Carrera GO Plus Night Chase Race Set Review

Carrera GO 1/43 slot car products have been around for quite some time and have been providing a lot of fun to families and friends.  Carrera has recently launched Carrera GO Plus in the USA which adds a lot of new features including a 1 player mode in which you can race against a ghost car (autonomous car) as an opponent and the ability to display race information on a phone or tablet.  This Carrera GO Plus Night Chase 1/43 race set review will walk you thru all that Carrera GO Plus has to offer.

To get started, here is a picture of the front of the race box.

Then to open up the race set you need to open up one of the side flaps, then slide out the cardboard tray that holds the contents out of the race set box.  It's important to pull the handle out as you do this, otherwise the cardboard tray will hang up on the ends of the handle that are inside the race set box. 

The cardboard tray does a nice job of holding the contents of the race set and each type of track piece is nicely shrink wrapped together.  I found some care needs to be taken when removing the shrink wrap from around the track.  I recommend cutting the shrink wrap off rather than just trying to puncture and pull it off by hand.  This will help to protect the track tabs that stick out on each end. 

The assembled track layout size is 9.02 x 4.17 feet so be sure you find an area large enough for the layout.  You could also alter the layout slightly to change the footprint size as needed. I chose to set up the track in our basement on a carpeted floor.  Before doing so, I recommend vacuuming the carpet and then setting down a tarp or heavy duty plastic table cloth.  This will serve as a barrier between the carpet fuzz and the track and cars.  Carper fuzz can get in the car's wheels and axles over time which can eventually slow the cars down and diminish their performance.

Another cool option is that the directions show how to set up the track with or without the loop.  The loop can be challenging for some, so if it is your first time racing on a Carrera GO track, then you may consider setting up the layout without the loop.  You can always add it later on.  The layout assembly directions are a diagram with each part lettered.  The underside of the track pieces have a letter which really helps to identify which track pieces go where. 

Assembling the track is one area that can be a bit tedious, especially the first time since some of the track pieces can be a little challenging to get together.  You basically want to push the track pieces together evenly.  I found some track pieces were really easy to put together and some were a little more stubborn.  For the track pieces that you are having a tougher time with it, it really helps to push the pieces together evenly until you get a 1/8" gap or less.  Then push one side together and then the other.  A few pieces didn't seem like they would go together so I moved them some where else in the layout and all went together just fine. The bank curves also seemed a little more difficult to assemble then the flat track pieces.  The main thing is to set up the track (especially the first time) with an adult or with adult supervision while taking a little extra care not to over stress the track connecting tabs.

This set also comes with some new easy to attach red track supports. They are easy to install once you find the place that they attach to on the underside of the track.  I tried putting the supports according to the instructions but did find that some of them weren't touching the floor so I moved them around until I found a place where each support touched the floor.

The total assembly time was about 45 minutes, I am sure subsequent assembly times will be quicker since you will have a better idea where all the track pieces go and the track pieces will be easier to put together.  The track layout itself is a fast flowing track with plenty of banked curves, R2 curves, intersection and a narrow straight.  The layout only has 4 R1 curves which are the smallest radius curves but banked for higher speeds.  This ultimately means that the cars can be driven faster with fewer de-slots than those Carrera GO layouts that use the R1 flat curves. 

This Carrera GO Plus Night Chase race set come with two Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 1/43 slot cars, the Miami Police with flashing roof lights and the street Avio with ground effect lighting.  The cars measure approximately 4.125 inches long by 1.250 inches wide.  Both cars are super cool and very well detailed.  Before running the cars, it's important to fan out the braids and position them as shown in the instructions.

The Carrera GO Plus connection track really adds to the racing experience and can be used with or without the App.  You get three race modes - 20 or 30 lap race, chase which gives one car a head start and the other car has to catch him and training with no lap restriction.  Additionally, you have the option of programming one of the cars or any other Carrera GO 1/43 slot car as a ghost car.  This is a great option for solo racing with the track.  When racing without the app, a fan fare sound is played and the winning car can continue driving while the losing car is stopped on the track.

