The Basics Of Preparing For Slot Car Racing
Each racing event follows a different process of organizing races. The components below are among the most common ones that can be observed in many major racing circuits.
Individual Preparation
The winners of different races seem to be those drivers who have made their preparations. Well-conditioned cars stand a much higher chances of winning the race as these, quite obviously, are primed for performing during the entire length of the course.
Priming the car for racing often involves checking the interior and exterior of the car and the different components of the car, especially those that directly contribute to the results of the race. It pays to check the wheels as these often affect the results of the race. Be sure that these rotate perfectly and that there are nothing stuck in the rims that would prevent the car from moving. Also, the pinions, gears and brushes are checked and lightly oiled. The braids are also checked.
If you are priming yourself to race in competitions, it is a good idea to make preparing the car the night before the race a habit. This allows you plenty of time to check up and the car and address any of its problem. Checking the car a few hours during the race is good too but make it a point not to do the checking right before the race. Also, warm up the motor of the car a few hours before the race. This could ensure that the car will receive just the right amount of energy it needs to perform its best on the track.
Car Selection
You can’t just race any slot car and expect to come away as the winner. No. It takes some really good cars that are primed for racing to win a competition. If you are racing a car that just came out of its box, you’re out of luck. You could never expect for it to win against other cars whose performance have been optimized. It takes some really good performance-enhancing fixes for a mass-produced car to compete with excellent racing cars. Learn a thing or two about enhancing slot car performance before you set your eyes on the prize.
Before the race, choose the cars that will best suit the type of race you will be participating. Be sure to remember the strengths of each of your car along with the strengths and weaknesses of each brand so you can pick the car that will give you the best advantage. Some models are known for running in sharp curves, some are known for running at high speeds in straight sections. Know beforehand which car in your ‘garage’ is best suited for the type of race which you are about to participate into.
Arrange Yourself A Marshal
You can’t race and take care of de-slotted cars at the same time so get yourself an assistant who would do just that for you.
Whether you are racing to win a prize in a competition or just racing against your buddies for fun, it is important to psyche up yourself into the game. Equally important is preparing your car for the race.
Best Slot Car Scale For You
Slot cars come in different scales – from the smaller HO scale to the larger 1:24 scale. The best scale size for you actually depends on how much room you can use to work with it and what you are planning to do with the car.
Most slot car drivers these days settle with the generic HO scale. This scale varies from the smallest scale 1:82 to the larger scale of 1:64 and is relatively less expensive than the larger models. Originally, these scale sizes were used to create model railroad accessory cars in the 1960s and later evolved into the now popular HO scale.
This scale size run on smaller tracks and is best suited for home racetracks. The larger scales are equally popular too because of the intricate detailing that is often given to them. They are also more or less the exact miniature copy of the original model and are often raced in hobby shops and clubs. Because of their large size, they are often not seen among enthusiasts who race at home.
The 1:24 scale is the biggest there is. Although generally more expensive than their smaller cousins, this scale is preferred by slot car enthusiasts, hobbyists and collectors as these often feature the exact appearance and even performance of their much bigger counterparts. This is the scale that is often raced in competition circles.
Despite their size, large scales are less maintenance-hungry. Routine maintenance is also very easily done because there are no tiny parts that need extra attention.
The main disadvantage of using cars falling under this scale is that you need plenty of space to race them. The tracks, even while they are digital, need to accommodate the size of the car, about 7 to 8 inches long. If you have enough space, this is the best car for you. If not, it is advisable that you settle with racing in hobby shops or settle with much smaller cars.
1:32-sized cars, which are in general 5 to 6 inches long, are more popular in home racetracks than their larger cousins. These usually have decent detailing and can be modified to perform in the same manner that the original models perform. Only, the performance is scaled down as well.
1:32 is perhaps the most popular competition scale both in competition circles and home racetracks. This often requires an 8 by 16 feet track that could fit any decent sized basement or garage.
