CAT SX2 vs. Durango DEX410

[Chris119]

I have the Dex410 now and have already switched to the Cougar for 2wd class:woot:.
Does anyone have experience driving both the Cat2 and Durango Dex410. I think the Durango is a great car minus the Diffs being crap, however I am considering trading it for the Cat2 so I can stick mostly to one brand and also not sound like a diesel truck doing laps would be quite nice :D.

[john333]

the cat is less likely to become a 3 wheeler half way through a race!! hehe

[Chris119]

the cat is less likely to become a 3 wheeler half way through a race!! hehe

Hmmmn could this be you?:o

http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/petit2011/4wd/DSC_4902.jpg

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

I ran the DEX410 for most of last years Nationals and Regionals, this year i have changed to the CAT SXII, and i have to say, what a difference!! :woot:

The CAT is so more drivable, it's almost as though you can feel what the car is going to do and it is far more forgiving than the Durango. For me i found the Durango too aggressive, you push it just a little more than it likes and it rips your head off lol don't get me wrong i'm not slagging the 410 off it is a good car, stick one of these on a grass track and there unbelievable! it's personal preference really and for me i think i can better my results with the CAT. :)

I think i did the right thing changing to the CAT as i think (for my driving style) it's far better suited to me.

[john333]

haha, no it's not me (I drive a cat) but I saw that happen, and I saw another 3 wheeler on the same day and the driver decided to keep going! (quite well as it happens?!?!)

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

I lost a wheel 3 times in 3 rounds at the first meeting of the year :thumbdown: day over! lol

and that was using the serrated wheel nuts :confused:

[mikeyscott]

I lost a wheel 3 times in 3 rounds at the first meeting of the year :thumbdown: day over! lol

and that was using the serrated wheel nuts :confused:

I have switched to serrated and nylon wheel nuts. Only other car I have to try is my tamiya 511

[mikeyscott]

I lost a wheel 3 times in 3 rounds at the first meeting of the year :thumbdown: day over! lol

and that was using the serrated wheel nuts :confused:

I have switched to serrated and nylon wheel nuts. Only other car I have to try is my tamiya 511

[telboy]

Same for me too. Kept losing rear wheels on the Durango.

As Shaun, I've run the Durango for over a year and by the end of last year decided that I just couldn't get on with its aggressive style, I even bought a new car just incase it was something wrong with the car. It is a fantastic car but i think its difficult to tame unless you have a little talent....which i don't have lol.

I switched to the CAT2, and I ran it for the first time at worksop the other week, and imediately ended up 2 finals higher!! It is more forgivable, but also found that I could push the CAT so much harder without losing control. I could choose lines more accurately and passing other cars was so much easier.....as this time round I was actually passing cars, and not letting them through. :p

maybe the big bores on the durango will calm it down a little, who knows, but we will have to wait until we go outdoors to see.

[Chris119]

Wow thanks for the info I guess I can review a car pretty good then for a noob lol. I was just complaining how the Durango is on rails , but with little or no warning the thing "rips your head off" as someone already stated. I find the line very thin with the car. Seems it can only be pushed so far. I prefer something more consistent, and predictable; maybe the Cat would suit me better:D

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

I think what I would do first is see if anyone at your club would be kind enough to let you have a couple of laps with theres, see how the car is for you etc..
Then if you like it and think the CAT is more for you, that way your sure :)

[purplenut]

Last time i raced beginning of last year i was running a cat 1.
Got on with it ok but after 12 months out i was looking to start up again and saw the 410 and did some research and it looked to be doing well on all tracks.so bought a new one.
I ran mine 1st time last week and it is very aggresive.
The cat full power up the straight rango no chance just wanted to leave the track.
Iam doing some work on the car and will try it again on friday,also will take my b44 along to see how that fairs out(not run it yet):thumbsup:
Think the 410 is proberly suited for the out doors more than on carpet,was running a set of new dboots so much grip that the rear left tire came off and all 4 were glued.
Might just stick to my sv i know i can drive a 2wd,lol

[racingdwarf]

