One of the issues is a simple case of magnets. Two different magnets of same size, shape, weight and compound can have variances in magnetic force. An impact shock can be enough to weaken the force offered by a magnet.

The only real way to match magnets would be to measure the magnetic force of a bunch of them and select the closest three to use in your 'matched' cars.

Embs

 

QUOTE (Ember @ 23 Apr 2012, 15:08) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>One of the issues is a simple case of magnets. Two different magnets of same size, shape, weight and compound can have variances in magnetic force. An impact shock can be enough to weaken the force offered by a magnet.

The only real way to match magnets would be to measure the magnetic force of a bunch of them and select the closest three to use in your 'matched' cars.

Embs

Thanks. I didn't realise they could be weakened by crashes.

And how I do measure them? Is there a simple and easy way to do it?

Also, what about stacking magnets and / or putting additional magnets in the spare slots?

 

More magnetic downforce does make the cars stick better BUT too much down force will slow the car down on the straights and puts more strain on the motor as it has to work harder to drag the car around the track.

Packs of strong magnets are available on ebay - I bought a load to put in my Taurus NASCARs then decided they were more fun without magnets (much slower but needing a much more skillful driver). Just measure carefully and search for neodymium magnets.

Have you thought about taking the magnets out, adding a little weight to the nose and buying some urethane tyres?

 

I measure the magnetic downforce on my cars using a set of scales which have had a hole cut in them and replaced with a metal plate which has been packed so that the metal plate is level with the top of the scales but does not touch the weighing platform, another slot is cut opposite for the guide. I can use the scales to measure the weights of cars and also the magnetic attraction. This isn't an exact science but it does let me know roughly how even the magnets are in the cars. I have 4 of the Peugeot 908's, the Aston Martin Lola and also the Porsche Spyder. My 2 fastest (lap times not straight out speed) Scalextric cars are 2 of the Peugeots which have a similar magnetic downforce, although one has a motor with a bit more go, the other 2 have less of a magnetic downforce thus don't stick to the track like the others. You will find that not many of the scalextric bar magnets are the same, some have a huge amount of downforce while others seem to have little if no downforce. The gap between the chassis and the rails can also give you a different effect as the magnet can be closer to the rails or further away resulting in different magnetic downforces.

Matt

 

Don't mess around just get a pack of magnets. Yes you can stick other magnets on top to increase the strength. But really stick them as the magnetic force may not be sufficient to hold them together in a crash

 

QUOTE (Mr Modifier @ 23 Apr 2012, 15:36) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>More magnetic downforce does make the cars stick better BUT too much down force will slow the car down on the straights and puts more strain on the motor as it has to work harder to drag the car around the track.

Packs of strong magnets are available on ebay - I bought a load to put in my Taurus NASCARs then decided they were more fun without magnets (much slower but needing a much more skillful driver). Just measure carefully and search for neodymium magnets.

Have you thought about taking the magnets out, adding a little weight to the nose and buying some urethane tyres?

Yes, I have thought about that but I prefer to race with magnets - especially as I usually race with my young nephews and I don't want to make it too difficult for them.

Also, I have 30+ cars, so changing the tyres on them all would be a lot of hassle. Admittedly I have never bothered to buff the rear tyres with sandpaper and that will be the thing I do next with all my cars.

When one is spending £35 or more on a Scalextric car (I only ever buy high detail, never super-resistant), I would expect there to be a lot more consistency with the magnets.

The Bugatti Veyron and the McLaren MPC4-12 are truly shocking right out of the box, and it doesn't help that the magnets specified in the service sheets for those cars are no longer available

 

QUOTE (RikoRocket @ 23 Apr 2012, 15:48) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Don't mess around just get a pack of magnets. Yes you can stick other magnets on top to increase the strength. But really stick them as the magnetic force may not be sufficient to hold them together in a crash

Right...so, when stacking magnets, should I do this with magnets that are slightly smaller than the ones held in place by the plastic bits in the chassis?

If I put the same size (or bigger) magnet on top what would happen then?

Surely that's not a good idea due to the plastic clips of the magnet slot only being able to hold one magnet, and then the magnet on top of the stack will be lopsided, right?

And when you say 'really stick them' do you mean using glue with them? If so, what kind?

I noticed when I took the Bugatti apart the thin bar magnet had some gluey substance on it. It looked like it was put on the magnet to hold it in the slot, due to the proximity of the magnet slot to the motor. When I tried to remove the magnet it was sticking to the motor.

