Very basic tips

mbartell · #1 10-20-2003, 10:41 AM

I figured I'd share some of the things I did, just as a list of basics to help a bit.

Clean up !
The suspension can get a little sticky just off of casting flash. The towers on the front need to have their holes cleaned out with an x-acto so it will be smooth. Also make sure that the facing surfaces between the arms and towers are smooth. I put a dab of grease in the towers to make it slide a little better.

The eye on the shocks is also a little rough and needs the same clean up. The parts should flop around easy to work the best.
I also had to trim off the nubs on the tan cover on top of the front end because it was making contact with the arm right by the shock.
With everything clear and not rubbing, it works better.

Turn:
The steering trim works best for me by clicking the buttons, not holding them down.

Instead of using the push button steering trim, take the front end apart, and just re-center the servo, like you would with a real RC car.
It's pretty easy:
Take apart the front end. (like when installing bearings or installing the 4wd kit)
Locate the servo horn, then loosen the screw in the middle of it. Turn the car on, and the transmitter. Let the servo center.
There is a mark on the servo case, and a pointer on the horn- Line them up and check if your steering bar is centered (same distance out on both sides)
If not, take the horn off and try to move it over one notch at a time untill it's close. Once you are satisfied, tighten it all back down and re-assemble your front end.
Looking at the servo, if the horn was just a little longer, you would get more turning- How about that as a first aftermarket part?
Even after centering it, I still needed to adjust the steering trim agout 7 or 8 clicks to the right. At least I can remember to click 7 times better than doing it like 30-40 times like before. I'll take it all down again and move it over annother tooth later.

Tight:
I also cut the center cover off of the nylon lug nuts so the threaded part of the axle comes out. This keeps the wheels from sliding back and forth like the used to.

That's about all I could come up with for a first day of fiddling,
Anyone else got some basics to share?

mbartell · #2 10-20-2003, 12:34 PM

On the bottom of the front A arms, there is a little block that limits the downward suspension movement- if you trim it, you can get a hair more down travel.
I took the flat screw off of the bottom to the steering knuckle. It allows it to go up a little further, but it may also make it pop out- It hasn't happened yet, but I'm crossing my fingers.

#3 10-20-2003, 05:10 PM

nice tips but i only need to push the button 4-6 time to center it, i guess i lucked out

mbartell · #4 10-21-2003, 09:53 AM

Well, if you don't already know, these cars tend to loosen up after driving for a while. I had mine set with the wheels off the ground with a rubber band on the controller's trigger to let it just run for a while with everything together.
After a min, the car just stopped- like totally dead. I tapped the car, and nothing happened, then touched the controller, and it started up again.
I found out that it dosn't matter if you hit the steering or throttle but apparently the car will just stop if there is no change in the controller's imput.
I don't really know why it does this, but it does.

Any slot car guys out there have a good, proven break in procedure?
One I found is to submerge the running motor by itself in water connected to a stand alone battery pack with half the voltage on it, untill the batteries run dry, then spray the whole thing down with WD40 and oil to get the water out.

It's supposed to turn the water grey and nasty, but keep the motor from overheating.
Anyone heard or tried this?
I may sacrifice a motor, just to see- they do come with four of them.

catman25 · #5 10-21-2003, 12:44 PM

have done this with the motor that comes with a drr(same as xmod kinda) just make sure you use a battery and not hooked to car electronics.I showed a friend this way and he was lazy and dipped the motor in while hooked up to the cars elect. and shorted everything.But its safe with just a motor and a batt.make sure you pull it out oif the water once or twice it only take a few min.

mbartell · #6 10-21-2003, 02:17 PM

Huge diffrence!
I did it with one of my motors, left it in for around 5 min. I pulled it out and sprayed it down with WD40- The revs picked up and it flushed a lot of black gunk out of the motor.
Comparing the sound to a non-broken in one was also interesting- it was horribly loud compared to the broken in one.
Also did it with a plasma dash tamiya motor I have- same story.
Now to get my soldering iron out, but first I need to find a pinion puller.

TypeZer0 · #7 10-21-2003, 05:26 PM

did you have to take the little capacitors off and stuff or did u just dunk the whole thing in? is distilled water better to use?

mbartell · #8 10-22-2003, 09:50 AM

I just used tap water, and here that's pretty nasty. I live in an area with really hard water.
I left the capacitors on there, and used test leads to connect it to the battery. Just dunk it totally in there, and don't let it touch the sides or bottom. DO NOT USE THE CAR'S ELECTRONICS, like catman25 said!
I found out that if you leave it in there you can hear, even in the water, the rpms pick up after a while. I then take them out and fill the case with wd40 thru the hole on the front face, right under the pinion. Then I run it again, and spray more wd 40 thru.
After wiping it all down a drop of electric motor 3 in 1 oil on each end bushing, and let it run for a while longer. The motors are a lot quieter.

I tried it on a spare motor that I had taken apart, and before the armature was a little dark, after breaking in, it had that clean but not shiny copper color.

TypeZer0 · #9 10-22-2003, 09:56 AM

you didn't dunk it again in water after u sprayed it with WD40 right?

mbartell · #10 10-22-2003, 10:15 AM

nope, just used the wd 40 for what it was designed for in the first place- Water Displacement. That's also why I put oil on the bushings.

mbartell · #11 10-24-2003, 10:32 AM

So this is from the old slot car guys I borrowed a pinion puller from:

if you want to take the brass gear off of the motor, heat it up. Brass expands faster than steel, so it will be looser when it's hot.
Use a lighter or a soldering iron.

PLEASE DONT' BE AN IDIOT Keep in mind- if you do this it will be hot. Don't use your hands to pull the gear off- you will deserve the burn if you do.- also don't use a screwdriver to pop it off because it will fly, and it will also be hot!
Use a pair of pliers something that can hold, so you'r not flinging hot metal in your eyes.

Nii · #12 10-30-2003, 08:18 PM

Should u do this cleaning with the water and wd40 as soon as u get the engine, or after like a month of running it.

mbartell · #13 10-31-2003, 09:12 AM

As soon as you get it, before you even bother running the motor. It does work on motors that have been running too, but more as a cleaning than a breaking in.

#14 10-31-2003, 09:56 AM

alright let me get this straight for this motor cleaning process
1. remove engine
2. wire up to battery what size battery did u use and how many?
3. yet it run in water
4. take out spray with wd40 how much did u spray it?
5. spray again and add oil
6. reinstall motor is the motor supposed to be completely dry from wd-40 when doing this?

mbartell · #15 10-31-2003, 03:19 PM

1. remove engine
2. wire up to battery what size battery did u use and how many?

I used a 2 AA battery pack and test leads. (alligator clips) to connect the red to red and black to black. The test leads will allow you to attach to the engine on the endbell (plastic part of motor), where the contacts are soldered on.

3. Let it run in water

let it run for a while- untill the sound changes. It could take 30 sec, or half an hour. Just leave it in there, not touching anything untill the motor makes less whiney motor noise. It will sound smoother and deeper when you need to take it out.

4. take out spray with wd40 how much did u spray it?

Spray the motor untill wd 40 is coming out the other side. Use the red straw thing and press it against the hole on the motor case opposite the endbell. Spray untill it fills up and starts running out the bottom. It's a cleaner- use a lot of it.

5. spray again and add oil

Wipe it off, because if it's dripping it'll get dirty.

Run the motor again for a few minutes before you:

6. reinstall motor is the motor supposed to be completely dry from wd-40 when doing this?

Take your time Patience will be rewarded.