RCU Review Schumacher Rascal More On This Product

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Contributed by Eric Hege | Published January 2007 | Views 84378 | Email this Article | PDF

IntroductionSpecificationsRequired Items

VideoRatings

Under the HoodUpgradesPrep Work

Time For Action

It seems that everyone is looking to enter the mini market that has sprungto popularity within the past couple of years Schumacher is no differentas they are now poised with a 116 scale release of their own TheSchumacher Rascal does bring one rather unique aspect to the tablethough as it sports a 18 cubic inch powerplant that is unrivaled in themini world If yoursquore tired of fooling with micro-sized motors then theRascal may be right up your alley

Of course what would be a mini really be if it didnrsquot had a nice selection

WallpaperSummary

Manufacturer amp DistributorInfo

Schumacher-RC Superstore

Website dedicated toSchumacher products

Phone (877) 563-FAST

WebsiteswwwRascalRCcom

wwwSchumacher-RCcom

See the Rascal in actionResolution Low Medium High

QualityPerformance

Assembly EaseHandlingDurability

SpeedEngine

Price

This reflects the vehicles score in its out ofthe box form without any optional upgradesinstalled

18 ci ABC Motor Thick Aluminum Chassis

Feels Less-Mini Than Others Built Tough

Wheel Choices Limited Plenty of Schumacher Upgrades

of aftermarket upgrades to go with it as well With that in mind Irsquoll beinstalling some optional components that are offered for the Rascal aswell Everyonersquos truck reflects their individual tastes and upgrade optionsare simply one way to address that tailored fit we all desire

Before starting with the teardown of the Rascal I should bring one pointout regarding this review thatrsquos different from the other reviews Irsquove doneThat being this vehicle comes from a distributor instead of direct from themanufacturer Schumacher RC Superstore contacted RC Universe toconduct a review of the Havoc as they wanted to allow RC Universereaders to get to know their approach to serving Schumacher fans Theyoffer Schumacher vehicle combos that give you everything yoursquoll need toget started and then they back the product up with their fully stockedline of upgrades and accessories If Schumacher products are whatyoursquore after theyrsquore confident theyrsquoll offer you the best service you can get

Model Name Schumacher RC Superstore Rascal RTR ComboPart Number K065Price $27500 (Approx Street Price)Type 116 Scale 2WD Off-Road TruckLength 118 (300mm)Width 79 (200mm)Weight 33 lbs (15 kg)Wheelbase 76 (195mm)Drivetrain Two Wheel Drive Rear TransmissionSuspension Front C-Hub Carriers and Rear Bearing CarriersAxles Hardened CVD AxlesShocks Plastic Bottom-Fill with Plastic Preload SpacersWheels 14x24 (36x61mm) Plastic Five SpokeTires 17x35 (42x88mm) Pin-StyleChassis 4mm Anodized Aluminum (Purple)Engine Schumacher 18 Pullstart (30cc)Brakes Carbon-Fiber Disk With Stainless Steel CalipersRadio Airtronics Blazer AM

Additionally Suggested ItemsAir Filter Oil

After-Run OilFlathead Screwdriver

Body Manuals and Documentation Included Accessories

Schumacher is usually good about making sure a vehiclersquos included body has a nice splash of color and theSchumacher Rascal is no exception The body also features the necessary openings already cut out eliminatingthat from being a necessary step when you pull it from the box Therersquos even an opening in the back specifically forallowing access to the vehiclersquos onboard power switch The front windows being completely removed may affect theoverall strength of the lexan body in a rollover though I do like the small hole Schumacher provides right behind theair filter This allows you perfect access to the enginersquos high speed needle making tuning the engine a snap

If yoursquore worried about how to operate or maintain the truck donrsquot fear Schumacher packs in a manual completewith exploded views and diagrams walking you through the assembly process They have also provided a manualfor the included Airtronics radio as well In addition yoursquoll find a sheet of stickers to help you decorate the body andcorrectly identify it to others as a Schumacher Rascal

