TEAM ASSOCIATED RC28R TEAM KIT WITH RADBODY MAKO X & WHEEL/TYRES AS20168

Overview

Introducing the Team Associated RC28R Team Kit with RADBODY Mako X body and tyres — a compact yet precision-engineered on-road race car that delivers big performance in a small package. Designed by the legendary AREA 51 development team at Team Associated, this 1:28 scale electric RC car is perfect for anyone seeking a highly tunable, race-ready platform that doesn't require acres of space to enjoy. Whether you're looking for a competitive RC car UK enthusiasts can trust, or simply want a ready-to-build machine that rewards careful setup and driving skill, the RC28R offers genuine racing credentials in an accessible format. This is not a ready-to-run out-of-the-box RC car — it's a kit that requires full assembly — but that hands-on building experience is part of the appeal for dedicated RC hobbyists who want complete control over their vehicle's setup and performance.

Despite its compact 140mm length and 98mm wheelbase, the RC28R punches well above its weight class with engineering solutions usually found only in larger, more expensive RC racers. The steel chassis plate keeps the centre of gravity low, whilst the innovative torsion-style side links eliminate the need for traditional side springs, making setup more intuitive whilst improving performance characteristics. Every aspect of the RC28R has been designed with fine-tuning in mind — from the adjustable servo mount that lets you dial in Ackermann geometry on the fly, to the threaded aluminium centre shock that gives you precise control over pitch, roll and droop. If you're serious about on-road RC racing and want a car that can be genuinely competitive at local clubs and events across the UK, this is a machine worth building and learning.

The inclusion of the RADBODY Mako X clear polycarbonate body means you're not just getting the chassis — you have everything needed to present a finished, street-ready racing platform. Combined with the white wheels, gear differential and universal front bumper supplied in the box, you're well on your way to a complete racing setup. This is an ideal choice for intermediate to advanced RC car builders who understand the value of a tunable platform and aren't intimidated by assembly requirements.

Key Features

• RADBODY Mako X Clear Body and Tyres Included — The kit comes complete with a professional-grade polycarbonate body and matching tyres, eliminating the need for separate body purchases and ensuring you have a finished, race-ready appearance straight from the box.
• Fixed-Arm Front Suspension with Optional Moulded Upper Arms — The front end features a robust fixed-arm design, with included optional moulded upper arms that allow you to adjust caster and camber angles, giving you critical tuning parameters to dial in the perfect handling characteristics for different track conditions.
• Front Bulkhead Design for Quick Upper Arm Changes — The innovative front bulkhead engineering enables rapid upper arm swaps whilst maintaining consistent fitment and positional accuracy, allowing you to experiment with different setups at the track without wasting valuable practice time.
• Optimised Steering Geometry with Adjustable Servo Mount — Fine-tune Ackermann geometry on the fly using the adjustable servo mount, giving you precise control over how the front wheels respond to steering input and allowing real-time setup refinement during testing sessions.
• Steel Chassis Plate for Low Centre of Gravity — The rigid steel chassis plate ensures a low centre of gravity, which dramatically improves cornering stability, reduces body roll and helps the car maintain composure through fast direction changes.
• Easily Removable Battery Holder — The innovative battery holder design allows quick battery access and swaps without disturbing the centre shock, meaning you can change batteries between heats without complete disassembly and without affecting your suspension setup.
• Torsion-Style Side Links with Three Spring Rates — Rather than relying on traditional coil springs, the torsion-style side links act as side springs and come in soft, medium and hard options, giving you three different setup paths and providing performance characteristics that conventional springs cannot achieve.
• Adjustable Rear Pod Roll Centre Inserts — The adjustable roll centre inserts let you tune roll characteristics to match grip levels on different track surfaces, helping you balance the car's balance between stability and responsiveness.
• Optimised Roll Geometry with Side Damper Tubes — The roll geometry has been carefully engineered and is further refined through adjustable side damper tubes, giving you sophisticated suspension control that responds to track conditions and driving style.
• Threaded Aluminium Centre Shock — The precision-machined aluminium centre shock features threaded construction with adjustable spring collars and droop adjustment, allowing micro-adjustments to ride height and suspension compliance across the full range of track conditions.
• Two-Piece Rear Pod with Axle Height Adjustment — The two-piece rear pod design enables quick axle height adjustments to accommodate different tyre diameters and ride heights, and includes Factory Team carbon fibre shims for precision adjustment.
• Gear Differential Included with Upgrade Potential — The kit includes a quality gear differential that also accepts aftermarket options currently available, allowing you to experiment with different differential setups as you develop your driving and tuning skills.
• Hard Plastic and Polycarbonate Body Mounting Options — Multiple body mounting options are provided, giving you flexibility in how you set up your body and allowing for different mounting geometries that suit various track conditions.
• White Wheels with Optional Front Wheel Flanges — The included white wheels fit optional front wheel flanges (sold separately), allowing you to tune steering feel and front-end response through wheel selection variations.
• Universal Front Bumper Included — A protective universal front bumper is supplied to shield the front end from track contact and minor impacts during practice and racing.