One player mode is set up by switching to the ghost using the selector switch on the Carrera GO Plus connection section.  Then you position the car to be programmed in the red lane about one standard straight or 12 inches behind the start/finish line.  Press the Plus button on the power base and drive two complete laps stopping before the start/finish line (where you started).  You will then get a sound signal after a few seconds letting you know that the programming is complete.  Unplug the controller that you used to program the ghost car, select a race mode and then start the race.  The ghost car will actually speed up and slow down just as it was programmed around the track.  If the ghost car comes off the track, then you can restart it by pushing it at a normal running speed across the start/finish line.  In my opinion, this is a great feature and is great fun when using the track by yourself.

Now onto the Carrera GO Plus app which uses a Bluetooth connection to link your IOS and Android phone or tablet to the Carrera GO Plus connection track.  The main benefit is that you get the lap count and lap times for each car.  It also adds games that are sent randomly to one of the drivers while the race is in progress.  The driver in question is stopped on the track and the game either must be completed successfully or after 20 seconds will resume racing on the track.  This may be fun for some but I found it to disrupt the racing action too much and the games seemed to be more of a chore after awhile that you need to do just to rejoin the race.

The good news is I found a workaround for those who don't want to play the games.  In one player mode, the games are deactivated since the ghost car wouldn't be able to do them.  In two player mode, you only need to have the red lane controller unplugged when you first press the Plus button to initiate the start of the race countdown.  Once the countdown starts, you can then plug in the controller and race with two drivers without the random games coming up during the race.

This set has provided many hours of fun both racing solo and with other drivers.  The controllers also have a turbo button which gives you a higher top speed that when perfected helps getting a little extra speed and into the loop. The intersection adds a lot of excitement to the racing, since if you don't time it right the cars run into each other and will most likely come off the track.  The cars run really smooth, are plenty durable and the lights are neat for racing with low light in the room.  I find the skill level of the race set to be just right since you need to drive the cars somewhat around the track but not so much that it gets frustrating.  We have had kids and adults of different skill levels use the track and all were able to get around the track just fine (some faster than others).  The only issue is that one of the cars started making a squeaking sound.  I put a drop of plastic compatible oil at the interface of the chassis and the axles (4 spots) and the sound disappeared.  Then the car ran even smoother due to the oil reducing the friction of the axles.

Is Carrera GO Plus worth it?  I say yes.  It adds the ability to run properly scored races, gives the option to run against a ghost car and shows lap times with the app which is good for fine tuning the cars.  The Carrera GO Plus connection track will also be available separately in the near future.  If you have one of the newest Carrera GO race sets that come with red controller plugs than you only need the Carrera GO Plus connection track to convert an existing Carrera GO track to GO Plus.  If you have a Carrera GO track with black controller plugs, then you will also need two Carrera 20061663 GO Plus Controllers.

This Carrera GO Plus Night Chase 1/43 race set is available for purchase right now at BRS Hobbies for $ 135.99 with FREE shipping within the United States.  Here is the link - Carrera GO Plus Night Chase Race Set

Estes Monarch Model Rocket Build, Part 3

By Mike Swanson

Between work and family activities, It's been a few weeks since I was able to work on the Monarch and update this blog.  From the last blog entry, it was pretty close to being ready to paint and I finally finished it up this weekend !  I started by brushing on 2 coats of sanding sealer on the fins and sanding with 320 grit sandpaper to fill in the balsa grain and make the fins nice and smooth.  I then wiped the entire rocket down with a slightly damp paper towel to remove any residual dust from sanding.  

I like to start painting my rockets by using a gray filler primer to help fill in the body tube grooves as well as any remaining grain in the fins.  Lately I've been using Rustoleum  Automotive Filler Primer for this task.  I  applied a few light coats, let the primer dry, sanded the entire rocket with 400 grit initially, and finished with 600 grit sandpaper.  I then wiped the rocket with a damp paper towel as I always do after sanding and before painting.

Next I applied a few coats of Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X White Primer until I got a nice, even white base coat on the rocket.  This time, I sanded lightly with 800 grit to get a nice smooth finish and again wiped the rocket down to remove any dust/debris from sanding. 

