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I recently bought 4 or 5 older Scalextric NASCARS. They are the pre COT cars. The newer models in that group have a sidewinder motor rather than the inline. The axle gear on one of the sidewinders is cracked. Where can I get a new gear? The fit looks so tight I don't think something like a slot.it with a hub will go on it. It looks like the only thing that will fit is the pressed-on gear. Thanks for your help and ideas.

Second question for all you slot car types: why do you think it is that as a general rule inline cars are so much quieter than sidewinders or angle winders? Seems like all of my inline cars are just a lot quieter while the sidewinders and angle winders have much more gear whine. Just one of those things that makes you go Hhhmmm on a Friday the 13th.

Ventura Alfa

Thanks guys, you are the best. Just ordered the set from Electric dreams.

With sidewinders I wasn't really talking about mesh issues. I remember even the Cox 1/24 sidewinders in the Chaparrals back in the 70's were louder than the inline cars. Same thing at the local commercial tracks these days. The sidewinders are almost always noisier. Not necessarily in a bad way, they just have more of a whine particularly on deceleration. I'm even talking about cars that have set screw wheels and gears. It is just a very distinctive whine. I can turn my back on a track and tell you which cars are inline and which are sidewinders. Particularly if I happen to be standing at the entrance to a sharp turn after a long straight.

Like I said before, just makes me ponder and think.

Ventura Alfa

You are right on there, you can hear it. I have seen a couple cars that made me look twice, but yeah...lol, you can sure tell.

Good luck with your project sir.

It is most likely the same as the old transmissions, the whine was do to straight cut gears and the way that they mesh.

The correct spur gear to use with a Scalextric car is 19mm in diameter with a 6.5mm pinion gear. The sidewinder gears that Slot.it makes do not use a standard pitch. There are 34, 36 and 38 tooth spur gears that are all 19mm in diameter, so they can't be the same pitch, or can they? If I understand it correctly the teeth are not the same shape as regular gears, the shape of the teeth is changed from one tooth count to the next so that the gears will mesh well. All of my Scalextric NASCARs have Slot.it gars and those are very quiet. Stay away from the 13 tooth pinion gears, those are quite noisey.
In order to use an aftermarket spur gear you have to replace the rear axle, wheels and tires as well and it is also a good idea to use bronze bearings.

This is very good info.

"All new product (from January 2015) uses a special blend of plastic polymer that we up-issue to the moulder. Problem solved."

Interesting.

Thanks for the informative post Jules. You should start your own company. :)

Replace the nylon bushings with Sloting Plus Offset bushings. This will allow you to rotate the bushings which will let you align the gears for a better mesh.