Yoursquod expect Schumacher to take care of providing you plenty of accessories to get you up and running Howeverwhat you may not expect is a distributor to go the extra mile in providing you a package thatrsquos truly ldquoReady to RunrdquoHowever thatrsquos exactly what Schumacher RC Superstore does with their RTR combo Normally you would seeitems such as preload spacers glow igniter and L-wrenches thrown in with the vehicle Schumacher RCSuperstore expands upon that providing you with all of the components yoursquoll need to get up and running out of thebox This includes all necessary batteries as well as a fuel bottle

Are you looking for more to your experience than that If so Schumacher RC Superstore also offers what they calla ldquoSuper Combordquo which substitutes the standard Airtronics radio for an Airtronics MX-3 FM unit Do you have yourown radio gear Schumacher RC Superstore offers the kit as an ARR (Almost Ready to Run) version as well Thisallows you to use your own gear so you wonrsquot have to pay for a radio you wonrsquot use No matter what option youdesire Schumacher RC Superstore has you covered

Left Side Right Side Underside

The Schumacher Rascal packs quite a punch as well as a tightly packed chassis The front of the vehicle sports a3mm carbon-fiber upper deck which strengthens the truck as well as serving as a home for the electronics Locatedbeside the electronics tray yoursquoll find the fuel tank and behind the fuel tank is the 18 cubic inch motor The motor ismounted sideways in the chassis which is typical with a Schumacher vehicle The transmission can be found at therear shock tower Just above the transmission the enginersquos exhaust gases are routed through the shock tower via arubber hose

The bottom of the 4mm chassis showcases countersunk hardware and a rear end thatrsquos keyed into the chassisThe front of the truck sports a nicely angled kickup which helps the truck when landing jumps and also when it runsacross rough terrain The engine mounts are secured by four screws although the chassis makes no provision foradjustment However it isnrsquot highly likely that gearing changes will be a major priority for the bashing crowdtargeted by the Rascal

Shocks and Suspension Front Suspension Suspension Arm

The front suspension is rather simple since it doesnrsquot have to house or support any of the drivetrain Thestandard-sized coil-over shocks take a rather unique approach as they connect directly to the c-hubs not thesuspension arms The shockrsquos position is fixed at both the upper and lower ends eliminating the possibility ofadjustment but most bashers probably wonrsquot even notice nor care

Above the suspension arms 35mm stainless steel turnbuckles are used to connect the c-hubs to the shock towerThe turnbuckles are marked to indicate which end of them sports the left-handed threads Stainless steelsuspension pins with e-clips are used to tie the steering block to the c-hub and the c-hub to the suspension armsEach one of these pins has a diameter of 3mm

Suspension Components Bulkhead Assembly Carbon-Fiber Construction

The axle assembly for the Rascal is much different than whatrsquos typical throughout the industry First of all hexadapters are not used instead Schumacher uses the splined adapters that first found a home on the CAT A screwpasses through the splined adapter and a nut threads onto the screw to hold the keyed wheels tight against theadapter The adapter spins inside a pair of 10x15x4mm bearings that are housed in a two-piece square-shapedsteering hub Four screws hold the two halves of the hub together

As with all of Schumacherrsquos vehicles Irsquove worked with carbon-fiber has a very strong presence throughout thevehicle This is with good reason when strength is of a major concern While there are certainly different grades ofcarbon-fiber when itrsquos properly constructed it can be stronger than steel The carbon-fiber parts provided bySchumacher have always proven themselves tough to me and I donrsquot expect the Rascal to be any different

The front shock tower consists of three main sections of carbon-fiber that support one another on top of the plasticskid plate The carbon-fiber plates are 3mm thick and support ball studs for the camber links to attach to As istypical with Schumacher products yoursquoll notice the use of star-shaped Torx head screws used to hold the frontshock tower together as well as the rest of the vehiclersquos components

Rear Suspension Suspension Arm Suspension Components

The rear of the Rascal features a carbon fiber shock tower just like the front The actual design is slightly differenthowever which accounts for the transmission exhaust tubing and power switch Just as with the front thestandard-sized shocks donrsquot connect to the suspension arm but rather to the outermost component In the case ofthe rear that is the bearing carriers The upper end of the shock is given a single mounting point while the lowerpoint gets a single point as well

