e280: Is The Schumacher ProCat 4WD Buggy A Challenging Build & Why Did Its Price Drop?

[@TechOttawa]

Great video - glad I hung on to my XLS - I bought it from the 1989 Ontario 4WD champion. All setup and ready for me to learn a whole lot about these beauties. All those bearings, belts and diffs were a blast to figure out. And there was NO YT videos to help me out! Not for the faint of heart. 1 hour of driving cost about 8 hours of maintenance! My own mini-F1 car. 30 years later I've just run it on a new Radiolink and ISDT ESC, LIPOs and a 16T motor. Pretty fun. Time to make it brushless! Cheers

[@rcicons4915]

Awesome build Ari. Great job

[@_.Lumi._]

I built a swb schumacher cat in 1987 so i feel your pain but appreciate your never say die attitude. Im actually thinking about tackling a procat 37 years later, so i really appreciate your video.

[@mariusmarais8329]

Got mine last week, thx for this info, much needed for this build...😊

[@OddArneBjrklundRC]

Love the Procat, but I totally agree with you about the 10 things.

[@RCRetro]

Oh wait there is more… wait until the next video.. just started working on it..

[@philmoffett366]

Yep I totally agree with all of you steps it’s a kit for the experienced kit builder for sure! especially the front bulkhead lining up 😮 and the front rollbar I put on at the end and used the ball connectors of a hotshot so I didn’t have to solder anything but apparently Schumacher do a ball connector set so you don’t have to solder😅 the drive shaft assembly is far more manageable if you heat them up I use hot water😊 but after all the difficult bits it’s a fantastic performing buggy probably the best racing buggy I’ve built!

[@vintageschumacher]

Guy, love it lol these new re-re kits are made 100 times better than the originals 🙃 lucky its only a top 10. great vid loved watching

[@escos0410]

Love it Bottle of ‘im Spartacus’ in the table Schumacher cars are ‘unique’ when building Love them though, procat and optima mid was my weapons of choice back in the 80’s racing

[@lo2713]

I love my procats 😁 this top 10 is pretty much what everyone hates about this build. You nailed the drive shafts 👍 once you have the knack, there a piece of “beep” to do 😂 but i hate getting the 4 screws in the bulkhead, total pain the butt.

[@RCRetro]

Thats just the first video… I just started working on getting the electronics fitted… already having a few issues … so i guess there will be another challenging annoying video lol… how about that metal ring for the servo saver….

[@lo2713]

@@RCRetro 1st thing i do with that servo saver is lob it in the bin 😂 electrics is a bit easyer than the xls, a bit more room on the chassis, only got 2 more big events for my procat, then its a strip down over winter, oh the joys haha

[@powersmodelgarage]

Wow. That is a tricky build. You managed it well though. 👍

[@AddamsPlayground]

You are going to need a couple beers to get that wing on! I hated fighting with that one my Cougar Classic. It works well once installed but a fiddly mess to try and install. Like the other things there may be a trick to it but I did not figure it out! Blood, sweat and beers is the only way I think! LOL! I saw the price drop on these and thought about picking one up but I am still recovering from the purchase of the Promoto bike I just got!

[@RCRetro]

Hey Adam thanks for the heads up on the wing… That is what I heard as well. I’ve just started working on installing the electronics and had a few issues already. So there will be a part 2 to this video. I too have debated getting LOSI bike. I’ve talked myself out of it. Personally, I’d rather put the money towards something else RC related. What that is…not sure. But this is one of those modern RC’s that I’d use 1x and then never again. Think I’d rather put the money towards an Xmaxx. IDK thats just me….

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

I’ve wanted a Schumacher cat of some sort since they first came out in the 80’s. Not because I’m a racer or because they’re awesome buggies, just strictly because my last name is Shumaker

[@MrSneakyGunz]

Was your great great.... grandfather a cobbler? Edit: was a genuine question

[@RCRetro]

Cobbler…? My fathers side of the family were farmers and contractors over at an island in Greece… As for your last name, thats pretty cool. They got you on the name recognition.

