Welcome to the wonderful world of slot car racing! Whether you’re transitioning from a different scale or have never raced slots in your life, we’re here to help.

Things to know:

All of our tracks, sets and cars are interchangeable so expanding your race set is virtually limitless.

Every set comes with everything you’ll need to start racing: power supply, controllers, cars, etc. Tune up kits are great for repairing cars and if you’re building a massive race set or using lots of banked curves, track clips are a must!

All of our products have a lifetime warranty for all manufacturing defects so if your AFX product is defective, let us know and we’ll replace it.

Racing 1/64th scale is thrilling and demanding. It takes time to assemble the set, warm the cars up and keep the track clean. Following the instructions in your set is the best way to ensure you’re ready to race. Need more? We’ve got you covered. Check out our Video Tutorials in the Technical Section.

Though we don’t have the exact dates, here is a quick and dirty chronology:

• Mega G+ (2015 – Present) *Mega Gs discontinued*
• Mega G (2007-2015) *all other chassis discontinued*
• SRT (1990s) SRT stands for Super Racing Turbo
• Racing Turbo (late 1980s)
• Super G+ (1980)
• G+ (1974-77)
• Magna Traction (1974)
• T Jet (1970s)

In addition to the above, there were at least two other chassis made between the late 50’s and early 70s though they were made under the “Model Motoring” trade name which was changed to AFX in 1971. If you want more info checkout the History section!

WHEEL & TIRE DIMENSIONS

All AFX Front TIRES: 0.375″
All AFX Rear TIRES: 0.460″

All AFX Front WHEELS: 0.275″
All AFX Rear WHEELS: 0.275″

Please note: These are also the ODs for the Racing Turbo, SRT and Super G+ fronts only. The Super G+ rear wheel is a special drop center design that can only be used with matching Super G+ tires.

CHASSIS DIMENSIONS

Chassis dimensions are measured by the wheelbase, or the dead center of the wheels. That measurement is what defines our “long” and “short” chassis. The long chassis wheelbase is 1.7”, the short chassis wheelbase is 1.5”.

End to End Dimensions are as follows:

Long Chassis full length is 2.2”, full rear width is 1.4”, full front width is 1.26”, center height is 0.43”
Short Chassis full length is 1.98”, full rear width is 1.4”, full front width is 1.26”, center height is 0.43”

Please note: These measurements are for the MEGA G PLUS chassis only and certain “specialty” cars out now or produced in the future may have slightly different chassis measurements depending on its body style.

AFX cars are referred to as “HO” which is 1/87th scale. However, they have really been 1/64th scale since the early 70s and are still that scale today. It is likely that the reason they didn’t stop referring to them as HO was for marketing purposes and now it is just accepted.

Every AFX car is the same HO scale.

A body clip is attached to the top of a chassis to allow it to fit under older AFX bodies. Only the short Mega G+ (and Mega G) chassis (1.5″ wheelbase) have body clips. Like the Super G+, their body clips allow them to fit under AFX bodies dating back to the early 1970s.

The Long Mega G+ chassis’ (1.7″ wheelbase) was created for use on modern race car bodies like the Formulas, Audis and Peugeot 908 bodies. None of the Formula bodies made for older chassis’ will fit on the Mega G+ chassis. Our Long Mega G+ chassis allows us to make the bodies more accurate to their real-life counterparts and only AFX has it!

For those new or returning to the hobby – part of the fun is maintaining and repairing your cars after normal wear and tear over time. To help you do that, we make Tune Up Kits that correspond exactly with the type of chassis you’re looking to fix up. Overtime shoes will need to be cleaned and eventually replaced, springs may fall out, tires may dry and crack, etc. For an in-depth walk-thru of a typical tune up, check out our video: How to Clean Pickup Shoes

The Mega G PLUS tune up kits are Part Number 22036 and include white lettered front AND rear tires.