The rear of the Rascal uses trapped suspension pins which are pointed inward at their front face to provide a smallamount of toe-in This helps to keep the truck stable at speed both in straight lines and coming out of the corners

The camber link is given a secondary hole at the bearing carrier which allows you to slightly alter the Rascalrsquos rearroll center

Since the rear of the Rascal sports the vehiclersquos driveline the components found here are much different thanwhatrsquos seen up front The main section of the axle uses a 55mm shaft to connect the transmission to the axle stubThe axle stub is similar to what wersquove seen up front however using a splined hub to connect to the wheel with ascrew for the wheel nut to screw down onto The splined axle hub rides in a pair of 10x15x4mm bearings Thesuspensions pins used at both ends of the suspension arm are 3mm in diameter

Steering Assembly Wheels and Tires Battery Box

The Rascal uses a bellcrank steering assembly when it comes time to point the tires in the desired direction 35mmturnbuckles connect the steering hubs to the steering assembly with a threaded rod and ends serving as theassemblyrsquos draglink The pivot points rotate on a set of plastic inserts

The Rascal sports a set of pinned tires mounted on white nylon five-spoke rims The rubber is fairly firm offeringideal tread life for the bashing crowd The wheels are vented to allow air to flow in or out of the tire as needed andyoursquoll find a foam tire insert inside the tire to help it keep its shape While the front and rear wheels and tires areexactly the same Schumacher has only pre-glued the rear ones since the vehicle is only two-wheel drive Themajor downside to the wheels is the fact that Schumacher uses their proprietary splined adapters This will limit theselection of aftermarket wheels available for the Rascal

Room on the main chassis is pretty scarce on a 116 scale truck such as the Rascal So Schumacher opted tomount the battery box on the rear of the shock tower The box includes a holder that securely holds four AAAbatteries The aluminum chassis sports a kicked up angle that protects the box should you land the truck on therear end instead of its wheels

Throttle Spring Receiver Box Airtronics Radio

To help prevent a runaway scenario should the Rascalrsquos onboard power fail Schumacher equips the truck with athrottle return spring positioned between the servo horn and carbon-fiber shock tower In the event the batterieswould fail the spring will close the carburetor back down to an idle

To handle both the steering and throttlebraking duties yoursquoll find a pair of Airtronics 94102 servos The servosprovide 50 oz-in of torque at 60 volts with a transit speed of 22 seconds Given the size and weight of the Rascalthe servos should perform well However should you want to upgrade the use of standard-size servos opens up aton of aftermarket possibilities unlike other mini vehicles which use smaller servos The steering servo has a servosaver mounted on it to provide protection in the event the steering linkage encounters excessive stress

Schumacher knows that a good RTR vehicle should be equipped with a good radio The trick is balancingperformance with an affordable price The included Airtronics Blazer Sport AM radio does exactly that You get thebasic functions such as trim and dual-rate with a radio that has a proven track record In the event you want toupgrade to an FM radio right off the bat donrsquot forget that Schumacher RC Superstore offers you a combo packagethat uses an Airtronics MX-3 instead

Fuel Tank Chassis Insulators Shocks

The Rascal uses a clear plastic fuel tank with a spring-loaded lid Schumacher has conveniently already equippedthe lid with a ziptie making it very easy to open Rubber o-rings are used between the tank and the chassis toprevent the fuel from foaming due to engine vibrations

The Schumacher Rascal uses plastic-bodied bottom-fill shocks for the dampening duties A rubber o-ring on the3mm shock shaft acts as a bumpstop while a yellow 20 rate spring wraps around the shock assembly A nicelysized rod end serves as a support for the lower end of the shock

