Troubleshooting & Maintenance
AFX products aren’t one and done deals, they’re built to last. As such, over time, they’ll need some extra love. Your AFX Product is warranted to be free of any and all manufacturing defects, not including wear and tear or misuse, for as long as you own it. Questions? Contact us!
Before you begin assembling your track, take an inventory of all of the pieces in the set using the comprehensive list found on the set instructions. Missing parts are very rare but if you find something to be missing, please contact us.
After taking inventory, lay out the track pieces in accordance to the layout instructions without connecting them.
To connect your track pieces, slide them together carefully but firmly. It may be easier to connect the track pieces together in groups and then connect the groups together. After that, install the bridge supports as indicated on the instructions.
After you have gotten everything connected and set up, run your finger over the track to check the connections. You are looking for any gaps and misaligned track junctions. If you find a gap, gently slide the 2 track pieces together to close the gap. In the case of a misaligned junction, pull the 2 tracks with the misaligned junction apart and reconnect them.
All track, old or new, should be cleaned before use. If your set stays up, it should be cleaned weekly. Dirty track can slow, stall, or even completely stop your cars. There are 3 things to be on the lookout for when trying to keep a clean track.
1) Dust and lint (gets in the motor and gears and axle and can cause dramatic reduction in performance)
2) Oil from the gears and motor (attracts dust and lint and can get on rear tires reducing traction)
3) Corrosion on the rails (can prevent electricity from reaching motor consistently)
For a basic cleaning of your track, you’ll need a pencil eraser, a clean cloth, and canned air. Run the eraser along the rails and wipe away the residue with the clean dry cloth. Then blow away the debris with the canned air. After that, run a car on both lanes for 5 to 10 laps, pushing it whenever it stalls. If it is still stalling after all of that, lay a coin flat against the rails and rub back and forth firmly to remove stubborn dirt and corrosion.
Once you receive your AFX track, we’re sure excited to get started racing! But before you get started, here are some thing you should do to get your track prepared to race.
All track, old or new, should be cleaned before use. Generally, we find that about 5 to 10% of sets have a minor form of corrosion out of the box. For a basic cleaning of your track, you’ll need a pencil eraser, a clean cloth, and canned air. Run the eraser along the rails and wipe away the residue with the clean dry cloth. Then blow away the debris with the canned air. After that, run a car on both lanes for 5 to 10 laps, pushing it whenever it stalls.
When looking at your track, you’ll notice a few different components. Firstly, you’ll see the sturdy black plastic that makes up the track. Running through the track, there are 2 metal rails. These rails are where your cars connect to the track and where your cars draw the electricity that powers them. On the backside of the track pieces, you’ll see a track number. The track numbers are used to identify the track pieces by length and curve.
To connect your track pieces, slide them together carefully but firmly. It may be easier to connect the track pieces together in groups and then connect the groups together.
In your AFX set, there are many accessories included beyond the track and cars. Amongst these accessories, you will find guardrails. These guardrails are great for helping to make sure your cars stay on the track. You will also have some bridge supports of various heights depending on the set you have. You will even have some extra parts for your cars.
Along with these accessories, you will have all your racing essentials such as a power supply and controllers. You have everything you need to begin racing!
Rail ends need very little to be considered “bent” – we’re talking 1,000th of an inch’s difference – impossible to detect with the naked eye. The slightest misconnection prohibits power from jumping from one track piece to the next. This happens on old and new sets during assembly.
To test your track for bent rail ends, drive to the point where the power stops, then, nudge the car forward until it gets its power again. If the car regains power within 2 to 15 track sections, the problem is almost certainly a bent or broken rail end. Good news is it’s a quick at-home fix. Here’s how:
1) Pull the track apart at the point where the power stops
2) Inspect the rail ends to be sure none are broken. Each lane has two rails; one is flat, the other is bent like a “Z”
3) Using a small, flat blade screwdriver or old butter knife, gently pry the “Z” rail end away from the track tab it rests against – Be careful not to break the tab! When done correctly, the very tip of the “Z” connector should be 1/32 inch from the plastic tab (the thickness of 2 business cards).
4) Re-connect the track and test.
Very rarely the rail end is broken. If this is the case, the track section will have to be replaced. If the track section came that way out of the box, just let us know and we will replace it at no charge.
In extreme cases of rail corrosion, you can use a utility knife blade. This is definitely something to be done by an adult only – not kid stuff! Simply take the blade out of the knife and lay the edge across the two rails of one lane. Scrape the blade edge across the top of the rails to remove a small amount of the metal.
An important part of troubleshooting is being able to eliminate components as the cause of the issue being diagnosed. To get started, test both lanes with both cars and both controllers and see if you can identify any patterns. For example, if the defect doesn’t follow one controller or the other, we can rule out the controllers as the cause of the issue. If the issue does follow one of the controllers, then voila! We’ve successfully determined the controller to be the issue.
Similarly, to rule out your cars as the issue, simply observe them. If both cars are behaving similarly on both lanes, the cars will most likely not be the issue. That would leave the issue as originating from the terminal track or the power supply.
If you get it narrowed down to the power supply and terminal track, it is normally pretty simple. If a power supply is defective, the vast majority of the time, there will not be any power getting to your track so therefore, there will be no movement. However, if only one lane is working, the terminal track would be the culprit.
If you are having any difficulty troubleshooting, contact us and we will be happy to figure it out with you!
To check your tracks’ connections run your finger over the entirety of your track. You are looking for any gaps and misaligned track junctions. If you find a gap, gently slide the 2 track pieces together to close the gap. In the case of a misaligned junction, pull the 2 tracks with the misaligned junction apart and reconnect them.
