On the JLXT, AW, or Magnatractions, do you prefer the pin or the blade?

Ive always been a pin guy. I figure the blade guys are trying to compensate for something :)

Plus, the guys i race with would be challenged to insert blade into slot. :)

Which do you prefer?

I prefer blade. I feel they make the cars run quieter and smoother. I only race by myself so reslotting is not an issue, but it is deffinately easier to reslot the pins.

I too always preferred the blade believing they just performed better.

Probably just all in my head. :tongue:

Pin. Easier to get back into the slot during a heated race. :) rr

I prefer running a car with a blade but I usually give guests cars with pins for easier reslotting. I haven't done any timing experiments in this area to discover if it impacts the speeds significantly. I'm curious... but not THAT curious.

I go with pin. I think is gives you less resistence

When in contact in the turns, the pin would contact one side of the slot along a thin line while the blade would contact over a wider rectangular area. Less contact area might equate with less resistance. On the other hand, as we've seen with the thin axles in the big AWXT axle holes, rattling around in all that extra space as the car goes in and out of the turns might not be a good thing. Maybe the Mythbusters would take this on...

I use the blade side. As stated earlier, it's thicker than the pin so it fills the slot with less side-to-side movement, giving better performance.

On Tyco/MM track, the blade is too long, so I switch to the pin side when using running on these tracks.

I go with pin. I think is gives you less resistence

I'm a pin guy too. Less surface area IMHO.

PS: I'm betting Mike already independently tested the pin vs the blade and has a stack of time slips to document his findings! :p

I have always wondered why the blade is long and the pin is short.

I have always wondered why the blade is long and the pin is short.

No way! Something I actually know cuz I'm ancient.

Aurora originally did it so the new generation of AFX cars could be run on the old school lock and joiner which has a shallower slot.

I have a vague memory of something about this being printed in the operationing instructions way back in the day.

Unfortunately no stone tablets remain in my archives to document my hypothesis.

Anyone......?

the blade was for the newer AFX track that had a deeper slot than lock and joiner....

and i have time tested blade vs pin and the results favor pin on my track....

the blade is longer and that ought to help, but i think b/c the blade doesnt always rotate freely (ive even tried oiling this contact point) it can hang up in a turn. with the blade sometimes in a turn i just deslot, before the wheels start to skid.

but even with testing, the lap time differences are only about 5%

btw, my track is short and twisty, so cornering REALLY matters, and a bit of hang up in a turn is really an issue

Bill is correct on that.
Of course you could always opt for the "power stearing kit" With the long steel pin, Best of both worlds.
If you can't get those, try the pin from a Life like. more weight and the long pin. And no more pin popping out of the fork!( they're tight)

Ha Mike!

You're so predictable. I KNEW you had the facts. I woulda put Marty's two bucks on that bet, except I spent it on an a controller(SD4) this week. LOL

Myth be busted. 5% is a huge difference when the nights racing is done. Although not directly applicable, a 5% improvment would have put me in the top 3 at our last gathering.

Thanks for your diligence.

Depends on the track.

For a Bucktraxx or a Maxtrack I use a pin because the joints are smoother and the pin is less likely to catch in a joint.

For AFX or Tomy track I use the blade as it tends to run smoother through the turns. I especially like the blade if the is a tight esses section as the extra drag allows me to slowly add power as I go through and come out of it faster than I went in.

For Tyco, Lifelike and Model Motoring track I'll generally use the pin because of the shallower groove. However, if there is an esses in the track I'll shave down a blade.

No way! Something I actually know cuz I'm ancient.


Thanks Bill. I never considered myself ancient at 39 but I suppose I must now face the facts as I knew the answer to that as well. :rolleyes:

My gray hair should have been the sign though. :p

Aurora actually made two different blades.
One was short and square on the bottom - it probably would run on Tyco/MM track with no modification. I also don't think it was reversable - it had no pin on the opposite side. I don't see this one often.
The more common blade is long with a rounded bottom. A pin is on the opposite side.
Any difference between the two blades?

Joe

Good catch! My ommission Joe.

Seems like I remember the "short blade no pin" unit coming on one of my first generation 4 gear Model A's.

I have recieved some of these guides recently in auction junk lots, and coincidently they arrived on 4 gear chassis.

I believe this was done to remove the unsightly blade or pin from the open front of the pretty grill on the A bodies. As this deleted the pin, the blade was shortened to accomodate L&J track.

Crystal Ball clouded, Wayback Machine down for repairs, but I think that was how it came to be. :rolleyes:

I have some of those flat pins.... I always swapped them put for metal gplus pins though

Thanks for the info guys. Makes sense.

I like the pin, I run tyco track and the only way to use the blade is to razor the length a bit. (which I use to do) but why bother, just flip it.

Fingernail clippers are great for shortening guide pins and blades.

Not the metal pin though.

On the JLXT, AW, or Magnatractions, do you prefer the pin or the blade?

Ive always been a pin guy. I figure the blade guys are trying to compensate for something :)

Plus, the guys i race with would be challenged to insert blade into slot. :)

Which do you prefer?

Ummmmm.............. hello? I totally resemble this remark....

Let's see, I can't even pick the right color most of the time, what makes you think I could ever get the blade in after one of your mayhem induced yellow laned, 4 car sweep of the track just to make sure if you are coming out everyone else is too... wipeouts.

On top of probably being upset about the $2 Bill (or fordcowboy, however you want to look at it) still owes me, trying to line up 4 blades (because Mike never just takes himself off) is going to be next to impossible. Any advantage a blade may have had is negated the second Mike comes off the track. :p

Ummmmm.............. hello? I totally resemble this remark....

Let's see, I can't even pick the right color most of the time, what makes you think I could ever get the blade in after one of your mayhem induced yellow laned, 4 car sweep of the track just to make sure if you are coming out everyone else is too... wipeouts.

On top of probably being upset about the $2 Bill (or fordcowboy, however you want to look at it) still owes me, trying to line up 4 blades (because Mike never just takes himself off) is going to be next to impossible. Any advantage a blade may have had is negated the second Mike comes off the track. :p

Mike calls that a strike! If he dont getcha, he'll pick up the spare on the next lap! :freak: There's a hidden message in Mike's classic bowling shirts.

As for your two bucks, I'll have to file a claim with the USPS. :thumbsup:

My heartfelt apologies for cutting into the coffers of the "Wildeness Hills Controller Testing Program".