Hey everyone. I'm new to slot cars and being the kind of person I am I jumped right in and bought components to build a car instead of buying a pre-built. So if anyone has any words of wisdom I would appreciate it. I have the JK3 chassis. Don't have a setup board. I have one for my 1/12 carpet racer but I don't think that will work. If anyone has any links or experience with this then please let me know. I will post pics as I build.
Do you have any pictures of this JK3 chassis ? Just a JK3 doesn't say much as JK Products has many chassis' with a JK3 in the part number.
If it is a JK Products chassis "kit", one you have to solder together...a chassis jig won't help that much. Other than having an extra set of spur gears (to take the place of tires for the assembly) to get the rear axle adjusted correctly as you are soldering, not much else is required.
Their laser/EDM'd cut chassis are pretty accurately cutout.
Just clean well, assemble and solder.
Make sure all items sticking "up" are soldered at 90 degree angles to the chassis pan.
One thing when you are "complete" with the soldering and cleaning...
Be sure to "bend" the guide flag tang "up" just a coupla three or four degrees. If you miss this, the guide brushes will have too much pressure on them at the very front. This isn't a good thing. The guide must sit flat on the track as an assembled car...that means...with the rear tires you plan on running.
Tire diameter changes will change the guide angle.
No soldering required.
Just make sure the guide flag is at the correct angle as I noted above (as assembled).
Some solder, some use CA glue to attach the rear bushings/bearings to the frame. I've done both, with neither being better than the other during usage. But the CA glue is a little easier to remove when you have to replace the bushings (or bearings !).
Another good thing to do, is make sure the "bare" chassis sits flat, on a "flat" surface. That is, when you tap on any part of the chassis with your finger, there's no sounds made outside your finger. No ticking, or twanging (whatever you want to call it...!) when you tap different parts of the chassis parts.
Tap every part of the chassis. Bend to straighten as required, recheck.
This is also a requirement when you smack the wall hard...! Take the chassis apart...start all over with the straighting process...reassemble and hit the track (figurativly speaking..!).
Well I have run into my first problem. I can't seem to solder the pinion to the motor. I don't know if I don't have enough heat or too much. I'm using 60/40 solder with acid paste flux. The solder just wont transfer over to the pinion shaft.
Clean the motor shaft with some 600 grit sandpaper and then 'tin' the motor shaft. Slip the pinion in place and apply enough heat to melt the solder and it will be solidly in place.
Ok. Thanks for the tips. Will have some pictures in next post. I went to Lowes tonight to look at getting a new iron. Didn't find the one I want. Think I will go to Fry's tomorrow night. I know they have the one I want.
Something that I find necessary in a JK Cheetah chassis is that the rear bushing holes are oversized to allow for the rear bushings to be aligned propery. Carlisle makes a jig that will hold the centerline of the guide flag on the center of the jig. This allows for the rear axle to be 'squared up' to the centerline as there are pins to hold the 'builder' axle supplied with the jig. You should also use jig wheels or something round - I have used spur gears before I had jig wheels. You want the rear axle square to the centerline of the chassis and the same distance off the track's surface.
Well guys the chassis is done and it looks so so. My soldering skills need improvement. I did get a new soldering station though for fathers day. Its radio shack brand but is adjustable from 300 something F to 842 F. Hopefully these ranges are sufficient. I can't get my photos to upload for some reason. As soon as I figure it out though I will post them.
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