# Track problem...need help please.



## travis1960 (Apr 25, 2004)

Got one of the AW John Force drag strips and decided to set it up today. Set the cars at the starting line.....nothing.....dead. Grabbed the meter, checked power...track has power. Must be the cars...tried the cars on a regular terminal track...worked fine. Must be the track....but the meter says there is power to the track. Hhhmmmmm......scratched my head and thought a minute.....pushed one of the cars forward past the starting line...pushed button on controller....car took off. Did same thing with the other lane....car took off. Started looking closely at the track.....

.....the power rails on both lanes right at the starting line are flush or slightly below the surface of the track!!!!! The shoes can't make contact! 










Is there any way to fix this? 

I know, I know.....take it back to the store.....well, that is a 150 mile round trip. I would rather try to fix it if I can. Another reason I really don't want to return it to the store is....they are just going to put it back on the shelf for some other unsuspecting soul....which might be a kid, and I wouldn't want some kid getting this and it not work for them the way it didn't work for me.

And on top of this problem, I opened up a brand new rail....right out of the package.....missing a shoe!!!










So....how is your Sunday going so far?!?!?! :tongue:

:dude:


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## Marty (Oct 20, 1999)

Is there a number or a way to contact AW on the instructions? I would think they can help you.

I have in the past had track with the rail low or flush. I was able to push it from the bottom and then I had to super glue it to stay in place.

Good luck!!

Marty
Marysville, OH


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

contact Auto World customer support via their website and you will get quick results. tell them all the problems you are having and they will send you what ever it takes to make it right. 
or so, many others have said right here on hobby talk.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

If you flip the track upside down, there should be 3 or 4 spots where you can push the rail in, which will raise the rail up top side. If that doesn't work, I have heard of AW sending new track if called for. I would sand an Email to AW explaining the issue and hopefully, a new track will be sent to you free of charge. While you got that track out, check and make sure the track isn't excessively bowed or warped. I've heard of a few sets with badly warped track.


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## guinnesspeanut (Sep 25, 2009)

Besides the spots under the track, there's also a way to lift it from the top.. I did this with old tab style AFX track a while back.. Grab 2 widgets or single edge razor blade knives. You need the leverage, so make sure the blades are in a knife. I think I used a few popsicle sticks rubber banded together on each side of the rail, to use for leverage. At an angle, going in from both sides, push the blades firmly into the wire. If you can't grip it at the center of the problem, start from one side or the other. Keeping up the pressure, push down on the top of the knives. You should see the top of the rail begin to rise. If it's really stuck, flex the track like you're wringing out a towel(not that much though). Just doing this may be enough to pop the rail up. My guess is that someone dropped something heavy on the track, or even stepped on it, forcing the rail to go in further than it should. AW will most likely send you a new track, but this is a solution to get you by until the new piece arrives. You may need to fidget with this for half an hour, but the rail will pop back out. If you need photos of these steps, PM me and I'll get them out to you.


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

Assuming there isn't an opening right under the rail, It shouldn't be too much trouble to grind away a little plastic to expose the underside of the rail and push it up from the bottom. 

As far as the shoe/spring, AW should be willing to replace, but I'd closely check thru the packaging first.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I looked up the solution on slotcaraddict.com
"Buy another set to go with this one and you will have plenty of spare parts"
This is the option I always choose when finances allow.


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## travis1960 (Apr 25, 2004)

Shadowracer said:


> As far as the shoe/spring, AW should be willing to replace, but I'd closely check thru the packaging first.


I searched the box real good, no loose parts. 



NTxSlotCars said:


> I looked up the solution on slotcaraddict.com
> "Buy another set to go with this one and you will have plenty of spare parts"
> This is the option I always choose when finances allow.


LOL! :tongue:

___________________________________________

Thanks for all the replies. I sent an e-mail to AW, will see what their response is. Some good ideas here on fixing the rails, but I want to wait and see what they say before I try any. They may want me to return the track piece to them in exchange for a new one and I don't want to mess it up trying to fix it.

:dude:


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

they won't ask for the piece returned. not worth their time


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## guinnesspeanut (Sep 25, 2009)

You're right.. It's not worth their time or money to send you a prepaid shipping sticker to get something back they can't sell anyway. Since it's going to be yours anyway, the best solutions are to push it up using the holes in the bottom, to sand/grind the plastic down a bit to expose the rail, and to pull it up using the 2 razors I mentioned. I listed mine last only because there's always a chance a tiny chip from the blade can blind you. It'd be nice to have a spare power terminal track, but not at the expense of an eye... If you have a small nail puller, that would also help you to grip the rail from the top to lift it out a bit. Harbor Freight sells a set of 5 mini pliers for like $4. I use that little nail puller more for yanking out wood splinters than anything else, but the other pliers really come in handy for tiny tasks. Since the AW tracks connect to AFX, it shouldn't be a problem to try out the drag race anyway. I got one and it's great for the money.. No more honor system for false starts-finally catch that buddy who's been cheating all these years... I set up a LONG drag strip going down the driveway this summer for my nieces. Even on a big 20 foot straightaway, you really don't get to see the top speed of your cars. I taped off 4 15 inch sections at the end, but still needed a pillow to catch the cars shooting off the end.