Finally it was time to apply the gloss white top coat.  Again, I used Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X for the job and applied 3 light coats, letting the paint dry about a minute between coats before applying a heavier final coat.  At this point I let the rocket dry for a few days before masking off the white areas in preparation for applying the green paint.  To get nice, crisp stripes between colors, I use Tamiya masking tape along the edges and 3M blue masking tape and brown paper to cover the rest of the rocket.  One way to create nice straight bands around a body tube is to use a rolled up piece of paper as a guide:

With the rocket masked off per the instructions, I applied 3 light and a final heavier green coat similar to the white.  After letting the paint dry and removing the masking tape, it looked like this:

The instructions say to mask the rocket again and apply silver paint for the final accent stripes.  Since I didn't feel like buying a can of silver paint just for a few stripes (plus I was getting a little lazy), I used some silver striping tape I had on hand.  It still came out very nice and after applying the "Monarch" decal, I sprayed the entire rocket with a few coats of gloss clearcoat to protect the rocket:

The last step was to build the parachute per the instructions and attach it and the shock cord to the nosecone.  I was really happy with the way the rocket turned out.  It's a nice looking, good size Skill Level 1 rocket that should fly very well.  I'll be sure to update the blog once I get a chance to put it in the air !



Estes Monarch Model Rocket Build, Part 2

By Mike Swanson

I had a couple of hours free over the weekend to work on the Monarch, after finishing the motor mount and prepping the body tube and fins for assembly a couple days ago. 

After letting the Fill n' Finish on the fins dry overnight (see Estes Monarch Build, Part 1), I sanded them with 320 grit sandpaper until they were nice and smooth.  I then rubbed a thin film of wood glue on the root edge of one of the fins and let it dry for about 5 minutes.  This allows the glue to soak into the wood and gives a smoother, more even surface resulting in a stronger bond when attaching the fins.  There are many different tips/tricks people use to get nice alignment when gluing the fins to the rocket.  For typical 3 or 4 fin Estes rockets, I tend to use the "eyeball method" by sighting down the body tube and making sure the fin is perpendicular.  The guidelines I drew on the body tube in Part 1 really help to make sure the root edge is parallel to the tube.  I spread another thin bead a glue along the root edge and attached the first fin:

You can also use an Estes Tube Marking Guide to hold the fin in place while the glue dries:

I repeated this process for the other two fins, periodically checking the alignment before the glue completely dried.  As a final check, I printed out a template using an online tool from Payloadbay.com.  There are a bunch of useful tools for creating jigs, templates, and guides on the site.  I placed the rocket on the printout and sighted down the tube.  Looks pretty straight and aligned to me !

Next, it was time to glue on the launch lug.  The instructions say to glue the lug along the root of one of the fins.  I prefer the more typical (and probably more old school) method of gluing the lug between two of the fins as shown below.  A section of 1/2" aluminum angle works great to align the lug.  I just placed the angle along the tube and glued the lug along the edge of the angle on top of the centerline I drew in Part 1:

Then I ran a bead of glue along both sides of each fin root edge and the launch lug using my index finger to wipe off any excess and create a smooth fillet.  When I was done, it looked like this:

After all the fins and launch lug joints were dry, I installed the motor mount by wiping a fairly thick ring of glue about 1" inside the aft end of the body tube using a 6" cotton swab: 

Then I inserted the motor tube so that it was flush with the end of the rocket with engine hook facing aft and aligned with the launch lug centerline: 

The last step I did today was to glue in the shock cord mount.  First I cut out the paper mount from the instructions and smeared a healthy blob of glue on one side and laid the rubber cord on the panels marked "2" and "3":

Then I folded panel "1" into "2" and "2" into "3" and pinched it together for a few minutes until the glue started to set.  Then I used a 6" cotton swab to apply a patch of glue about 1.5" down the forward end of the body tube.  Note:  make sure the shock cord mount is at least far enough down the tube so that the shoulder of the nose cone will not interfere with it when it is placed on top:

Now the rocket is essentially complete except for some final preparation before I start painting !

Estes Monarch Model Rocket Build, Part 1

By Mike Swanson

It's about time we did a blog about a model rocket build !  I have chosen the Estes Monarch because it is a typical example of a beginner, skill level 1 rocket that is currently available:

 

In addition to the kit, you need a good quality wood glue (I use Titebond II), x-acto knife, sandpaper of various grits, and paint to give it a nice finish.  There are some optional item I'll discuss later that will make the build go a little easier and result in a nicer finish.

