<br><br>Over the last few years I have been asked time and time again by relative novices about race prepping cars. So, after dishing out heaps of personal secrets to help the newcomers I then have to try and beat them !! But like the master chef, there is always one recipe I never give away! So, I'm not going to start now!
But, what I will do is give you the benefit of another important aspect of race prep.
Braids !
Yes, Braids.
The amount of time I have been asked to look at a sick or ailing car and the main problem is braids!! Even hardened campaigners have been just as guilty!
So, I will say this once and once only.
If you use soft copper braids on your comp car it is not unreasonable to either change them or reverse them for EVERY meeting they are used at. If you reverse them to the clean side then they will need discarding after their second meeting.
Why? Simple, the arcing process of braids on either dirty or contaminated rails causes minute slag inclusions on the copper strands. This will build up over a short period until you can actually measure the resistance in tens of ohms with a multi meter. A trackside fix on raceday is to apply either Voodoo juice or a similar concoction and then vigorously back brush the braids with a stiff brush or tooth brush. This will ease the problem.
A second fix is to use hard copper or OFC braids (oxygen free copper). These don't seem to be as susceptible as the soft coppers and they last a lot longer before slowing up the proceedings. A drawback with harder copper is the greater difficulty in getting an even contact with both braids at every part of the track. A good source of this is the flat car audio wire available from all good electrical hobby stores.
A third alternative (and one I am using more and more after extensive testing) is the 'tinned' braid as used by Scalextric and others. This seems to be a hard copper with a base metal coating of some kind (possibly tin?) Anyone that races Scalextric cars old or new knows that the last thing on these cars you have trouble with is the braids whereas models like Fly and Ninco eat braids for supper.
So, if you're in for some serious comp racing. Change those copper braids EVERY TIME! or do as I do and use tinned braids.
Another couple of quick tips, If you are caught with your braids down and have no spares you have some options.
1. Twist the braids longitudinally so the outer edges run more on the rails.
2.Turn down the last eighth of an inch (3mm) of braid so the braid tip is the main contact
or
3. Comb the ends of the braids out with a fine metal brush or in it's absence, tease them out with a pin.
One last word. After not having used your track for several days do you find that you can't get a car to do a full circuit until the rails are cleaner!! Well, if the problem is oxidisation on the rails, give each braid a small squirt with either three in one oil or singer sewing machine oil. This should get you round OK. This will also help the track joints to stay good.
If the problem is dust or dirt, just put three cars on in a row (Rally cars are ideal for this). As you drive round the front car becomes the snow plough and the other two the tractor!!
Let me know how you go !<center>