25 replies to this topic

[SlowBeas]

I know I can't be the only person who sees this problem occurring:

 

Sometimes, using the lightweight nylon guide nuts, I see them loosen during use. In fact, if unchecked, the nut gets loose enough to allow the guide flag to wobble.

 

So, just wondering if anyone has found a good solution to share. After spending the cash on these things, I'd hate to toss 'em or decide that I just made a bad purchase in the first place.

[Eddie Fleming]

Nail polish 

[Bucky]

Nail polish as well.

[Rotorranch]

Super glue.

 

No, do not glue your nuts on the flag, but put a drop of the glue on the threads of the nut, and let it dry completely. The glue will tighten up the threads.

 

It is a trick I have used to keep the screws tight on worn RC car parts.

 

Rotor

[glueside]

Nail polish here also.

[Pappy]

In 1/32 scale racing a well known supplier of 1/32 scale parts came out with a guide flag that looked good, worked good, but kept breaking off. Their solution was to boil them in water which might work but my solution was to toss them. Why take the chance when there are 99% reliable products on the market.

[Tim Neja]

I don't understand using nylon nuts anyway.  Seems that's the one place you DON'T want any failures and what do you gain?  Aluminum or magnesium are readily available-- can't be so save a few pennies on a nut??? 

[Phil Beukema]

The nylon nuts come in cool colors

[Fast Freddie]

That's amazing the nylon guide nuts I use don't loosen at all.  Then again I got mine at a RC store before they closed and no I don't know the brand I threw all the packaging away.  All I can tell you is they are white and they work very well.

[MSwiss]

I don't understand this one.

Racers usually use the nylon nuts because they hold their adjustment well.

Just like a lock nut with a nylon insert.

Check out all the podium pics of Retro East races, and you'll see them on the guy to beat, out East, Keith Libby's cars.

[Eddie Fleming]

Not all guide post are the same. If you are not running a Red Fox or a HP your millage may differ. 

 

I remember an old Parma guide that the nylon nuts were loose on.

[MSwiss]

I think the issue is more the threading than the post.

[Upfront slot cars]

Been using the nylon nuts for years with no issues at all . They are the best in my opinion . Gluing or nail polishing your guide nuts to the post seems silly and makes for more problems in the future if you ever decide to change guide spacing . What I have seen is some of the original OG racers like Sano Dave , John Gorski, Ray Duran, and other top notch guys , dubble nut the guide flag with two and locking them together. This makes more sense, especially since you can by low profile nuts and using two is close to the same height as one regular?

[airhead]

Use two nuts, one as a lock nut.

[Bill from NH]

The first plastic guide nuts I saw were Trinity's in the late 70's when they sold slot cars & parts mail order. I often wish I'd kept their brochure with it's photos, but I didn't.

[Cap Henry]

Matt Sheldon has an awesome fiberglass/nylon nut, harder then the nylon ones but still light.

[raisin27]

I have never experienced nylon nuts loosening up, that's why I use them.

[Ramcatlarry]

The Redfox and similar flags are 5mm shaft (0.196"),  most American flags have been 3/16" (0.187").  The 10-32 thread and the 5mm threads are close enough to work together, but  one can be tighter or looser depending on the mix.

 

I like my brass nuts for a bit of nose weight when needed, steel and aluminum are good options as are the cut-down versions and the special tool pin models.

[slotbaker]

The first plastic guide nuts I saw were Trinity's in the late 70's when they sold slot cars & parts mail order. I often wish I'd kept their brochure with it's photos, but I didn't.

Got a few...

 

and some Outisights as well.

[Bill from NH]

Steve, I don't recall seeing the O/S nuts being used in the Northeast. Then being a west coast company, perhaps they were mostly used there. Trinity  yes, the first i saw were during the days before Slotworks packaging. I think Ernie & Tony first started out of someone's kitchen, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

[John Streisguth]

If I find any nuts are a bit loose from taking them on and off to adjust guide depth, I put a drop of "Vibratite" on them.  It's kind of like contact cement in consistancy, it doesn't harden but stays pliable, easy to remove the nut and put it back on.

 https://www.vibra-ti...c-3-threadmate/

[Pappy]

Shoe Goo would probably work good. It holds and you can peal it off if you have to.

 

Years ago I had one of these nuts break completely in half which is why I quit using them. But it probably wasn't made out of a real nylon just a cheap plastic. Don't know what brand it was.

[MSwiss]

The Redfox and similar flags are 5mm shaft (0.196"),  most American flags have been 3/16" (0.187").  The 10-32 thread and the 5mm threads are close enough to work together, but  one can be tighter or looser depending on the mix.
 
I like my brass nuts for a bit of nose weight when needed, steel and aluminum are good options as are the cut-down versions and the special tool pin models.

C'mon Larry,
The Red Fox post is a few thou larger than something like a Parma Blade, but nowhere near .196".

Maybe .188" or .189".

[S.O. Watt]

Andrew, while I know that many cars in the east run double nuts, I think this way may be more in line with the intent than “double nutting” to keep the nuts on the car. One plastic nut is installed normally then a second one added on top, usually thinner, and adjusted up on a tall guide post to support the nose of the body. This is what I was shown on my 1st trip to the Fall Brawl and since then I always make sure the nose doesn’t drag on fast tracks.

What I have seen is some of the original OG racers like Sano Dave , John Gorski, Ray Duran, and other top notch guys , dubble nut the guide flag with two and locking them together.

Also a note on threading- I use a JK threader as do many but I do not use oil when threading a plastic guide post. I’ve never had an issue of any sort threading a Red Fox guide. 


Note- I gave up on trying to attach this pix right way up............

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[Fast Freddie]

Exactly why I use 2 nuts on the guide.  I cone the top nut so it doesn't have high spots.  Put some bulletproofing directly above the nut and adjust the nut to barely contact the bulletproffing.  This works especially well on Indy/F1 bodies and some LMP and GTP bodies.  Not that well on NASCAR bodies but I have gotten it to work on them.