The first step is to assemble the motor mount using the 2.75" motor tube, 2 centering rings, motor hook, motor block, and retaining ring.

I started by making pencil marks 1" and 2.5" from one end of the tube.  I then cut a 1/8"slit at the 2.5" mark and installed the motor hook.  Next, I ran a bead of glue around the motor tube near the middle and slid the ring down until it was aligned with the 1" pencil mark.  After gluing on the retaining ring, I glued the motor block flush with end of the motor tube closest to the 1/8" slit.  The next step was to glue on the two centering rings.  The first at the 2.5" mark and the second at the 1" mark.  Make sure you align the rings so they are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the tube.  The final step was to add a glue fillet around the joints of the motor tube and centering rings to make it nice and strong.  It should look like this when it's finished: 

 

While the motor mount assembly was drying, I decided to work on the fins.  The fin's shape is laser cut at the factory and essentially fell out of the balsa sheet with light pressure.  You can use an x-acto knife to cut away any material holding the fins to the sheet if needed.  I sanded the leading edge round and all other edges flat with 180 and 220 grit sandpaper.  Before gluing the fins to the rocket, I like to coat them with thinned Elmer's Fill n' Finish wood filler to fill in the wood grain and any small dents: 

Out of the container, the filler has the consistency of creamy peanut butter.  I put some in a small cup and added water to make it more of a latex paint consistency.  I then brushed it on all the sides and edges (except the root edge since it will be glued to the rocket body tube later) with a small paintbrush.  If you let the fins dry at this point, they will most likely warp due to the added water in the filler soaking into the balsa wood.  To prevent this, I sandwiched the fins between two sheets of wax paper and place them on a flat surface with a flat board/weights on top and will let it dry overnight. 

The last thing I did today was mark the larger body tube with lines showing where to attach the fins and launch lug.  The instructions come with a paper alignment guide you can wrap around the tube to make the initial alignment marks, but I have found that these don't work as well as something like the Estes Fin Marking Guides: 

Once the initial marks were made, I used a piece of aluminum channel to draw a centerline and a line the thickness of the fin on either side about 5" long:

Using the two thickness lines in addition to the centerline makes it much easier to align the fins when they are glued to the tube.

Carrera Guide and Braid Maintenance

By Michael Ashton

My 1/32nd scale home track is Ninco N-Digital. It allows me to run a wide variety of slot cars from various manufacturers. This includes a number of Carrera cars. Recently several of my older Carrera GT's began running poorly on the N-Digital track. They seemed to be running erratically. They were not smooth in the straights, balked when crossing a dead strip, were 'jerky' when accelerating and would occasionally zoom to full throttle when braking into a corner.

I tried a number of things without any improvement. This included thoroughly cleaning the track rails and treating with INOX, checking voltage level all around the track and installing a fresh set of pickup braids in each car.  Finally, I removed the braids, intending to check connectivity at all points from the guide to the motor when my attention was immediately drawn to the small rail that makes contact between the guide and braid assemblies (see below).

It appeared to be tarnished and/or oxidized when compared to the shiny brass of the new braid assembly that was just installed. So, I took a small flathead screwdriver and burnished the exposed surface and the surfaces that are recessed into the rectangular openings of the guide plate.

I then took the previous braid assemblies that had been removed and performed the same operation on their contact surfaces and reinstalled them in the guide.

I returned the car to the N-Digital track and the performance increase was immediate and noticeable. The car ran much smoother around the track and did not hesitate at the dead strips. All the previous problems were either gone or significantly reduced.

This does not appear to be an issue when running analog and it's possible that it only affects Carrera cars running on N-Digital. Now this may be common knowledge to Carrera users, however, it was a significant discovery for me. Regardless, it could also be a problem on Carrera's Digital 132 system because, as with N-Digital, the Carrera system transmits its data through the rails.

Anyway, it's something to think about if you ever have subtle performance problems with a Carrera Digital 132 car.

