Schumacher CAT XLS build
Discussion
The XLS has been my favourite RC buggy since I first bought one second hand 'back in the day'.
In 2014 I rebuilt that original car with loads of period hop-ups and raced at the IconicRC vintage events.
Here's an action shot courtesy of Martin Bollenbacher Photography:
And here's a link to a build video I put together at the time:
Last year I built a re-release to showcase the reproduction hop-ups I make and raced that at the Revival and all through the winter in my local clubs vintage class, almost taking the title against much newer vintage cars such as CAT 2000s, 3000, Top Force, Predator etc.
Here's a photo with my modern 2wd racer, a Schumacher Cougar Laydown:
They have a huge following and are an excellent choice for vintage racing, garden bashing or just posing on the shelf.
In 2014 I rebuilt that original car with loads of period hop-ups and raced at the IconicRC vintage events.
Here's an action shot courtesy of Martin Bollenbacher Photography:
And here's a link to a build video I put together at the time:
Last year I built a re-release to showcase the reproduction hop-ups I make and raced that at the Revival and all through the winter in my local clubs vintage class, almost taking the title against much newer vintage cars such as CAT 2000s, 3000, Top Force, Predator etc.
Here's a photo with my modern 2wd racer, a Schumacher Cougar Laydown:
They have a huge following and are an excellent choice for vintage racing, garden bashing or just posing on the shelf.
72twink said:
Putting the diff in the spur gear meant that it only had to handle half the torque, the output is then geared up via the belt and the drive then intergrated to get drive to front diff - it was dropped because everyone struggled to set it up well. That said my Masami runs the pro drivetrain with solid layshaft and drum diff.
Don’t worry about the front diff bolt direction, you don’t get the one way shafts in this edition.
If only 14yr old me had RTFM the diff and integrator might have made more sense. I get it now after 30 odd years Don’t worry about the front diff bolt direction, you don’t get the one way shafts in this edition.
nigelpugh7 said:
So many happy memories of our Kyosho Turbo Optima Mid.
We would race them for hours every weekend !
Sadly mine got damaged and was thrown away on one of our house moves.
Shame I didn’t keep it they are worth a lot of money to collectors now.
+1 gutted I had a BMW M3 shell on mine made up to look like Frank Sytner’s race car. I’m such a knob for getting rid of it. We would race them for hours every weekend !
Sadly mine got damaged and was thrown away on one of our house moves.
Shame I didn’t keep it they are worth a lot of money to collectors now.
r159 said:
+1 gutted I had a BMW M3 shell on mine made up to look like Frank Sytner’s race car. I’m such a knob for getting rid of it.
If I had kept all the RC cars I have owned over the years though we wouldn’t be able to move in this house!Juts something else that the wife made me out in the skip when we moved house, she was also responsible for making me bin all the ZX Spectrums I had from my repair business, I had over 40, some working some not.
Damn it!
groomi said:
The XLS has been my favourite RC buggy since I first bought one second hand 'back in the day'.
In 2014 I rebuilt that original car with loads of period hop-ups and raced at the IconicRC vintage events.
Here's an action shot courtesy of Martin Bollenbacher Photography:
And here's a link to a build video I put together at the time:
Last year I built a re-release to showcase the reproduction hop-ups I make and raced that at the Revival and all through the winter in my local clubs vintage class, almost taking the title against much newer vintage cars such as CAT 2000s, 3000, Top Force, Predator etc.
Here's a photo with my modern 2wd racer, a Schumacher Cougar Laydown:
They have a huge following and are an excellent choice for vintage racing, garden bashing or just posing on the shelf.
Great video re all the mods. I remember my kit (purchased in 88 for my 15th birthday) included an A5 exploded diagram of all the parts. I took it on myself to highlight every part that had an upgrade option (from reading Radio Race Car every month). I think by the end of that exercise, there were only about 5 parts that weren’t yellow!In 2014 I rebuilt that original car with loads of period hop-ups and raced at the IconicRC vintage events.
