# Pancake Chassis Electricals Option



## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Question.

Which do you consider to be the better electrical system design on a pancake chassis. The design of the brush springs and electricals on T-Jets or the electricals on a Magna-Traction?

If given a choice, which would you choose. A T-Jet with the Aurora designed electricals or a T-Jet with electricals like a Magna-Traction?

Thanks...Joe


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## kriket (Feb 15, 2013)

Grandcheapskate said:


> Question.
> 
> Which do you consider to be the better electrical system design on a pancake chassis. The design of the brush springs and electricals on T-Jets or the electricals on a Magna-Traction?
> 
> ...



magna traction and x traction electricals are much better than t jet electricals. I would prefer a t jet with the magnatraction electricals. I converted a t jet on one of my t jets that had a broken spring. I made 2 spoon shape peices from a top plate clamp, and soldered it to the side of the rivet and installed a magnatraction brush spring and brush, it ran like gangbusters, and smooth to.


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

I don't like the magnatraction stuff
with the spring under the brushes
but that may just be me.
others may like the spring under the brushes.


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

I can tell you I had really good results with a t-jet with super II brush cups installed for timing advance and custom cut springs under JB brushes on the Grand National drag car I built for the competition here on HT, it also had tiger tails and braid on the pickup shoes. So it was similar to a maggy X electricals

Boosted


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

the afx spring system means you can change the springs very easy.
on a t-jet, if it gets hosed, then bye bye chassis unless you find a way to repair it


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## lenny (Feb 29, 2000)

slotking said:


> the afx spring system means you can change the springs very easy.
> on a t-jet, if it gets hosed, then bye bye chassis unless you find a way to repair it


how much juice gets to the brush on a AFX setup? I would guess not much


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

*my choice...*

FYI- there are Pros and Cons to both types. And I CAN see where the coil spring type is more favored, but I personally don't like it. I always fumble when installing springs and brushes and sometimes installing the gear plate allows one brush to pop out and I have to start over again. I don't like that you can loose the springs so easily, and springs like those do sag and fail when overheated.
As for the leaf spring, I find them easier to install brushes, I like to be able to see the brushes from the bottom and can gauge wear just by looking how far up the brush is pushed, and I like that I can adjust leaf spring tension to a degree.
Ya know, it's funny how guys are always worried about the brush spinning in a t-Jet, and either X the brush bottom, or use the notched types. BUT, nobody ever mentions if an AFX MT or X-Traction Brush is spinning on it's coil spring, and I've seen the results of them spinning when they are worn down and/or have sagging coil springs....although it's not very easy to detect just by looking.
Anyway, I started in the 60's with leaf spring T-Jets, and I still prefer them now. And that's also why I own MORE original AFX Non Magna Traction, than I do MT AFX !


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

> how much juice gets to the brush on a AFX setup? I would guess not much


You may be surprised at what is needed.
if a car is set up correctly, the amps needed is very low.
the small springs carry all the amps that is needed.

On many inline race cars, the brush springs from .006 to .008 are the normal diam springs that power the inlines.
some times i have made my own afx springs

on a afx car with springs, there are tricks to stop spinning.

but on a side not,
i ran into my 1st t-jet backwards car!
what I mean, for some reason this 1 car runs faster with spinning brushes:freak::freak:


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

*juice?*



lenny said:


> how much juice gets to the brush on a AFX setup? I would guess not much


I recall replacing motor brushes with pickup shoe springs when I was young and observing quite an increase in performance. 
wasn't able to measure the voltage and/or amperage though.


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## rodstrguy (Feb 14, 2002)

I like the t-jet set up with domed brushes... In my old age, the springs become a hassel...


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

I prefer the magnatraction approach to supplying brush tension.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I too prefer not having to deal with coil springs (a lose too many of them). I just wish the lever type brush springs weren't a fragile as they are. I'm still undecided on whether domed brushes are worse than flat ones.

As far as the AFX.Xtraction chassis goes, I'd much rather see a top plate mounting system of a T Jet over the AFX style. I realize that the later style is more secure, but leveraging the arm into the hole without having a brush pop out has always been a pain for me.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

My personal choice would be Magna-Traction type electricals. I always felt the weakest design feature of the T-Jet (and AFX) was the brush spring system. The electricals leading to the brushes on a MT are far sturdier (and shorter) than the leaf springs on a T-Jet or standard AFX. Much lower chance of breaking the brush electricals due to frequent bending.

Now, maybe it is possible to use MT style electricals without seperate brush springs if the proper bend were built under the brush hole itself. But using springs does not bother me at all. And since I recently had them made, I don't sweat losing one once in a while either.

One other thought. Because the T-Jet gearplate drops straight down onto the chassis, there is less chance of the brushes jumping out of the hole.

Joe


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## ruralradio (Mar 11, 2011)

Not owning anything that resembles a "stock" pancake chassis, I prefer brass brush cups and coil springs.


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## clydeomite (May 5, 2004)

I have taken some broken original AFX chassis with the silver leaf springs and applied them to a t jet chassis and they ran really good for me. I had to dril a hole where the pickup spring Post? divit? etc was so the cup on the AFX electrical s could seat properly But I was happy with the results and have another on the bench to do . Anyhow put me down in the leaf spring domed brush category.
Clyde-0-Mite


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

> I recall replacing motor brushes with pickup shoe springs when I was young and observing quite an increase in performance.


oh yeah
I went to the local race track as a kid and all these pet-a-files were there!!
I think they were, they were grown men playing with toys!!

LOL

They all ran rewinds!! us kid could not keep up!!
till I lost a brush and the shoe spring came in handy!! I was just as fast!!
but the stupid owner put turns in the track!!:drunk::freak:

my system was put the spring in
oil the arm hole
place a small piece of tape on the bottom to keep the shoe :thumbsup:springs from sliding down the brush spring arm


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## mowyang (Mar 24, 2008)

I agree with Ralphthe3rd and prefer the t-jet system. I also hope that future Dash chassis will include a spring with the traditional upside-down V contacting the brush.


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## lenny (Feb 29, 2000)

mowyang said:


> I also hope that future Dash chassis will include a spring with the traditional upside-down V contacting the brush.


You'll have to explain that. I don't know what you're referring too.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

Dan, he means exactly what you are currently providing


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## mowyang (Mar 24, 2008)

lenny said:


> You'll have to explain that. I don't know what you're referring too.


Sure. Just realized that this same topic is being discussed in more depth in the DASH Chassis thread. From that thread:



ajd350 said:


> . . . when I set up the car we ran in the IROC at The Fray, I pulled the springs down and pinched the rounded end shut. After carefully reopenig it with a tweezer, it looked just like a TJet with the sharp angle.


As you continue to refine the chassis, I'd like to see a V-shaped bend where the spring contacts the brush, rather than the current U-shaped bend.

I hope I haven't come across as being negative. The T-Dash chassis is an impressive accomplishment.


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## mrtjet (Dec 3, 2013)

slotking said:


> You may be surprised at what is needed.
> if a car is set up correctly, the amps needed is very low.
> the small springs carry all the amps that is needed.
> 
> ...


See I told you that spinning brushes were a good idea. It makes for a wide surface for contact on the commentator. Which, for me means better performance and perhaps lower pressure on the commentator to increase rpm' s.


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