_Michael Ashton

The (Not So) Evil Traction Magnet

By Michael Ashton

Like most hobbies, the slot car hobby has its share of ‘religious beliefs’ that are constantly being debated, often vehemently. Routed wood vs. sectional plastic track; analog vs. digital; silicone vs. rubber tires. And arguably the most controversial of all — running with vs. without a traction magnet. Visit any of the major Internet slot car forums or a retail establishment or club that has a slot car track, and at least one of these debates will inevitably flare up. All of these doctrines tend to divide slot car enthusiasts into two opposing camps that defend their respective positions passionately. This article will focus on the traction magnet debate, affectionately known as ‘mag vs. no-mag’. It is important to note that any discussion of slot car traction magnets applies only to track which uses metal rails that will exhibit some degree of magnetic attraction (i.e., magnets will have no effect on a routed wood track that uses copper tape for its rails).

The vast majority of ready-to-run slot cars come with a traction magnet installed, usually somewhere between the mid point of the chassis to just in front of the motor in sidewinder configuration or the rear axle in in-line cars. These magnets usually fit into an open chamber in the cassis and are held in place by small tabs. Occasionally, as is the case with Carrera cars, the magnet is held in place by a screw-in holder which is very secure.

The majority of modern slot car magnets are made of neodymium alloy which has very strong magnetic properties. The magnet is attracted to the metal rails of the slot car track, therefore, creating additional downforce. Its purpose is twofold:

1. Encourage the car to stay in the slot.
2. Increase traction in the rear tires.

This will tend to enhance the performance of just about any slot car, especially those which exhibit inherently poor handling characteristics such as narrow width, high center of gravity and uneven weight distribution. The downward force of the magnet creates a drag effect which tends to slow the car in the straightaway sections but allows significantly higher cornering speeds which, in turn leads to faster lap times. This does not necessarily make a car easier to drive because it becomes more difficult to judge the limit of adhesion, especially at high speeds. When a car equipped with a powerful magnet exceeds that limit the result is very often a violent, ’snapping’ de-slot which could possibly result in significant damage to the car.

Slot car traction magnets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and levels of magnetic force.

The following photos illustrate some typical magnet installations, highlighted by the red arrows.

A large flat bar magnet installed in front of the motor in a sidewinder chassis.

A button magnet installed mid-chassis in an angle-winder chassis.

A bar magnet installed under the motor shaft in an in-line chassis.

An in-line chassis with two magnets installed, in front of and behind the motor.

What’s the Issue?

There is a myriad of things that can be done to a poor handling slot car to improve its performance. This is generally referred to as ‘tuning’. Three of the most common issues are: 1.) de-slotting too easily (especially in the corners); 2). fishtailing (wide swaying of the rear end, also in the corners); and 3.) a tendency to tip (again, in the corners) due to high center of gravity (COG). All of these issues indicate the need for increased downforce and/or better weight distribution.

These issues can be dealt with in one of two ways — either by adding weight (ballast) to improve weight distribution and increase traction, or installing a magnet that creates enough downforce to effectively mask the problems. Generally speaking, the magnets that are installed in ready-to-run slot cars at the factory tend to be very powerful and positioned to provide maximum downforce.

So, what to do? Mag or no-mag? This is where things tend to get very serious because otherwise mild-mannered, rational people begin to lose their composure and end up divided into two seemingly irreconcilable camps. There are those who believe that all slot cars must have at least one magnet so that they can be run at the fastest speeds that the laws of physics will allow and handle as a ‘modern’ car would. Then there is the camp that believes any slot car — no matter how unwieldy — can be tuned to run well by adding weight to various points of the chassis, or changing critical components such as the guide or rear tires, or in extreme cases, replacing the entire drive train and/or chassis itself! For this camp, resorting to the use of magnets is a sign of weakness that brings one’s very manhood into question.

The Path of Least Resistance

My preference is to try to run without the magnet, whenever possible and appropriate. Once I become sufficiently familiar with a newly acquired slot car, I like to place it in one of three categories:

1. Cars designed to run without a magnet.
2. Cars that should run with a magnet.
3. Cars that run poorly without a magnet.

There are a number of slot cars that, although come equipped with a traction magnet, are actually designed to run without the magnet. For example, Slot.it, NSR and Ninco cars fall into this category. They perform very well with the magnet out-of-the-box, however, they also exhibit superior performance without the magnet and with little to no tuning at all. I almost always run these cars without the magnet.

