|
|
|
|
|
|
New to HO Slot Car Racing?
In Australia there are only two manufacturers the newcomer should be interested in: Tomy AFX or Life-Like. Both produce good sets and cars but we favour the Tomy AFX brand for anyone new to the hobby/sport. You can find these products in any major retail outlet, and most toy and hobby shops stock any spare parts you may require. Life-Like cars will run on Tomy AFX track and vice-versa.
The reason Tomy AFX gets our nod is because of the excellent range of track sections and the excellent rail-to-rail connections. The Tomy AFX Super G+ is also a good, reliable car, that is very 'forgiving' to drive for the newcomer. The temptation is to go out and buy the largest set possible but we recommend that you start with something smaller. You can always add track etc later, and if you find that the hobby/sport is not really to your liking then you haven't lost that many $$$$$. If your starting out from scratch, please heed our warning and stick to the Tomy AFX Super G+ car. The Tomy Turbo is a fast car in a straight line, but lacks the cornering adhesion of a Super G+.
Help! My Set / Cars won't work!
So you've got your new Tomy AFX Set / Cars, you've put it away for a couple of weeks, and now you want to use it, but X!X?X!X? it doesn't want to work? Don't stress out, here's a few tips to get you back on track. Metal track rails will oxidise when exposed to oxygen. Makes sense heh? You can't see it, but its there. You need to clean the track rails, and in particular, the rail connection points. You can use the track eraser that comes with the set (looks like sandpaper: we don't
recommend it), or better still you can use an Ink Eraser to do the same thing. Just run the Ink Eraser along the track rails. Look at the mess you are making? Make sure you vacuum that up (ie: vacuum the track rails and slot) before you run a car. Still won't work? Make sure that the power pack and controllers are plugged in properly, and most importantly, the powerpoint switch is on! Still no go? OK, time to check your cars are working properly. Are the pickup shoes clean? If not, polish them with the Ink Eraser. If the Tomy Super G+ car has a design fault it is in the fact that there are a lot of electrical connections in the drivetrain. Check that the 'Bus Bars' (see photo below left) are pressed firmly down, and back against the chassis bulkhead. That should ensure good electrical contact. Now, grab a hold of a small 9 Volt Battery (the type that goes in clock radios, toy radio control car transmitters etc), snap the back axle out of the car, and press the pickup shoes against the battery terminals. If the armature rotates you know everything is OK.If there is no movement you either have a dead 9 Volt Battery, or you fibbed a little, and you have been running your cars into the ground racing for hour...after hour...after hour! They do wear out you know? The good news is it takes a long time to do so, but like anything electrical, you have to maintain it. You may have worn out the motor brushes which means you can either buy a new car over the counter, or contact someone like 'HO Australia' (refer to the links page) and tell them you require a new Super G+ Endbell. Pulling a Tomy Super G+ apart for the first time is not a lot of fun, but educational none-the-less. Don't be afraid to do it.
Give me more power Captain!!!!!!
Aren't those little Tomy AFX Controllers cute? Pity there not much good for adult hands, and when they break (and they will!) you have to throw them away! OK, so you have worn out your Controllers, so now you are faced with a choice. You have been using your Set a lot, and you intend to in the future. Now is a good time to purchase a better Controller. Go to your friendly model car raceway and see if they can order you a lovely orange Parma 45 ohm Econo Controller (If they can't contact someone like 'HO Australia' : heck, I should be on the payroll!!). Now you have it in your hands you can see it has three wires, not two like the Tomy cheapo! That third wire is for 'dynamic braking'. Check the back of the Parma box for wiring instructions. 'Dynamic Braking' gives you much better car control, trust me on this. Now you have better Controllers you should really invest in a better power supply from your friendly Dick Smith Electronics store. You are after a REGULATED power supply (one that is variable is good) that has plenty of amps. If your car has slowed to a crawl way over there on the far side of the track it may not be a car or track problem. The chances are that the small amount of
Milliamps being put out by the standard Tomy AFX power pack mean that not much power is getting to that section of track. A better (read dearer!) power
supply will fix that problem. It also means that you can use the 'Dynamic Braking' feature of the Controllers much easier.
I want to go faster mister?
Simple! Turn the volts up on that new Power Supply! Of course the faster you go, the faster you come off the track! You may now start looking at 'after-market' goodies, but you won't find these in your local Toy or Hobby Shop. Time to call up 'HO Australia' again (am I on a retainer yet?). You can purchase everything from lightweight lexan bodies that you paint on the inside, to Flanged Rear Hubs that allow you to run a vast range of slip-on Silicone rear tyres. There are Independent Front Ends, Silicone/Sponge Tyres (they really grip, but cost $$$$), lots of
electrical components, more powerful armatures ($$$), stronger motor and traction magnets ($$$) etc etc. The only limit is your imagination, or your wallet (ouch!) If on a budget stick to the Flanged Rear Hubs, Silicone slip-on rear tyres, and Independent Front Ends. You can get tools that check tyre size, allow you to professionally mount and remove rims, remove pinions etc etc. How much money did you say you had?????? Of course you can still enjoy yourself on a budget...
|
|
|
|
|
