# AutoWorld



## fuddmiester (Dec 26, 2003)

O.K., so I put up a little track to run the cars on..... and it's my first chance to run the AW cars..... man they suck. If it wasn't for the fact that they are good for some parts......


----------



## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

yeah fudd,

...it takes some fiddling and a parts base to dial them in.


----------



## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

Bill, what are some of the issues to be aware of? I thought the AW cars
are improved in quality from the J/L.


----------



## dlw (Aug 17, 1999)

Don't be too hard on the AW's, Fudd.

The first thing to do with AW's is to check the pickup shoes. Because of how they're brutishly installed at the plant. The contact patch is way off to the point of only the front tip of the shoes will be hitting the rails. Correcting this greatly improves performance.

Then you need to check for out-of-round rims and possible bent axles. Fixing these two usually results in a smooth, fast car.

As for the track, since it's a Tomy track clone, you need to check track joints for bumps caused by the little nubs that help lock it together, along with the rails at the joints. The little 'S' in the joints will occasionally rise up, causing a hazard (especially for ski shoed cars) that will make a car jump out of the lane. Gently pressing those rails down will fix that.

This should help things.


----------



## CTSV OWNER (Dec 27, 2009)

If your expecting the old Aurora/AFX out of the box plop the car down and smoke a few laps you will be put off by them.


If you are willing to tinker adjust and play around with them you can improve on their performance. We complained to JL/AW when they first came out. They do listen and have fixed different things as they progressed to the next release.

If your a racer and compare Aurora/AFX to JL/AW you will most certainty choose the older original cars

Either way they make some super cool bodies, are collectible, and have brought new life to our beloved hobby.


Dave


----------



## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Another thing to look at are the controllers. Anything less than a 90 ohm controller can make the JL/AW cars twitchy. Some guys say they can run them on old AXF 45 ohm controllers, but I sure couldn't! Start with the car tweaks, because that's the most important, but let us know what you're using for a controller because it will make a big difference in drive-ability too.


----------



## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

I don't have any of the newer AW cars but the earlier J/L were hit/miss.
However, the ones that were good have peaked my interest back to running pancake cars. 
I like that it is available as a new chassis w/o the need to hoard/sort old parts. 
Maybe a new quality chassis will be available in the future. 
Currently I replace original J/L parts w/independent front end, rear
slip-on tires, ski shoe p/u & lighten/lower body. My layout has some decent
length straights so I like to run cars w/some punch & zip. For controllers, the
track has adjustable electronic "house" units wired into XLR jacks or choice
of brass posts for alligator clip connections.


----------



## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

*Do We not Appreciate What We have?*

This topic really gets under my skin, regardless of the manufacturer. I have never bought a single car, in over 40 years, that ran exactly like the last one I bought. I also have never bought a single car, in any scale, that I did not have to tweak to get the best from it. Even the "pro" chassis that are on the high side of $50 need TLC to get to work at optimum. Do we honestly expect to have a perfectly adjusted speed demon with every chassis we get. And pay what we do? For less than $20, most often less, with 15-20 minutes of my time, I can get anything to run well with the stock parts that came with it. Sometimes I think our expectations are too high for what we pay. Don't forget the 80s-90s when we didn't have too many options, and none at all for pancake motors. We have it pretty good. Not perfect, but pretty good.

-Paul


----------



## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

I agree with Paul. I'll leave it at that...


----------



## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!*



pshoe64 said:


> This topic really gets under my skin, regardless of the manufacturer. I have never bought a single car, in over 40 years, that ran exactly like the last one I bought. I also have never bought a single car, in any scale, that I did not have to tweak to get the best from it. Even the "pro" chassis that are on the high side of $50 need TLC to get to work at optimum. Do we honestly expect to have a perfectly adjusted speed demon with every chassis we get. And pay what we do? For less than $20, most often less, with 15-20 minutes of my time, I can get anything to run well with the stock parts that came with it. Sometimes I think our expectations are too high for what we pay. Don't forget the 80s-90s when we didn't have too many options, and none at all for pancake motors. We have it pretty good. Not perfect, but pretty good.
> 
> -Paul


Sure we are grateful Paul! But it's OK to dream and aspire to a guaranteed out of the box experience....for say what....23.99....27.50....31.89? Naturally you would grant me the right to ask the age old question..."Then why dont they offer it that way?"

Put yer thumb and forefinger together and say it again...Ohmmmmmmmmmmmm! It's what I've tried to learn to do when "THE" topic comes up.

Please read back. Asked and answered; thoughtfully, accurately...and gracefully skirting the age old battle I might add. I thought it was expertly done and provided plenty of useful information.


----------



## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

what Bill said!


----------



## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

I must be the lucky one... I have a number of the newer AW cars and they are all very good right out of the box. They can be improved by tweaking but none have the quality issues that were prevelent in the earlier J/L series.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


----------



## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

The topic was opened by an opinion based on experience w/a product.
LeeRoy, what are some of the improvements w/the AW chassis? I've
had some fun running the J/L cars. I always like to tweak a chassis and
upgrade parts, never run' em stock!


----------



## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

Dyno Dom said:


> The topic was opened by an opinion based on experience w/a product.
> LeeRoy, what are some of the improvements w/the AW chassis? I've
> had some fun running the J/L cars. I always like to tweak a chassis and
> upgrade parts, never run' em stock!