Engine Carburetor Backplate

The Schumacher Rascal sports the biggest motor used in a 116 scale vehicle to date Irsquod expect given the 18cubic inch displacement that we wonrsquot see anyone beating the engine size of the Rascal for quite some time in a116 scale platform The engine uses a side exhaust configuration and a rather unique muffler to route the spentgases away from the motor Due to the cramped nature of the 116 scale chassis and a 18 cubic inch motor atuned pipe simply wonrsquot fit Itrsquos a given that the lack of a true tuned pipe probably doesnrsquot allow the motor to developas much power as it could otherwise However itrsquos a given that the Rascal has plenty of power to spare for its smallsize A rubber hose routes the gases from the muffler towards the back of the Rascal through the rear shock tower

The Rascalrsquos motor has plenty more to consider than merely its displacement and unique muffler To mix theincoming air and fuel an aluminum bodied slide carburetor is mounted on the front of the motor The carburetoruses two adjustment needles to control the air to fuel ratio while an idle adjustment allows you to dial in a smoothidle speed

To fire up the engine Schumacher installs the engine with a recoil starting mechanism The pullstart mounts onto analuminum backplate and oneway assembly The backplatersquos shaft is notched for the crankshaft nub allowing thestarter to rotate the engine so that it fires

Clutch Bell Clutch Assembly Cooling Head

The clutch bell used on the Rascalrsquos motor steers away from the commonly followed path as well Instead of usinga small diameter bearing thatrsquos liable to failing with high RPM use Schumacher instead enlists the help of a set ofwell greased needle bearings This should increase the durability factor of the clutch bell assembly but the needlebearings will need to be inspected for dirt as part of the routine maintenance process since they arenrsquot sealed

The clutch uses two nylon shoes with a wrap-around spring that applies tension The shoes are trimmed so that theengine has plenty of low end snap when it takes off Up on top a purple anodized head is held tight to the enginevia four screws The ten cooling fins as well as the fins in the aluminum block help the engine shed the heat that iscreated as yoursquore ripping up the backyard or track

Crankshaft Piston and Sleeve TransmissionSpur Gear

Just like any 18 cubic inch motor the powerplant for the Rascal needs plenty of fuel and air to make power So thecenter of the crankshaft is opened up well to provide the hungry motor with what it needs The crankshaft nub onthe counterweight fits into the notch on the backplatersquos starter shaft

The piston and sleeve use ABC construction which is a very welcome sign in a mini-nitro vehicle The smallermotors Irsquove seen so far utilize a nickel-plated sleeve which is RC technology that dates back to several years agoThe chrome-coated brass sleeve uses 3 intake ports with a single exhaust port When counting ports typically onlythe intake ports are considered This gives the Rascalrsquos engine a three-port designation

The brass connecting rod uses a pin with a fixed nylon bushing to hold the pin in place Oil holes in the rod provideproper lubrication The aluminum piston uses an oil groove to help lubricate the piston and sleeve and featurescutouts in the side to lighten the reciprocating mass

Since the Rascal is a two-wheel drive truck the use of a rear mounted transmission makes perfect senseSchumacher uses a 61-tooth spur gear to mate with the clutch bell found on engine An e-clip holds the spur gearin place

Brakes Inside the Transmission Ball Differential

Underneath the spur gear yoursquoll find a pin that fits into its backside locking the transmission shaft and spur geartogether A carbon-fiber brake disk is mounted onto a square plastic hub Stainless steel calipers pinch the disk tostop the Rascal when it becomes necessary

Inside the transmission a set of three gears transfer the enginersquos power to the axles A complete set of ball bearingsis used to allow the transmissionrsquos inner gears to rotate smoothly The main gear is actually a ball differential whichcontrols the power output to each wheel Unlike a traditional gear differential a properly set ball differential wonrsquotexhibit the unloading condition thatrsquos seen when one side of the truck spins freely The ball differential is adjustablevia a screw accessed through the output yoke

Chrome Wheels Air Filter Rear Carriers

I received a fair number of upgrade items along with the Rascal So while the truck was still clean I went aheadand installed the upgrade items and snapped some pictures Later on during the driving phase I planned onswapping the stock parts back and do some testing with the truck in its stock form

The first of these items was a set of plastic chromed wheels The design is the same as stock although the chromefinish adds a fair amount of ldquobling factorrdquo to your Rascal Since the rear tires were already glued onto the stockrims I didnrsquot want to remove the tires and possibly damage them So I left the vehicle with its stock wheels in place

