Scaley guide tip!!
Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2016 8:39 amHi folks, I was just sorting through my photobucket pictures, and came across one I took a few years back..........it was posted on another site, well before I signed up here, but, I thought it might be useful to add here, as it is quite a good tip for those who run Scaley cars with stock guides,......particularly when running without magnets!!.....it will save broken chassis", and will improve non magnet performance.........and it costs nothing!!
The major Home set Maufacturers, produce cars that they know will be primarily used stock out of the box, and ,with magnets in place, so the chassis design is focused on just that......stock parts with magnets.
Unfortunately, the guide set up/design, while perfectly fine in magnet racing, is the cause of broken chassis', and less than perfect handling once the magnets are removed. With magnets, the guide really does not have to rotate much left to right, as when the car slides just a little, and the magnet is no longer over the rails,.....it is gone.
When the magnet is removed, the car can be controlled at much greater slip angles, and often, this angle exceeds the amount the stock Scaley guide can rotate, resulting in.............one of those "tank slapper" slides where the car bounces off the guide stop,....or,......worse, the force is enough to break the guide tongue/post hole collar. Neither is beneficial!!!
This quick (and cheap) tip will greatly improve this situation........and,.......all you need is an Xacto.!!
The picture below illustrates hoe easy it is....
With a sharp (new) Xacto blade, take a few slivers off the back edges of the Scaley guide stops. These guides are a rather tough nylon/plastic, and will let you take off roughty half, with no breakage concerns........and if the guide can rotate without hitting the stops...there is no breakage issues!!
If possible, try to angle the cut, as seen in the photo, as this will allow the maximum rotation, with the maximum strength. I have done this on dozens of cars with no issues.
This will certainly let your non magnet Scaley cars handle better, will stop the dreaded "tank slappers", and will save you buying a new chassis. :)
Cheers
Chris Walker
The major Home set Maufacturers, produce cars that they know will be primarily used stock out of the box, and ,with magnets in place, so the chassis design is focused on just that......stock parts with magnets.
Unfortunately, the guide set up/design, while perfectly fine in magnet racing, is the cause of broken chassis', and less than perfect handling once the magnets are removed. With magnets, the guide really does not have to rotate much left to right, as when the car slides just a little, and the magnet is no longer over the rails,.....it is gone.
When the magnet is removed, the car can be controlled at much greater slip angles, and often, this angle exceeds the amount the stock Scaley guide can rotate, resulting in.............one of those "tank slapper" slides where the car bounces off the guide stop,....or,......worse, the force is enough to break the guide tongue/post hole collar. Neither is beneficial!!!
This quick (and cheap) tip will greatly improve this situation........and,.......all you need is an Xacto.!!
The picture below illustrates hoe easy it is....
With a sharp (new) Xacto blade, take a few slivers off the back edges of the Scaley guide stops. These guides are a rather tough nylon/plastic, and will let you take off roughty half, with no breakage concerns........and if the guide can rotate without hitting the stops...there is no breakage issues!!
If possible, try to angle the cut, as seen in the photo, as this will allow the maximum rotation, with the maximum strength. I have done this on dozens of cars with no issues.
This will certainly let your non magnet Scaley cars handle better, will stop the dreaded "tank slappers", and will save you buying a new chassis. :)
Cheers
Chris Walker