Hi
Old skool method is to use a rag with oil on it,newer version is to use Inox mx3

 

Clean it well with a non-abrasive cleaner. Heat and cold will make the track expand and contract a lot so good connections are important - if you can solder jumper wires underneath between each track piece that would make connectivity bomb proof - if you don't fancy that - search for "slap my slotcar" on this forum to find a funny yet informative article on crimping to make good track connections.

Finally, coat the rails with Inox MX3. It's a light oil with a not-so-secret ingredient (lanolin) that prevents the oil from evaporating. A few drops will treat 10m of two lane track and should last 3-6 months. A black residue builds up with use so wipe it off after a few months and reapply. Easiest way to apply is to drip it on your braids and run the car round. For a more thorough coating either use a cotton bud or glue some felt to the blade and deck (where the braids normally sit) of an old guide and use at to apply. Try to avoid getting the oil on the plastic -it doesn't harm the plastic but it will adversely affect grip levels

Inox MX3 is available on ebay but it is cheaper through some online retailers' own websites.

 

Buy Carrera track, not Scalextric. Carrera's rails are stainless steel, so won't rust.

From Carrera's website. Don't be confused by the reference to 1:24 track. The same track is used for 1:32.

"Can I also set up the Carrera racetrack in the open air?"
"The power conductors in the Carrera 1:24 tracks are of stainless steel. The plastic is resistant to UV light, so the system can be used in the open air without problems. Care should nevertheless be taken that transformers with protective insulation are used or that a residual current (FI) circuit-breaker is in the outside socket circuit. The tracks must not be exposed to moisture and should not be left in the open without protective sheeting. Storage, or setting up a layout for a long time, in rooms prone to excessive heat such as roof spaces and summerhouses is not recommended as this may damage the track. In the digital systems D124, D132, Pro-X and D143, direct sunlight may affect the lap counter (infrared light barrier) and lead to malfunctions in switching points. Since the power conductors in the racetrack systems Profi, GO!!! and Digital 143 are not of stainless steel, they should not be set up in the open air."

 

Carrera track is quite large scale for a permenant track, you could use Ninco but one thing I wouldnt do is fix the track down as the temperature changes cause it to expand and contract which will/can cause problems down the line, I would advice not using scalex track, (I am sorry to say), it is not very good, sport track requires painting to get any grip, and the older classic track is getting hardere to come by, SCX track from Spain can be found. but is getting rarer.
I have no experience with Inox but jump wiring the track will take a lot of work, and an easier way is copper taping

 

Copper taping has limited lifespan too. It eventually breaks on the joins.
Carrera, stainless steel slow to corrode but not the best conductivity either.

 

The rails of Scalextric track are nickel plated which is intended to protect them some. That's the reason why it's important not to clean the rails with anything abrasive.

I'm a particular fan of Inox MX3. The company have in the past denied that it's lanolin based (is lanolin considered food grade?) but it doesn't really matter what its base is or isn't. If you can't get MX3 any of the other water dispersal formulations like WD40, RP7 or CRC 5-56 will do much the same thing, but might require application more frequently.

Thinking aloud here, but I wonder if the CRC corrosion inhibiting sprays (specifically Anti-Corrosion Light Dry spray) would have any adverse effect on electrical conductivity to the car.

 

Hi all, thank you for all your advice. Plenty of food for thought.
Thanks again

 

QUOTE (zendragon @ 10 Dec 2014, 02:04) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>the older classic track is getting hardere to come by, SCX track from Spain can be found. but is getting rarer.
Utter nonsense! Millions of pieces of classic track were produced over a period of 40 years and it is still out there in huge abundance. Over 200 auctions on ebay at the moment for bundles of the stuff at 99p start prices with no bids! You can pick loads of it up at car boot sales for next to nothing and I have seen it being given away at swapmeets. It is so cheap and readily available that you can throw it away if it rusts and get some more.

 

Brian
I was trying to get himaway from Scalex, we all know its not very good continuity is not really up there and it does warp badly when used fixed down, sport track is absolute carp, (my opinion only), nobody could recommend this really, could they?.
Zen

 

QUOTE (CMOTD @ 10 Dec 2014, 10:01) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>bundles of the stuff at 99p start prices with no bids!
QUOTE (CMOTD @ 10 Dec 2014, 10:01) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>loads of it up at car boot sales for next to nothing
QUOTE (CMOTD @ 10 Dec 2014, 10:01) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>given away at swapmeets.

QUOTE (zendragon @ 10 Dec 2014, 17:32) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>nobody could recommend this really, could they?

LOL...

 

QUOTE (zendragon @ 10 Dec 2014, 17:32) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Brian
I was trying to get himaway from Scalex

Ken, the OP was asking specifically about Scalextric track and whether it was prone to rusting. He did not ask "which track is the best?" For all you know he could already have a quantity of Scalextric which he wished to use. Your opinion that Carrera/Ninco is better may well be true but is not an answer to his original question. Being economical with the truth about the availability of classic track does not help your argument either.

 

For a permanent Scalextric track I would seriously suggest conductive copper tape.

True it could break at a joint but it is also very easy to fix,

 

QUOTE (CMOTD @ 10 Dec 2014, 21:01) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Utter nonsense! Millions of pieces of classic track were produced over a period of 40 years and it is still out there in huge abundance. Over 200 auctions on ebay at the moment for bundles of the stuff at 99p start prices with no bids! You can pick loads of it up at car boot sales for next to nothing and I have seen it being given away at swapmeets. It is so cheap and readily available that you can throw it away if it rusts and get some more.
Just buying some one elses hassles.