Here's an action shot courtesy of Martin Bollenbacher Photography:
And here's a link to a build video I put together at the time:
Last year I built a re-release to showcase the reproduction hop-ups I make and raced that at the Revival and all through the winter in my local clubs vintage class, almost taking the title against much newer vintage cars such as CAT 2000s, 3000, Top Force, Predator etc.
Here's a photo with my modern 2wd racer, a Schumacher Cougar Laydown:
They have a huge following and are an excellent choice for vintage racing, garden bashing or just posing on the shelf.
gl20 said:
Great video re all the mods. I remember my kit (purchased in 88 for my 15th birthday) included an A5 exploded diagram of all the parts. I took it on myself to highlight every part that had an upgrade option (from reading Radio Race Car every month). I think by the end of that exercise, there were only about 5 parts that weren’t yellow!
I think that's what's so great about the XLS now. Aside from the standard kit builds, no two XLS's are ever built the same - there are just so many variables. 
Wifeys discovery of a new series of “working mums” on Netflix meant I had a nice quiet hour on this tonight. Got the 2.2” tyres mounted up and did the first couple of steps. Fits all good so far. Undertray taking a while to cut out, it’s quite thick polycarbonate compared to a body shell. Rear transmission housing just assembled loose so I don’t lose the screws.
One thing I have read (as it look like you’re fitting the nicad/nimh battery holder) that holder will only fit small capacity batteries.
I’ve just received a 3000 nimh this morning and they’re quite fat compared to my old packs, I’d imagine the 5000’s are even fatter.
Just thought I’d mention encase you’d not got electrics lined up.
I’ve just received a 3000 nimh this morning and they’re quite fat compared to my old packs, I’d imagine the 5000’s are even fatter.
Just thought I’d mention encase you’d not got electrics lined up.
I used to hanker after one of these as a kid, the ywon all the local races, I had a 2wd Mardave Meteor that could hold its own but wasn't a patch on the Cats and Optima Mids.. Happy days.
I bought my lad a Tamiya Rising Fighter for Christmas wondering if there was still racing clubs about but can't find anything near me. The rising fighter is dog s
t, he enjoys slamming it into kerbs though.
I bought my lad a Tamiya Rising Fighter for Christmas wondering if there was still racing clubs about but can't find anything near me. The rising fighter is dog s
t, he enjoys slamming it into kerbs though. uncleluck said:
Good stuff. Just struck me how fat this pack looks (enrichpower) Maybe people were trying to fit the 5000’s.
What motor are you going for?
Yes I have the Enrich packs, nice and cheap but still giving 30 min run times on my sons Racing Fighter. £23 for two, can't complain. For the motor it will be my old Trinity D4 12x2 brushed, see first post What motor are you going for?
FredClogs said:
I used to hanker after one of these as a kid, the won all the local races, I had a 2wd Mardave Meteor that could hold its own but wasn't a patch on the Cats and Optima Mids.. Happy days.
I bought my lad a Tamiya Rising Fighter for Christmas wondering if there was still racing clubs about but can't find anything near me. The rising fighter is dog st, he enjoys slamming it into kerbs though.
I've found a couple of offroad clubs localish to me, (Eden park in Beckenham and the Faversham off road club) all the on road clubs I used to go to have gone though sadly. Doubt I'll take this racing, but the option is there if I want to change a few bits.I bought my lad a Tamiya Rising Fighter for Christmas wondering if there was still racing clubs about but can't find anything near me. The rising fighter is dog s
t, he enjoys slamming it into kerbs though. Think the Rising Fighter is a revamp of the old Fighter Buggy / Mad Bull chassis, remember them from back in the day! friction shocks and a solid rear axle.
Edited by lufbramatt on Thursday 7th May 10:12
LuffbraMatt, I race at Eden Park Raceway - it's a great, challenging track and a friendly and well organised club.
