Carrying out routine maintenance on slot cars should be very easy. This is especially true if you are handling the larger scale sizes 1:24 and 1:32 which don’t have hard to reach very small parts, unlike with HO slot car models and other scales in between.
Critical to performing car maintenance is knowing the model of your car. Although the basic components of slot cars are pretty much the same, there are some minor variations with each model. Before you open your own, check out model information first so you can be sure that you are not doing anything wrong with your car. If, for any reason, there is a need to replace a part, you should check available parts for that particular in online stores and hobby shops near you.
If you don’t wish to open your car yourself, it is advisable that you have a professional do it for. If, however, you prefer to do it on your own, you should take note of the first step to opening up a model – removing a few screws to separate the shell from the chassis. After opening the model, you should inspect the following:
Braids Braids, or brushes as other drivers call them, are the wires connected to the side of the track that send power to the motor. Although these are generally for keeping the slot car powered and running, they are also very important to keep the car attached to the grooves on the track. Worn out braids won't do that. Worse, they won't guarantee that your car receives the power it needs.
It is, thus, very important to replace worn out braids with new ones regularly. To do this, simply pull off the braids and replace them. New slot car sets often come with extra braids. If you've run out of these, you can always buy them in packs of 4 in slot car or hobby shops.
Gears If your car creates strange noise while running, you have problems with the gears. The best solution is often to replace the worn gears with new ones.
Motor Motors, no matter how excellently built they are, do not last forever. After long hours of racing, your motor should be replaced. A good sign that your motor needs replacement is when problems with speed and performance start to crop up.
Tires Your car's tires should be replaced whenever necessary as well. Bad tires affect performance. Often cars with bad tires often perform slower than those with perfectly good tires. Also, these tend to fly off of the racetrack as they no longer have the grip suitable for racing.
Replacing parts is not the only thing you should do during routine maintenance. Cleaning the entire car should also be part of the process. Usually, cars collect fluff, dirt and other components on the ground. To prevent these from affecting your car's performance, it is best to remove them regularly or after each race. You need not open the entire model every time though. You can simply scrape off the dirt or fluff using a small tool like a screwdriver or a pair of tweezers.
If, however, you wish to remove the fluff or dirt that has collected in the chassis of the car, you can unscrew the car and separate the chassis from the shell. This should allow you access to the gears which usually collect fibers, hairs and dirt.
Slot car racing is a very popular hobby among miniature car racing enthusiasts. It satisfies the inner speed demons among us and is a relatively inexpensive hobby for people who love building model cars. In this article, we will provide you with information that can help you not only save on buying slot cars and slot car accessories but also buying advices that will allow you to make the best choice:
Which slot car scale? There are 1 32 slot cars, 1 24 slot cars, HO slot cars and more.
Slot cars come in various scales and each scale has its own pros and cons. The larger scales, for example, have superb detailing and are often geared to perform according to the performance specs of the original cars they were modeled from. These are usually raced in competitions and are often considered among the cars worth collecting.
The main disadvantage of using the 1:24 scale, the largest there is, is that this takes so much space. The same is quite true with the smaller 1:32 scale. For a decent basic racetrack, you should at least have an 8 by 6 feet racetrack.
The space needed to accommodate the racetrack for larger scales is always a major consideration. If you have a small space available for your racetrack, it is often more advisable to stick with smaller scales, like the HO scale.
The HO scale is where the smallest of slot cars are categorized under. This includes small cars whose size ranges from 2 ½ inches to 3 ½ inches.
Now, when it comes to buying, it is very important to first check how much space you have for your toys. If you don’t think larger scales are good for you, it is advisable that you settle with the smaller ones. Also, if there are no race circuits for 1:24 and 1:32 slot cars near you, you should stick with smaller scales.
Which manufacturer? There are literally hundreds of companies that produce competition-ready slot cars for hardcore slot car racing enthusiasts to slot car toys for children. Obviously, you should look for those companies that produce high quality slot cars whose performance is optimized for racing. Among the most common manufacturers are Artin, Johnny Lightning, Carrera, Fly, Ninco, Monogram, and Scalextric. These differ in the quality of cars they produce as well as the price range. The most affordable cars are produced by Artin and the manufacturers that are known for winning the most race are Scalextric, Carrera and Johnny Lighting for individual scales. The high-end slot cars are produced by Fly.
Where to buy? Slot car shops can be found in brick and mortar shops as well as online shops. eBay, a very popular worldwide online bidding site, is where many slot car hobbyists and enthusiasts go for their supplies. Individual online vendors are also some of the best places to visit online to get your car sets. It is also a good idea to check out hobby shops near you.
How to buy? It doesn’t matter where you buy; what matters is how you buy. Slot cars command relatively inexpensive price tags although there are some well-made ones that could cost you a fortune. So do your research first before you buy your own car. It is important to know everything about the car first before you pay some serious money for it.
