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Post by bondoman2k on Apr 23, 2008 4:24:15 GMT -7
OK guys. I'm getting some cars together for the Super Stock Nats. I have one question (well...actually two right now...lol!)..how do I tell what 'ohm' my armature is rated at?  I have NO clue how or what I use. Some kind of 'meter' or something? And exactly where do I put the ends of the wire to get a reading? I would REALLY hate to get two cars ready, then send them, then get bounced out because they're not 'legal'!!  How to balance the arm (the 'home' method) would be nice to know too!  I know..you "add weight". But where? And how do you find out where to put it? Inquiring minds NEED to know!  Ron (Bondo)  |
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Post by nightrider on Apr 23, 2008 5:20:59 GMT -7
Ron,, in order to check the ohms on any armature.. you need an anolog voltage/ohm meter or a DVOM/Digital Voltage/Ohm meter.. you can pick one up at walmart, radio shack sometimes in the bargain bin at the Auto parts store, Harbor Frieght has em for like 5.00 I think,, I gave 10.00 for mine out of a bargain bin.. once you have that, read the directions for "ohm" set the meter accordngly on the lowest range. Take the probes/leads, touch one to one comm plate on the arm, the other to either of the other two.. get your reading then touch the remaining one.. average it out you will the ohm reading for the arm.. I write it on the arm plate so I know what I have by looking at it.. Hope this helps some.. I think there will be a photo tutorial on this topic as well.. Welcome to PSD/NTRA Chris  |
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Post by allstarhr on Apr 23, 2008 5:34:58 GMT -7
I hate to admit this but... For the Gasser Nationals I ordered 6 mean green arms and they arrived two days before we had to get everybody from here's cars in the mail. To speed the process up I figured I ought to see how balanced they were. I didn't have two straight edged razor blades to stick in Styrofoam or a hunk of clay and I happened to notice that the plastic box all new AW, JL and other cars come in has two ribs on the bottom that are spaced just about right to set an arm on as see if it rotates. I'm talking about the black plastic bottom to the box the new cars come in. Turn it over to where we untwist the wire ties that hold the car in. Set it down and you will see two parallel ribs. Take a Dremel or drill or something to cut the material out between the ribs and Viola! You've got a free balancing stand. Crude but worked. Out of the 6 arms, 2 were balanced pretty good, two needed just a little adjustment and two were in need of some serious work. I was able to get them all done quickly. Is it the best? Heck no. Did it work somewhat? I think so. One of the adjusted arms was in Air Force 1. Just "winging" it again! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2008 6:39:40 GMT -7
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Post by dave hochallanged evans on May 1, 2008 15:27:55 GMT -7
Received my first Ho parts today and opened the box and the first Question that came to mind HOW DO YOU SEE THE PARTS my 59 year old eyes even with bifocals are going to need more help.. this will be a challenge. I've already had a runaway idler gear,a bouncing baby pickup spring , all over a tan carpet this is bringing great amusement to my wife. now i know why you have so many spare parts to chose from! I now have a 8x11" box with a white paper bottom to work in , and told the wive I'll empty the vacuum cleaner for her should I use the drive gear again or get a new one? and got the order from Lucky Bobs and the service was GREAT and fast. |
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Post by SKR on May 1, 2008 17:03:47 GMT -7
LOL, I've lost many parts to the carpet. My wife just backs up. It has to be amusing from their perspective seeing a grown man on his hands and knees looking for toy car parts on the floor, and in my case anger ;D.
Glad you liked Lucky Bob's services. He is one of our sponsors and does do a great job getting the stuff to you in a timely matter.
Stay with the stock gears. I'm not exactly sure what'll be the best set up as far as motor brushes and pick up shoes. I'll keep you posted if I come up with something that works well for me.
Sam
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Post by johnbalich on May 1, 2008 18:46:54 GMT -7
here is actually a tip for finding parts on the floor or rug. Get a good flashlight and lay in on the floor so the ligt beam is parallel to the floor The part is forced to cast a lonnnnnnnnng shadow, making it much more visible. Another trick.....jewelers use a jewelers apron.....something like a smock tucked in at the neckwith the free end when it tacked the bench top. It provides a catchment in your lap for those wee parts.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2008 19:37:12 GMT -7
Try a white handkerchief over the end of a shop vac tube and you'll find stuff that you dropped 20 years ago...
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Post by johnbalich on May 1, 2008 21:07:38 GMT -7
Which drive ghear?? The one on the armature? Some folks reccomend a new one. In the tech area are some tips for re-installing firmly.
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Post by dave hochallanged evans on May 2, 2008 16:17:06 GMT -7
Yep,the one on the arm. I took it off used my Dremel tool and cleaned up the comm.plate, with a soft wheel,then put everything back together. hooked it to a 9Volt battery to see if it would run. Unless further work helps Track Mate Timing system will have to be replaced by an 8 day clock. I need to reduce a lot of friction ! thank goodness I have till June and another armature to mess with.