[@RCKickschannel]

Bosscat coming and the RC market is on the down trend. LOL to the challenges :)

[@vigilante351]

Yep, my Top Cat rubber orings are terrible for what they are meant to achieve. Mine has been sitting on shelf for 2 years now, maybe 3 or 4 outings, light duties, and the orings have disintegrated! Replaced them again, and yet again, disintegrated Just sitting on the shelf. So I've fixed my wing now with hex bolts, and will look at doing the same with crash back system. Those 10 things, totally agree, although I bought a pro trans which was nicer to build. But didn't know the sway bar needed to be soldered lol. That's really odd!

[@RCRetro]

Thanks for the personal info about yours.. I passed on the pro transmission as I’m keeping the motor at 17.5 which is good enough for me. Those are just 10 annoying things for the roller… Working on another video of putting the electronics in and the wing. Then hopefully getting it out for a spin.

[@MrSneakyGunz]

Good show.

[@milkyblanker2697]

great vid, just in process of building mine. What size drill bit did you use for the lower arms? cheers

[@RCRetro]

off hand I do not remember. I looked for a drill bit that had a snug fit, gave the drill a little power and slowly moved it back and forth just to clean out the drill holes. I had to do it a few times until I got it to where the arms dropped on their own. Definitely do not use to big of a drill bit, one that does not fit will just enlarge the hole too much and weaken the arm. Good luck.

[@scottnorton6834]

I have 3 of the 4. Just missing to TopCat. One of these days I will actually build one of them.

[@Kbunk_Youth_Football_Wrestling]

Did anyone race these things? It looks like a colossal pain to service the diffs and replace any broken parts.

[@RCRetro]

not sure. I have very little experience with Schumacher. I know that Gavin over at RCkicks carpet races his Schumacher Cougar rerelease which is 2wd and heavily upgraded. He seems to love his. I plan on running this on a dirt but not racing it at a competitive level.

[@derekdaniel5675]

Doesn't seem like it's a very well engineered kit.

[@RCRetro]

Putting it together is a bit of a pain... but once its together, its absolutely awesome. I just hope that it runs well. Not sure about servicing it though.. I would imagine if its annoying to put together, its probably annoying to tear down to maintain....

[@jyb90220]

Hi there I was wondering what size are the circlips pliers ? what mm are them ?

[@IIIxwaveIII]

i thought I wanteed one - but not I dont :)

[@douglaspuglas6888]

Mines still in the box the build is just to much, ive bought all the hopups as well lol

[@perfectsplit5515]

Like a dope - I sold my JRX2. :(😢

[@bharris0128]

Please help: Unless I leave the 4 long thru-bolts in the front bulkhead very loose, the transmission will not roll easily. My belt tensions are not too tight. Thanks I’m advance!

[@RCRetro]

If I remember correctly, you're suppose to leave the 4 nuts loose on the top after you put the 4 long screws through. I left them as is (loose) and continued on with the build. TBH, I totally forgot about them until the very end of the build when I was fitting on the body. The electronics were also already installed and bench tested. I then realized I never tightened the 4 nuts. So I tightened them, Rolled it and still smooth and bench tested and fine. Is the belt getting caught on something? I'm assuming your diffs were built correctly and smooth prior to putting them into the buggy. It has to be something with the front end as you build the gearbox / crash back system around the front diff and everything is held in place with those 4 screws. Or, look at manual step #22 where you adjust the rear belt tension. (bottom right pic) Are the round black plastic disks (eccentrics) that go around the outdrives set the same? When you first put them in they are set a loose (step 12)and you're suppose to tighten the belt with them in step 22. Maybe you overtightened the belt or didn't tighten it enough...? Not sure as I don't have your buggy in front of me. I'm thinking it has something to do with tension of your belts. Also did you remove the temporary screw in step #23?

[@bharris0128]

@@RCRetro - thank you for the response. Yes, I left the 4 nuts loose and all was done as you described. It still sound smoothly, but it’s more difficult to spin after the belts are tensioned and the 4 nuts tightened. It’s not terribly hard to spin, but certainly harder than before the nuts are tightened. Loosen the nuts, and it’s easier again. Quite strange as there is no binding that I can determine.

[@smellurfingerrcdejesus9176]

Whyyyyyyyyyyyy did I take my car apart now I want one so bad

[@Heathcliff_hensel]

even with the problems it has, $260 is a still good deal.