Really hacked off with Schumacher.
 

Little rant,

I've 2 SX3's one for me and one for my son, racing at Shrcc last night and I do a rear belt 4 laps from the end of the summer shoot out final when in a very resectable 4th place. Ok so belts go live with it, but on this occasion ut has taken the belt fence with it. Only a tiny ring of plastic, not even 50p's worth. So I call Shumacher thinking that they would sell a little pack! No you have to buy the £12 idler gear or lay shaft gear which ever you prefer. I ask can you not just buy the fences?

Reply No you have to buy the gear also.

WTF Is it not possible to look at parts and sell them separately? How many pulley fences will get done compared to an alloy pulley?

Rant over but I'm seriously considering jacking the Cat's as I think that this is terrible and I'm having minor reliability issues which as an average club racer is very frustrating. I'm going to run them at the next all day Torch meet and then decide.

Maybe one of the Schumacher boys will help you out.

Never had any probs with my SX/sx2/sx3 - the side guards are a pig to fit.

I'm sure torch lot can help I'll check my box as I've just sold my SV & SX3 etc.

It's not so much the car's braking it is the fact that Schumacher want to pull down my pants for a pulley when I only need a fence.

I would love to get the car on song cos when it is good it is really good, but I need reliability, as it is no fun with a broken car.

This happens in big car parts to, some times you just cant get every tiny bit u want. Basically tough, 12 quid so what, i say live with it. I love the car!

Not sure on the pulley sizes for the SX3 but the SX1 & 2 pulley fences were available separately as they were the same as the MI2/3.

http://www.racing-cars.com/pp/Old_Ca...i-2/U2733.html

shitsmaker all over mate, ran a cougar for few months, most costly car I have ever run always in your pocket:thumbdown:,half the team was telling you how fantastic it was, the other telling you how they had so much trouble getting the car to work in everything but the most ideal grip conditions they finaly had to reach for some front tyres that were so old they were not even 2.2, then said the cure was a new chassis at 8mm longer £75ish with new top plate...don't even get me started on the transmission,idler gears! oh and then there was the camber link plates most wanted 60mm...but you had to buy the whle pack. I voted with my feet! it's a shame as back in the 80's 90's they were fantastic firm:cry:.

EDIT, thought I better add-If money is no object, or your a team driver the cars can go like stink in the right conditions and WIN no question.BUT for a club racer on a tight budget,not good at all

rant! and not for the 1st time:lol:

My advice..get shot of it

I'll check the diameter. It just seems to be quite no a very expensive car to run. And expecting 12 for a pully that will probably never get used. As i said when it is on song then great but I spend more time fixing the car than racing it.:mad:

I'm damm sure that's not how it should be.

Never ran a xx4 eh, LOL

Email schumacher, see what they say, there customer service is excellent.

The maintenance issue is why I left Schumacher. I spent More time on maintenance than setups/racing, needed more reliability during regionals and nationals.

The Chef;

You can buy the fences in a U2733 as said above. But if you send me your mailing address i'll get one dropped in the post for you. ;)

Thank you Chris, most helpful.

All sorted now.

Just need to see If I have collapsed a bearing in the shaft:cry: Wont know till the weekend but thank you very much for your help.

top man.

How's that for GREAT customer service?? :thumbsup:

That is top service. I can't argue, and Chris has been more than helpful. It was a shame the lady on the telephone was not as helpful or informative. Even going to ask some one might have helped.

Anyway it is not about the problems in life but how you deal with them and Chris has come through with flying colours.

Thank you.:thumbsup:

Always keep your composure chef, you get more with sugar than you will with salt. Rants are funny to read but the usually include unesassary name calling, like someone wrote shitmaker instead of Schumacher....really childish.

Glad to hear your problem is solved.

I wouldn't get involved with name calling. But I was a little disgruntled with my telephone conversation.

And I don't think I was rude or obnoxious at any point even though I was a little cross.

Anyway, it is resolved now I will see how the car is at torch week after next and make a decision then.

Top man Chris Ashton.

Belt fences came in the post today.

You can't complain about that for customer service, in-fact it is amazing service thank you.

Do you know when the FAB's and alloy diff eccentrics will be in please?

May not be THE best car on the Market, but for track support and customer service they are THE best in my view. Not just with the cars, electrics too and so forth.

Have to agree on the customer service, top notch. I've driven Schumacher cars since 1989 and they've always been the best for me :)

I havent' come across better period

Sorry for the delay in reply been away, i would expect those bits to be approx 2 weeks depending on QC.

Ok thank you. They've taken a while. Issues with QC?

I know exactly what you mean, i'm about to sell my sx2, 10 months with it has taking the fun out of racing :(

Had a much better time with the car over the last few weeks. It has been getting faster and faster. The only thing that need's love is the Diff's I've been building them after every meet as a precaution.

What has been your maintenance issues? Braking stuff or component failure?

I did have a some issues initially but I'm not sure weather it was how I had built the car,or just teething problems of a brand new car or just my inexperience as I'd been away from racing for so long.

Belts seem to be the main gripe they need to be tensioned correctly if they are too tight they will put excess stress on drive train and bearings, and I thing that if the belt is too slack it will 1. slip and loose drive/braking if you hear a loud clicking under hard braking then a belt is probably too slack. 2. I believe fray and deteriorate much more quickly.

What exact issues are you having?

no issues this car is fantastic since ive had it ive broken 1 shock tower 1 diff bolt 1 mid belt and a shock shaft the diff bolt and shock tower was done due to hiting a marshal who had his foot in the straight ouch that must have hurt the belt was due to the pull screw undoing and munching my belt the shock shaft was a normal racing insident but ive snapped a shock shaft on every car ive owned so this didn't count.

all i got to say this car carries so much corner speed well happy.

