35 replies to this topic

[Cap Henry]

Will that's just racing LOL

[Bill from NH]

Remember the Jet Guides in the 80's? Numbered 1-6, each on a little different and everyone "in the know" would cherry pick the #3"s!!!

 

John, in the 70's everybody wanted the # 5's.because they supposedly had straighter posts. I don't recall having a #5, but the other ones worked okay for me.

[MSwiss]

I have broke several red fox guides. The guide break usually only happens when I am leading the race though. If I am running 5th, someone could hit the guide with a hammer and no damage. I am still trying to find the science behind that one.

Were you running a white/dyed one?

FWIW, I have Red Fox black ones that are way easier to cut with my threader.

I assume they are more pliable and less apt to snap.

They are also slightly heavier.

Of minor note, guide's are probably more apt to snap in cold winter months, when the humidity is lower.

[A. J. Hoyt]

For the guides that have a threaded stem that is tight to one side (l to r, fore - aft, could be any orientation), it simply means that the stem is not perpendicular to the base. It can be maddening trying to adjust the guide snug but not binding anywhere within its limits of movement.

 

There are two solutions I have found: one, try Mike Swiss' adjustable guide nut (if he still has them) as a quick solution (is a "heavy" guide nut but works great for me - you only need to have a couple laying around for those troublesome guides) or, two, use the multi-faceted guide flag sanding tool to sand the base perpendicular as a matter of preparation. If these are not practical, throw the guide away.

 

Another issue I have found are guide nuts whose thread forms are not exactly perpendicular to the nut's faying surface - throw those nuts away (or keep them around to loan to a competitor in an emergency if you're really nasty!).

 

A question I have had is how do the folks who solder in a steel reinforcement over a brass tongue ensure that the topside steel surface is EXACTLY parallel to the brass underside surface? If they are not parallel, then the guide will always have "slop" to the narrow side and no amount of guide prep can correct that. I sometimes build chassis for other racers from their kits and have found that simply tinning the two halves, applying clamping pressure all around and using lots of heat does not guarantee success ...

 

Interestingly, I heard reports of one track (FL-GA line) that required backing the nut off a bit creating deliberate slop - local tribal knowledge that was required to get that last tenth in lap time. There don't seem to be any universal laws in slot car racing other than low CG and a strong motor (the gifts that keep giving every lap!).

[MSwiss]

While I did those adjustable guide nuts, I think a no wobble guide is one of those things that sounds better on paper, than is in real life.

You don't want your guide to sit crooked, or point down, but I've seen plenty of great running cars with wobbly guide's.

I remember looking at Mike Braidman's Int 15 car after he won the 92 Nats at Zeppelin.

The guide was comically loose/sloppy.

[Shiggy]

Of minor note, guide's are probably more apt to snap in cold winter months, when the humidity is lower.

The opposite for the desert west. High summer humidity is around 15% at 95F.

[gotboostedvr6]

Just another tuning tool.

Test Test Test

[tonyp]

While I did those adjustable guide nuts, I think a no wobble guide is one of those things that sounds better on paper, than is in real life.
You don't want your guide to sit crooked, or point down, but I've seen plenty of great running cars with wobbly guide's.
I remember looking at Mike Braidman's Int 15 car after he won the 92 Nats at Zeppelin.
The guide was comically loose/sloppy.

I gave up trying to remove all the wobble a long time ago, was driving myself crazy.

[gc4895]

I was racing a JK C-21 chassis recently that I had carefully (and quite poorly, it seems) soldered a Slick 7 stamped guide support to the top of the coined guide mount. I think it busted loose when I took an unwelcomed "rider" trip into the wall but busted loose it was. It wasn't until after the race I discovered that my guide was actually flopping around like the venerable one 'legged badger. While I, too, strive to minimize guide wobble this experience taught me guide solidarity isn't everything.

[Bill from NH]

Mark, try Stay Brite or a silver paste solder on those guide supports. I believe JK sells a formed guide support for coined guide mounts. Maybe others do too.

[gc4895]

Will do! I tried to be all careful and efficient tinning the two sides and using just enough solder. Seems that "just enough" turned out to be "not enough" and was likely compounded by poor technique. I've been at this on and off for a while and I'm always learning something. Having things break, burn-up or fall apart at the most inconvenient time generally focuses my attention. I must admit that lighter fuel, baking soda and washing with dishwashing liquid has really improved my life in terms of things not rusting the way they used to. Gosh, I wish I had understood that sooner!!! Always room to learn.