[964rh]

Hi all

Over the past three odd years, my knowledge and skill base has increased 10 fold from replacing tyres to stripping, painting, building and modding several cars but..........

Why am I struggling to put a wire in an eyelet, fit it in the guide and not have it fall out?

I've tried folding/not folding the wire over the end of the eyelet, bunching the wire up in the eyelet, crimping/not crimping the eyelet and 99% of the time the wire pops out when I'm trying to push the eyelet into the guide.

What am I doing wrong? is it just my fati'sh' fingers, lack of dexterity and general clumsiness, is there a one stop answer on how it should be done?

Just to note, most of the cars are using normal Scalextric guides and I don't club race (at the minute). Use is purely for my own and my sons entertainment but having a 2.5yr old tell me 'Daddy, the cars broken AGAIN!!!   ' isn't helping me win the Daddy is better than Mummy argument 

[Kevan]

I use 2mm grub screws instead of eyelets 

[964rh]

Thanks Kevan

Do you screw in-between the guide wire and braid from the top or drill a hole through the front of guide?

[KensRedZed]

I'm with Kevan. 2mm set screws are way better. But the threads can be quite sharp and cut through the wire over time.

Luckily someone in my club wanted pics. This is how I install new braids. Others may do it differently.

Remove enough shield to fold the wire in half to give it bulk.

   
   

Then insert the braid through the guide and open the braid. The braid is actually a hollow in the middle. I use a razor to find the split. Then use a small flat screwdriver to open it up so the folded wire fits into the braid.

   
   

Now comes the real important part. Install the wire on the INNER side of the opened braid, followed by the set screw. The 2mm set screw only squeezes the wire on the side of the guide, but doesn't actually touch the wire.

   
   

Keeping the wires to the inside of the guide minimizes the movement of the wire. I have had zero failures in 4-years (since I started doing it this way).

One last detail. Take the newly installed braid and push it backwards in the guide to spread the braid a bit. It helps to make full contact to the power rails.

   
   
   

Good luck with your braids!

Cheers,
Ken

[964rh]

Brilliant, thank you for the photos Ken

Enough screws ordered to retro fit the fleet!

Rob

[Kevan]

That's basically what I do Ken.

I pull the braid a couple of mm above the top of the guide and fold it back then poke a small allen key down the hole to make it easier to push the wire down then the M2 grub screws (they only need to be 3mm long).

As long as you don't use overly long grub screws so the top is flush with the top of the guide the thread won't cut the wire at all...if you're still concerned tin the wire with solder before putting it down into the hole, it'll reinforce the copper strands.

[Tibbs]

Ken, do you mind me asking what have you used for your brass axle spacers in this pic?
   
Cheers
Tony

[KensRedZed]

Hi Tony,

Those are Sloting Plus axle spacers. They are quite accurate for size.

Tinning the leads can promote wire breakage at the soldering point. That's why I fold the wire instead.

One point I forgot to mention. The set screw goes on the ousite of, and in the hole above the braid. The braid helps the prevent the threads from cutting the wire. Don't try and install the set screw inside the braid itself like the wire.

Cheers,
Ken

[Kevan]

NSR do axle spacers.

I make my own from 1/8" brass tube.

[KensRedZed]

It's impossible to cut brass tubing straight unless you have a lathe. Inexpensive roller bearings are sensitive to slightly uneven ends. Unsquare or uneven axle spacers can push on one part of the race, and wear the bearing out in no time flat. I used to make my own axle spacers. But since I sold my lathe, it's much easier and faster to use Sloting Plus spacers.

Axle bushings are not nearly as sensitive to uneven axle spacers.

Chris Walker taught me that the motor shaft creates a lot of drag to the crown gear. So, I cut the motor shaft down and let the gears run free. I Then need to use Sloting plus or NSR (both are good) axle spacers on both sides of the crown gear to have the perfect gear mesh. It's just a matter of measuring and installing the bushings. No fussing around. It's easy math.

   

Making sure the ends of the axle spacers are true, is critical.