Quite intresting this, I thought this was going to be an instant ream of posts raving on about durango,But I'm wrong (as normal:lol:)Seems that after people have got over the bling,they are not so sold on the dingo. very handy as I am looking for a second hand car for next month and the cat is climbing the list:woot:

[purplenut]

Dont get me wrong its a awsome car so well put together and it was its 1st run,just saying its a beast...:thumbsup:
I have ran schumacher for many years(to many) but i just wanted a change i will keep going with it and try different set ups.
You dont know unless you try.:thumbsup:

[gazhillAE]

I have the Dex410 now and have already switched to the Cougar for 2wd class:woot:.
Does anyone have experience driving both the Cat2 and Durango Dex410. I think the Durango is a great car minus the Diffs being crap, however I am considering trading it for the Cat2 so I can stick mostly to one brand and also not sound like a diesel truck doing laps would be quite nice :D.

Do it!

[gazhillAE]

I lost a wheel 3 times in 3 rounds at the first meeting of the year :thumbdown: day over! lol

and that was using the serrated wheel nuts :confused:

On the cat are you talking about?

Tighten them up then next time! Never had a problem!

Replace your NUTS evry few meetings i do! :thumbsup:

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

I found the durango to be even worse outdoors, specially on very bumpy tracks, we just couldn't get the car settled and a lot of people had the same problem at the end of season finals last year. To calm the durango down a little indoor on hi grip we went to the extremes of putting 1000wt in the rear diffs and 3000wt in the front, it worked! was a lot easier to drive and get the power down. The Durango is like marmite, you either love it or you dont :woot: but like i said in an earlier post, im not slagging the car off it's just personal preference :)

On the durango I used the serrated nylon wheel nuts, there were adequately tightened, and i tightened them before each run, there has been a lot of topics started about this and quiet a lot of people it has happened to. We even started putting a blob of thread lock on there, and it still managed to work its way off during the players. You don't have to replace wheel nuts all the time with the CAT, or most other cars infact.

[mattb]

I personally think if you stick with any 1 car long enough youd get to grips with it,all the durango problems are sorted with time and learning all the fixes,in my opinion people that change cars more than they change their underpants just go backwards!!

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

The more i ran the Durango, the more my results kept dropping. I have changed to the CAT and results going up. ive only ever ran 3 cars, Cyber 10, DEX410 and now the CAT SXII and the CAT has definitely inproved my driving and results.

[mattb]

youve just hit the nail on the head mate!! your join dates 2010 and youre on your 3rd car!!

[telboy]

On the car are you talking about?

Tighten them up then next time! Never had a problem!

Replace your NUTS evry few meetings i do! :thumbsup:

Gazz, my nuts are always fresh. :p

The problem is, if you tighten them up to much, it ruins the bearings and crunch spacers, I had to keep replacing the crunch spacer on my rango, and replace the bearings twice.
:)

So far on the CAT, had no need to over tighten the nuts, and never had one even come loose never mind drop off. :)

[dpackster1980]

Telboy, that issue was only with the 2009 car with the alloy crush tubes. The 2010 car doesn't have that problem. :yawn:

I like the look of the SX2 but they aren't maintence free like the durango. They look good on the rough stuff with the big bores.

The only time you can make a true comparison is when the durango gets the big bores.

Schumacher spares are more expensive than durango's as well. :thumbdown:

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

youve just hit the nail on the head mate!! your join dates 2010 and youre on your 3rd car!!

Just because i joined the oople site in 2010 doesn't mean i only started racing in 2010. lol That's very presumptous of you! :eh?:

[Big G]

I never had the wheel nuts come undone on the cat with core RC nuts or the durango with the kit ones.

