Cougar Quality Problems...

[burgie]

I am experiencing a couple of problems with my Cougar, and it's really not impressing me.

I have (so far) had two drive shafts (both on the left side coincidentally) fall completely apart. neither of them have lasted more than five laps. I have checked the diff for binding, and it's free as could be. i have also checked the droop on the back to make sure it's not excessive and that's fine too.

What else should I be looking for to try and stop this happening?

Also, I have noticed that the anodizing inside the shocks is coming off, making the shocks a tiny bit "notchy" where the anodizing has got between the piston and the shock body (i presume) scratching the inside of the shock body. Is there anything I can do to stop the anodizing from coming off?

Finally, the gearbox moulding doesn't seal properly on my car, nor on the other cars I have seen at the club - so grit and dust (and moisture no doubt) can find it's way in - I can actually see the gears in the 'box from the outside!

I am a little disappointed thus far with the car - I haven't even managed to race it yet, as both drive shafts have failed during practice, well if you can call under 10 laps in two weeks practice.

[moth898]

what do you mean when you say the driveshafts fall apart? does the universal joint come apart or does the dogbone side come out of the drive yokes? I'm a little confused about the anodizing because it's not thick enough to peel off, its more likely to wear off.

[mikeyscott]

Have you spoken to Schumacher themselves?

[burgie]

when the drive shafts fall apart, the gold bit in the middle and the pins fall completely out, the out drive has been slightly damaged as well, as the drive shafts exits the car.

I have spoken to Schumacher and the response was "yes that's happened to some during testing". They did replace the first driveshaft FOC without any quibble though, I should say.

[moth898]

Originally Posted by burgie

when the drive shafts fall apart, the gold bit in the middle and the pins fall completely out, the out drive has been slightly damaged as well, as the drive shafts exits the car.

I have spoken to Schumacher and the response was "yes that's happened to some during testing". They did replace the first driveshaft FOC without any quibble though, I should say.

I can't say anything about the universals coming apart...I've never seen that. There is a glue thats called cold weld that supposedly is as strong as welding, maybe a touch of this on the pin will help keep it in place.

If the universals are falling out of your drive yokes its usually due to the setup. If your running the rear shock setup check the suspension geometry... the same thing happend to my Cat until I lower the rear arm toe in by one degree and added the aluminium rear hubs with the 1 degree built in, it hasen't happened since. I like the shaft to be 2 mm into the drive yokes at minimum.

[burgie]

the driveshafts are only falling out of the yokes because the universal joint keep falling apart....

I am "glad" to see it's not just my Cougar with the gearbox problem I have also mentioned. But it's not what you expect on a near £250 kit.

[Alfonzo]

Well that's a contrast to my post regarding the quality of the kit!

Looking at mine, there's no way I can see into the gear box through the join line, bit odd?

Hopefully just a degree of bad luck and teething problems Chris?

[spud31]

Chris i can sympthise my cougar cant be run due to a mismoulded pair of gearbox housings the layshaft is reallt stiff when turned.

I phoned schuy an spoke to chris on friday an a new pair are on there way

[ian h]

Originally Posted by spud31

Chris i can sympthise my cougar cant be run due to a mismoulded pair of gearbox housings the layshaft is reallt stiff when turned.

I phoned schuy an spoke to chris on friday an a new pair are on there way

My moulded gear box halves are not the best either, had to do a bit of work to get them to marry up and also had to run in the layshaft and idler gears using a dremel connected to the layshaft until it eventually bedded in and ran smooth. On a positive note the rest of the kit is fine and I got a third place finish today in my first outing with the cougar. The handling is super!

[janus_77]

Originally Posted by moth898

what do you mean when you say the driveshafts fall apart?

The universal joint comes apart, the pin just comes loose in a couple of shafts.

Seems to be "hit and mis", some cars dont have this issue at all. But some.....

[reelman_fishing]

Originally Posted by burgie

I am experiencing a couple of problems with my Cougar, and it's really not impressing me.

I have (so far) had two drive shafts (both on the left side coincidentally) fall completely apart. neither of them have lasted more than five laps. I have checked the diff for binding, and it's free as could be. i have also checked the droop on the back to make sure it's not excessive and that's fine too.

What else should I be looking for to try and stop this happening?

Also, I have noticed that the anodizing inside the shocks is coming off, making the shocks a tiny bit "notchy" where the anodizing has got between the piston and the shock body (i presume) scratching the inside of the shock body. Is there anything I can do to stop the anodizing from coming off?

Finally, the gearbox moulding doesn't seal properly on my car, nor on the other cars I have seen at the club - so grit and dust (and moisture no doubt) can find it's way in - I can actually see the gears in the 'box from the outside!

I am a little disappointed thus far with the car - I haven't even managed to race it yet, as both drive shafts have failed during practice, well if you can call under 10 laps in two weeks practice.

I'm also experiencing the same with my sons shocks, after three rounds of racing the front shock started to leak so I took the top of the shock to refill it I noticed allot of metallic bits floating around inside, so I cleaned all the oil out and noticed the inside was marked. So I just filled back up with oil and finished the days racing, phone Schumacher on the Monday and explained what had happened and on the Tuesday a parcel with two brand new shock body’s and a set of seals, NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL SERVICE. As with all new products there will be teething problems so just be patient. Real car manufacture can’t get it right look at Toyota!!!

Anyway it’s a big thumbs up for shumacher from me

[PsycoChris]

Here is another Issue with my steering.

I am using a JR 9100s Servo. With the stock servo horn they supplied. It is hitting the Inside of the Nose and Binds for a split second. Anyone else having this Issue.

[bigred5765]

Chris the problem with your steering is pretty a easy one remove the purple washers there not supposed to be there,

[PsycoChris]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

Chris the problem with your steering is pretty a easy one remove the purple washers there not supposed to be there,

If you read the manual. It states the washers are there to Make the link parrallel and align the steering links. Thats what I read.

If not the link wont be align and will be on a slant.

[mikeyscott]

No it doesn't

Look at Page 6 carefully

[mikeyscott]

Yup got my titanium ones today. Haven't bent kit ones yet, but will swap them over for the weekend.

[mikeyscott]

Ooo got a few pairs of them. Digging out so ballcups I have on the SX that are 17mm

[Chris Ashton]

Originally Posted by reelman_fishing

I'm also experiencing the same with my sons shocks, after three rounds of racing the front shock started to leak so I took the top of the shock to refill it I noticed allot of metallic bits floating around inside, so I cleaned all the oil out and noticed the inside was marked. So I just filled back up with oil and finished the days racing, phone Schumacher on the Monday and explained what had happened and on the Tuesday a parcel with two brand new shock body’s and a set of seals, NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL SERVICE. As with all new products there will be teething problems so just be patient. Real car manufacture can’t get it right look at Toyota!!!

Anyway it’s a big thumbs up for shumacher from me

This may be due to a bent e clip on the bottom of the piston, which then scores the bottom of the shock body on full droop. Check its super flat when you install the new bodies.

[reelman_fishing]

Originally Posted by Chris Ashton

This may be due to a bent e clip on the bottom of the piston, which then scores the bottom of the shock body on full droop. Check its super flat when you install the new bodies.

The scores are on the inside of the body were the piston go's up and down. The plating has come off. It's probably a process problem. No big issue it happens

[Chris Ashton]

Originally Posted by reelman_fishing

The scores are on the inside of the body were the piston go's up and down. The plating has come off. It's probably a process problem on big issue it happens

It's unusual, if you could get them back for us to inspect it would be cool.