SlotCarAustralia
Helping ALL slotcar racers
A Bit of Background
HO scale slotcars are represented as 1:64th in scale. This is actually incorrect. 1:64 is actually inbetween scales, while HO scale is actually 1:87.
I'm sure there is much more indepth information on this elsewhere, but it is a great source of trivia. OO scale (1:76) is probably the closest most common scale as far as commercially availablity goes.
HO slotcars are most well knowen through the AFX brand. This brand is owned by TOMY currently. Other well knowen manufacturers include TYCO, LifeLike, Auto World and Johnny Lightening.
HO slotcars are often dismissed by people as they are the same/similar scale to Matchbox cars and are regarded as being "kids toys" etc.
As previously mentioned on this site, in base form, ALL slotcars are kids toys......... in base form chasing a ball around a field and kicking it is a kids game. There is nothing wrong with this. I think it is just "of the human condition" to critisize and/or belittle things we dont like or respect.
pic 1. side view of car sitting on track showing the skid contacting the track rail, the patch being as parralel as possible
The biggest problem/factor for most HO slotcars is consistent power connections (between car and track). With most slotcars this is solved by using braid or brushes for the car to track connection but almost all commercially available HO slotcars use a connductive "skid" with a tensioning spring.
For more/better conductivity (making the car smoother, easier to drive, more consistent) having the skid totally paralel to the track rail is best. Unfortunently the pre-bent skid's, for the cars, are mass produced so they are normally not bent in the best position. This is normally easily solved with a small pair of needle nosed pliers bending the skid so that its flat surface is parralel with the track rail, with the skid located on the car, whilst the car is standing on the track with all 4 wheels on the racing surface.
