[Scoobysnax]

Hi all, after a 25 year hiatus I've surreptitiously bought my 4 yr old a "My First Scalextric" set - the one with the yellow and red F1 cars.
The problem is that the cars stick and stutter on the track, if you manage to get them started and build up a head of speed, then its as if there are dead spots all over the track and with a decent speed, the car is riding over them.

I've tried splaying out the foil (bushes) in case they were not making contact with the rails, but that didnt help.
I'm pretty sure it's the track and not the controllers.

Is this common? Is it the cars or the track? It's been like this from new and I felt really let down as I wanted to relive the happy memories of childhood.

Should I just bin the cars and buy new? Is there something I should do to improve the contact between cars & track or track and track.

 

[Retroracer]

Hi Scoobysnax,

It sounds like it the track and not the cars. I think it would be unlikely for both cars to have problems.

You could check the cars by holding them on the track in the same position with the rear wheels raised and just run them for 20 seconds to see it the cars stutter. Then move the cars around the track to the different sections of track and check where the bad connection is.

Try to ensure that the track is firmly connected and also check the controller and power pack connections.

Hope you manage to sort it..

 

[slowracer]

Clean the track with a sponge rubbing block (has fine grit bonded to it), or a block wrapped in fine wet and dry abrasive paper

 

[diesel]

I always keep a pack of cheapo Tesco dish sponges to hand. Drive the car round slowly and every time it stops, move it back a few inches and give the rails a rub back and forth till the car moves over. Afer a while it should all run smooth and the braids are actually pretty good for keeping the rails clean.

 

[Julian_Boolean]

I suspect it's dirty rails, clean them as Tony suggests, WD40 can also clean them quickly.

 

[cryer-evo]

Have you spread out the pik up braids if you haven't it will be that get the end of the braid and pull it apart slitely that should sort them out