There is a much greater attention to quality in the entire car. The gears in the drive train mesh correctly, the axles are straight, the hubs and tires are round. The cars are not twist tied into the shells which caused the pressure on the pickups that bent them. I have only had to do a major adjustment on one shoe on all the cars I have purchased recently. 
I have an older AW car with replacement wheels and tires and a LOT of tweaking. It is my fastest AW car. To compare the cars, I took a newer car and removed the neo magnet. I then cleaned off the grease (they still use too much of it), replaced with comparable silicone tires to the older car, and oiled. It will easily run with the older car with the replacement parts.
I run them entirely with stock tires using the neo magnet and with Super Tire slip ons when the magnet is removed. I do the rubber band restriction to the pickups and they are fun cars to drive.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


----------



## Zelda84 (Aug 15, 2006)

LeeRoy98 said:


> I do the rubber band restriction to the pickups and they are fun cars to drive.
> 
> Gary
> AKA LeeRoy98
> www.marioncountyraceway.com


OK... Whats that??? Us newbies wanna know!


----------



## T-Jet Racer (Nov 16, 2006)

fuddmiester said:


> O.K., so I put up a little track to run the cars on..... and it's my first chance to run the AW cars..... man they suck. If it wasn't for the fact that they are good for some parts......


What sucked exactly? There have been issues with pick ups, bent axles bad tires and such. Most of the time they run ok out of the box and need some tuning. It is part of the fun I guess but I like to tinker with them and usually after 10 min. of going over it they run good.


----------



## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

Thanks Gary, sounds like progress in a good direction! :thumbsup: 
I'd like to develop a club pancake class. If a decent new chassis is 
available to go w/aftermarket parts, interest & participation could improve
due to a fair playing field. What is the rubber band restriction for p/u,
similar to tape on the p/u travel window?


----------



## Zelda84 (Aug 15, 2006)

Dyno Dom said:


> What is the rubber band restriction for p/u,
> similar to tape on the p/u travel window?


Ok, maybe I've just been lucky with my new stuff and never had these issues. Is this to stop the up travel or to fix the shoes down? 

The only issues I have had with AW/JL stuff was one badly warped chassis, and the same complaint of a couple of bent axles or untrue wheels. All of my car so far have been good right out of the box. Hell some of them are as fast in the straight as old school G-plus cars. 

Oh teach me oh wise ones!


----------



## fuddmiester (Dec 26, 2003)

O.K., so I'll go back and fiddle around with the tires... I was never a big fan of the horsey fronts. I'll see if fine tuning the chassis makes a diff., sounds like there are more yeahs than nays.


----------



## T-Jet Racer (Nov 16, 2006)

fuddmiester said:


> O.K., so I'll go back and fiddle around with the tires... I was never a big fan of the horsey fronts. I'll see if fine tuning the chassis makes a diff., sounds like there are more yeahs than nays.


They work out just fine, it's play time!!


----------



## honda27 (Apr 17, 2008)

*aw j/l tjets*

hello yes the aw/j/l needs to be made better i spend alot of time getting 1 to run right i boil the chassie i use a drill blank rear axle wizzard front end kit with o rings i replace the middle gear plate gear with a brass gear change the pickups i use slot tech or bsrt shoes i use a bic lighter heat up the rear axle gear to get it to mesh up right use 360 wheels on rear with 360 silocones tires use a long beveled guide pin with flat head screw so screw dont drag the track and it runs great.


----------



## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

Zelda84 said:


> Ok, maybe I've just been lucky with my new stuff and never had these issues. Is this to stop the up travel or to fix the shoes down?
> 
> The only issues I have had with AW/JL stuff was one badly warped chassis, and the same complaint of a couple of bent axles or untrue wheels. All of my car so far have been good right out of the box. Hell some of them are as fast in the straight as old school G-plus cars.
> 
> Oh teach me oh wise ones!


I'm not a wise one, but what I have is posted on my website under speed tips. Most of what is there is courtesy of the members of Hobby Talk.

http://www.marioncountyraceway.com/files/Speed_Tips/Speed_Tips_Page1.htm

Gary


----------



## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

Dyno Dom said:


> What is the rubber band restriction for p/u,
> similar to tape on the p/u travel window?


Yes, my version of tape... but if cut correctly they are adjustable. I never got the hang of bending the top of pickups without breaking them or not getting them where I wanted.

Check out speed tips on my website:
http://www.marioncountyraceway.com/files/Speed_Tips/Speed_Tips_Page1.htm

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


----------



## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

i guess I've been lucky, I get the clunker now and again, but the huge majority of chassis I got ran fine after a few minor tweaks


----------



## win43 (Aug 28, 2006)

My problem other than the wheels, tires. etc, etc. is/was the gears did NOT mesh well or sometimes not at all. Especially in the newer AW releases.


----------



## TEAM D.V.S. (Nov 11, 2007)

*rubber band*



Zelda84 said:


> OK... Whats that??? Us newbies wanna know!


Basically what he is doing is limiting the pickup shoe travel . (I BELIEVE) 
Also you can also do this with shrink tube from radio shack.


----------



## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

win43 said:


> My problem other than the wheels, tires. etc, etc. is/was the gears did NOT mesh well or sometimes not at all. Especially in the newer AW releases.


I have found all the tolerances in the newer AW releases to be much better and I have not experienced any of the gear mesh issues with the newer releases from AW.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


----------



## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

TEAM D.V.S. said:


> Basically what he is doing is limiting the pickup shoe travel . (I BELIEVE)
> Also you can also do this with shrink tube from radio shack.


That is correct. It is used to limit the amount of push away from the slot caused by the pickup shoe springs. There are a lot of different methods, bending the top of the pickup over, bending the hook part of the pickup, tape or shrink tube... they all achieve the same goal. This method has always work best for me.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


----------



## Zelda84 (Aug 15, 2006)

Ok... skimmed this on my lunch break. Once I get the track built.... (At this rate, Illl retire before its done. LOL!!!)
I have a massive tear down, clean, rebuild tweeak and test to do of over 100+ cars. New ultrasonic cleaner on the way! Then let the fun begin!


----------

