How to Pimp Your Scalextric
Scalextric slot car racing is a popular hobby that continues to grow in popularity. Like any racing hobby, enthusiasts soon start to think about ways to enhance the performance of their vehicles. Here I will outline a few simple techniques that you can use to make your Scalextric cars literally fly around the track.
The principles that apply to slot cars are the same as those that apply to real life F1 racing cars and rally cars. To get more speed you can install a more powerful engine, optimise the tires and lower the weight. Optimising Scalextric cars can be very educational.
Let’s first think about the Scalextric cars engine. Your Scalextrci cars don’t use petrol engines, they use little electric motors that are very easy to swap out. You can find some remarkable, high perfornance Scalextric motors that provide higher revs and higher speeds. A motro upgrade will give you an instant speed improvement.
Increasing your speed means that it is more likely that your car will fly off the track when it gets to a bend. Your car is held on the track using a magnet. Most scalextric cars are fitted with magnets but you can upgrade to a stronger one that will help to keep your car on the track.
Another simple improvement is to fit a new set of tires. Better grip with the track will help your car to fly around the track.
So your Scalextric car is fully pimped and ready to break the world land speed record. The next thing to consider is the track itself? There are a few simple enhancement that can make all the difference. I recommend that you try this on just one of your two tracks so that you can make a comparison.
Start by cleaning the Scalextric track. Dust and grease will lower the traction and result in wheel spin. The next thing to do is thoroughly clean your slot. The slots in your Scalextric track will inevitably become clogged with dust and dirt. This will inevitable impede the movement of your car. Keeping your slots free of dust and debris will make major improvements to your system.
Finish up by ensuring that all electrical connections in your system are as good as they can be. Clean all the electrical connectors, the slotted track and the contacts on your car.
By now your car should be literally flying around your Scalextric track. Now you’re ready to find a worthy opponent for a race.
