycarbonate)
- TLR Low Front Wing
- Laydown 3-Gear Transmission Configuration
- All Metric Hardware
What You Need to Complete
- Brushless Motor (recommend checking compatibility with chosen ESC)
- Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) with Suitable Current Rating
- Servo with Adequate Torque for Racing
- 2.4GHz Radio System with Receiver
- 48-Pitch Pinion Gear (Sized to Match Motor and Gearing)
- Battery (LiPo 2S, 3S, or 4S depending on motor and ESC specifications; Maximum dimensions 5.5 × 1.8 × 0.96 inches / 139.7 × 46 × 24.5mm)
- Battery Charger (Sold Separately; Various Spektrum Chargers Compatible)
- Wheels and Tyres (1/10 Scale Suitable for Dirt/Clay Racing)
- Polycarbonate Paint and Masking Materials
- Hand Tools and Hex Drivers (Refer to Manual for Specific Requirements)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Team Losi Racing 22 5.0 DC ELITE suitable for beginners to RC racing? — Whilst the 22 5.0 DC ELITE is a kit requiring assembly and does not come ready to run, it is designed with ease of driving in mind. Team Losi Racing specifically engineered the revised steering geometry, smooth Gen3 shocks, and optimised chassis flex to make the buggy significantly easier to drive than previous platforms, even for drivers new to two-wheel drive racing. However, kit assembly does require mechanical ability, and you will need to purchase and install a motor, ESC, servo, radio system, battery, and charger. If you are completely new to RC cars in the UK, you may prefer to start with a ready-to-run brushless RC car, then upgrade to a racing kit once you have acquired building skills.
- What battery does the 22 5.0 DC ELITE require? — The kit is designed to accept batteries with maximum dimensions of 5.5 × 1.8 × 0.96 inches (139.7 × 46 × 24.5mm), which covers standard shorty format LiPo batteries. Suitable battery packs range from 2S LiPo (7.4V) to 4S LiPo (14.8V) depending on your motor selection and electronic speed controller rating. The battery cradle system with elastomer straps can accommodate various battery heights, making it compatible with multiple LiPo configurations available from UK RC retailers.
- What makes the 22 5.0 DC ELITE different from standard 22 5.0 kits? — The DC ELITE variant includes all the factory Team Losi Racing race team specification parts pre-installed in one box, eliminating the need for expensive aftermarket upgrades. Standard 22 5.0 kits require you to separately purchase carbon fibre option parts, aluminium upgrades, and titanium components. The ELITE includes carbon fibre shock towers and electronics plate, black anodised aluminium components throughout, and titanium turnbuckles as standard. This makes it more expensive initially but represents genuine value for serious competitors, as you receive a truly professional specification without purchasing separate upgrades.
- What is the assembly time for the 22 5.0 DC ELITE kit? — Team Losi Racing estimates approximately 3-5 hours for complete assembly of the 22 5.0 DC ELITE, depending on your mechanical experience and familiarity with RC buggy construction. This does not include painting the polycarbonate body or waiting for paint to cure.
- Is the 22 5.0 DC ELITE optimised for specific track types? — Yes, the 22 5.0 DC ELITE is specifically optimised for dirt and clay track racing. The geometry, suspension tuning, and included components are engineered for these surfaces. Whilst the platform can be adapted for other surfaces, it is best suited to outdoor dirt and clay racing environments found at UK RC racing clubs and venues.
- What makes the Super Heavy Duty Slipper clutch system an improvement? — The SHDS system in the 22 5.0 DC ELITE uses new slipper plates, pads, spring, and spur gears compared to previous generations. The key improvements include the sturdy M4 lock nut on the new top shaft, new slipper pads that accommodate larger 69T to 81T spur gears, reduced slipper pad area for more linear slip characteristics during throttle application, and thicker slipper plates that maintain consistent pressure. This results in more predictable performance under acceleration and a wider range of gearing options.
- Can the suspension be adjusted for different track conditions? — Extensively. The 22 5.0 DC ELITE offers rear pivot adjustments including roll centre, track width, anti-squat, and toe settings. The adjustable height rear hubs allow multiple ride height options. Front suspension can be adjusted using multiple roll centre options (super low, low, medium, high) with the included low roll centre pivot and optional high roll centre pivot. The new front camber block offers three position options. Differential height can be set to 0mm, +1mm, +1.75mm, +2.5mm, or +3.5mm. Optional brass ballast weights allow tuning of weight bias. This comprehensive adjustability allows the buggy to be optimised for various grip levels, surfaces, and weather conditions.
- Does the kit include wheels and tyres? — No, wheels and tyres are sold separately. You will need to purchase 1/10 scale wheels and tyres suitable for dirt or clay track racing, depending on your preferred track surface and the types of tyres your racing class or club permits.
- What radio system and receiver are required? — The kit does not include a radio system or receiver. You will need to supply your own 2.4GHz radio system with compatible receiver. Team Losi Racing competitors often use Spektrum DSM systems, which offer excellent reliability and features suited to racing, and these are widely available in the UK.
Why Buy from RC Model Shop?
RC Model Shop is a trusted UK RC retailer and authorised dealer for all the brands we stock, including Traxxas, ARRMA, Losi, FTX, Hobbywing, Spektrum and more. Based in Walsall, we have a physical store where customers are welcome to come in, view products and purchase in store. Whether you are a seasoned competitor, a weekend basher, or just discovering the world of RC for the first time, our team of experienced RC enthusiasts is here to help you find the perfect setup and provide ongoing support. Order the TLR 1/10 22 5.0 DC ELITE 2WD Buggy Race Kit today with confidence, knowing you are buying from an authorised retailer with genuine products, expert knowledge and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Shop online or visit us in Walsall — we look forward to helping you get the most out of your RC experience.
