# Track Laying - How do you KNOW when a connection is good?



## wm_brant (Nov 21, 2004)

How do you *know* when you have a good join between two track sections of Racemasters/AFX track? I am assuming the tabs have already been ground off...

Do you:

Run your finger over the top of the rail, feeling for any roughness?
Run a brad or something through the slot looking for any roughness?
Feel the top of the plastic, making sure that the plastic is smooth?
Just look for something? (what?)
Or something else?

Also, how many people recommend (or recommend against) the use of conductive grease for the rail connections?

-- Bill


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

*Some Ideas*

I use a brass feeler gauge (the flat type) and run that over top of the rail connections. If there's a bump you will feel it. I also use the same tool for the track surface as well as a large glass marble. Rolling that over the joints will easily tell you if there is a step or gap. I have used the conductor grease with a portable track I used to take to different events. I only applied it to the handful of connector tracks that were removed when the table was taken apart. I don't know how well that would work across an entire layout. As far as the slot goes, I have a 1/16th inch thick piece of plastic I use and slide it down the slot, going through the entire lap per lane. I smooth out any rough or hanging spots with a Popsicle stick and 400 grit sandpaper. Make sure to remove any debris or flash you create in the sanding process, including what may build up on the bottom of the slot.

-Paul


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## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

wm_brant said:


> Do you:
> 
> Run your finger over the top of the rail, feeling for any roughness?
> Run a brad or something through the slot looking for any roughness?
> ...


I did all of the above.....PLUS

I had it wired up right from the earliest stages so that I could run cars on the finished work as I went along. I didn't want to wait until I built the entire course before discovering an unsound electrical connection I didn't know about "way back there" :freak: especially since I was using adhesive caulk as the primary means of mounting the track to the table.


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

You can also hold the back of the car up while giving it some gas and run it from section to section. Listen for a difference in RPM that would indicate a poor connection. As far as clickety noise, the track will "wear-in" after a bit of racing in one direction. If you still have clicky connections you can use a wood or steel roller pin to smooth joints. I use a large deep well socket. Just make sure power is OFF.

Note on the "conductive grease"; it only helps prevent moisture that leads to corrosion and resistance. It won't improve or enhance electrical flow.


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## wm_brant (Nov 21, 2004)

Guys --

Thanks!

On this board we've talked many times about the many ways track can be secured to the table, and several ways to attach jumper wires, and quite a number of options for track borders.

We've also talked many times about the importance of trimming the tabs off of AFX track, and the need for care in laying the track so that you end up with a quiet, smooth track when you're done.

I'm about to start putting some track down, and I realized that *one* thing that has not been discussed was how we check to make sure we have a good track joint while we're laying track.

It may seem obvious to you guys, but the comments in this thread mentioned some things that I would not have come up with. It's been a big help!

As for the conductive grease, I was thinking about using it to protect rail connections from corrosion from water-based cleaners. I've seen some close-up pictures of tracks that have been down for years that look a little corroded at the joints. I made a note that it was recommended, but I could not remember who recommended it (yes, I could search) or if anyone had some comments on how best to do it.

-- Bill


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Since the track is new you might not have to worry about dirty contacts but after a while they all get build up. In the past I have used my Dremel with a little wire wheel to buff up the contacts.










Then I bend the tabs slightly for more tension and then applied dielectric grease to all contacts. Just be careful to keep it off the track surface. My track has been running for nearly 18 years with minimal issues.



















-Scott


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

> water-based cleaners


No need to use water based cleaners. I only use 91% isopropyl alcohol for cleaning the track and a Swiffer for dusting. Every 6 months to a year I'll hit the rails with rail zip.

I've never tried conductive grease (http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/846.html) but it sounds like a reasonable thing to use if you are in a high humidity or damp environment and there is no danger of short circuits from smears and drips. Keep in mind that conductive grease is vastly different than dielectric grease, which is an insulator. The benefit of using a dielectric grease is to keep moisture away from the contacts. It acts like a poor man's potting compound. If I were building a permanent track for an extreme application, say a humid garage in Florida, I would use a real potting compound.

Frankly, I've never experienced electrical issues with Tomy track. It's pretty darn good to begin with and stands up well over time and with heavy use. But then again, I've never used water based cleaners on my track.


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## blubyu (May 4, 2008)

We have been using WD40 in a spray bottle (buy it by the gallon) to clean the track,works better than denatured alcohol for cleaning the track. Then we wipe it again with the denatured alcohol followed by a good vac. End of season the track gets a good soaking of WD40 then covered till next year......never had a problem in 10yrs.Track is in a garage all summer,just have to pull a couple of straight pcs out for expansion. Starting up again in October should be good to go! READY TO RACE!


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I use WD40 too. I like it because it keeps the plastic from drying out. Keeps it lookin new. Glad to hear a long term story with the same treatment. My friend Larry uses alchohol on his tomy track, and has for years. He likes it but his track has that dry look. I think the WD40 treatment keeps the silicon tires sticking for more laps.

Rich


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Yikes! Dried out track? Say it isn't so. I have old MM and AFX track that's looking as good today as it did when it was new and I've never moisturized it with WD40 or anything else. I suppose prolonged exposure to UV could dry it out. I'll have to setup a little oval on my dashboard and run some cars on it with power from the cigarette lighter for a couple of years and see what happens to the track. 