HO scales belong to the smallest of commercially available slot cars. Cars under this scale are 2 ½ to 3 ½ inches long and may or may not resemble the exact appearance of the car they are modeled after. The motors of the smaller cars are often bigger than what could actually fit the chassis so manufacturers usually modifying the appearance of the exterior.
As was previously mentioned, HO scales are currently the most popular scales there are. These could be found in home racetracks and are also quite common in competition circles.
What You Need To Know About Slot Cars?
Slot cars are small replicas of automobiles designed to scale. They race along a fixed track with slot or groove. The word “slot” in the name of these automobiles is derived from those shallow grooves or channels place on the track to assist vehicles as they go through turns and twists and along straight sections. Lining these grooves are two metal rails that are separated narrowly and placed into the track to form a slot in the middle. Underside the slot car is a small blade which fits into the groove to keep the car on the right path as it runs fast around the track.
If you love speed but you didn’t like the idea of risking your life in driving a real race car at incredibly high speeds, then you should purchase a slot car set. Included in such set are all the necessary components needed in setting up the race track out of the box. If you need extra track pieces, controllers, car bodies, and other additional accessories, you can purchase them too.
History of Slot Cars
Slots cars first appeared in early 20th century and immediately became famous not only with children but also with youngsters and adults. Early designs are based on a raised rail which was embedded in the track and players back then don’t have control over the speed of the vehicle. After some modifications, slot cars in 1930s came equipped with small internal combustion engines. As time passed by, slot cars were then powered by electrical current.
There was a move in the 1950s to improve the tracks by utilizing grooves rather than raised track. With the current flowing through the groove, the speed of the car can now be managed by using a hand-held remote control for every car running on the track. With these innovations, it became possible for several individuals to enjoy slot car racing using the same track.
Because of the refinements made on slot cars, slot car racing also became popular. More and more manufacturers start offering slot car sets with a number of cars and a track that can be enhanced using add-on kits. In 1960s, a wide variety of slot cars and track configurations appear, providing slot car racers more options to work with.
Slot Car Scales
For serious competition, there are three common slot car scales or sizes. These are: 1:24 scale, 1:32 scale, and HO. The largest cars used in slot car racing are 1:24 scale cars, which come seven to eight inches long. These cars need a large course so it’s really impractical for home use.
More suitable for home race courses are the smaller 1:32 scale cars that are five to six inches long. But they are also popularly raced on commercial tracks found in clubs or in hobby shops. HO–sized slot cars, on the other hand, have different scales ranging from 1:87 to 1:64. Regardless of their sizes, these cars all run on a track with the same width. The size of a typical HO slot car is from 2.5 to 3.5 inches.
7-Step Guide To Building A Fast Car
Readying the slot car for a race is, without a doubt, crucial to winning. Sometimes, it’s all that separates one car from another in the race track in terms of performance. So how to you ready the car for a race? Here is a 7-step guide.
Inspection
The first step is to inspect the entire car, the moving and non-moving components. Look the under garage and replace or enhance anything that can be changed. For example, if you know of a better-performing motor, replacing the existing motor of your slot car is a good idea.
Check all car parts. Inspect how they fit with one another. If they’re loose, tighten them. If they’re very tight, loosen them up a bit. Take a mental note of all the parts and test drive the car. If it performs according to your expectations, you’re done with inspection. If not, make some more adjustments.
Motor Burn-In
Like in any car, real or miniature, burning-in the motor is critical to the car’s performance. Some drivers like to do it the conventional way – that is racing a few laps; some prefer to do it underwater. If you are leaning towards the latter, follow the steps below:
First, remove the car’s shell then attach the power source to the car’s braids and submerge it underwater. You can use a bowl of distilled water for this. Run the car in the water for approximately 20 minutes while changing the voltage from lowest to the maximum speed the transformer could give. Hold the speed at slow, mid and high for about 5 minutes each. Now, for the final part, simulate the actual speed you run during an actual race.
Drying and Lubrication
The next step is to remove the water from every nook and cranny of the car then lubricating it. Use a spray lube on the motor, a door opener lube on the gears and light lube on the axles and bushings.