I was happy to see that one of the upgrade items was an air filter The stock filter is adequate for the task at handbut the 18 scale style filter offers much more surface area The upgrade filter is smaller than the typical 18 scalefilter but the design principle is the same It uses a purple anodized aluminum housing that firmly holds the filter inplace This is much more durable than similar plastic-styled filters

Since the rear of the truck uses standard bearing carriers a suitable matching aluminum upgrade part is neededYoursquoll be happy to find that all of the hardware yoursquoll need for installation are included in the upgrade package alongwith the carriers

FrontRear Arms C-Hubs Steering Blocks

Of course aluminum parts can sometimes cause stress points to move to other areas on the vehicle With that inmind Schumacher also provides aluminum suspension arms titanium turnbuckles and c-hubs The suspensionarms are designed to be used on either the front or rear of the truck while the c-hubs are obviously only intendedfor the front The turnbuckles are sold in pairs for either the front or rear and use different lengths for theappropriate locations The arms and titanium turnbuckles need no additional hardware but the c-hubs do So thec-hubs arrive with all the necessary e-clips and hardware

When looking at aluminum upgrades one of the areas that are usually tackled first is the front suspension Withthat in mind Schumacher provides an optional steering block set that includes all of the necessary hardware toinstall them The steering block consists of two halves that trap the axle bearings in between them For the basheraluminum steering blocks can have some serious merits

Installed Air Filter Installed Rear Carriers Installed Front Suspension

Installing the optional air filter is easy Simply secure the filter neck with zipties Yoursquoll only receive one with thefilter so yoursquoll need to grab a second from your pitbox The foam filter element isnrsquot oiled so be sure to have somefilter oil handy

To install the rear upgrade components I first tackled the titanium turnbuckles I measured the lengths of the stockones and then matched the titanium ones to the same length once the rod ends were on them I replaced the rearbearings in the aluminum carriers and simply performed a quick swap with the stock items

Replacing the front components was a little more involved but not too difficult I started by tackling the installation ofthe titanium turnbuckles in the same manner as the rear Then I assembled the c-hubs and suspension arms Iremoved the entire arm assemblies from the front of the Rascal and then removed the axles and bearings andplaced them in the aluminum carriers The aluminum cap that holds the bearings in place are held in place byscrews with the rearward facing screws using a small aluminum washer to shorten their length as theyrsquore screwed in

Before I tackle the necessary prep work for the Rascal I should point out one thing regarding the above parts andthe Schumacher RC Superstore in particular That is the fact that parts such as those used above as well asreplacement parts are a high priority One of the things that Schumacher RC Superstore prides itself in most is thefact it stocks the full line of replacement parts and accessories In short they are focused on supportingSchumacher fans wit the support they deserve

Antenna Cap Oil Filter Install Filter

To protect the wire and to keep the antenna fully extended I grabbed a Dubro antenna cap (part 2342) The cappresses onto the end of the tube and the price is right at about $050 So it didnt really bother me that Schumacherdoesnt supply one with the tube The caps also come with rubber antenna collars to assist in securing the excesswire

The stock filter for the Schumacher Rascal has a lightly pre-oiled filter but the optional filter is not oiled So if youuse the upgrade item youll want to make sure you dont overlook this important step First remove the foam filterelement and then apply several drops all around the outside edges of the filter Knead the filter between yourfingers to evenly disperse it throughout the foam element Squeeze any excess filter oil out and you should be leftwith a foam filter that is completely colored the same color as your filter oil and slightly tacky to the touch

Once its ready reinstall the element onto the air filter housing Yoursquoll receive one ziptie with the filter kit I chose toalso use a second ziptie as well The second zip tie ensured that the filter neck was firmly secured at both ends

Glue Tires Receiver Batteries Radio and Igniter Batteries

Another item that many RTR vehicles have already completed for you is the gluing of the tires In the case of theRascal it has examples of both glued and unglued The rear tires are glued while the front tires arenrsquot I prefer tohave all my tires glued before running even if the front ones arenrsquot been driven by the driveline This allows me toswap them back and forth as needed