 

QUOTE (mattcrackers @ 23 Apr 2012, 15:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I measure the magnetic downforce on my cars using a set of scales which have had a hole cut in them and replaced with a metal plate which has been packed so that the metal plate is level with the top of the scales but does not touch the weighing platform, another slot is cut opposite for the guide. I can use the scales to measure the weights of cars and also the magnetic attraction. This isn't an exact science but it does let me know roughly how even the magnets are in the cars. I have 4 of the Peugeot 908's, the Aston Martin Lola and also the Porsche Spyder. My 2 fastest (lap times not straight out speed) Scalextric cars are 2 of the Peugeots which have a similar magnetic downforce, although one has a motor with a bit more go, the other 2 have less of a magnetic downforce thus don't stick to the track like the others. You will find that not many of the scalextric bar magnets are the same, some have a huge amount of downforce while others seem to have little if no downforce. The gap between the chassis and the rails can also give you a different effect as the magnet can be closer to the rails or further away resulting in different magnetic downforces.

Matt

It's shocking just how much variation there is...and it's not something I'd really given much thought to, until this last weekend when trying to race with the Spyder it was just horrendous. Only afterwards when I was trying to figure out why the car was handling so badly did I notice the difference in weight between it and the other 2 LMP cars - even though they have identical magnets (W8475) in them.

What I'm discovering, as I check all my cars (albeit in a far more basic and less sophisticated manner to the way you do it!) is that the magnets are either very strong or very weak and the weak ones are therefore next to useless.

Ember's comments about impacts I've no doubt is valid and may explain why my MC12 is the way it is (it has taken a few amount of bangs and crashes, to say the lease - including my nephew flying it into the garage door!) but some of these cars that have what seems like little or no magnatraction at all were brand new out of the box, un-raced cars!

So where is the QC at Scalextric if two cars, even if they are of the same model going by your comments, can have such a vastly different amount of magnatraction?

 

QUOTE (kipper15 @ 23 Apr 2012, 18:34) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Right...so, when stacking magnets, should I do this with magnets that are slightly smaller than the ones held in place by the plastic bits in the chassis?

If I put the same size (or bigger) magnet on top what would happen then?

Surely that's not a good idea due to the plastic clips of the magnet slot only being able to hold one magnet, and then the magnet on top of the stack will be lopsided, right?

And when you say 'really stick them' do you mean using glue with them? If so, what kind?

I noticed when I took the Bugatti apart the thin bar magnet had some gluey substance on it. It looked like it was put on the magnet to hold it in the slot, due to the proximity of the magnet slot to the motor. When I tried to remove the magnet it was sticking to the motor.

Yes stack them smaller on top. You can also just stick a round one on top of the bar magnet, that works fine. Use superglue, else the first roll the magnet will end up stuck to the motor. The clips will be fine with more than one magnet, but dont try and fit two bar magnets the same size under the clips or they will no longer be clips...

 

Magnets do not lose their magnetism by taking a few bumps. I think somebody is having a giggle

You need to find out why you are losing magnetism, for this could be caused by a disruption in your time/space vortex. If you don't get Dr Who called in then you may wake up one morning finding a bunch of Cybermen playing with your Scalextric.

 

Ummm ..... see here: .... note the Tips and Warnings

 

The difference between magnets in these cars is nothing compared to the difference in ride height. A fraction of a mm makes a huge difference in the amount of force excerted by the magnet on the floor of the car. You lower the height of poor one by trueing a bit off the tyres.
Me, I pull all the magnets out but of course this will lessen the play value for kids.

 

Greg..where did you find that!!

Nothing to do with magnatraction/downforce on slot cars, but a lot of motor magnets on vintage slot cars naturally lose their "magnetism" over the years, causing the motor to run hot & slow.
Cheers,
Kev.

 

A wery good story! And also a good reason to race without magnets! ;-) More fair and relevant!

(I use a very small scale thing to measure the power of the magnet. But newer race with them ;-)

 

Howay Kev,
There are strange forces afoot .......... in my ever so humble opinion, concrete slabs are seriously under valued in slot racing

 

I`m Sunderland so it`s "Haway" Greg! The daft Geordies say "Howay"....

Perfectly true about motor magnets. You buy some pre 1968 Jouef cars & I promise you that approx 40% of the motor magnets would have weakened over the years....it`s THE major weakness of Jouef....easily remedied by getting the motor zapped or replacement neodid magnets are available from France.
I`ve also seen it happen on a few of the old Triang RX motors.
Cheers,
Kev.

 

QUOTE (Screwneck @ 24 Apr 2012, 07:23) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Magnets do not lose their magnetism by taking a few bumps. I think somebody is having a giggle

Sometimes I feel like I was the only one paying attention in Physics class at school.

When I said 'impact shock' I didn't exactly mean impact from the cars, more a case of dropping the magnet. I could probably explain why it happens after another cup of coffee.