Wheel and Tire Tuning
Truing the tire, a process that involves polishing the surface of the tire on sandpaper, is a process that shouldn’t be missed when fine tuning a slot car.
Do this by first removing the tires from the rims and run these on 220 grit sandpaper. This should remove any burr that is created by the mold. Sand the cars down until the general profile becomes similar. For further polishing, use 220 to 800 grit sandpaper. You can see that they are ready for racing once they shine.
Braid and Guide Tuning
Inspect the guide and braids and remove them when you see that they need some polishing. The key here is to make these components as optimized for racing as possible by allowing them better contact with the groove on the track.
Axle Polishing and Gear Meshing
Before fixing the axles and the gears, it is advisable to glue the motor in place to prevent it from moving while on the track. Once you’re done with that, you can look to the car’s axles and gears and see where improvements can be made.
Now you’re ready for the race.
Put all the disassembled components of the car back in place and test-drive it. Learn how you can best control it by making further changes on its setting.
Tips On Maintaining Slot Cars
Are you familiar with the cliché that goes, “Don’t fix it if it is not yet broken”? Apparently, this does not work out every time. Take the case of your slot cars, for example. Just like life-size automobiles, there will come a time when age would ultimately take its toll on them. They’re not necessarily broken, but would you want to see this happen before you even make an action?
Slot cars need an amount of regular maintenance to make sure that they are always on top-notch speed and performance. Unlike life-size automobiles, maintaining your slot cars is not really a daunting task. Just as long as you maintain and clean them on a regular basis, then they’re good to go.
As with any other machine, the parts that are always vulnerable to wear and tear are the ones always in motion. These are the tires, gears, axles and motors.
If you start to notice that the slot car is gradually slowing down, the parts that should be checked first right away are the tires, gears and axles. Dust are often times absorbed by the tires, thus, making the tires loose their grip on the track.
One simple way of cleaning the tires is by rolling them over a Scotch tape. All of the dirt will simply glue their way over the tape, and the tires will tighten its grip once again.
Axles and gears, meanwhile, are also susceptible to dust, dirt and lint. If you let the dirt accumulate, chances are it will clog down the gears and cause the car to slow down. You can simply use a pair of tweezers to remove those dirt pieces one by one.
When everything seems to be okay on your slot cars and you notice that they’re still running slow, then you now have to turn your attention to the slot car tracks. Remember, two of the track’s main enemies are dirt and corrosion.
If the track will not be used for a long period of time, it needs to be covered or have it removed from dust-prone areas such as the garage or the basement. Too much dirt and dust will get in the way of the flow of electricity, which could reduce the speed of your slot car.
It is a big no-no to leave the tracks in humid areas. Be more cautious on moisture especially if what you have is a metal track. Moisture will make the track rusty and will later on lead to corrosion.
If you’ve seen that there’s already an amount of dirt and rust that have already mounted up the tracks, wipe them off with a damp micro-fiber cloth, followed by a dry one. Scrub off the rust with a sandpaper or a wire brush. Of course, before you begin with the cleanup, make sure to turn the power off.
Lastly, don’t forget to lubricate your slot car parts and tracks once in a while. If humans need water for sustenance, then slot cars need lubricants too to them to keep going. Just don’t overdo it; a moderate amount is enough for your slot cars to start running smoothly again.
Slot Car Racing Tracks And Track Layout
Slot car racing is a competitive hobby which makes use of miniature replicas of genuine race cars. These mock-ups are guided by slots or grooves so they stay on track as they race against each other. This hobby ranges from usual family gatherings around home tracks to serious competitions wherein contenders carefully make or modify their own race cars for superb performance. Some competitions are even made up of series of races to determine the ones who qualify for the national championship.
Slot Car Tacks
Home Racetracks
Racetracks for home use are built using injection-molded plastic snapped together to form tracks. Such courses are dubbed as plastic tracks. Home tracks usually have features that increase the racing challenge. Among such features are slots that wiggle or join lanes together, airborne jumps, bumps, and uneven surfaces. These features are typically found on toy tracks.
Tracks for Competition
Race tracks used for serious competition are built by hands and are called routed tracks. In such tracks, guide slots used for the whole racecourse are sliced into a few large sheets to offer smooth surface which allows slot cars to perform at their best. Tracks for competitions are made very much like road courses with twists and turns although ovals and trapezoidal ovals are commonly used.
Tracks for formal slot car racing competitions can be built with banked corners and may connect one portion to another without using trick configurations. Among the common tracks used for slot car racing are:
• 1:24 Scale tracks
These tracks, which are used for competitions, are normally six to eight lane routed tracks with retaining walls that are made from wood or flexible plastic. The said tracks are usually seen in commercial racing centers.
• HO Scale tracks
These competition tracks are usually 60 to 100 feet long and four to six lanes wide.
Slot car tracks are powered by a power supply that’s being plug into a wall outlet. The power supply converts the alternating current coming from the wall outlet into direct current. The voltage delivered to the track usually ranges from twelve to eighteen volts and one or two amps. Slot car racers may increase the power supplied to the track by employing separate power supplies for every racing lane. If additional power supplies are used, the powerbase sometimes require modification to deal with the extra power used.
Track Layout
While many slot car racers concentrate on upgrading and modifying their cars to improve their speed and racing performance, some spend their time making elaborate tracks with landscaping and other details. There are in fact, a variety of special track segments that can be added to a race track to realize a more competitive racing. There are track pieces made to bring cars closer to each other, forcing the racer to increase speed so his car can run ahead of the other car or to avoid the dangers of being pushed off the track. There are also pieces that make sharp turns and inclines, making the racer think as to when the right time to slow down or to speed up is.
The current advancements on slot car racing are the digital tracks which enable racers to transfer from one lane to another. Digital tracks and slot cars usually employ microchips which make it possible for several racers to run on the same lane.
Slot Car Components
America was in the midst of a cultural overhauling during the sixties. Among the fads that became very popular during this time was slot car racing. Decades after the craze over slot car racing has fizzled out, many enthusiasts are still stuck in the hobby.
Slot car racing miniature models of actual cars that are raced on shallow groves or channels integrated into the racetrack. These grooves act as guides for the car as they race. These make problems such as flying out of the track during difficult turns more manageable. also, these serve as power source for the car’s motor.
With new developments in slot racing, these groves have become a little less important than they were a few decades back. Digital slot cars no longer have to be constrained into specific lanes, unlike conventional slot cars. Instead, 4, 6 even 8 individual cars can now run simultaneously on 2-lane tracks, which make racing more competitive and skill-oriented.
Anyone can purchase a full set of slot car which include the body or shell, an electric motor, steel or copper braids, a guide, magnets, and for the modern varieties, a microchip.
The Shell
The body or the shell represents the external make of the model car. This is often made of molded plastic piece which is fitted to the chassis of the slot car. Just like real cars, the weight of the shell is a huge consideration in creating slot cars. Weight should be evenly distributed throughout the entire model.
Some slot cars have significant level of detailing. Enthusiasts and hobbyists alike take pains to imitate the actual appearance of the car model they are copying from. Of course, there are always those mass produced slot cars that do not necessarily look like their real, full-sized cousins. Most of these are fitted for their substance, not their style. In other words, they are geared towards performance and not on appearance.
The Electric Motor
Just like in real cars, these are placed in front, at the rear or in the middle of the slot car. Most cars are rated according to their speed or revolutions per minute or RPM. These rates are determined by the voltage the motor receives.
The Steel Or Copper Braids
The braid is what gives the car the power. these provide power by allowing the car to make contact with the rails on the track.
The Guide
The guide is the small piece of plastic attached to the underside of the chassis which keep the car stable relevant to the track below it. This is also what holds the braids.
The Gears Or Gear Set
Gears dictate how the car performs. It affects speed and acceleration. Standard gears, those that usually come with store-brought slot cars, are oft en removed to customize the car’s performance.
The Magnets
To race with stability and downforce, most drivers attach magnets in the front and at the rear of the car. This allows for easier maneuverability and control over the car, making it easier to take turns without the danger of falling off of the track while doing so.