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## travis1960 (Apr 25, 2004)

I am sure you guys are probably right, but I am going to wait till I hear back from them anyway.

:dude:


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## travis1960 (Apr 25, 2004)

Well, got a reply back from Auto World, a fellow by the name of Doug Ridge. He will be sending me a new terminal/start track piece and a new shoe and spring....at no charge! Now that is some good customer service. You don't see that very often these days.
This weekend I may try and repair the old piece with some of the suggestions from this thread.

:dude:


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## tasman (Feb 17, 2007)

alpink said:


> contact Auto World customer support via their website and you will get quick results. tell them all the problems you are having and they will send you what ever it takes to make it right.
> or so, many others have said right here on hobby talk.


I had the same problem - rails too low right where the starting line is - no good way to raise them. I contacted AW and had a replacement starting gate/track in no time. What alpink said!


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## tasman (Feb 17, 2007)

*easy fix*

Here is what I did to fix mine with the same problem. Get aluminum foil tape.
Cut the width of the tape about 1/4". Cut length long enough to reach from the start line to about an inch past the beginning of the track piece.

Put the tape (aluminum side up) on top of the rail that is low starting at the start line. 

When the tape reaches the end of the track you can twist the tape so that the aluminum side will make contact with the rail ends. Tuck the tape into the ends so that the aluminum side makes contact with the rail end. As long as there is a good connection at the end you are in business. It doesn't look great but it works.

I got the aluminum tape from my wife (craft tape) and it took me about 3 tries to get it right. I have my bad one saved as a backup and it works fine


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## guinnesspeanut (Sep 25, 2009)

Great idea with the foil.. I'd like to run with that one step further.. I believe most of the rails these days are nickle silver.. and I'm pretty sure they sell it in tape form for laying your own 1/32 tracks.. cutting a piece that's an inch longer past the dead spot, then fold it over on itself, and use a razor blade to push it into the channel, then trim off the top. You can't fold it over the rail because the adhesive won't conduct electricity. BUT, if you removed the gum, then used a medical adhesive gel from an Ab Belt or TENS unit, or any conductive gel, like they use for sonograms of babies or that thing in the ambulance to start your heart, that adhesive will conduct current through it to the rail.. Much easier to fold it over on itself and tuck, but I wanted to be thourough..


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

If you have a place nearby that makes stained glass, they usually have copper tape that will work too. I don't think it would last very long over the rail using shoes, but for a temporary fix it might be worth looking into. You could potentially do an entire strip with it, and solder the power wires right to the end.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

*H.O. Track Rails ?*

Unless you are talking larger scale track, I believe that ALL H.O. Sectional track is still using plain old alloy steel rails, with zero nickle or silver content....as HO track NEEDs to be magnetic for todays traction mag cars.


guinnesspeanut said:


> Great idea with the foil.. I'd like to run with that one step further.. *I believe most of the rails these days are nickle silver.. *and I'm pretty sure they sell it in tape form for laying your own 1/32 tracks.. cutting a piece that's an inch longer past the dead spot, then fold it over on itself, and use a razor blade to push it into the channel, then trim off the top. You can't fold it over the rail because the adhesive won't conduct electricity. BUT, if you removed the gum, then used a medical adhesive gel from an Ab Belt or TENS unit, or any conductive gel, like they use for sonograms of babies or that thing in the ambulance to start your heart, that adhesive will conduct current through it to the rail.. Much easier to fold it over on itself and tuck, but I wanted to be thourough..


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## travis1960 (Apr 25, 2004)

Well, I managed to get three of the rails up and to stay up, but one rail keeps sinking back down after a few minutes, then that lane is dead again. 


Video Link

Please excuse the makeshift track set up, just for testing purposes.

:dude:


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## travis1960 (Apr 25, 2004)

Well, Auto World came through. Not only did they send a starting gate, they sent a finish gate also! And although I only needed one spring and one shoe, they sent a whole kit. That is just cool!

All four rails are clearly up above the surface of the track, works perfect!










:dude:


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I like happy endings!! :woohoo: Now get racing!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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