I sold my cat because I was tired of it eating gears (although resolved with more cost and metal gears), it eating belts at £7.99 a go, I found it broke wishbones quite easily, I hated the mesh mech also. I also found the parts were more expensive than other cars. Schumacher could of done themselves a lot of favours by making a shell which went all the way down the sides so it didn't look silly without an undertray

I've only run the durango 4 club nights so far and getting on really well with it. It feels great to drive on polish floor and carpet and jumps amazingly. I haven't done a lot with the setup yet as I've been getting great results out of the box and haven't broken anything yet lol

I don't find it ultra agressive at all. it's nice to drive and the geared diffs are a joy. I found once you tried to ajust the cat diffs they started falling apart all the time :(

[Chris119]

I found the Durango to work better in the dirt but yes when the track got whooped out it did get quite squirly. I took the sway bars off, softened the springs and it helped quite a bit. I dont know I just can't seem to keep it from traction rolling on carpet.
This is all great info since I am trying to avoid trading one set of problems for another. The Cat does sound tempting.

[mattb]

Just because i joined the oople site in 2010 doesn't mean i only started racing in 2010. lol That's very presumptous of you! :eh?:ha ha stop making excuses up lol

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

ha ha stop making excuses up lol

I first started racing when i was 8 Years old, im now 24!

[JohnM]

Quite intresting this, I thought this was going to be an instant ream of posts raving on about durango,But I'm wrong (as normal:lol:)Seems that after people have got over the bling,they are not so sold on the dingo. very handy as I am looking for a second hand car for next month and the cat is climbing the list:woot:

Dave, it could just be that those of us who are very happy Durango owners, just haven't replied to this, since it's in the Schumacher section, your always going to get people prefering the CAT over the DEX, if it was posted in the Durango section, the replys would be very different;)

For me, I couldn't be happier with the DEX, it's easily the best I've had since my old XX4 days in '97-2002.

I'm not sure why people are saying it's hard to drive, but can only blame the set-up, as mine has been great since the first race, with a guess of a set-up, since then I've just tweeked it a little here and there. I'll soon be 41, so it's not like I'm a young pup with super fast reactions either:lol:

Wheels nuts coming off, had that at one meeting last year, front wheel came off two races on the trot, seems that I'd overtightened the wheel nut, and squashed the wheel a little, put a different wheel on, and it was fine since.

Oh, the "bling factor" never wears off:thumbsup:

[JohnM]

I dont know I just can't seem to keep it from traction rolling on carpet.


Chris, have you tried cutting rows of spikes off of the tyres? if you look at some of the pictures from the PetitRC race, some people had almost bald tyres on.

Is there someone else with a DEX where you race that could help you with se-ups?

[deepdale11]

I love my Durango........simples!!

[mikeyscott]

I love my Durango........simples!!

Me too and looking forward to learning the car more. I loved my SX too

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

I loved my Durango too! ... Untill i had a play with the CAT SXII :woot:

[petti7676]

well i own and race both of these cars so in my opinion its hourses 4 courses if im running @ a new track i tend use the 410 as its pretty much bullet profe then i try the cat and normally go quite a bit faster like the last meetin i went 2 i was about a lap faster with my cat tbh i like both cars i just cant drive the 410 anywhere near as fast as the cat

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

well i own and race both of these cars so in my opinion its hourses 4 courses if im running @ a new track i tend use the 410 as its pretty much bullet profe then i try the cat and normally go quite a bit faster like the last meetin i went 2 i was about a lap faster with my cat tbh i like both cars i just cant drive the 410 anywhere near as fast as the cat

1 lap 15 secs actually mate :thumbsup:

If you had used the CAT the whole day, you would have been in the higher final!

[tiny tom]

I am not slagging of schumacher, but I got the sx2 when it come out. It lasted 1 race meeting when the shock shafts went silver and had metal bits in the shock. And had to replace the bearings because the kits ones fell a part. The steering rack broke going over a table top, melted pullys, spur gears and idel gears, diffs losing off after 1 run. It came to a head when I was at the 345's last year and my diff went 2 mins into a run and come lose, and in the final I melt the spur gear 3 mins into my final.
But I couldn't under stand why the car was breaking down when team drivers was looking over my shoulder and helping with the car?
Since then I had a durango'r' for one race and the front drive shaft came loose in my final, but that was down to my build quailty. The cat I found it is a high maintance car and problematic

[Chris119]

Chris, have you tried cutting rows of spikes off of the tyres? if you look at some of the pictures from the PetitRC race, some people had almost bald tyres on.