We had our first vintage class championship during the winter season, which really captured the imaginations of all the seasoned modern racers. It'll certainly be a continuing feature of our club events when we're allowed to re-start racing.
Pop along to a race meeting when they re-start and see what you think.
We had our first vintage class championship during the winter season, which really captured the imaginations of all the seasoned modern racers. It'll certainly be a continuing feature of our club events when we're allowed to re-start racing.
Pop along to a race meeting when they re-start and see what you think.
Two more steps tonight, installed the lay shaft bearing housing and one of the rear axle eccentric housings (allows the rear belts to be tensioned). Plastic parts needed a little bit of cleaning up, some very very minor flash around the edges but that’s to be expected with 33+ year old moulds. Might upgrade to the alloy eccentric housings in the future.
Next stage was building up the lay shaft which forms the rear differential , quite clever design as it’s kind of “inside out” with the balls inside the spur gear and the drive to the left hand pulley passing through the right hand pulley. Little thrust bearing in the middle that has to be made up and filled with moly grease. First attempt was notchy, tracked it down to a couple of very small raised ejector pin marks on the back of the pulleys catching on the ball race seals, easily rectified with a sanding stick.
Next stage was building up the lay shaft which forms the rear differential , quite clever design as it’s kind of “inside out” with the balls inside the spur gear and the drive to the left hand pulley passing through the right hand pulley. Little thrust bearing in the middle that has to be made up and filled with moly grease. First attempt was notchy, tracked it down to a couple of very small raised ejector pin marks on the back of the pulleys catching on the ball race seals, easily rectified with a sanding stick.
lufbramatt said:
Two more steps tonight, installed the lay shaft bearing housing and one of the rear axle eccentric housings (allows the rear belts to be tensioned). Plastic parts needed a little bit of cleaning up, some very very minor flash around the edges but that’s to be expected with 33+ year old moulds. Might upgrade to the alloy eccentric housings in the future.
Next stage was building up the lay shaft which forms the rear differential , quite clever design as it’s kind of “inside out” with the balls inside the spur gear and the drive to the left hand pulley passing through the right hand pulley. Little thrust bearing in the middle that has to be made up and filled with moly grease. First attempt was notchy, tracked it down to a couple of very small raised ejector pin marks on the back of the pulleys catching on the ball race seals, easily rectified with a sanding stick.
Does the middle section of the thrust bearing still comprise a plastic ring to cage the ball bearings? If so, said cage can have a tendency to foul and isn’t actually necessary. The balls will still be held in place by the grooves in the thrust washers. Not essential but It was a tip I learnt way back!Next stage was building up the lay shaft which forms the rear differential , quite clever design as it’s kind of “inside out” with the balls inside the spur gear and the drive to the left hand pulley passing through the right hand pulley. Little thrust bearing in the middle that has to be made up and filled with moly grease. First attempt was notchy, tracked it down to a couple of very small raised ejector pin marks on the back of the pulleys catching on the ball race seals, easily rectified with a sanding stick.
gl20 said:
Does the middle section of the thrust bearing still comprise a plastic ring to cage the ball bearings? If so, said cage can have a tendency to foul and isn’t actually necessary. The balls will still be held in place by the grooves in the thrust washers. Not essential but It was a tip I learnt way back!
You’re thinking of the thrust race on the long screw that runs through the integrator (or diff), the one on the layshaft is a plastic roller for the main belt as well as a thrust race - it’s much bigger. The current generation of thrust race you are thinking about come ready built, the plastic has gone (I never used them either) to be replaced with a metal cage complete with balls pre fitted.
Boy does this bring back memories, I raced many rc cars over the years including a Shumacher Cat with the rubber band across the front with extending driveshafts to avoid breaking the front suspension.
Even managed a 5th place at the big international meet in Brockwell park back in 1987, can't remember what car I had but did quite well.
Even managed a 5th place at the big international meet in Brockwell park back in 1987, can't remember what car I had but did quite well.
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 8th May 19:16
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