can ho scale cars drift around corners

[nerfbarz]

I am usually a denizen of the 1/43 forum but since I am now employed by a hobby shop, my boss has assigned me the task of building a demo four-lane HO oval to pique the interest of customers. I never raced HO because of the scale 1000 mph pitch AFX used to peddle; there seemed to be no need to "drive" the cars which seemed stuck to the track. Thus, I am seeking the expertise of the folks in this neighborhood of HRW!
We will incorporate a rheostat to lower the juice and/or put foam stops on the controllers to discourage "lock thumbs" .
My query is can HO slot cars of the current variety (probably TOMY) be de-magged so the machines can drift in the turns and require the requisite driving awareness?
I am also going to be the manager of a 1/32 -1/24 commercial racetrack adjacent to the shop and will go sans magnets there as well.

Nerf

[TuscoTodd]

I haven't played with pulling the mags out of a TOMY, Mega-G, etc - but can tell you that the skinny tire t-jets will definitely drift and most likely, you should get the same type of an effect from the Thunderjet 500 cars if the magnet is pulled from the bottom.
The Thunderjet cars also have the advantage of having a bit slower overall, so you won't be fighting the issue of a TOMY / Mega-G, etc being a "missile" that, now with no artificial traction, will want to fly off the track and on to the floor and on to never never land... :)
Another nice thing with the Thunderjets is that there is a LARGE variety of bodies available. As an example here is what Autoworld currently lists:
http://www.autoworldhobby.com/products/thunderjet/

If removing the magnet still doesn't get you the level of drift you need (not sure how tight your corners will be) - you could look at switching to a harder tire etc - but either way, I think that would probably be a lot easier solution than trying to figure out how to both reduce the grip and slow down the TOMY type cars. :)

(At our local commercial track the stock t-jets class typically has the highest participation of any of the HO classes!)
:)

[demether]

Hi,

First magnet HO cars are not "glued on rails". It's actually a very competitive way to race, because if the cars have more downforce, they are also a lot more faster. So deslot happens...And happens the hard way.

With lower voltage (and low power) these cars will never deslot. If you want to lower the voltage, you'll do exactly the opposite thing you want. You'll create boring races.

That's a question of balance between speed and track power and voltage. And of course, these fast cars need a fast and relatively big layout to be interesting.

Personnaly, I run (with many other things) tyco 440x2 magnets cars, with rubber standard tires, on my fast 13'x4' 4lanes track, and believe me there is no need for foam stops in controllers. The cars WILL deslot if the racer is not skilled enough. You cannot just pull the trigger.

But these fast magnet cars will not drift around corners, you're right. It's very hard to feel their limits.

The cool thing is (and a lot of slot racers doesn't know that) that HO scale have plenty of diferent chassis, for all tastes. Magnet cars are NOT the only choice in HO. And you even don't need to modify magnet chassis. Here's a little list of still produced stock chassis available :

thunderjet (or "tjet"). These cars will handle significantly the same as big scale non magnet cars. These cars have no real magnet traction, and skinny tires. They still are a very popular choice of ho slot cars. And cheap to race (thinking of race classes/categories) if you run them stock (with just slipon silicon tires).

These will drift in cornes, they have a very scaled speed (in stock version), and some inertia (especially without wired brake). Stock version (tuned, with at least slipon silicon tires) reminds me a out of box (but good) magnetless bigger scale slot car.


Xtraction (or older magnatraction). these cars are also still produced. ANd they are also really nice to run stock (after a minimal tuning like almost any slotcar). They don't have traction magnets, but their motor magnet is visible so it gives a bit more downforce than the tjets. The speed is faster than tjet, but handling is easier too since the chassis and tires wheels is wider. In stock form, the only hopup part really needed is a pair of slipon silicon tires, but it's not really necessary. It's also a cheap chassis choice.

The stock version (properly tuned) overal performance and handling reminds me a good magnetless 1/32 competition car.



