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.
Toys are effective learning tools for kids since they effectively integrate fun with learning. Kids love to play, and most of the time that's the only activity they care for. Hence, parents have to be ingenious in their attempts to sublimate their kids' learning into more pleasurable activities. If your child is a boy, chances are he'll be more inclined to play with toy cars, even more so with the ones that can move really fast! Also, it's a proven fact that kids have a natural inclination to toys that are controllable. You simply can never go wrong with slot cars.
Almost everyone has already seen slot cars at one time or another. These miniature cars are modeled out of real cars, and are a joy to behold when they are running fast on tracks. A remote control gives you the ability to control its speed, taking care to put on just the right amount at certain points of the track in order for it to stay on course.
Slot car racing has also been a popular sport among hobbyists for a few decades now. If you want your kid to get really serious, it's about time you join slot racing competitions and get your kid involved in them. When kids get competitive, they are going to learn the nuances of the sport by their own volition. This is a perfect opportunity to have them involved in physical science, electronics, and basic mathematical concepts.
To start with your kid's "education", you need to tell him how the whole process of slot car racing works. I would advice not to go with the smaller HO slot cars, the 1 24 slot car or 1 32 slot cars are larger and easier for little fingers to hold, plus not as delicate as the smaller cars. When showing your kid about slot cars, don't make it sound like you're giving a lecture; instead, make it sound as casual as possible. If you're lucky, you might not need to make the initial effort since the kid might ask about it himself if he's really interested.
So tell your kids how slot cars accelerate, decelerate and stay on track as they move through a track's twists and turns. Ask him about the adjustments that need to be made in lieu to a particular track. Should the magnet in the car be toned down for a track that doesn't involve sharp turns? How does car shape affect speed? In this manner, kids will learn how aerodynamics and wind resistance come into play in determining speed.
Making modifications on slot cars allows your kids to develop their mechanical and logical faculties. Slot cars have lots of variables. Values such as gear ratios, magnets, electrical contacts, tire size, tire grip, and weight need to be deliberated on since each of them can determine a slot car's performance in a designated track. Some of these concepts might be too complex for a kid, so don't put too much pressure on him. Give him the simple tasks, and allow him to watch you as you do the more complex ones.
Learning is best when it happens without you being aware of it. This is even truer for kids. Slot car racing can benefit your child in so many ways, and more importantly, he'll get a kick out of it.
It would be a waste if a top-grade slot car is not properly cared for. In the sport of slot car racing, proper maintenance and effective improvisation almost always determine the victor. And if you're serious about being competitive in slot car racing, it'd do you well to heed the tips that are going to be discussed in this article.
1. Keep Your Slot Car Clean
Slot cars can accumulate dust and dirt in its nooks and crannies, which can cause congestion on the wheel hubs, axles, and pick up shoes. If not properly cleaned, these components will have a hard time to rotate freely.
What you should do is remove the body and make sure that the chassis is clean. The moving parts amount to tires, gears, axles, springs and motors. Rotate them and determine if they can move without difficulty. In case there are parts that are worn out, replacing them is the smarter thing to do. As long as all these components are working properly, the slot car will perform better and last longer.
2. Apply Lubrication
Cleaning is simply not enough. Even a clean car will have difficulties in maintaining a solid run if friction is left alone to do its nasty work. To avoid this problem, make sure to lubricate the slot car chassis and the motor. A small drop of oil on each of the chassis axle bearings is a good insurance policy as far as keeping the axles spinning without any interruptions is concerned. Do the same procedure for the front and rear end bells to make sure that the armatures can spin without difficulty. Remember, a small drop on each component will do; otherwise, the operation could become messy.
3. Stick to One Car
You have to choose a slot car that works for you. In case you have a lot of slot cars to choose from, do a test drive on each one and choose the one you can handle best. If you think that some tweaks have to be made, feel free to do so and do a test run again.
4. Practice Makes Perfect
Once you're finished choosing your "baby", you need to do regular drills in order for you to have a better "feel" for all the little but important nuances that are involved in handling the slot car. Believe it or not, each slot car is unique. And funny as it may sound, each one seems to develop its own set of characteristics.
So treat your slot car like a prizefighter. Do a test drive for a few hours each day. Try different types of tracks. If you spot a weakness, do the necessary adjustments and then give it another try. With plenty of time, you can spot subtleties more effectively and know exactly what you need to do with each one.
These are the basic guidelines to ensure that you and your slot car remain competitive in the slot car racing arena. Slot cars are curious things, but if you are familiar with all the little things, you are well on your way to making it big in the sport of slot car racing.
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.
