I remember the first time I saw a Schumacher Cat XLS. I was only familiar with the cheaper Tamiya and Kyosho cars with shaft or chain 4wd. So seeing ball diffs, full belt drive, the front impact system and just the way the driveshafts etc were made it looked like science fiction so advanced. Cecil Schumacher was an abosolute genius coming up with all these innovations. Later I raced with the Topcat, Cougar and Procat.
I watched this a thousand times when I was a kid. I never did get my head around that intergrator. Now I'm 44 it finally makes perfect sense having watched this :)
Hello, This is the first time i have seen this video...I got my first ProCat back in 1992 second hand. I used to bash the living daylight's out of it several time's a week...then i would take it to the track and pee off the TA fan boy's by arriving on my Dayglow yellow MTB packed and stacked with my bottom shelf rc kit...and give them a good run for their money on Sat/Sunday's. Ahhh...the good old day's before LiPo this and Brushless that.
Now this takes me back! Thanks for posting. Ah those wheels with the 'chromed' silver that looked so nice when new, then flaked off after a day at the track :-)
The front chromes are no longer available. :( I got 4 chrome rears, erroneously thinking that you could use the rear wheels up front. (You can’t) Now I have 2 extra chrome rears that I do not need.
When I first built mine, I screwed the steering tightening screws all the way. It worked at first. After several months, the steering action deteriorated to zero movement. I had to loosen the steering tightening screws to restore the steering action. Every RC car has its individual quirks.
My Cat XLS drives extremely slow under load going forward, but drives normal in reverse under load. Going forward, it sounds like something is slipping. When it is elevated and running under zero load, it runs normal in both forward and reverse. Is it the central ball diff being loose? Front or rear ball diffs being loose? Wheels screwed in too tight? Belt loose?
You have to tighten the center belt up lil by loosen front screws and sliding front section forward a lil bit to tighten up center drive belt, and tighten rear drive shafts with a screwdriver to get grip from center rear integrator diff to front diff......if you hold rear wheels and pull car backwards, front wheels should slide...not turn....that's perfect setup, tighten rear drive shaft till you get front wheels to slide while holding rear wheels then ya got it
They were still fast,I remember going to a track and seeing Brian kinwald racing his car looked so fast down the front stretch ofcourse they faster now but open or modified back than was prolly as fast as stock class now
My LHS had a young guy working there who raced for Schumacher,Kevin moore? I think,he opened his own shop in Orpington,i left the hobby,wonder what he does now?
I feel like an idiot. I never knew those u joint tools were to be used like that by lifting slightly thus opening the ears! Simple!! Been building those style rc u joints since the late 80s too. I always just pushed and pushed or used pliers like a moron
It was a nightmare at first. After a while I figured out the technique and got the hang of it. I used a vise grip, though. It was easier with my JRX2 in ‘89. The U-joints were pre-assembled. They already did all the nasty work for you.
And my fear is that when you glue on the diff rings, they will not be perfectly aligned. It was better with my JRX2 in ‘89, which had the hexagonal keys on the diff rings; no glueing.
I remember the first time I saw a Schumacher Cat XLS. I was only familiar with the cheaper Tamiya and Kyosho cars with shaft or chain 4wd. So seeing ball diffs, full belt drive, the front impact system and just the way the driveshafts etc were made it looked like science fiction so advanced. Cecil Schumacher was an abosolute genius coming up with all these innovations.
Later I raced with the Topcat, Cougar and Procat.
I watched this a thousand times when I was a kid. I never did get my head around that intergrator. Now I'm 44 it finally makes perfect sense having watched this :)
i am 44 i still dont understand why jamie booth adjustment to the integrator was not known to many others.
I have this on VHS still! In 1989 I must have watched the intro probably 500 times :) I still have a Jamie Booth signed CAT XLS bodyshell somewhere
Hello,
This is the first time i have seen this video...I got my first ProCat back in 1992 second hand.
I used to bash the living daylight's out of it several time's a week...then i would take it to the track and pee off the TA fan boy's by arriving on my Dayglow yellow MTB packed and stacked with my bottom shelf rc kit...and give them a good run for their money on Sat/Sunday's.
Ahhh...the good old day's before LiPo this and Brushless that.
Now this takes me back! Thanks for posting. Ah those wheels with the 'chromed' silver that looked so nice when new, then flaked off after a day at the track :-)
The front chromes are no longer available. :( I got 4 chrome rears, erroneously thinking that you could use the rear wheels up front. (You can’t) Now I have 2 extra chrome rears that I do not need.
Wow this was totally RAD !! Love it!!
Great video. I just bought one of these vintage Schummies so this will come in handy. Thanks
When I first built mine, I screwed the steering tightening screws all the way. It worked at first. After several months, the steering action deteriorated to zero movement. I had to loosen the steering tightening screws to restore the steering action.
Every RC car has its individual quirks.
20:53 - Why is toe-IN no longer really advised, or considered "standard practice," on modern kits/vehicles?
Loved my CAT XL and ProCAT back in the day. The Shotgun, not so much lol
Always presumed these were German! Never knew they were from Northampton.. Makes sense why they were not quite so easy to build.
I bet that didn't go on RUclips when it was realeased haha.....
My Cat XLS drives extremely slow under load going forward, but drives normal in reverse under load. Going forward, it sounds like something is slipping. When it is elevated and running under zero load, it runs normal in both forward and reverse.
Is it the central ball diff being loose? Front or rear ball diffs being loose? Wheels screwed in too tight? Belt loose?
You have to tighten the center belt up lil by loosen front screws and sliding front section forward a lil bit to tighten up center drive belt, and tighten rear drive shafts with a screwdriver to get grip from center rear integrator diff to front diff......if you hold rear wheels and pull car backwards, front wheels should slide...not turn....that's perfect setup, tighten rear drive shaft till you get front wheels to slide while holding rear wheels then ya got it
How fast would these Schumacher buggies go flat out back then?
They were still fast,I remember going to a track and seeing Brian kinwald racing his car looked so fast down the front stretch ofcourse they faster now but open or modified back than was prolly as fast as stock class now
My LHS had a young guy working there who raced for Schumacher,Kevin moore? I think,he opened his own shop in Orpington,i left the hobby,wonder what he does now?
Gary Murphy, Avicraft was the shop I think, Kevin is still around and still has some of his old cars too
MPH Moores Performance House
why is Associated sticker in the CAT?
Because it's using Reedy (AE) motors
Notice he doesn't open the manual for the near as useless instructions.
Ha ha used to think Jamie booth was my hero, hence why I bought cats.
I feel like an idiot. I never knew those u joint tools were to be used like that by lifting slightly thus opening the ears! Simple!! Been building those style rc u joints since the late 80s too. I always just pushed and pushed or used pliers like a moron
It was a nightmare at first. After a while I figured out the technique and got the hang of it. I used a vise grip, though.
It was easier with my JRX2 in ‘89. The U-joints were pre-assembled. They already did all the nasty work for you.
Don't like the idea of gluing stuff, it will just get hot and come apart
And my fear is that when you glue on the diff rings, they will not be perfectly aligned. It was better with my JRX2 in ‘89, which had the hexagonal keys on the diff rings; no glueing.