9 replies to this topic

[Nick F40]

Does anyone have any tips that would help with slot cars or tricks that can make them faster? Post them here! Just wondering if some of you have personal tips. 8)

[7000in5th]

Does anyone have any tips that would help with slot cars or tricks that can make them faster? Post them here! Just wondering if some of you have personal tips. 8)

Below is my web page about building the 1:32 scale car shown above. It set a World Record the first time out - lots of motor and lots of magnet. :wink:

The Yankee Invader

[Nick F40]

Wow, that must really go! :shock: Is the magnet on the bottom taped or glued on? :?

[7000in5th]

Wow, that must really go! :shock: Is the magnet on the bottom taped or glued on? :?

It was amazingly fast for the first time out! But I must confess that it is better suited to a very long track. It is almost undriveable on my short (27 ft per lap) track.



Concerning the magnet, I cut a hole in the chassis and glued the super magnet in a little below flush with the bottom of the car. However, the magnet pulls the chassis down so close to the track that the magnet frequently drags. I put tape on the bottom of the magnet to prevent shorting when it touches both live track rails at once. You can see the marks where the magnet was rubbing:

[Jairus]

The question can be answered many ways depending upon which scale, type and year of manufacturer of car you are talking about. But here are a few generalities about all slot cars.

Low center of gravity is always the best.
Remove any extra body weight.
Make vacuumformed window glass
Make the body fit loose enough to rattle on it's mounts.
Adjust the gear lash so that there is no gear noise.
Glue and true the tires to the rims.
Look for faster motors.
Break them in underwater is a good idea....
Trim down the front wheels to just a thin piece.
Adjust the front guide so that it tilts up at a slight 3 degree angle and make sure the brushes lie flat against the guide.
Oil bearings frequently.
Add weight to the nose and tail but NOT the middle and test frequently.
Change one thing at a time. If it dosn't work, put it back and try something else.

[7000in5th]

The question can be answered many ways depending upon which scale, type and year of manufacturer of car you are talking about. But here are a few generalities about all slot cars.

Low center of gravity is always the best.
Remove any extra body weight.
Make vacuumformed window glass
Make the body fit loose enough to rattle on it's mounts.
Adjust the gear lash so that there is no gear noise.
Glue and true the tires to the rims.
Look for faster motors.
Break them in underwater is a good idea....
Trim down the front wheels to just a thin piece.
Adjust the front guide so that it tilts up at a slight 3 degree angle and make sure the brushes lie flat against the guide.
Oil bearings frequently.
Add weight to the nose and tail but NOT the middle and test frequently.
Change one thing at a time. If it dosn't work, put it back and try something else.

What he said!!

[jbwelda]

just like real cars: lighten and lower

magnets are cheating but mounting an open magnet motor close to the track is ground effects.

reduce rolling resistance: hard skinny front wheels

reduce resistance period: ball bearings on guide shoe and all four wheels.

to corner well ive found, against all advice, that all four wheels should be planted firmly on the track. wont much matter with fast tracks but race on mine and youll need to make left and right turns, many of them decreasing radius, quickly.

dont mount body solid to frame, let it drift a little so the frame can contort if it needs to on tight corners...esp if using strong magnets (but magnets are cheating).

match tires to track: i find modern silicone tires work great on modern plastic track but not so well elsewhere.

what jairus said

[7000in5th]

magnets are cheating

Not if everyone else is using them! :wink: :wink:

[jbwelda]

yeah i know what you mean about everyone using magnets but i found after about a year of infatuation with magnets that its a lot more fun to do without, or at least with low power ones or "au natural" (that is to say just using the magnet in the motor for ground effects).

but thats just me possibly...but i find its a lot more realistic feeling without all the stick afforded by a powerful magnet. it improves your driving style and really a magnet trumps pretty much all the real "tuning" you achieve with the other suggestions here. hell a big motor and a big magnet on a brick and youre still likely to win...maybe without even watching your car, ahem, brick go around the track!

:shock:

[Nick F40]

they have "no magnet" races sometimes.


So, it is kind of like traction control? :wink: