New member - ProCat on the way.

[Ty89m]

I'm new to the forum and also new to the 1/10 surface scene (I'm a heli guy), but having built a crawler kit or two I've started to catch the bug for these vintage re-release kits. I'm slowly collecting some of the more popular models and have a ProCat heading my way.

This post serves as a new member introduction, but I also have a few questions for you Schumacher folks.

Do these kits come with the requisite thrust-bearing and diff grease as mentioned in the manual?

Is the pro transmission a worthy addition beyond merely allowing a faster brushless option? I'm not a racer, and I doubt I'll run these re-re kits all that often, but if it's a "must-have" I'll get one ordered.

I may even try brushed to keep the vintage vibe going, and if that's the case, what do most of you run in these types of kits?

I've also been eyeing the Cougar as the price is right (it's a shame I got into the ProCat after the price increased back to $399), so there's a good chance I'll have a few more questions pop up along the way.

Anyway, It sounds like these builds can be a bit more challenging which is exactly what I'm after, so I'm looking forward to giving them a go.

Also, hello from Montana, and thanks for letting me join!

EDIT: It looks like I'll need to order a pinion along with the motor. What's a balanced size pinion for a 13.5 - 17.5T, or perhaps a better question: what's a safe ratio to shoot for?

[Frankentruck]

Welcome! Is it too late to cancel your order? You can still get a ProCat for $299

https://www.liquidrc.com/item/SCHK193

[Ty89m]

Ha! I was JUST looking at their site. I've ordered from them via eBay numerous times but didn't realize they had a website for direct orders (and by extension less expensive than their eBay listings). That 99-cent shipping is pretty wild.

My Amain order has already shipped, and I'd hate to return it as I'm a big fan of them. I'll chalk it up as a lesson learned to look more closely before ordering next time. I paid $370 with the Amain discount, so it's not a huge deal - plus I'd have to pay to ship it back to them.

[1911Colt]

Do these kits come with the requisite thrust-bearing and diff grease as mentioned in the manual?

Is the pro transmission a worthy addition beyond merely allowing a faster brushless option? I'm not a racer, and I doubt I'll run these re-re kits all that often, but if it's a "must-have" I'll get one ordered.

I may even try brushed to keep the vintage vibe going, and if that's the case, what do most of you run in these types of kits?

Yes, there is a separate bag with black grease for the thrust bearing, diff grease, shock oil, and special tools. All you need in addition to the kit is electrics and paint.

Pro transmission is not necessary. The ProCAT transmission is already an upgrade over previous CATs and very much up to the task. It does NOT have a slipper clutch. I don't have crazy horsepower (10.5 brushless) or big jumps, so I don't see a need for one.

My ProCAT has a 10.5 brushless and my CAT has a 7.5, so I don't have a recommendation for a brushed setup.

Any questions that arise, post them! There is also a lot of info available using the search function. There is quite a bit of similarity among the early CATs (SWB, XL, XLS, and ProCat), so the thread doesn't have to be specifically about a ProCAT to be useful.

[Ty89m]

Do these kits come with the requisite thrust-bearing and diff grease as mentioned in the manual?

Is the pro transmission a worthy addition beyond merely allowing a faster brushless option? I'm not a racer, and I doubt I'll run these re-re kits all that often, but if it's a "must-have" I'll get one ordered.

I may even try brushed to keep the vintage vibe going, and if that's the case, what do most of you run in these types of kits?

Yes, there is a separate bag with black grease for the thrust bearing, diff grease, shock oil, and special tools. All you need in addition to the kit is electrics and paint.

Pro transmission is not necessary. The ProCAT transmission is already an upgrade over previous CATs and very much up to the task. It does NOT have a slipper clutch. I don't have crazy horsepower (10.5 brushless) or big jumps, so I don't see a need for one.

My ProCAT has a 10.5 brushless and my CAT has a 7.5, so I don't have a recommendation for a brushed setup.

Any questions that arise, post them! There is also a lot of info available using the search function. There is quite a bit of similarity among the early CATs (SWB, XL, XLS, and ProCat), so the thread doesn't have to be specifically about a ProCAT to be useful.

Yeah, perhaps I'll grab a Justock 13.5 or 17.5 and keep it brushless. I see the kit comes with an 86t spur, so I'm curious what a well-balanced pinion size might be. What are you running on your 10.5? That'll give me an idea of the gear ratio so I can get in the ballpark (going off of the manual).

And thanks for the info! I'm getting ahead of myself a bit trying to start with these vintage re-release kits, but I'll get it sorted.