Even when tires are pre-glued though I like to run another bead around the tire to help make sure itrsquos well sealedFor this task I enlisted the help of a few products from Frank Tiano Enterprises First and foremost was thesuper-thin Zap CA glue which I applied using one of their micro tubing ends The applicator ends are soldseparately in a container that holds a large assortment in various sizes They really do the trick though when itcomes to a trouble-free gluing process unless you really enjoy gluing your fingers together

If yoursquore looking for quick results as I often am a bottle of Zip Kicker will also come in very handy CA glue driesfairly fast but Kicker is an accelerator that speeds the curing time up to nearly instantaneous You simply spray iton the CA glue and it cures it on the spot The result is a strong hold that doesnrsquot require you to hold the tire inplace while curing It also eliminates the need for the tire rings which some people use to hold the tires securelyagainst the rims during the CA gluersquos curing process

The next item I tackled was to install the AAA alkaline batteries for the receiver Two screws need to be removed toopen the battery box exposing the battery holder Then you simply slide the batteries into place as indicated I usedthe batteries supplied by the Schumacher RC Superstore combo package Due to the nature of the battery boxrsquossize a standard receiver pack will not fit

I also installed the Schumacher RC Superstore supplied AA batteries into the Airtronics radio to power it If youwish you could pick up a rechargeable transmitter pack and charger later on down the road That would be a morecost effective route to take as opposed to supplying the radio with AA batteries You should also install the suppliedantenna Slide it into position and then twist it clockwise until it stops The antenna should then be locked intoposition and ready to extend as needed

My final battery installation was for the glow plug igniter Again the Schumacher RC Superstore combo came

through giving me a battery to power it as well So there was no need to worry about having everything I needed onhand to run the Rascal it was all handy and available to me

Dubro Klip Retainers Install Body HSN Needle Adjustment

Schumacher already handled the body post and cooling holes but I also wanted to install a set of Dubro Klipretainers Im hooked on the usefulness of these items as not only do they prevent lost clips but they are also veryhandy for keeping the clips attached to the body when yoursquore working on the truck I used my body hole reamer tomake a couple of small holes for the Klip Retainers and then installed a white one up front and a red one in the rear

With the body readied all that was left was for me to install it onto the chassis I quickly did so and was readied forsome action I couldnrsquot help but to notice that Schumacher had taken access to the high speed needle into accountEven with the body installed itrsquos easy to reach thanks to a precut hole in the lexan body

I started off my runtime with the break-in process I heat cycled the motor in the backyard and the process wentas smooth as yoursquod hope for The tune was pretty rich out of the box but with a few adjustments I soon had it setideal for the break-in process During the break-in process it was obvious that the Rascal was going to be pumpingout some serious power and I couldnrsquot wait to get a chance to open it up

Once the break-in was behind me I dialed in the needles a little further and soon had the Rascal tearing up thebackyard The ball differential still seemed a little stiff early on as the truck would spin out really easy However as Icontinued to drive the Schumacher Rascal the differentialrsquos action seemed to smooth out and began to lay thepower down a little more consistently Keep in mind that a small truck such as the Rascal can still easily overpowerthe tires in a turn but with the ball differential broken in well it was simply more predictable

Early on in my backyard bashing session I did have an issue with the header popping off the engine forcing me toshut the truck down An inspection enlightened me as to what the problem was pretty quickly however It seemedthat the engine mounting screws had backed out of the underside of the chassis allowing the motor to shift andmove Once it moved the header popped off A little bit of Z-42 threadlock cured this problem quickly

Like most mini trucks the Rascal has very little ground clearance under the chassis Itrsquos just the nature of this genreof truck This left the vehicle with a tendency to get high-centered if the terrain was too rough which many of theareas in the backyard were With this in mind I made it a point to tell myself Irsquod also test this backyard basher at thetrack as well Even thought the track surface would be a little blown out due to it being the off-season it would stillbe much smoother overall than the backyard