Stu:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Just my two cents, but I upgraded an SX1 to an SX2 and the last bit I wanted was the black puley fences.

Sent an email to Schumacher via their website, and was told "sorry, we dont sell them seperately, but how many do you need and I'll post them out"

I offered to pay, but they didnt want anything, 2 days later, bish bash bosh, their on my car.
Now that is first rate customer service in my book.

Big hugs and kisses to the Schumacher crew :wub:wub:wub

New part number - U3930 Pulley Fences 20T

Available soon :wub

Been watching this thread with interest. I've just built an SX2 and OK there are some really stupid things I've done but so far I've not had a single completed run out of it.

I've never let Loctite near a diff before but I'm rapidly heading in that direction!

Ive heard people give off about diffs before too, but Ive never had one single issue with them - nor has another mate who also drives an SX. Strange.

Whats going wrong with it?

[QUOTE=The Chef;548692]Had a much better time with the car over the last few weeks. It has been getting faster and faster. The only thing that need's love is the Diff's I've been building them after every meet as a precaution.

I'd suggest that your doing something wrong if your having to re build it after each meeting. I think i've ran 2 diffs all year on the 4wd, and by that i meant not touched them, not even to adjust.

2wd i've probably had 2 and re built them 3 times. But considering the amount of running i was doing wit the 2wd then you can blame it for needing some tlc.

What greaes are you using? Me personally i use the std stuff that comes in the kits, quite literally the stuff that comes in the little plastic bags.

Make sure you put enough on both the balls and the thrust race. Dont over tighten it to start and then i usually put it in the car, hold one wheel and spin up the other for 10 seconds of so, repeating for both sides.

I would then normally set to screws and then tighten everything up. no need for loctite or anything like that.

Danny - Im using the Nuclear greases but apart from that we seem to be doing everything the same.
However, Im curious mate - how do you know its time for the diff to be rebuilt? Im not sure I can "feel" any difference with the car.

Also, a mate of mine has recently got an SX3 and we were just having a discussion about the tightness of a diff. He says that holding lifting the car by the rear wheel and turning the other rear wheel in your hand should feel very tight (i.e. hard to turn) but my diff has never been that tight - infact, its quite easy to turn the rear wheels.

Am I doing something wrong?
Ta muchly! :)

"Also, a mate of mine has recently got an SX3 and we were just having a discussion about the tightness of a diff. He says that holding lifting the car by the rear wheel and turning the other rear wheel in your hand should feel very tight (i.e. hard to turn) but my diff has never been that tight - infact, its quite easy to turn the rear wheels."

You need to be holding the spur gear as well as one of the wheels mate, then try turning the other one.

Ahhh ok, got you.
Thought I was missing something! :)

You need to hold the spur gear as well :D

Literally have the car in my hand (well not just now as Im typing... but you get the idea)

Frig me, is the wheel is damn hard to turn when holding one rear wheel AND the spur.
Now thats "straight from the manual" tight - i.e. the manual says tighten the diff fully, then release by 90degrees - so is that too tight - am I buggering up a) my diff; or b) my racing?

that sounds about right(maybe a bit tight).there should be a little slip but some force required to acheive this(not straining yourself to turn the wheel,just a solid grip and turn)

You can generally feel the diff crunching a bit, feels notchy and a bit rough.

The car will feel different but you may not feel the difference on the track. You can usally tell more when your racing somewhere like Worksop indoors where the grip just goes.

If yours going to test the diff, like you say. Hold the car in the air. Hold one rear wheel and hold the spur gear so that it wont move at all. Then try turning the other free rear wheel. You should be able it, but only after you apply a bit of force, you should just be able to feel if its right. I know that sounds daft. You can do the same for the front too by the way.

You can always put the car down on a grippy surface and just nail it from a standing start. If you rear a barking sound then the diffs are loose. I dont usually do that but its something you can try.

If your not really sure, your best bet is to ask someone in the team to lend you a hand. they can show you how to go about it. If you want to come find me at a meeting then feel free. I'll show you how i go about it and any other little trick ive picked up.

Hope that helps

Danny

Danny - really really appreciate the help mate. Thanks so much. You're a legend! :)

And I'll definately take you up on your offer of coming over and showing me the tips and tricks.... so are you racing in Northern Ireland often? hehehe. :p

Thats my problem mate, there isnt anyone I know of in Northern Ireland whos an experienced Schumacher driver (yet!)
Thats not to say they dont exist, but Ive been all over different clubs, and cant find any.
However, some of the guys from Ireland have been really generous and given me some help, so going to grab them at the next race meet and see what they can advise.

Your tip about the diffs feeling "notchy" is exactly how I would descrribe my diffs, and considering I have never replaced the diff balls - I think its time.

Thanks again. :)
Andrew.

Andrew, get your ass up to Ballymena on Saturday, the top Schumacher guys in the country will be in attendance. Any problems you have, they will only be to happy to sort out for you.:thumbsup:

WOW
 

Really wish the internet was around in the early years of my racing.

22 years away(was 18 then), and many things the same, and MANY things really NOT the same.
People, yes great as always, help, yes always, great. cars yes similar.
batts/motors/esc, wow, there different!

But just got back in the game and within 3 weeks, have a cougar sv, a cat sx2 and a cat sx3... wow, love em.
This chit chat is a great way to get to know the buggies i have bought.

Cheers people. keep up the good work./

Info is the best!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: