How to Keep a Slot Car Flag in the Slot
As a kid, crashes are one of the exciting inevitabilities of slot-car racing. The factory-made cars could withstand many flights off of their cheap plastic tracks. However, for serious slot-car hobbyists, a bad crash can mean the loss of hours of hard work. Staying on the track and avoiding crashes means keeping the "guide flag" -- the metal or nylon piece that slips into the slot -- properly fitted and firmly in place.
Things You'll Need
- Guide spacers
- Masking tape
- Needle-nose pliers
- Wrench (9mm for most cars)
- Screw driver (depending on car model)
- Nail polish (optional)
Instructions
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1
Adjust the braids on the car. The braids are the copper contact wires that deliver electricity from the track to the motor of the car. If they are becoming frayed or lying unevenly, your car may receive an uneven electrical supply, or get pushed out of the guide track.
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2
Clean the tires. Many handling problems result from damaged or dirty tires. Run the wheels over masking tape until they leave no dirt or rubber residue.
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3
Polish the front wheels. Since the guide flag lifts the front tires off the track in almost all slot-car designs, you can keep the car from snagging on the turns by applying two coats of sheer nail polish to the front tires. Be sure to polish the sides, as well.
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4
Determine the track recess. This is the difference between the height of the copper on the track and the level of the track, measured in "thou" or thousandths of an inch. If you are racing with members of a league or club, they should be able to provide you with an accurate measurement.
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5
Evaluate the current height of the flag. Set the car in the track. If the rear tires do not touch the track, your guide is too high and your car will corner poorly, perhaps fly off and crash. If the front end is too high for the braids to maintain proper contact, or if the guide touches the bottom of the slot, the guide is too low.
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6
Remove the body. This is different for every slot car and may require a screw driver or another implement. Refer to the warnings section.
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7
Remove the nut from the guide flag post (the threaded, bolt-like object which comes up from the flag through the chassis).
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8
Add or remove spacers to raise or lower the guide flag. "Spacers" are washers that sit on the guide flag post between the base of the guide flag and the chassis. Removing spacers will decrease the distance from the chassis to flag, "raising it." Adding spacers will increase the depth of the guide flag. If there are no spacers to remove and you need to raise your guide flag, you can purchase a "cut-down" guide, which will sit about 25 thou higher.
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9
Test the car. The optimum guide-flag height is different for every track, as bumps or other inconsistencies can affect car performance. Accommodate for bumps by adding one 5-thou spacer at a time.
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Tips & Warnings
Spacers come in 5, 10 and 15 "thou." Make sure you have some 5 thou available to ensure that you can make fine adjustments.
Track measurements are only a relative guide, since each car is slightly different. Ensure that the car runs well on your home track first, and then make adjustments according to track differences.
All slot car bodies are different. Many models use flat screws, but others may use glue or other fasteners. Take your car apart with care. Make sure you keep track of every nut, screw or fastener that you remove, because they can be hard to replace. If your car body is attached with glue, make sure you have a glue of similar strength at hand before you remove the body.
References
- Photo Credit car racing image by araraadt from Fotolia.com
