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Maintenance

We recommend truing the tyres, even on new cars. To do this, hold the rear tyres against sandpaper whilst revving the car. This will remove any unevenness from the moulding process and increase the contact area with the track to improve grip performance.

Light cleaning of the track surface is recommended for daily use. We recommend using a damp cloth or very lightly oiled cloth. This removes light grime and dust from the track surface. Wipe surface dry after using a damp cloth. As a matter of good practice, always do this before using the Scalextric layout as this will help ensure you get the best grip from the car tyres.

Use a mild abrasive material to shine up the running surfaces of the pick-up rails, making sure that the male and female connections at the ends of the track sections are also bright and shiny.

If the track is tarnished (dull) or has rust spots, all you need to do is give the metal parts, around the affected area, a quick clean. I personally use a PECO PL-41 Rail Cleaner Rubber. Click here to purchase. They are amazing and you will need one after every few times of usage to keep the rails shiny for maximum performance. Alternatively you can give it a rub with very fine sandpaper or wire wool etc although these aren't recommended but will be sufficient for just the once.
If you have a circuit and the car isn't running round, a method to find out which pieces of track are affected is just to join one piece of track to the powerbase track and run a car on it. You don't need a circuit.

If you are experiencing slippy tyres, try swapping the front tyres for the rear tyres. You can also add extra weights inside the car or extra magnets.

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Cars keep stopping

First thing to do is check if your track is analogue or digital? You need analogue cars for analogue track and digital cars for digital track. If the car is buzzing then it is likely you have an analogue car on a digital track.

After checking you have the correct type of setup, it is important that you check the car before checking the track sections. If the car is running but keeps stopping then it is most likely the car's guide and braids. The braids are the two pieces of metal under the car (sometimes called brushes) the run on the rails of the track. The braids are fitted to the guide blade assembly. The braids allow electrical power to pass from the track rails, up through the braids and into the car. Any issues with the braids will result in the car not working correctly.

First, try holding the car at an angle with the braids on the rails and the rear wheels in the air to prevent the car driving off. See if you have consistent power.

Check:

1) The guide blade can rotate freely.
2) The car is correctly located in the slot of the track.
3) Both braids are making good contact with the track rails.

Adjust the position of the braids to make sure they are making the connection to the track and with the metal contact that they are touching, on the car. If the braids are really flat, you can puff them out a little to give more contact with the metal rails.

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Track problems

If you've tried the above and the car is working well but it still sticks in certain areas then the next thing to check is the track.

A Scalextric track is an electrical circuit and power can 'leak' at every connection point in the layout. Therefore the next step is to ensure each piece of track has a good connection to the next piece of track. 

Keep the track as flat as possible.
Make sure there is no carpet fluff or debris between each track piece.
Make sure each trach piece firmly locates with the next piece.
Keep the track clean. Clean both the rails and connectors after every few times of use or when you notice a reduction in speed. 

Click here for track cleaner

When dismantling the track, take the set apart carefully so you do not bend the metal joints.
Ensure the car's drivetrain is clean. There may be fluff, hairs and debris around the motor and drivetrain. Remove the body and ensure it is clean and not blocked.

Check the metal rail tabs at the ends of the rails are fully pressed down onto the plastic and firmly clamping the connector in place. 
Check the rear axle is sat in the chassis' mounts. See video:

If the above hasn't helped, then you can try making a very small circuit such as an oval or just a straight run (doesn't need to be a circuit) to see which pieces of track are affected.