Brass weight for the Tomy Turbo, and more

[NicoRosberg.]

I noticed about three weeks ago that the JW's HO Speed Parts website no longer lists items for inline chassis.

Since I was at that point working on motor magnets for that chassis which reduce downforce, I assumed Tony S would still be making his brass weight that replaces the traction magnet in the Turbo/SRT/Bulldog.

I was disappointed at first, but then saw it as an opportunity, which has led to this:

TTBW.jpg

[Speedhoppy]

Is there more of an interest in "Brass Weight" racing in the U.K. now, Deane? I must confess, I changed all my Turbo chassis to the Viper "Level 10" bar magnet, and my LifeLike M to their "Level Four" Armature magnets for MORE downforce, rather than less.

I recall that "G-Jets" were set up for running at 12 volts; what voltage are you running "Brass Weight" cars in the U.K.?

[NicoRosberg.]

Outside of two clubs there is not much organised racing here now, even before the pandemic.

I was more thinking this would interest the US crowd, where the Turbo has always had a following and the whole weighted thing started with the G-Jet (the 12V thing was just clever marketing).

The latest move in the bid to remove downforce from former magnet chassis comes from the new Viper Retro version of the V1, where the ceramic motor magnets are replaced with neo ones in printed frames.

Speaking of which.....

[BSWAN72]

The AFX Turbo actually runs really good without the traction magnet and no added weight at 12 volts. I think the snap in motor adds a bit of weight to the chassis. At least in my experience, I don't find that adding weight near the rear axle helps the handling.

[NicoRosberg.]

The weights are not really about helping the handling, in absolute laptime terms. It is about fun, and sometimes fun is slower.

In classes where the rules on weights are open some of the racers use none. Viper created lighter versions of their weights in response.

I think Gary B just puts weights in to make the G-Jet as different from the G3 as possible, and stipulated 12V to sell 12V supplies with BSRT stickers. Genius.

The Turbo with a weight is still getting downforce from the motor magnets. For the full arze-hanging-out experience it needs.....

TTMM Frame.jpg

[Wicker Bill]

I’ve had weighted SRTs for years. I made the weight from 1/4” square brass key stock on a Dremel drill press set up as a mill.
For me it was just a shot at slowing the cars and making it more fun. And I run them at 12 volts.
JW mentions inline parts on the home page, so it may just be a supply issue at this time.

Still waiting to see if Viper offers the new Retro V motor magnets as a parts item.

[NicoRosberg.]

I will be offering the parts in post #5 on their own. I would imagine Viper will do so with their frames/magnets in due course, but it makes sense for them to hold off, just at did for BSRT not to sell G-Jets weights separately for some time when this whole off-shoot started.

I contacted Tony S about the Turbo weight, he said he could make more, but not that he will, and he did not reply to my last facebook message to him. That is when I pulled the trigger on getting my own made, as shown in post 1.

TTBW in chassis.jpg

I decided to make it so that it is not just a copy of the original F1 magnet in brass, but lighter. It is 1.7g. I guess the two 'shelves' could be used to attached putty or other things to increase the ballast effect, if one wants the back end to step out more - but I think the key to that is the frames in post 5, and also, possibly, a heavy front axle I have had made to keep the front down in the slot.

hevax.jpg

I'm also working on a caddy system instead of the rear weight, and metal wheels to add ballast where one might need it.

Mongoose wheels 2.jpg

[BSWAN72]

Another option would be to use the Bulldog AFX Turbo neo traction magnet holder and fill in the two cavities with some tungsten putty. Perhaps a minimum weight of the complete car could be part of the rules so that everyone will need to add some weight to the traction magnet holder.

[NicoRosberg.]

The caddy I mentioned before is 3D printed, with two voids that can hold the putty (or brass cubes) much better than the SRT-derived holder can.

TTWH 1.jpg

The Caddy itself weight 300mg or so, both voids filled with tungsten putty gets one to about a gram.

[NicoRosberg.]

Here is one example of ballasting the caddies that I have printed - brass cubes.

Two cubes way about 600mg

TTWH with ballast.jpg


The final caddies will have smaller voids, we test-printed them bigger on purpose to see what the tolerances are, and they will be white.

[ScooterMcCoy]

Those are excellent Deane! I will be interested once you get them sorted out. I have some original JW's brass weights from back when Alan owned the business.

[Ntxslotcars]

Do folks generally run this class on 12 volts?

[NicoRosberg.]

On the UK track we always found 12V to be too slow, but that was with G-Jets and they do have a quite a bit of downforce still.

A Tomy Turbo, with the full suite of my bits, will probably be a lot of fun at 12V.

Bear in mind the motor magnet caddies can take N52, N42 and N35 magnets, for further tweaking of the handling the user wants.

[NicoRosberg.]

Those are excellent Deane!

Thank You, that means a lot.

The brass weight is good to go as it is. It is the printed stuff that needs tweaks here and there, which is normal with that stuff.

The wheels should be ready soon too.

[Wet Coast Racer]

Deane, with this type of 'low downforce' magnet car racing (if I'm describing this correctly) is it normal to have set rules - and measurements being made impartially at the track - regarding the allowable amount of downforce?