 

QUOTE (Screwneck @ 23 Apr 2012, 22:23) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Magnets do not lose their magnetism by taking a few bumps.
Don't you ever tire of talking nonsense, Screwneck? I so wish you would.

I'm presuming you don't have children, because if you did you'd undoubtedly have a stack of fridge magnets that have lost their magnetism having been dropped on the floor numerous times.

 

Keep taking the tablets, maybe upping the dose will help ......

 

QUOTE (Thatcedric @ 23 Apr 2012, 22:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The difference between magnets in these cars is nothing compared to the difference in ride height. A fraction of a mm makes a huge difference in the amount of force excerted by the magnet on the floor of the car.

I'm with cedric, even fairly weak magnets can be effective if you get them close enough to the rails...

 

Hi

Our Durban club out in South Africa has enjoyed excellent racing on wood track with Magnatech braid, using Scalextric magnet traction stock and mod cars for some years now. We are also taken aback at the reduced magnet effect for the McLaren and Bugatti and are hoping this is not a sign of things to come. To make matters worse we are told it seems the Bugatti has been "lowered" to compensate, so changing back to a stock good magnet means way too much traction so one has to consider magnet spacing etc, a real pity and a pain when the upside to Scalextric has always been the motor and magnet consistency over time.....

Might anyone else have the inside "track" on what Scalextric are up to and whether this is set to become standard fare for new models for the future?

Given that Magnatech braid (conveniently) gives only 60% of the magnet traction of a plastic track, I am guessing it is a half cocked attempt on their part to equate to other manufacturers operating on plastic track.

Cheers
Dave

QUOTE (kipper15 @ 23 Apr 2012, 15:50) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>OK, let's start with the problem I had with a Scalextric Porsche Spyder. I have three Scalextric LMP cars in total:

C3015 Porsche RS Spyder
C3188 Aston Martin Lola
C3195 Peugeot 908 HDI FAP

To my shock, the McLaren MPC4-12 (C3200) and Bugatti Veyron (C3199), both of which I recently acquired but hadn't run yet, seem to have absolutely zero downforce, even though they are obviously shipped with magnets in them. They don't handle very well at all.

Looking at the service sheets for these two cars, both have W8695 shown as the replacement magnets but everywhere I look I see that these magnets (which are thinner than the W8475 magnet) are not available any longer from Scalextric! Why is that so, when these cars are relatively new?! That's nuts!

The W8475 is not an option as it's too thick for the McLaren and Bugatti.

 

Just thought I would chip in on this one.
As a magnet user myself I'm glad this thread hasn't turned into a debate about mag v non-mag, so thanks to all the non-mag guys for not being too vocal in that regard.
I actually enjoy tinkering with magnets in cars and have indeed experienced the problem of two apparently identical magnets having different strengths, but don't ask me why this happens!
If this is the case then I simply replace the "faulty" mag with a new one, usually from a stock which I bought online after carefully determining that they were the right size before purchase.
Sometimes there is only a little bit extra needed and then it's usually a case of adding, usually by trial & error, enough smaller mags(s) to get the car running as I would like it. I should also add that in the case of Scalextric F1's with the FF motor I immediately remove the stepped bar mag and replace with a full one as I just don't think these cars are driveable with the stepped one. In some cars such as Ninco & Fly with button mags I have actually lowered the height of the mag by a minor bit of surgery around the magnet seating and as has been said the closer the mag, the more attraction, so it's important to get it nearer the rails whatever the size. SCX cars of course have an adjustable magmnet and I am now probably buying more of that brand than Scalextric these days.
Personally I find the facility of the magnet a very easy way to alter the handling performance of a car without the need for aftermarket tyres and the addition of weight, bear in mind I'm on Scaley Sport track which isn't very grippy in itself, I also use Truspeed controllers which deliver more power and therefore the cars run faster than they would with the standard Scaley throttle. As it has already been said the treatment of the stock tyres is critical and sanding and treating with lubricant - I prefer WD40 - is also essential and you should not rely on the strength of the magnet alone.

Hope that helps, happy magnet racing,

Dave

 

Hi

 

Hi, previous post was inserted with a faulty and fast ENTER

Never though of it. That magnets could be a problem of a new purchased car. I took it as granded that it should have been checked before delivery from QA ispection !

I also had issue with my recent Bugatti. Could not stay o track even on an R2 standard turn. Blamed my self for bad driving. I must check ASAP.
Has any one experience with MASSERATI MC12 ????

I have not checked the magnet but i ca not keep it on track for over than 16 months. that is the day of purchase.

Cheers

Anthony

 

I always change the stepped bar magnet to a full size one in the MC12, speed isn't affected, but it now holds the track and can challenge other cars in its class. If you don't have a replacement then just add a small button mag to the central low point. But don't forget those tyres!

Dave