Is there someone else with a DEX where you race that could help you with se-ups?


Yeah I took a row out of each side of the rear and two rows off the outside front and one on the inside. Mini pins yellow.

There are only 2 other guys with the car, one of which sold it to me as spares haha. He got tired of breakage. Seems it was on the shelf more than on the track.

[gazhillAE]

I never had the wheel nuts come undone on the cat with core RC nuts or the durango with the kit ones.

I sold my cat because I was tired of it eating gears (although resolved with more cost and metal gears), it eating belts at £7.99 a go, I found it broke wishbones quite easily, I hated the mesh mech also. I also found the parts were more expensive than other cars. Schumacher could of done themselves a lot of favours by making a shell which went all the way down the sides so it didn't look silly without an undertray

I've only run the durango 4 club nights so far and getting on really well with it. It feels great to drive on polish floor and carpet and jumps amazingly. I haven't done a lot with the setup yet as I've been getting great results out of the box and haven't broken anything yet lol

I don't find it ultra agressive at all. it's nice to drive and the geared diffs are a joy. I found once you tried to ajust the cat diffs they started falling apart all the time :(

Sorry to hear youve got rid of the best car and im also sorry to hear about the problems you had with it! Never seen you drive or going to question your driving but personally with nearly 1 year under the belt at shumacher ive melted one gear (very very hot day on grass and that gear had been ran for months), broke one front wishbone, one rear hub, one belt snapped and bent one shock shaft, and broke one shock tower! I personally dont think thats bad for one year with the car!

With regards to the diffs, no problems with the cat or cougar where some people have moaned from day one, mine was one of the very first cars and ive added to it with the new mods from the team and its never gone wrong in anyway people complain about! Best 2wd ive had!

Wouldnt have a durango is anyone gave me one and i certainly wouldnt have something with those stupid oil filled diffs!!!

Enjoy

[fastinfastout]

Wouldnt have a durango is anyone gave me one and i certainly wouldnt have something with those stupid oil filled diffs!!!

Enjoy
the stupid oil filled diffs is one of the cars great features, why it accelerates better than any other car, and there is no other car that has the jumping capabilities as this stupid durango. Go bash a world champ! There is a reason why gear diffs are becoming more popular now. Have a look at onroad, do you know anyone who has a ball diff anymore?

[Chris119]

Would be nice if those gear diffs last more than 2 races and didn't munch themselves.

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

Or dump out the oil whenever it feels like it! My CAT accelerates quicker and smoother than my durango ever did! And as far as jumping is concerned, the CAT is easily the best balanced and most stable.

[JohnM]

Would be nice if those gear diffs last more than 2 races and didn't munch themselves.

I think your car must have been put together very wrong if that's happening, I've had mine since launch, and it's still on the gears that came with it, only gear issues I've had were a couple of munched spur gears, buts that's my fault for not tightening the screws up enough sometimes:blush:

[Chris119]

My car was built buy a pro. We had a big meet at our track and even the visiting Durangos sounded like crap. I had other owners approaching me asking for a ring gear. Also come to find out they were back ordered from Durango. Wonder why that was.:thumbdown:
Other than that its a nice rig!

[Big G]

I find my Durango quieter than my Cat was...

I have to say I feel it jumps better too. the landings are more forgiving so if you take off slightly wrong it won't punish you as much. I've taken jumps completely sideways and out of shape, but adjusted it in the air and landed and carried on no problem.

of course everyone will argue for their car. this is just my opinion based on my experience running both cars :)

[Chris119]

I find my Durango quieter than my Cat was...

I have to say I feel it jumps better too. the landings are more forgiving so if you take off slightly wrong it won't punish you as much. I've taken jumps completely sideways and out of shape, but adjusted it in the air and landed and carried on no problem.

of course everyone will argue for their car. this is just my opinion based on my experience running both cars :)

Although I have yet to try a Cat this is true for the Durango. I can pull off some rough landings with that beast.

[pitwizard]

I had both at one point but the Cat got sold, :wub my DEX