How to fit the new TSC25 stainless-steel guide pin to your

 

1/24 or 1/32 scale chassis

 

 

When used on plastic or wood tracks with very narrow slots, the guide blade fitted to the stock TSRF cars have a tendency to bind in the slot when they reach their maximum drift angle. This causes a violent jerky reaction that can have disastrous consequences including breakage of the guide blade.

 

The installation of this metal pin will greatly improve your car's behavior while awaiting for the future TSRF2 chassis that will have a rotating guide of advanced design.

 

Read this first:

For use on Scalextric "Classic" or any track with such a shallow slot, this guide pin MUST be shortened by 1.5mm or a bit over 1/16". Use a Dremel disk or grind the end of the pin on a disk or belt sander. Make sure to hold the pin with flat pliers or push it in the bare chassis first, secure with the nut and use the chassis as a vise. Read the assembly instructions below before performing this operation. This is very hard steel, do not attempt to use a saw to shorten this pin. For use on Ninco track, a small amount of each side of the installed pin must be flattened with a Dremel disk so as to clear the extremely narrow slot.

 

  

For use on Scalextric "Sport" track: make sure to make the following modifications to your power base:

we found that the "deep" slot on the "Sport" track is not so deep at the power base where incredibly, the connecting wires are... in the way, trying to trip longer guides that otherwise clear the other track elements. Hard to believe... You need to unscrew the cover over the base of the track and cut away the parts shown in the picture (see above the large "A" and on bottom right) so as to allow the wires the clearance to be pushed down and out of the way. Use a blunt blade placed inside the slot to push the wires down and out of the way, being careful not to cut into their insulation.

 

Once this done, we also found that the width of the slot is very inconsistent, with the new guide pin barely clearing the top of the slot formed directly by the steel rails in various locations, but easily clearing it just a few inches further up...

 

Two installations are possible. One is a simple bolt-on, the other does require precision drilling by a more advanced modeler.

 

"Please read these instructions for best results"

 

 

1/ Simple instant installation:

 

 

 

 

 

The new guide has a tapered pin, meaning that only the bottom of the pin will actually contact the track. It will fit all plastic and wood tracks with the limitations indicated within. The shape of the center hex matches that of the original guide-retaining nut.

 

 

 

  First, assemble your car as per instructions and set it to the desired wheelbase for the selected body, position A, B or C on the chassis and 1, 2 or 3 on the front axle. Mount the body and make sure that everything is free and clear.

Next, remove the body, and with a pair of dykes, cut off the guide blade at the base of the chassis as shown. There is no need to remove the braided contacts to perform this operation with cutting dykes.

 

The new pin merely replaces the original guide-retaining bolt and uses its retaining nut. Just push in place from the bottom through the chassis, braided contacts retainer and steel pan stop and use the 2-56 nut on top of the pin. Tighten with a 3/16" socket of flat wrench. Done!

NOTE: If using the chassis in its longest wheelbase (position C) , make SURE to use the black washer supplied with your RTR chassis or kit on top of the pin-tubing retaining tabs.

 

Yes, THIS washer:  

Cut it off the sprue.

 

Set it on top of the guide pin, then fit the retaining nut as otherwise you will run short of threads and your guide will not apply sufficient pressure between the braided contacts and the lead wires.

 

   

For use on Scalextric or Ninco tracks, you will need to shave a "flat" on each side of the steel pin guide with a Dremel disc. Why? Because the Scalextric track is not very consistent in its slot width, and often the slot will get so narrow that it will pinch the guide and stop the car! In the case of Ninco track, the slot is not only narrower but a lot shallower, so the length of the pin must be shortened by a full 1/16"...

For use on Scalextric track and since the rails are so close together as they line up the slot, gently form the braided contacts so that they converge towards each other while maintaining at least 1/8" clearance to avoid a possible short. Make sure that the contacts are totally flat and resting on the chassis, with their ends gently curved down and frayed to improve contact.

For use on any other track, plastic or wood, just leave the brushes parallel and as flat as possible on the chassis with the ends very slightly curved towards the track. Never the opposite! Only the ENDS of the contacts must touch the track rails.

 

 

 

2/ Advanced installation:

 

  This installation is better (but not essential) to keep optimum contact during on-track drifting, especially when not using traction magnets, to mount the pin in the center of the braided contacts. This requires that the chassis be drilled and gently counter drilled to provide clearance for the pin's center hex. Install the original guide blade first and trim the blade as described above. Precisely drill a .086" hole (drill # 44) and countersink with a flat 1/4" drill. Ideally, a step drill should be used, and it is critical to drill only 1/16". Be careful not to drill any deeper as you would drill through the chassis as this would be terminal...

For those who do not believe that they have the necessary skills to perform this delicate surgery, TSRF now has available a pre-drilled chassis with matching trimmed guide for this use, part # T2401-SP or T3201-SP. These kits include the steel pin, pre-trimmed guide blade and a 2-56 nut and washer.

 

  First, assemble your car as per instructions and set it to the desired wheelbase for the selected body, position A, B or C on the chassis and 1, 2 or 3 on the front axle. Mount the body and make sure that everything is free and clear.

Next, remove the body, and with a pair of dykes, cut off the guide blade at the base of the chassis as shown. There is no need to remove the braided contacts to perform this operation with cutting dykes.

 

  Now you are left with a complete chassis and a severed guide blade. You may now dispose of the blade. Next, using an X-Acto fitted with a # 11 blade, mark a clear spot for your drill exactly in the center of the severed guide blade. Rotate several times to make sure that the drill will not slip off the blade.

 

 

Ideally, a step drill ( .086" to .250") should be used for the next operation. However, not everyone has the facilities to grind one. Our staff made this one by hand, grinding a standard 1/4" drill bit with a Dremel disk down to .086" on a length of 3/8".

For most mortals, just use a # 44 drill bit, if possible set in a drill press, and drill a hole right through the severed guide blade and the steel pan spacer (part TSC04), that is if you chassis is set in wheelbase position A or B.

 

Now comes the delicate part: the hex-shaped part of the steel pin MUST be recessed into the chassis to clear the contacts and the track. So counter-sinking is absolutely essential, but the chassis in this area is very thin. Best would be to grind the end of a 1/4" drill flat, and VERY GENTLY, mill a .065" cavity in which the hex will fit. Easy with a step drill, not so easy with a loose drill... Patience is essential to avoid drilling through the chassis, which effectively would force you to revert to installation # 1. If you did well, this is how it will look. Now all you have to do is to remove any burrs with the X-Acto knife and install the pin by simply pushing it from the bottom of the chassis.

 

 

  You will need an extra 2-56 nut (TSC06) to secure the new guide. This is how the whole assembly should look like once drilled. A small brass or steel washer may be added but is not necessary. However, if your chassis is set in wheelbase position C, it is IMPERATIVE that you use the washer supplied with your car. The reason? If not, you will run out of threads, and there will not be enough pressure on the braided contacts, and no current will flow to the motor...

 

  Final setup: for Scalextric track, gently curve the contacts as described in paragraph 1. Have no fear of a possible short, the contacts are working at different levels and are far enough from the metal hex and the pin itself, and it is virtually impossible for them to touch each other or even the pin while racing. Don't forget to shave the guide pin sides so that it will not bind into any part of the track. Don't forget also to shorten the pin for Ninco and the old Scalextric Classic tracks. No such problems for any other tracks.

For "normal" tracks (all others except Scalextric clones), just keep the braided contacts parallel to each other.

 

  Once fitted, this is how it should look. Now your TSRF pocket-rocket is ready to rock!

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