Technical Performance

The Team Associated RC28R represents a masterclass in compact on-road racer engineering. At 1:28 scale, it measures just 140mm in length with a 98mm wheelbase, making it suitable for racing in tight spaces where larger 1:10 and 1:8 scale RC cars cannot operate. However, this compact footprint should not fool you — every millimetre of the RC28R has been optimised for racing performance. The steel chassis plate provides exceptional rigidity whilst keeping weight and centre of gravity low, a critical factor in on-road racing where chassis balance directly affects lap times and consistency. The suspension system represents genuine innovation: rather than traditional coil springs at the side, the torsion-style links offer superior performance across a wider range of grip levels whilst simplifying setup. The inclusion of three spring rate options (soft, medium and hard) means you have genuine tuning paths to experiment with as you dial in the car to your driving style and local track characteristics. The threaded aluminium centre shock is precision-engineered with adjustable droop and spring collars, giving you the ability to fine-tune pitch, roll and ride height independently. The two-piece rear pod with Factory Team carbon fibre shims allows axle height adjustment without requiring a complete rear rebuild, and the adjustable roll centre inserts mean you can alter the car's natural roll stiffness to match grip conditions. The front bulkhead design with fixed-arm suspension and optional moulded upper arms for caster and camber adjustment means you have the same tuning parameters available on a 1:28 scale machine as you'd find on much larger RC racers. The adjustable servo mount allows on-the-fly Ackermann geometry tuning — a feature that normally requires complete servo tray changes on other platforms. This is genuinely a competition-grade platform that rewards precision building and careful setup.

What's in the Box

• RC28R chassis and suspension components
• RADBODY Mako X clear polycarbonate body
• Matching tyres for the Mako X body
• White wheels
• Gear differential
• Fixed-arm front suspension with optional moulded upper arms
• Soft, medium and hard torsion-style side links
• Threaded aluminium centre shock with spring collars
• Adjustable rear pod roll centre inserts
• Factory Team carbon fibre shims for axle height adjustment
• Side damper tubes
• Hard plastic and polycarbonate body mounting options
• Universal front bumper
• All necessary hardware and fasteners for assembly

What You Need to Complete

• Electric brushless motor suitable for 1:28 scale (such as Reedy Sonic 1525 series or Hobbywing Ezrun 1626Sd)
• 7.4V or similar compatible LiPo battery (Reedy 400mAh 60C recommended)
• Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) suitable for brushless motors at this scale
• Radio control system with suitable receiver and servo
• Battery charger for LiPo batteries
• Silicone shock fluid
• Silicone differential fluid
• Hobby knife and assembly tools (1.5mm hex, 0.050? hex, 1.3mm hex, 0.9mm hex, 4.5mm nut driver and PH00 screwdriver)
• Body scissors (AE Part AS1737)
• Reamer or hole punch
• Factory Team wrench set (AE Part AS1519)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• Soldering iron (if your chosen ESC requires soldered connections)
• Calipers or precision ruler for accurate measurements

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the Team Associated RC28R suitable for beginners? — This is not a beginner's car in the traditional sense. Whilst it's smaller and more approachable than 1:10 or 1:8 scale on-road racers, it arrives as a complete kit requiring full assembly. You'll need basic mechanical skills, proper tools and understanding of RC car setup. However, it's an excellent platform for intermediate builders who want to develop precision tuning skills without the cost and complexity of larger racing platforms. Beginners should probably start with a ready-to-run electric RC car or a simpler kit before attempting the RC28R.
• What battery does the RC28R need? — The RC28R accepts 7.4V LiPo batteries suitable for 1:28 scale racing. The Reedy Power 400mAh 60C 7.4V LiPo Stick Battery is specifically recommended for this vehicle and provides the right balance of power delivery and runtime for competitive racing sessions. You'll want at least two batteries so you can race whilst one is charging.
• How long does the RC28R take to build? — Build time varies depending on your experience level and available tools, but expect to dedicate 8-15 hours to careful assembly. This is not a rush job — precision assembly is critical for racing performance. Taking your time with proper fastener torque, shock fluid levels and bearing installation will pay dividends once you're on the track.
• What motor should I use in the RC28R? — The RC28R is compatible with small brushless motors in the 1525 size range. The Reedy Sonic 1525 series (available in 2500KV and 4500KV versions) and the Hobbywing Ezrun 1626Sd (in 3500KV or 6500KV options) are both popular choices. Higher KV motors deliver faster top speed but with reduced torque, whilst lower KV motors provide better acceleration and hill-climbing ability. Your choice depends on your local track layout and driving preference.
• Can I use different aftermarket differentials in the RC28R? — Yes, the RC28R includes a quality gear differential but is designed to accept other aftermarket options currently available. This gives you the flexibility to experiment with different differential setups such as spool differentials or upgraded components from the Team Associated factory racing option parts range as you develop your tuning skills.
• What makes the RC28R different from other 1:28 scale on-road cars? — The RC28R benefits from Team Associated's AREA 51 development programme, giving it suspension engineering and chassis design normally found only in much larger racing platforms. Features like the torsion-style side links, adjustable servo mount for Ackermann tuning, threaded aluminium centre shock and two-piece rear pod with carbon fibre shims represent genuine innovation at this scale. Most 1:28 cars are basic toys or entry-level racers — the RC28R is a genuine racing platform with professional-grade tuning capability.
• Is the RC28R suitable for outdoor track racing in the UK? — Absolutely. The RC28R is specifically designed as a competitive on-road racing car. Many RC clubs across the UK feature 1:28 scale classes, and this kit is more than capable of being competitive at club level with proper setup and driving practice. Its compact size is actually an advantage at many UK club tracks which often have limited space for larger racing cars.
• Do I need tools or spare parts to get started? — Yes, several essential items are needed. You'll require metric hex drivers (1.5mm, 1.3mm, 0.9mm), specialty drivers (0.050? hex, 4.5mm nut, PH00 screwdriver), body scissors, hobby knife, pliers, wire cutters and calipers. The Factory Team wrench set (AE Part AS1519) is highly recommended. You'll also want silicone shock fluid and differential fluid on hand during assembly.

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 TEAM ASSOCIATED RC28R TEAM KIT WITH RADBODY MAKO X & WHEEL/TYRES AS20168 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.