Any AFX car from any era will work on any AFX track from any era. However, you will notice performance and behavioral differences between the old and new cars particularly in how they respond to your controllers. Therefore, we recommend racing old versus old and new versus new – just to keep it fair! For the most reliable, high-performance races, use the most current track type with the current power supply, the Tri-Power Pack.

Before attaching a track to any surface in a permanent or semi-permanent fashion, physically layout the track you want ahead of time. Though we include measurements on the track layouts included in our sets, they can be slightly off. So, when doing this type of precision work, you’ll want exact measurements. Test the track layout first. Buy supplies second.

There’s two main ways to attach track to wood. The first is with screws, the #4 X 5/8″ flathead wood screws to be exact. Drill the track holes out with a #33 drill (.103″diameter) and countersink the top of the track with a 45-degree CS so the screwheads are flush or under the track surface. Using this method will give .350″ of screw thread to engage the wood you are installing the track to. This arrangement creates a good bond in plywood. If you can’t use those types of screws, just drill the right size hole into the track for the appropriate screw size you’ve got at home. (Technically you can use nails instead, but we don’t recommend it. Several track pieces will be damaged in the attaching and removal processes.)

The second way to attach track to wood is with a hot glue gun. When applied at key points instead of securing the track all the way around, hot glue allows for a nicer removal process since it can be cut through with an Exacto knife. And, not for nothing, when you put enough glue down, it will hold the track pretty well. The downside here is obvious; it’s messy and the track isn’t as evenly secured.

AFX track clips https://afxracing.com/product/track-clips/ will pull together and securely hold track connections, making it nearly impossible for your track layout to come apart while you’re mounting it. When used with screws or hot glue in a few key areas to anchor the track, you’ll have a smoother, quieter layout. Plus, if you decide to change the layout you can do so with minimal damage to track pieces.

We don’t actually have 4 lane track pieces. We only have 2 lane track pieces that can be setup next to each other to create a 4 lane layout. This allows as many variations of track layouts as possible, so you can create pretty much any kind of track.

There’s been 3 generations of AFX Track…

1. Push/Pull: Current Track, has been around since about 1979
2. Side Lock: produced from about 1976 to 1979.
3. Lock and Joiner: ran from the 1960s through about 1976. Adapters were made back in the 70s.

No AFX track tooling has changed since 2008 when we copied the existing tooling exactly for about 70% of the tools. The only change before that was when the track tools were made in 1979. So, whatever “thickness” the tracks were in 1979, they were not changed in 2008.

We used to make adapter tracks to connect our current track type to its predecessor the Side Lock, and the Side Lock to the original Lock & Joiner. Though we no longer make or sell any track adapters, you may still be able to find them through other retailers however they can be hard to find.

AFX tracks are designed to connect and disconnect easily while maintaining excellent electrical contact. But it’s always nice to have some extra support…      Our track clips solidify connections without damaging the track itself.

Track clips are great for:

• A layout you aren’t ready to commit to gluing or nailing down
• Eliminating gaps at track junctions for a quieter, smoother race
• Avoiding overpass break downs
• Protecting against centrifugal forces pulling apart your bank curves

To Use:

Sold in packs of 25 and 100, make sure to use two clips on each track junction. Simply press into place underneath your track with your thumb. Remove just as easily with a small screwdriver. WARNING: Not for use by children under the age of 12. Wear Protective Safety Glasses when using clips.

These track clips will only work on AFX track made after 1980. Tracks made before 1980 require the original track clips found through specialty hobby shops.

We have three different cord lengths for our controllers:

6 feet long: controllers sold individually
3 feet long: controllers in Super International Sets
2 feet long: controllers in all sets besides Super International sets

In 1971 Aurora released a 45ohm Yellow controller. The 45ohm controllers worked best with the likes of Racing Turbos and Magna Tractions. Our previous controllers, from as far back as the 1980s, had 60-65 ohms which worked best with Super G+ and Mega G cars. And then of course our current controllers have 120 ohms designed specifically for the Mega G+ chassis – that massive increase in ohmage translates to more wire for the resistor which means more resistance which means – more control.