I couldnrsquot resist taking the chance to get a little air with the Rascal as well This is where it really started to shineshedding some of the stereotypical behavior associated with a mini-truck I felt as if the truck really reacted well tomy throttle input even though it jumped well and needed very little correction from me once in the air most of thetime I knew the dirt jumps found at the track would be right up the Schumacher Rascalrsquos alley

A few days later I had the opportunity to get the Rascal to Monkey Bottom Raceway and soon had the truck firedup and tuned I started making laps on the portion of the track that was suitable for running I say suitable as somesections of the track still consisted of thick mud thanks to a heavy rain earlier in the week However there was stillplenty areas on the track that was available to use with the Rascal After all I wasnrsquot looking to turn race worthylaps instead I simply wanted to bash the Rascal on a more prepared surface that suited its lowered stance

Early on soon after my arrival the engine stalled abruptly Upon inspection it was quickly revealed to me that theglow plug had failed It wasnrsquot a big deal considering the engine wasnrsquot too far out of the break-in process As thepiston and sleeve wear into a good fit the byproducts can often cause that first glow plug to fail early on I swappedthe plug and soon had the Rascal re-fired and hitting the dirt once again

At the track it was really easy to see what kind of power the Rascal offered as the area was much more open thanthe backyard I could really wind the Rascal out without having to worry about obstacles in the way The Rascalrsquosspeed saw speeds close to 35MPH according to my radar gun which was plenty fast enough for this mini-sizedpackage I only saw this sort of speed down the straightway as through the curves the truck didnrsquot need that sort ofspeed The curves were all about acceleration between turning and the Rascal delivered that just as well

I was really amazed at how well the Rascal handled itself on the track It just didnrsquot feel like most minis Irsquom used to

The truck drove much more like a larger sized RC truck if you handled it correctly If you wanted to overdrive it theRascal would easily slide sideways but it showed that it could cope with a subdued precise driving style as wellMost minis just simply donrsquot have a suspension that can deliver in that regard

Over the jumps the Rascal was just as impressive While it wasnrsquot going to tackle the big triple it singled all of themwith grace style and control Over at the quad where the jumps are a little smaller and positioned closer togetherthe Rascal showed that it had the guts to clear the first two opening jumps in one shot It landed under control andmade quick work of the other two remaining jumps I was simply amazed at how well the shock springs and factoryoil worked as they simply did an excellent job of keeping the truckrsquos tires on the ground

One other test of the Rascal proved it just as worthy as the jumps did That was the trackrsquos rhythm section Theseries of jumps can easily upset a vehicle that isnrsquot up to the task but the Rascal stayed right on course andconquered the section with ease Even the blown out areas of the track didnrsquot seem to phase the suspension aslong as I kept the Rascal away from the larger rut that would nearly swallow it up

I drove the truck a good portion of the afternoon at the track bashing it throughout the areas of the track that weresuitable for driving Also since I had the aluminum parts installed I wanted to take the time to swap back over tothe stock plastic components as well As I did this I noticed that the aluminum right rear bearing carrier had gottentweaked a little at the upper camber link ear I bent it back with a pair of channel locks but couldnrsquot think of exactlywhen the damage may have occurred I had pushed the truck pretty hard over some of the jumps and taken sometumbles a few times and I imagine one of these resulted in the small bend I had seen

The stock plastic parts fared very well though once I had reinstalled them I didnrsquot break anything although by thetime I was using them I was much more used to jumping the truck that I had been upon initially arriving at the trackJust as when the aluminum parts were on the truck though the truck handled beautifully for a mini It simply did anexcellent job of shedding that stiff-like feel that many minis typically have as their suspensions simply arenrsquot up tothe task

Desktop Wallpaper800x600 1024x768 1600x1200

See the Rascal in actionResolution Low Medium High

The Schumacher Rascal is one well-rounded mini The 18 cubic inch motor is much more user friendly andpowerful than the smaller powerplant found in other small trucks The ABC construction used in the truck providesmuch more compression and a longer life as well The suspension simply doesnrsquot have the same feel that otherminis have either giving it a much more honed and precise feel while itrsquos being driven

