Need help with my current car collection and new purchases.

[rsoward]

I need assistance in making my current and newly purchased slot cars run better.

Current slot car collection

- Scalextric McLaren MP4-12C Super Resistance Car (3)
o Rear of the car flies out bad when going around any corner at slow speeds
o Buying a tire truer to help with the tires. Also going to oil them up.
o Changing out the guides assembly because they keep breaking
 One with B-Nova and Slot.it guide
 One with SureChange guides without the LED in front
 Going to try both methods to see which one is better
 Going to include 22 gauge wire to the ferret man so their legs are not in the braids/guide assembly

- Scalextric Ford Fiesta RS WRC
o Good car but can it be better?
o Stock tires will be trued when I get truer
o Guide assembly will be replaced with SureChange guide without the LED in front

Newly purchased cars
- Ninco 1 Renault Megane Trophy (2)
o C7005 digital chip
o SureChange Racing guide for the LED placement
o Stock tires will be trued when I get truer
o Decision criteria
 Slower Car
 Better handling
 Reduction in deslots when racing
 Guide assembly upgrade - Non-Scalextric car based on guide breakage issue
 Useable by 3 and 7 year olds
o How can I make this car better?

Tire Questions:
- What tires from Paul's Slot Car Shop do I get for the cars above?
- I want urethane tires… correct?

Are these the tires for the Ninco car? Which ones are for the front and rear?
- "XPG" URETHANE SLOT CAR TIRES 2pr PGT-21126XD-XPG fit NINCO Lightning Rally
- "XPG" URETHANE SLOT CAR TIRES 2pr PGT-20116-XPG fit NINCO Lightning

Sorry for the long post….
Slot car newbie
Thanks,
Ryan

[Ember]

What sort of track are you driving on? I'm guessing Scaley Sport Digital from a few things you've said, but I'm not sure.
Are you driving with 'magnetraction'?

I don't like oiling tyres. Too messy. Too hit and miss. And you've got to keep doing it. I run urethane on all my cars. If you change tyres, DON'T oil urethane. You could also choose to use Silcon tyres, but you will need to keep your track completely free of dust.

The Ninco Meganes should be great with very little attention. Change the tyres and true them. You'll only need to change the rear tyres. If you're running with magnets they will need very little else other than light oil on the axle bushings (I use sewing machine oil because it's cheap) and a little lube on the crown/spur gear. I don't know if the Megane is inline or sidewinder config, sorry. For gear lube, everyone has their favourite substance. I use Molybdnum grease, again because it's cheap.

You can actually true the tyres over the track and see a distinct improvement. Put the car on the track and slide a piece of sandpaper under the rear wheels. Hold the rear of the car off the deck and give the controller a squirt. As the wheels are spinning gently lower them onto the sandpaper. Three hands are helpful, but you can always use your controller hand to hold the sandpaper firm.

I'd try this with your Scalex cars and see what improvement you get before you go any further.

[RazorJon]

truing the wheels is just as important as the tires, and this can be done with an emory board, but it is much easier with the Razor and wheel buddy

[rsoward]

Update on track and cars:

I have changed out 1 of the Scalextric McLaren MP4-12C Super Resistance Car with the B-Nova and Slot.it guide.

Works nicely but I do get a clicking noise when moving across the Scalextric track. Could the Slot.it guide be hitting the track to make this noise?

I replaced the other two McLaren's with the standard guides that Scalextric sent me as replacements for free.

My biggest gain through this process was cleaning the track and using Inox. This has changed my slot car experience 100% fold. I cannot state how much of a difference the track has changed now that it was cleaned with hot water and soap. Then add the addition of Inox and WOW the slot cars work great! I use magnets and Inox has made a huge difference in them working correctly.

Ordered a Tire Razor from Jon and I will report back when my tires are trued.

Thanks,
Ryan

[Ember]

Great to hear the McLaren is now behaving itself.

On the Scalex track it is most likely the depth of the Slot.it guide that is causing the noise. It's is probably bottoming out and hitting track ties and joins. Slot.it make their guides in two different depths, deep and shallow. The deep one is for use on routed wooden tracks or Carrera plastic which have a slot usually cut to around 8mm (sorry, I'm a metric girl). The shallow one should be fine for Scalex Sport or Classic, SCX and Ninco tracks which have a nominal slot depth of 6mm. Always make sure you buy the shallow guide.

Trimming the base of the guide as Bibbster suggests, should solve the issue.

[rsoward]

Thank you for the information on the Slot.it guide.

I purchased the Slot.it CH10 guide - http://www.professormotor.com/product-p/sich10.htm

It doesn't say used for wood track or if it is the shorter of the two guides.

I live in Tyler, Texas.

Thanks again,

Ryan

[Ember]

"For plastic track use" it's the shallower guide. Surprised that it's rubbing on the track slot then.

[rsoward]

I have another question about the cars.

When I am driving a couple of the car I get a funny noise like the tires are rubbing the track. Hard to describe sound with text. I make sure the car bodies have enough play so the can float on the track. Is this the sound I am hearing?

Seems not to affect the cars a much as a newbie can tell...

You guys have any ideas?


I also really like the super glue tip and trick.

Do you have a recommendation on the kind/manufacture of super glue to use?

From my understanding of the reading, the little oil takes up space between the axle and bushing. Then you put in the super glue and run the axle around to move the super glue to the outside of the bushing taking up the space between the oil and the bushing.

This then makes for a smoother running car? I get the play will be removed but what is the outcome?

Also, how much glue do you add and do you do this process to both bushings at the same time?

Thanks,

Ryan

[Ember]

Because Scalextric axles are knurled at the ends to tightly grip the plastic wheel hubs the ends of the axles have a larger overall diameter than the unknurled section. In order, therefore, to allow the knurling on the axle to pass through the hole in the nylon bushing the hole must be a bit larger than would be required for an unknurled axle. The slight increase in hole size means the axle is not a snug fit in the bushing and some erratic movement of the axle within the bushing. The 'superglue trick' eradicates this unwanted movement allowing the axle to spin true.

This is one of those instances where quality of superglue really doesn't matter a lot. There is not a joint, as such, that will have to withstand stresses. Cheap superglue is fine. The more rapidly it cures, the better.

[rsoward]

Great follow up.

Thank you for this tip. I will do this to my 4 Scalextric cars after the tires are trued.

[rsoward]

What play in the front and back wheels. Is this ok?

Thanks,

Ryan

[rsoward]

Sorry was a quick response on my phone.

What about play in the front and rear tires. Side to side play.

[nhdungeonracer]

[rsoward]

[RazorJon]

forgot 1 step


HAVE FUN this one is most important :music-rockout: