Built a track, and have some car issues too...

[latency]

Hey guys,

Thought I would let you all know that I built a track tonight that I have sitting on my pool table in my loft. Very cool setup as the track is in 3 pieces, and I can disassemble to store in a closet or what have you.

The surface is a 1/4" hardboard, and the surface is PERFECT for the ZZ cars. Maybe a bit too good as they do not slip out, the grip is excellent, but I believe this should add to the great racing sure to come to this track. :D

For the walls, I used some 1/4" rubber tubing from the plumbing aisle at Lowes. I think it was about $4 for a 20ft section. The hardboard was listed at $10.57, but because it was damaged, we walked out with it for $5.25. Bargains!!:D

Here is a pic of the track:

http://www.latencyproject.com/zipzaps/track/track_001.jpg

I really like the setup and thanks to Gryphic Racing for his help in the design. My final design was based off of his sketch.

I have also posted some other pics and "noise" over on my site, so feel free to check that out too. Have some action shots from "practice" tonight.


http://www.latencyproject.com/zipzaps/track/zipzaptrack.html


Ok, now for the help I need. :D My supra turns on a dime for left handed turns, but my right handers are huge radius turns. I have disassemble the steering and front end components and do not see any blatent reason for the semi-recent poor steering performance. Anyone have any issues with it turning well one direction, and not the other?

Many thanks to those that can help!!!

;)

[ax0n]

if it's ever fallen off the table...

Check the magnet. you have to pop the circuit board cover and pull the board back, then pull out the screw under the board, then open up the front cover.

The magnet for steering should sit perfectly in the steering lever. if it isn't, use some super glue and reposition it. mine was shifted a bit after about 10 pretty harsh tumbles from my desk at work.

If that isn't the problem, check your front axles. There may be some hair, dust, dirt, or animal fur in the front axles. I have a cat that's evil. he bats my car around all over the place and he attacks me:

http://buddha.jccc.net/~axon/photo/cat2.jpg (that's real, and he is in mid-air jumping at my face)

But worst of all his fur lodges up my axles all the time! :mad:

I actually have to remove my axles once in a while (even the front ones, like pull the wheel and the pin that holds it on, from the steering knuckle) to clean them off.

[mechanist]

omg. that's a scary/funny picture. I do believe that any cat in my house that attacked my face like that would be short lived though...
;)

[go_zz_go]

with the steering prob also check for little pieces of metal stuck to the front magnet they are are to get off i dont know where mine came from but it was there and i slowly lost all steering

[latency]

Painted the track this weekend too. Love the layout and the surface, my only complaint is that the surface might be too good. NO sliding at all yet. Still fun and challenging to drive but the fun of slides are non-existent with the tires I am currently using.

Will post a pic of the painted track some time tonight when I get home from the office.

:D

[Bunta]

I have noticed that when I drive my Bit at home on a large smooth surface (4x8 hardboard) it steers very predictably,, but then I take the little booger to work and drive there, again it is fine. But when I get home,, my car will favor one side in steering. I cleaned my tires of all the dust and gunk on them, and my car returned to normal,,, Maybe this will work for you.

Bunta out-

[hogjowlz]

ok the day i bought my zz i took it up to my buddy's shop. he repairs electronics and has pieces of solder and wire allover his floor. after a few mins the steering completly crapped out. i couldnt figure it out. we checked all of the mechanical stuff and it stilld didnt work. then i notice copper wire stuck the the bottom of the car and took it off. it ran fine for a min then the steering went again. took the metal scrap off and it steered fine.

here is why this happens. these cars use a powerful magnet that slides between two electromagnets. if you have a chunk of metal attached to the magnet it has to carry that dead weight to the electromagnets.

I have also noticed that your car picks up a lot of metal on sidewalks.

[binaryterror]

Solder and Copper ARE NOT magnetic...and only a super power magnet could perform picking up non-magnetic materials.

You need iron ore or steel, possibly Nickel (might be wrong on nickel...nickel might be anti-magnetic as well).

So thinking about this...you can not solder steel or iron...you can braize, which is a similar process, but tremendously different due to the material change (i.e. you need a torch to braize steel).

[ax0n]

Yep, my magnet picks up all sorts of stuff, but it's usually metal shavings. I just have a hobby paintbrush that's kinda worn out, I keep it in my zaps case and I just brush the filings off and/or blow them off.

[ts185r]

I noticed the same thing. But I'm thankful my ZZ found all those metal shavings and staples; it even picked them up for me.