RC10Talk - The Net's Largest Vintage R/C Community

26 years ago, I drooled over the review of the Schumacher CAT XL in RCMC during my Physics lesson and subsequently got kicked out of the class. It was the only car I wanted. That christmas I received a Tamiya Lunchbox.

Finally I actually own one, though not as shiny and missing a fair few pieces, it is my first CAT, and I am still drooling over it.

Bought on ebay for a very fair price, I now have something to restore to some sort of glory with my 4 year old son.

It will be a work in progress, and looking very hard at the car, it does need bits and pieces...... not sure what yet (apart from the chassis plate)

Difficult to see on my phone, but it looks like you have the XLS widening kit and 1 way front driveshafts. Lower deck looks like an aftermarket procat copy.

Nice car. I wonder what diffs it has?

Day 2 and from what I can see, it isn't too bad. Needs a damn good clean though.

Its not going to be any sort of shelf queen and in fact I think Im going to run it, but I will keep it as original as possible.

Like your story and approach on this one. Still love the old cats about 26 years after I got my first. Have fun!

So far I have learnt that the only RC store in Brooklyn doesn't stock anything that will help me rebuild this cat......not even shock oil. Everything is oversized, carbon graphite, Lipo and purple

I have no idea where I am going to get the complete self tapping and stainless screw set, or even anything close.

The tie end ball thingy's don't seem to exist anywhere,or am I just looking in the wrong places?

Anyway....back to cleaning and polishing.

Got bored of cleaning, so I decided to take things apart, and even though I have the original instructions (which make no sense at all) and I am starting to get a little lost.

Along with the car I recieved a bag of spares, which I can not find any reference to in the instructions...... The image with the white Dif Gear with the bearings is what was taken out of the car

So why do I have black Dif gears with no bearings and weird thrust washer outers, are they from another car, or is it just a different type of setup?

Now I am starting to find some real problems.
So i think my front diff is the optional extra assembly....like I said I, think, just because it looks like it has the T084 axle fitted.
I daren't take it apart because one way clutches for the front transmission are connected to some plastic cup things (T029 T515) that are both cracked badly and fragile.

Does any body know where these could be sourced from?

Neils74 wrote:Got bored of cleaning, so I decided to take things apart, and even though I have the original instructions (which make no sense at all) and I am starting to get a little lost.

Along with the car I recieved a bag of spares, which I can not find any reference to in the instructions...... The image with the white Dif Gear with the bearings is what was taken out of the car

So why do I have black Dif gears with no bearings and weird thrust washer outers, are they from another car, or is it just a different type of setup?

The large white gears are all spur gears. They are two different types - the bottom ones slot onto a pin through the layshaft, the top one is slightly confusing. Ordinarily I would say those holes are just for screwing to a nylon (MMS or Trinity) layshaft. Three holes would fit one type, the other three would fit the other type. However, if you removed it with those bearings in place then I wonder if it is part of a slipper assembly that I don't recognise - perhaps someone else will be along shortly with more knowledge.

The small black pulleys with the castle ends both fit together on the standard layshaft to drive the two short drive belts and and for the long belt to pass through the middle.

The square bits with the large bearings are what holds the layshaft in place in the transmission housing.

In the bottom pic, the black round pieces are the diff-plate holders. There will be metal washers that fit on the flat side of these to sandwich the diff and balls.

Have you got a manual? If not you can download them - may be worth downloading a few of the different CAT models XL/XLS/Procat as it is common for parts to be upgraded over time.

You meen these - Every well assorted hobby shop carry those

Groomi wrote:

Neils74 wrote:Got bored of cleaning, so I decided to take things apart, and even though I have the original instructions (which make no sense at all) and I am starting to get a little lost.

Along with the car I recieved a bag of spares, which I can not find any reference to in the instructions...... The image with the white Dif Gear with the bearings is what was taken out of the car

So why do I have black Dif gears with no bearings and weird thrust washer outers, are they from another car, or is it just a different type of setup?

The large white gears are all spur gears. They are two different types - the bottom ones slot onto a pin through the layshaft, the top one is slightly confusing. Ordinarily I would say those holes are just for screwing to a nylon (MMS or Trinity) layshaft. Three holes would fit one type, the other three would fit the other type. However, if you removed it with those bearings in place then I wonder if it is part of a slipper assembly that I don't recognise - perhaps someone else will be along shortly with more knowledge.

The small black pulleys with the castle ends both fit together on the standard layshaft to drive the two short drive belts and and for the long belt to pass through the middle.

The square bits with the large bearings are what holds the layshaft in place in the transmission housing.

In the bottom pic, the black round pieces are the diff-plate holders. There will be metal washers that fit on the flat side of these to sandwich the diff and balls.

Have you got a manual? If not you can download them - may be worth downloading a few of the different CAT models XL/XLS/Procat as it is common for parts to be upgraded over time.

Cool, thank you. I have the original manual, but it certainly isn't written like tamiya instructions. I have have a couple of others online, so I will give them a read

I will be honest, the Schumacher instructions must have been written in the pub on a friday night without the car in front of them and then the photos added after. Awful.

Neils74 wrote:I will be honest, the Schumacher instructions must have been written in the pub on a friday night without the car in front of them and then the photos added after. Awful.

Haha, yes I agree. Back in the day I didn't have a manual and ofcourse there was no internet so I just had the exploded diagram to go by. Having the manuals now, I don't consider myself to have been at a disadvantage back then!

DennisM wrote:You meen these - Every well assorted hobby shop carry those

Ha, looks like I will have to start visiting Danish hobby shops. Hopefully overtime some will pop up on ebay.

If You´re planning on joining the BST section, we can have a word about them there

Very nice jo on the shock, did You do the rest?

DennisM wrote:If You´re planning on joining the BST section, we can have a word about them there

Very nice jo on the shock, did You do the rest?

Working on the rest right now, except 3 are from the XL but one is completely different (internal wise) it has extra seals and a brass collar.

Hopefully I can join the BST section. just very new here.

The white spur gear is 48p replacement for the original 32p gear included with the XLS cars. The spur gears you have with no holes are for a later version of the car (procat) with a simplified transmission. The white gear uses the balls as shown, and is part of the differential and drive assembly. The black gears are part of a 1 piece layshaft assembly with a different style bottom diff. Functionally they are not interchangeable. However you should be able to source anough parts to run it either way. -Jeff