In 1971 Aurora released a 45ohm Yellow controller seen below. The 45ohm controllers worked best with the likes of Racing Turbos and Magna Tractions. Our previous controllers, from as far back as the 1980s, had 60-65 ohms which worked best with Super G+ and Mega G cars. And then of course our current controllers have 120 ohms designed specifically for the Mega G+ chassis – that massive increase in ohmage translates to more wire for the resistor which means more resistance which means – more control.

During production, our controllers receive a light coat of preservative before they’re packaged to prevent corrosion. Most of it evaporates completely but with about 5% of controllers, there is some residual. This residual can cause a small amount of smoke, and sometimes a subtle “electrical” smell as the preservative evaporates. Neither is at all harmful to humans and will disappear as soon as it evaporates completely, usually no more than 30 minutes of racing.

Smoking occurs most often on the Tri-Power Pack’s Expert level (the only level that generates the heat required for evaporation). If you are at all uncomfortable with your controller smoking, let us know and we will send you a replacement.

If ONE of your controllers is controlling BOTH of your track lanes, there’s a simple solution!

Turns out when you’re using the crisscross tracks you must have an even number of them in one layout. In other words, for every layout you assemble, you must have two, or four of these crisscross track pieces, NOT one or three. Having an odd number of them in your layout turns the two individual lanes into one continuous lane, therefore causing one controller to power both lanes. To fix it, just add another crisscross track piece to divide them back up and all will be right in the world.

If your controllers are controlling multiple lanes on your track and your layout DOES NOT INCLUDE any crisscross track pieces, there’s two culprits: either you are using a spare terminal track as a regular 15” straight track in your layout and not plugging it into controllers or power source OR your terminal track is defective and needs to be replaced.

Assembling and disassembling track sets takes precision. Sets that don’t work after storage are almost always a track connection problem, not a power problem.  “Dead” lanes are identified as either:

• Completely 100% without power on every part of the track

OR

• Sections of the layout have power while others do not.

The key is the Terminal Track.

If one lane is dead starting ON the Terminal Track itself, the Terminal is defective. Contact us for a replacement.

If one lane is dead starting AFTER the Terminal Track the cause is most likely a bent rail end. To bend the rail end back into place, pull the track pieces apart at the point where the power stopped. Inspect the rail ends to be sure none are broken. Each lane has two rails, one is flat, the other is a “Z” bend.

Using a small, flat blade screwdriver, gently pry the “Z” rail end away from the track tab it rests against. The very tip of the “Z” connector should be 1/32 inch from the plastic tab (about the thickness of 2 business cards). Note: be careful not to break the plastic tab! Re-connect the two pieces of track and test.

Yes, however, the power pack that comes in all AFX sets is for use with an input power of 120v and will not work with 220v or 230v without a transformer. Though we do not have transformers available in any other voltage, an electronics store in your country should carry them. Failure to use the correct transformer will damage or destroy the AFX power pack and may cause serious damage to your electrical system.

The Standard Power Pack has come with AFX sets since the 1970s. It has one setting, 22 volts, which is great for our more experienced racers. However, for our younger racers, the Tri-Power Pack is extra fun. Introduced in 2007, our Tri-Power Pack allows racers to easily switch between three power settings: Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert.

On Beginner (using only 8 volts) racers can drive on most layouts at full throttle without the car coming off the track. On Intermediate (using 12 volts) racers can come off at full throttle in at least a few of the corners. On Expert (22 volts, the same voltage as our Standard Power Pack), the cars can come off pretty much everywhere.

Our Tri-Power Pack comes in all current AFX sets and plugs right into any AFX set sold after about 1980. This is the first time such a product has been made for HO cars and only AFX has it!