WD40 is like religion in a spray can. Half the people say it's the greatest substance ever invented for track maintenance and the other half say it will soften and eat through the plastic track material over time. I've never seen dire consequences either way. No holes eaten through track and no dried out, brittle, or cracked track. Therefore whatever side of the WD40 manifesto you tune in to, your results will probably be about the same and in line with your chosen path. If you use it and you like it and the slick juicyness of your track and tires, or if you don't use it, and instead maintain a parched persona to your track surface, but blissfully sleep uninterrupted through the night knowing that your track is not decaying from the secret and insideous WD40 solvent that you've slathered on the soon to be gooey plastic blob that used to be your track surface, keep doing or not doing what you're currently doing or not doing. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support or refute either claim.


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## blubyu (May 4, 2008)

Don't use it out of a spray can! Use the 1gal & spray bottle. Alcohol after WD40 will take care of your worries about slick juicyness. Afx, it's just seems to clean better than denatured alcohol,picks up any over oiling and other junk people use thru a night of practice & racing. Just finished cutting up some 15" straights for pickup&height test tracks for some rookies this year and WD40 really made them look nice and new.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Alcohol can leave a haze, especially the lower percentage variety. This is probably what is interpreted as a "dry" look. Anything that has an oil in it is going to make a textured surface look darker and wetter. I'm neither for nor against WD40, if you like the results you get with it then keep using it. I've tried it and many other products over the years. It definitely has merit as a rust inhibitor for the top side of the rails when you have a track in moist or ecessively humid conditions. 

My point is simply to avoid water based cleaners unless you are assured that no moisture can get into the recesses that the rails are set in. I've seen plenty of old track rusting out in those areas. Avoiding water on the track is th primary point. What you use in lieu of water is up to you.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I was thinking of using Black Magic Tire Wet for that 'ultra new' look. Or for simulating a rain race.


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## blubyu (May 4, 2008)

That's what we use the WD40 for "rail protection". Is Rail Zip water based?


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## Tycoarm (Jan 7, 2006)

I would always set up a layout with only a single terminal track. I would then disconnect the last piece to the terminal and test run a car until it stops due to connection failure. I would fix the connection at each dead spot until I get to the last piece before the terminal.

The last piece of track will never have the same amount of current from the terminal due to the resistance from each connection until you reconnect it.
Now you have a complete circuit when done, you will still need to add jumper wires to get an even amount of flow throughout the track, the bigger the track the more jumpers you will need.


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## tjettim (Nov 29, 2005)

Use an ohmeter on every track joint,you will know right away the ones that
need attention.WD40 is good for 'fogging' the track before a long layup but
for cleaning use Zippo lighter fluid.Avoid water based cleaners at all costs,
I learned the hard way.I had alot of rusted joints.Even the isopropenal will
leave a water residue.


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## blubyu (May 4, 2008)

tjettim, Thats the best way when you first layout your Race track. Really important with the OLD MM lock&joiner track, I had a few 9" straight where the whole rail would move?


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*All good stuff here...*



pshoe64 said:


> I use a brass feeler gauge (the flat type), as well as a large glass marble, I have used the conductor grease with a portable track, I have a 1/16th inch thick piece of plastic I use and slide it down the slot, a Popsicle stick and 400 grit sandpaper, and remove any debris or flash-Paul


Can't speak to the use of the grease and the marble (lost my marbles years ago) :woohoo: , although I imagine they can't hurt. If you're looking for peace of mind that you have the confirmed "by the book" best connections possible, then the only way is to use a multimeter and check that it ohm's out consistantly joint after joint all the way around. My track was all new, so I didn't feel that was an issue. What I found helpful was to run my crummiest least modified tjet on the layout throughout the entire install process. I figured if a cranky old turd could turn relatively smooth laps without "issues", then my well set up cars would be ok. Seems to have worked. nd


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## tjettim (Nov 29, 2005)

If you have any rails that move just use a good runny cyanocrylic like
'hotstuff' to glue the rails in.Just don't get any glue in the joints.On
my old 6 lane track I think all the rails were eventualy glued in.


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## Gary#8 (Dec 14, 2004)

WD-40 is what I have used for over 40 years on all the types of Aurora & Tyco track. The trick is to spray it on a rag and wipe track, then go back around with a dry rag and wipe as much off as you can. Then if you race right away the cars will slide around a little. If you leave the track alone for about 15 minutes after the WD-40 applacation car will stick great. Stuff even works good for cleaning tires. Wipe on wipe off wait 10-15 minutes and away you go. Never seen WD-40 melt :freak: any track or type plactic or rubber.
I think most people that have trouble with WD-40 is they don't wipe it back off good enough or they start racing Right Away without waiting at least 15 minutes for it to dry. Black Magic Tire Wet will make the track super slippery just like Armor All on a car or bike seat. Makes it looks great, just very slippery
Comments or concerns? :dude:


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Yeah, I think it goes without saying that any cleaning product used to wipe down a track should be applied to a cloth and not sprayed directly on the track.


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