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.
If the “dead” lane doesn’t have any power whatsoever, detach the Terminal Track (the track that the controllers and Power Pack plug into) from the rest of the layout. Plug it in by itself and run both cars on both lanes with both controllers. You’ll get one of three outcomes:
- Only ONE lane works, which means the Terminal Track is defective and should be replaced.
- NEITHER of the lanes work, which means the Power pack is defective and should be replaced. (If you own an ohm meter you can verify the Power Pack is defective by testing the Power Pack’s connector for voltage. Set the meter to DC Volts, 60 Volt scale. The correct reading should be 8 Volt for beginner, 12 Volt for Intermediate and 22 Volt for Expert.)
- BOTH lanes work, which means the Terminal track and Power pack are functioning. So there is a bent or broken rail end directly next to or on the Terminal track. If this is the case, please see the “Bent Rail Ends” section.
When looking at your cars, you’ll notice several different components on the chassis. The small copper plates on the bottom of your chassis are pick-up shoes. These are what transfer electricity from the metal rails to power your car. Under the pick-up shoes there is a spring. The springs give the pick-up shoes tension. On the front middle of the chassis, you’ll see a guide pin. The guide pin goes down into the slot on your track to keep your car going in the proper direction. Your car also has tires. All of the parts are included in a tune up kit and will need to be replaced over the life of the car as they wear.
Before you begin racing your car, we recommend giving it a warmup.
Cars won’t reach peak performance level until they’ve warmed up. In fact, after a warmup, cars that appeared to run much slower than others may end up matching speed or beating your top cars.
Here’s how: Find a comfy spot, adjust to the highest power level you’re able to for your layout and run the slow car for 30 consecutive minutes. Push it whenever stalls until it’s zipping around the track. At this point, if it’s still getting lapped, the chassis is probably defective. Just let me know and I’ll send you a replacement.
Once you’ve received your new car, we’re sure your ready to start racing but we recommend warming up your new car beforehand. Cars won’t reach peak performance level until they’ve warmed up. In fact, after a warmup, cars that appeared to run much slower than others may end up matching speed or beating your top cars.
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
If your cars were running well and have started to slow down, the pick-up shoes and/or track rails are probably dirty. When you are running at Beginner, the voltage is only 8volts. The traction and motor magnets are very strong and if the electricity getting to the motor is reduced by dirty parts it doesn’t take a lot for the magnetic force to overpower the force generated by the motor. That is why at Intermediate (12 volts) or Expert (22 volts) the cars don’t have much difficulty moving out.
Two things to check: First, are the pickup shoes. If there is a blackish stripe down the middle, use a pencil eraser or very light sandpaper to gently rub it clean. Be sure not to bend the shoes. If the shoes have grooves in them, you can try sanding them down. But if the grooves have worn all the way through, they’ll definitely need to be replaced. Some spares come with the set.
Second thing to check: track rails. Use a tissue to wipe the track rails in the direction of travel. If you see dark lines on the tissue it means the track has collected dirt and should be cleaned as well. The Owner’s Manual has some tips about cleaning the track as well as on our website.
If your cars are stopping or stalling, the cause is likely one of two things, corrosion or bent tail ends.
Stalling CORROSION
The rails do corrode over time and this can be worse depending on where you live, for instance, near the ocean or in a high humidity area. Corrosion is hard, if not impossible, to see. It gets between the rail and the pick-up shoe of the car blocking the electricity from getting to the motor. Generally, we find that about 5 to 10% of sets have a minor form of this problem out of the box. In 99% of those cases, the solution is to simply run the car around the track on the highest power level of the Tri Power Pack that you are able to, for 10 or so laps, pushing it by hand through any areas where it stops. After these laps the corrosion is cleaned off and the problem goes away. However, you may have to repeat the process after the set is unused for some time.
In rare cases with severe corrosion, the car will stall or stutter in the same place every time around. If you have tried cleaning the track with an eraser per the owner’s manual and you are still having problems, use the track pad that comes with the set (or any fine grit sandpaper).
In extreme cases, you can use a utility knife blade. This is definitely something to be done by an adult only – not kid stuff! Simply take the blade out of the knife and lay the edge across the two rails of one lane. Scrape the blade edge across the top of the rails to remove a small amount of the metal.
Stalling BENT RAIL ENDS
Rail ends need very little to be considered “bent” – we’re talking 1,000th of an inch’s difference – impossible to detect with the naked eye. The slightest misconnection prohibits power from jumping from one track piece to the next. This happens on old and new sets during assembly.
To test your track for bent rail ends, drive to the point where the power stops, then, nudge the car forward until it gets its power again. If the car regains power within 2 to 15 track sections, the problem is almost certainly a bent or broken rail end. Good news is it’s a quick at-home fix. Here’s how:
1) Pull the track apart at the point where the power stops
2) Inspect the rail ends to be sure none are broken. Each lane has two rails; one is flat, the other is bent like a “Z”
3) Using a small, flat blade screwdriver or old butter knife, gently pry the “Z” rail end away from the track tab it rests against – Be careful not to break the tab! When done correctly, the very tip of the “Z” connector should be 1/32 inch from the plastic tab (the thickness of 2 business cards).
4) Re-connect the track and test.
Very rarely the rail end is broken. If this is the case, the track section will have to be replaced. If the track section came that way out of the box, just let us know and we will replace it at no charge.
If your cars are flying off the track, your tires and/or track are likely dirty.
To clean your tires, lay a strip of scotch tape sticky side up and roll the tires back and forth over the sticky side to remove the dust and lint from the tires.
To clean your track of dust, use a clean lint free cloth to wipe the track then blow away any left over debris with some canned air.