 

WHOA lads to me it looked like someone was asking wether or not to buy a scalex set, or track only and I might have been wrong, but, I stand by what I said, I wouldnt use scalex track sport or classic or any other sort of track when I can easily buy ninco track, and as we all know, (apart from the special digital bits which again, I wouldnt touch), it has the best system out there.

Regards

Zen

PS if you are going for digital then Carrera is the way to go!!!. (again my opinion only).

 

Wow such prejudice against Scalextric track!

If you crimp Scalextric Sport track per the "slap my slotcar" article it is problem free. All plastic tracks expand and contract with extreme temperature variations. Avoid fixing any track down (regardless of brand) - hold it loosely in place and build any scenic items in a way that allows the track to move a few mm in all directions.

We race on Scalextric Sport track at our club every week and have no real issues with grip using standard rubber or urethane tyres. I guess we must be better drivers than those who seem to struggle with grip

Whatever track you race on the grip levels are the same for everybody on the track. If you struggle to get good grip - learn to set your car up properly and learn to drive properly - and we race magless by the way - no magnet-assisted traction for us.

I daresay that our lap times are slower than an identical Ninco track - but as everybody who is racing is doing so on the same track under the same conditions - does it really matter as long as the racing is close and fun? We can cover a 20m track with two R1 hairpins, two R2 Esses sections and a longest straight of only 4m in 8.3 seconds using a standard Scalextric F430 without magnets, with a standard 18k Mabuchi, some added weight and urethane medium hardness tyres. Pretty respectable for such undriveable slippery track and an unremarkable car.

We can't run bonkers motors as you probably can on Ninco - but it sure teaches us to strike the right balance between power, tyre compounds and weight distribution.

Every track brand has its fans and its critics. The only way to get your truth is to try driving them all and pick the one you enjoy most.

 

Running bonkers motors is less about the track chosen, and more about the layout. Sport works just fine with bonkers motors if the track has long enough straights to make them worthwhile. For us guys with little tracks that have a lot of technical stuff and only one proper straight, not so much. ;-)

That said, if I were buying track for the first time, AND money was no object, I'd probably get Carrera, if only for the wider lane spacing letting me run 1/24 stuff as well as 1/32. The lack of corrision is nice, but the stainless also makes continuity not as good, so power taps are just as, or more important. Ninco is OK, but not quite wide enough for 1/24, and the surface is like sandpaper. I understand tires wear down, but I'd rather have them last a bit longer.

 

There you go one mans meat and all that, I have raced on most surface types from hard plastic to painted wood from Ninco to scalex sport track, I dont use magnets or electronic controllers, and as I tried to explain the opinions offered are mine through a certain amount of experience, I also said that I considered Carrera to be the best system for digital racers having used most of the mainstream systems out there, sorry if I didnt make my experiences plain for all to see.

Zen

 

I was curious about that, since you said that you wouldn't touch the digital bits. I found it odd that you would recommend a digital system if you wouldn't touch them, but it appears you have at least touched some of them, and preferred the experience you had on the Carrera track you tried, if you had to indicate a preference. I also wonder if the other systems were well maintained and set up, but we can leave that discussion alone.

I prefer wood overall, but Carrera's surface is similar enough to Sport that similar tires should have similar performance characteristics.

You're right, though. It's very easy to infer that someone believes their preference to be the best, rather than simply their preference. I think we both understand that other people may have other preferences, which are just as valid as our own.

 

I think that is more about compromises as I do not think that there is the "perfect" system. I haven't try a carrera track, but if I have to consider the amount of space that it requires (being wider than scalextric) and the amount of third-party support that the SSD system has (race management systems and connection to PC, integration from other makers like Slot.it, ease of putting up and down, ability to chip car's from other makers) I would still buy scalextric.

Now the question was related to rust: I haven't had my track for too long to add anything here. Others with more experience with sport track than me can provide more feedback on this.

 

Didn't expect to start an arguement over which is & isn't the best track lol !!
To answer the questions, I have classic Scalextric track, but will need more as I haven't got what I need. Thanks for the help and comments.

 

Threads do have a tendency to meander sometimes. Way back in post #3 I mentioned the "slap my slotcar" article - if you haven't read it yet I urge you to take a look. It made a big difference to how well my tracks work. Once clean then Inox mx3 will protect against rust for longer than other mineral oils because it evaporates waaaaaaay slower than the others.

 

Seeing the Classic is so cheap, and the rails come out very easily, I wonder if it would be viable to get a heap of rails only re-chromed?
The quality of chrome would be superior too and would probably outlast you. Just a thought.

 

I was thinking that the best way to avoid rust/tarnish/electrical gremlins was to use the track regularly?

Nothing like a bit of use to keep the nasties at bay.

 

Update - cleaned track & removed the pieces with any rust patches. Joints were checked aswell - Result - no difference !! I have one lane working well, and one which shows signs of power, but not enough to move the car. I've even got each lane running on a separate power pack but this hasn't helped either. The rails do look dull and tarnished, but the are on the lane which is working fine. I've read the slap my slot car article, and looked and model railway track cleaners, but I'm not sure what the problem is here. Can anyone maybe give me a clue what the problem could be ? Thankyou.

 

I assume you have switched ALL relevant parts from one lane to the other!!! controller, car, lane connecters, and that you are not using any lane jumpers/extension leads any off these could be the cause of a short.
Turn all of the track power of, and, using a 9volt pp9 battery, you should be able to drive a car all the way around the track, you should note where the car slows, then bellwire the joint where this happens, continue this, and you should get perfect continuity.
This will apply to all tracks including digital.
Regards

Zen