While I had a slew of accessories I installed with the Rascal they arenrsquot by any means necessary I wouldrecommend driving the truck in its stock form first to see how it does Then address any parts you feel may need tobe considered for upgrades Regardless of how you equip the truck itrsquos tough and can run with the best of them

Schumacher has a hit for mini fans with the Rascal You simply arenrsquot going to find a truck that has this muchengine and handles this well in a 116 scale truck Schumacher is well known for dropping big motors into truckand the Rascal is no exception Just as with their other releases theyrsquove hit the mark in a vehicle that delivers onspeed and fun

Schumacher RacingDistributed BySchumacher Racing Products Ltd6302 Benjamin Road Suite 404Tampa Florida 33634 USAPhone (813) 889-9691Fax (813) 889-9593Website wwwracing-carscom

Schumacher-RC SuperstoreWebsite dedicated to Schumacher productsPhone (877) 563-FASTWebsiteswwwRascalRCcomwwwSchumacher-RCcom

Dubro Inc480 Bonner RoadWauconda IL 60084 USAPhone (732) 635-1600Website wwwdubrocomProducts used Antenna Cap Fuel Filter Klip Retainers

DuratraxDistributed Exclusively ByGreat Planes Model DistributorsPO Box 9021Champaign IL 61826-9021 USAPhone (800) 637-6050Website wwwduratraxcom

Frank Tiano Enterprises3607 Ventura Drive ELakeland Florida 33811 USAPhone (863) 607-6611Fax (863) 607-6602Website wwwfranktianocomProducts used After-Run CA Kicker Thin CA GlueZ-42 Threadlock

ODonnellDistributed Exclusively ByGreat Planes Model DistributorsPO Box 9021Champaign IL 61826-9021 USAPhone (800) 637-7660Website wwwhobbicocomProducts used 30 Racing Fuel

Website wwwduratraxcomProducts used Air Filter Oil

Comments on RCU Review Schumacher Rascal

There are no comments

The comments observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not applygenerally to similar products by the manufacturer We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products

like the one featured in the review

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Tamiya Amarok CustomLift

As an official vehicle of the 2014 SochiOlympics Volkswagen built specialized polaredition custom lifted Amarok vehicles u

11242015

Tower Hobbies J-3 CubWith its distinctive looks it is probably safeto say that the J-3 Cub is one of the mostrecognized and known airplanes in

11232015

RCGF 21cc Twin CylinderGasoline Engine

RCGF a Chinese manufacturer of gasolineengines designs and manufactures enginesspecifically for the RC aircraft market

11232015

RCGF120cc Twin

Cylinder GasolineEngine

RCGF a Chinese manufacturer of gasolineengines designs and manufactures enginesspecifically for the RC aircraft market T

11232015

Traxxas Slash VXLBrushless with OBA

In June I tested and wrote about theTraxxas Slash w OBA and how much Ienjoyed what the Slash offers Its been agoto veh

11232015

Seagull Models Steen SuperSkybolt 15cc ARF

Seagull Models introduced this biplane earlyon in 2015 and SIG mfg had apre-production sample at the Toledo ExpoThat pr

11202015

RCGF 10cc GasolineEngine

RCGF a Chinese manufacturer of gasolineengines designs and manufactures enginesspecifically for the RC aircraft market

11172015

RCGF 20cc GasolineEngine

RCGF a Chinese manufacturer of gasolineengines designs and manufactures enginesspecifically for the RC aircraft market

11152015

RCTECG Using VRC yetWhy not After all

You may remember we ran an article not thatlong ago asking about the value ofsimulators you can read that here Well asi

10032015

The WorldModels

30 PT-17Stearman ARF(US ARMY)

Some may call me lucky I would agree Oneof the reasons that the PT-17 is so close tomy heart is that I have a personal co

10032015

RCTECHReliving the

excitement of yourfir

Can you remember the moment you got yourfirst RC car I can remember as a ten yearold boy walking into my first real hobb

09282015

This Is OnlyAsking ForProblems

Or Is ItHow many times has this happened to youYou just finished building your new pride andjoy and you are now installing your el

09282015

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