There are certain classes of cars that I feel should be run with a magnet because it creates handling characteristics that more closely reflect the actual (1:1) car that they represent. LMP, certain GT sports cars and modern Formula 1 are in this category. This relates more to creating a realistic racing experience than improving handling and performance. Remember that this is my opinion.

Lastly, are cars that are designed to run with a magnet installed. These cars could be from any manufacturer and they may be able to run without a magnet on smooth, flat track surfaces, but usually require significant tuning and/or modification in order to obtain an acceptable level of performance. This is the category where I have occasionally found cars that I simply could not get to run well without the magnet, even after some of the most aggressive tuning tricks were applied.

One slotting enthusiast once told me that he absolutely refuses to ‘give in’ to the use of a magnet. That there is no such thing as the car that he can’t tune to run well with a little weight added here and there. Then he revealed his secret: he glued half a pound of lead to the underside of the chassis and turned the track voltage down to 9 volts! This is ‘tuning’?

Then there’s the guy who runs with three magnets creating so much downforce that the car sticks to the track when held upside down. Track voltage must be turned up to 18 volts just to overcome the drag created by the magnets and the motors sometimes catch fire! But the car never de-slots!

Now I’m not disparaging either of these approaches to enhancing performance. And, yes I may have exaggerated a little, and everyone is entitled to enjoy this hobby in their own way. But people at the extreme ends of things tend to become somewhat evangelistic and can occasionally get a little emotional when another point of view is presented. Nevertheless, I believe that there is a middle ground.

I have found that it is possible to tune a slot car using one or more relatively mild magnets, resulting in performance and handling characteristics that are quite similar to that of running without a magnet. Moreover, this car will afford the average home racer a wider margin for error resulting in more fun and less stress. There is no special talent needed and no voodoo involved. In fact, some manufacturers provide this capability in their cars straight from the factory. Carrera typically includes two bar magnets in their chassis. A wide magnet directly in front of the motor and a shorter one just in front of the rear axle.

The red arrows highlight the position of the two bar magnets in the typical Carrera chassis.

Both magnets are secured by a holder and include a metal shim that allows the magnet to be raised about 1 mm. This may seem like a trivial distance, however, it has a measurable effect on the magnet’s downforce.

The Carrera bar magnets. Shown with holders and shims.

This combination of magnets and shims allows the chassis to be configured to allow nine distinct levels of magnetic downforce.

I have performed many tuning tricks on my Carrera GT cars to get them to run well without a magnet on my twisty, bumpy Ninco track. This included adding weight behind the guide assembly, sanding the top of the mounting post bases flat and loosening the body screws to allow the body to float, and installing high grip urethane rear tires. Still, I can only describe the results as marginal. The cars were drivable, however, the slightest amount of excess throttle in the turns would result in a de-slot. It is important to note that the Carrera chassis has fixed front bushings in contrast to the slotted axle holders that many cars have. The fixed bushings are not an issue on a smooth flat track surface. However, they tend to cause the front end to bounce upward on a bumpy, undulating track surface such as Ninco. So, I decided to see what the flexible Carrera magnet implementation could do for performance.

With both magnets installed in their lower position (Shims on top) the car was quite ’stuck down’ and performed like an LMP on the track. By removing the rear magnet (yellow arrow in the above photo) and placing the shim below the mid-chassis magnet (red arrow above), I was able to achieve handling that was surprisingly close to that without a magnet. The car could now be run with much more confidence in the turns and the rear end was still able to drift slightly when powering through corners.

You are not limited to the stock magnets that are installed by the manufacturers. There is also a wide range of aftermarket traction magnets available. I found two such magnets, available from BRS Hobbies to be particularly useful because they are relatively mild and can be ’stacked’ together in order to create different levels of magnetic downforce in the same footprint in the chassis. They are the BRS bar magnet and BRS button magnet, respectively.

The BRS bar magnet

The BRS bar magnet, at 19 mm x 3.2 mm x 1.5 mm, is an inexpensive, relatively compact, mild strength magnet that can be glued into a wide variety of locations in a typical plastic ready-to-run slot car chassis. By stacking this magnet one over the other, Magnetic downforce can be added in meaningful increments. This is especially useful when a magnet is obviously required for a particular car but the stock magnet proves to be too powerful.