There is other choices, from vintage brass chassis (tycopro, riggen, for example), to scratchbuilt chassis too.

There is also magnetless competition chassis like the one called "BSRT Gjet", but I never tested it.

Last choice is modified magnetcars to run magnetless. I made some tries myself (based on widepan 440X2), and people also modified more modern chassis like the MEGA G :



But the problem with modified chassis, at least in a commercial/club point of view, would be making all chassis reliable and close enough in performances.


Last thing : Some tjet and Xtraction releases came with a button-style traction magnet. Of course, the chassis I was speaking about are not these ones.

[demether]

You spoke about an oval, here's a good example of tjets racing on an oval track. You can see plenty of corner sliding and a few deslots :mrgreen:



More seriously, these guys are really good racers (running tjets this fast and consistant on crash and burn racing rules is a challenge), and their cars are well tuned :clap:

[WB2]

Yes they can.

I started with a BSRT G-Jet car. It uses brass weights in place of traction magnets.
I duplicated the idea on SRT cars by making weights from 1/4" brass key stock milled to shape with a Dremel drill press. While the motor magnets still attract the rails, the cars will "drift" nicely on the stock tires. I tried some Gel-Claws but they stuck a bit too well.
Brass weights are available from JW's Speed Parts for Tomy and Tyco.
This subject has been covered on other slot car forums. Just spend some time on Google.

And...drop the voltage to 12 volts.

The T-Jet faction around here is large. I'm just not a fan of the 1960's technology.

[demether]

[Ralphthe3rd]

My answer, is basically what the others have said..ie- Some cars can and will drift easier, mainly the pancake type chassis without the Ultra G Neo Traction magnets....Plus a few other types like the old Tyco Pro, and the Best Drifter of all time were the Tyco U-Turn chassis, which could not only drift, but do 180's and even 360's without loosing power(they'll run in either direction w/diode).
As for modern inline with Traction magnets removed...well...speaking only from experience with the Tyco 440x2 chassis with the traction magnets removed and brass weights installed in their place, you will drift alot, but need to be a very good driver to keep them from spinning out.
In closing, I just want to say, I ONLY drive cars on my ovals and roadcourses that Drift....if it's stuck to the track with traction mags like Neos etc., then it isn't allowed on my tracks.

[nerfbarz]

Thanks for the many tips; I seemed to have some direction now. The vids were super! I will probably be locked into TOMY, but do they still make T-Jets? I am an HO newbie, so I don't know the market. I never considered an HO commercial track; who manufactures them?
Nerf

[Ralphthe3rd]

YES- they still make T-Jets, two companies now do. IE- Auto World make their version of the Tuff Ones Chassis which was faster than Regular T-Jets and has wider wheels tires, and AW's version now uses a Single Neo Traction magnet- which can be popped out for drifting. And then, DASH Motorsports makes their T-Dash Chassis with skinny wheels tires and is pretty much an exact copy of the original T-Jet Chassis but with a better armature. But you can Only get the T-DASH chassis from Three sources.
Ask if you want more info...

[demether]

COncerning commercial tracks, I know (but never raced on, cause I'm french and never went in USA, and can't afford importing a commercial track) MaxTrax, TKO. I'm pretty sure other brands exists.

I cannot say wich one is the best, best service, etc...

Concerning Tjets, as Ralph said first, they are made by AutoWorld currently. On this forum you can also find infos on DASH chassis, and classic NOS (new old stock) Aurora original chassis (but I will not speak of them, I never used them).

If you're asking if Tomy is making tjets : TOMY only makes magnet chassis.

[Ralphthe3rd]

FYI- TKO Tracks are OUT OF BUSINESS, and Todd Kauffman SCREWED A LOT OF HIS CUSTOMERS !
Only MaxTrax and Wizzard are in Business, plus Brad Bowmans Tracks.

[MrsMax]

[Ralphthe3rd]

[MrsMax]