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Post by da big ragu on May 2, 2008 20:04:40 GMT -7
 ok now you can help someone tell me what it looked and sounded like i also may need that 8 day clock lol just got done laping my gears and looks like there is alot of slop in my arm did you have this ? as well ragu
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Post by dave hochallanged evans on May 3, 2008 3:52:39 GMT -7
I just finished lapping the gears using toothpaste,washed it out with water and wifes toothbrush( laugh at me for dropping parts) dried it out, re-oiled with 3-1 and its quieter and smoother but even on a fresh battery seems slow to me. there does seem to be more side play in the armature shaft than i like, maybe the lapping causes the extra clearance allowing it to move free. totally new to this so have know clue. I do plan to hit a few yard sales and see if I can scrounge up some cars and track so i can actually run them and get a sense how slow, as just holding and listening on a 9v battery instead of a power pack is the difference.a lot to learn!
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Post by SKR on May 3, 2008 5:13:09 GMT -7
I wouldn't be to alarmed by the sound of the car, they do sound slow on a 9 volt. The biggest help for all of us is to run the test and tune in June. Kevin & Tim I'm sure will give us tips on making them run better.
I'll leave the lapping qustions to one of the Pros. I'll be lapping my first set ever soon.
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Post by dave hochallanged evans on May 3, 2008 14:47:20 GMT -7
I learned something else today(wow two things in one day) I'm sure most of you know this but,if you tighten the body down hard, it binds the whole thing up..doesnot move. i loosened both body screws 1/4 turn and ran fine..touchy little guys aren't they!
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Post by johnbalich on May 3, 2008 15:53:10 GMT -7
yes you can bind them that way.......yes they are devilsihly ticklish and for some perverse reason it makes them really fun to work on!!! Some cars seem to affected, others arent..... For road racing...and it might apply here too.......many prefer the front screw tight (it holds the guide pin on!) and some play in the rear to damp vibrations.
The best (and cheapest) tip for building a good runner......................................use your eyes and ears.
I like to clip leads to the chassis and run it free at full voltage..(Meaning 18 not 24!), and lightly touch the spring metal brush tensioners. If the rpm goes up...more tension will be a benefit. To this day I have never had an arm slow down from overtensioning tho I am sure its possible. I always bend the tensioners at the LAST bend befotre the bump that gioes UP into the chassis. Bending farther away from the motor shaft is unpredictable, and may well LESSEN the tension and even make the chassis useless.
Because they are useless as paper weights, such a chassis is doomed to the round file.
Take the chassis apart and spin the axles..Do they sound free and frictionless? perhaps some work can be done there. Spin them with your finger touching them and see if they FEEL smooth. Try not to have the axle splines run in the
chassis 'bearing.' (the hole)
Now spin the top plate gear train the same way. Does it feel free or is there a "hitch?'
LOOK> Do the gears wobble? LISTEN> do they SOUND raggedy?? All these things steal precious power. Set the car on the track without the motor. Nudge it along.....is it smooth or does it have a gait somewhat akin to a ruptured duck?
Eyes tell you a lot. Anything OUT OF ROUND, OUT OF PLUMB, OUT OF LINE, NOT SQUARE, NOT PERPINDICULAR etc etc. is working against you. A good running car will run smoothly, no more what class. Right out the box some seem to run well and some bounce all over the place. Either can win for you if you tune it up.
For the newer guys..if your car emits the dreaded "T jet squeek" (once heard you wont forget it!) it needs some lube......SPARINGLY!!! especially at the armature shaft hole in the bottom of the chassis. Armature faces....(commutator) can be cleaned/ polished with a pencil eraser.
For you neat freaks, Micro-Mark Tools (google it) has a polishing kit intended to polish model finishes to a mirror surface. The same can be used on the arm. (tool geeks will love the catalog!)
I havent tested this enough to comment.......In the model railroad world.......many modelers swear that sparing amounts of WAHL'S hair clipper oil reduces arcing......arcing is wasted electrons..... don't go oiling down the track, a tiny amount is recommended. As I said, I am undecided on this one. Rail Zip might do as well.
I may have said this already....as far as 'ohming' ( I know, there is no such word)......if you stick to new old stock Aurora T jet arms you will in all likelihood be fine. I have heard that a rare "Golden arm" may read less but I am pretty sure they are few and far between. For guys who want to go the whole route.....by all means learn to check them as shown here. You likely will need a meter later, should you ever race "HOT ARM" classes.
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I have NO clue how or what I use. Some kind of 'meter' or something? And exactly where do I put the ends of the wire to get a reading? I would REALLY hate to get two cars ready, then send them, then get bounced out because they're not 'legal'!! 
I know..you "add weight". But where? And how do you find out where to put it? 