Two BRS bar magnets hot glued in a stack.

Similarly, many slot cars come fitted with a full-size button magnet which tends to be very powerful and cannot be easily raised using a shim. The BRS has the same 8 mm diameter as the full-size magnet so it fits into the same cylindrical compartment as the larger version. However, the BRS version is only 2 mm thick and has only about 1/3rd of the larger magnet's downforce. It too can be stacked for incremental levels of downforce.

The BRS button magnet

The Magnet Boneyard

Finally, don't forget about all those magnets that were pulled from cars that are now running no-mag. If you want to find out just how much of a purist a no-mag racer really is, ask him if you can have all his leftover magnets.

My leftover magnet stash proved once again to be a valuable asset. I recently acquired a Scalextric BMW E30 M3 as a companion to the same model that a slot racing friend has. Straight out of the box with the stock traction magnet in place, the car runs like an LMP. You can almost complete an entire lap at full throttle. We decided that we would like to run them no-mag in order to create performance that is closer to that of the actual car. However, when the magnet was pulled, initial testing indicated that this was going to be a significant challenge. The model is quite attractive and almost perfectly accurate to scale. Ironically, being faithful to the actual car's surfaces and dimensions makes this car very difficult to tune for no-mag racing.

As a slot car the BMW E30 M3 has many of the characteristics that virtually guaranty poor performance without a magnet:

• The car is tall and narrow, which makes for a high center of gravity.
• The front end is light with a relatively shallow guide flag.
• Rear tire grip was marginal, resulting in fishtailing.

With the magnet removed it was difficult to complete a lap without extraordinary caution and concentration. The first attempt at tuning was comprised of adding weight (about 15 grams of copper — don't like that lead!) behind the guide assembly to help keep the front end down and in the conduits on either side of the DPR chamber to address the tipping. Urethane rear tires reduced the fishtailing, however, the higher grip tended to exacerbate the tipping, which was the car's predominant problem.

BMW E30 M3 chassis with weight added (red arrows).

This made a marked improvement but the car was still too top-heavy. The rear end could not slide out in the corners and the car would tip far too easily. Not wanting to add any more weight I decided to see if a magnet could overcome these problems.

After experimenting with several magnet configurations using magnets from the stash, the best solution turned out to be a pair of Ninco bar magnets taken from Ninco 1 cars. Now these bar magnets are quite strong. Probably as strong as the stock Scalextric magnet that comes with the car. However, by carefully positioning the magnets and making them adjustable to control downforce they turned out to be ideal for this situation.

The following photo shows the area of M3 chassis where the replacement magnets will be installed.

The red arrows point to what are effectively two three-sided chambers on either side of the motor shaft. The Ninco bar magnets fit perfectly (snug) into these chambers. The next photo shows how the magnets were installed.

A magnet holder (strap) was created from thin, black styrene sheet. The holder is glued into the chamber and is tall enough to allow the magnet (red arrow) to be raised and lowered using shims (yellow arrows) and also to be easily removed from the holder. The magnets are positioned far enough to the sides of the chassis to avoid any significant drag while running on the straight track sections. However, when the rear end starts to drift in the corners the inside magnet shifts closer to the rails and downforce increases. The height of the magnets from the track surface can be adjusted to provide just enough downforce to allow the rear end to drift while keeping the car from tipping. Now this car can truly be powered through the corners without fishtailing or tipping.

Another benefit of this type of magnet implementation is the ability to tune two or more cars configured this way to have virtually identical performance as a racing group. By using the shims to change the height of each magnet in very small increments, lap times can balanced easily within tenths, if not hundredths of a second. This can provide very competitive and exciting racing.

Here is a short video clip of the E30 M3 configured with the dual traction magnets running on Ninco N-Digital  track.

So there. I admit it. I have more than a few cars that owe their enhanced performance to the judicious use of magnets. Try as I might, I could not get them to perform in an acceptable way (for me) by adding weight. But they all perform quite closely to similar cars that can run without the magnet. And now when they run around the track, instead of clenching my teeth as I approach each corner, I'm having fun. 


_Michael Ashton