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Fray car tuning

87K views 288 replies 57 participants last post by  wheelszk 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all,
My name is Tim Leppert, Iv'e been racing fray style cars for seven years. and been to every fray since 2001.
I thought I would try to get you going on building a fray car from the ground up.
If you have a few tools, and a decent supply of parts, you should be able to build a pretty good fray car.

First things first:
Tools,
You will need a fast way to remove gears. The R.T. gear removal tool is the answer
The R.T. gear press is also a required item. No better gear press made. Don't even bother with any others.
Wheel removal tool.
Good wheel press, Wizard makes a good one, and at a decent price.
Poising tool, You can make your own, just go to H.O. world for the article.
Tech block. Yes you will NEED this, (not just for tech)
Cheap dial calipers, A decent set can found at Harbor freight.
Other stuff after I think about it......

First up, Chassis choice.
You want to find a chassis that is flat on all four corners.
You will need:
Your tech block, two drill blank axles, uncut (about 2" long) and ALL your chassis (stripped of all removable parts)

Simply place the axles thru the rear and front axle holes and place on the tech block so that the ends of the axles are resting on the rails.
press on the corners of the chassis, and find the ones that are touching on all four corners.set these aside(they are very rare)
then begin to rate them based on how far out they are. place them in a line in order of straightness.

Next episode: Gear plates.
 
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#91 · (Edited)
Here we go guys, Let’s talk shoes.

Tools needed:
Flat settup plate
Tweezers
Duck billed pliers
Shoe Sanding block
Small flat blade scewdriver




First off: choices, choices.

Let’s list the options we have.
#1 stock Aurora shoes, We all have a bunch of them, heavy weight, won’t get bent in a rail hook, legal pretty much everywere.

#2 early Aurora small window. These are VERY hard to find, but they are different. I’m not shure they are an advantadge, but they do weigh a little more than stockers.

#3 BSRT: The first to repop shoes. They are very light weight and can be easy to set up. They also can be delicate in a wreck, and require and totally different spring settup.

#4 Slottech: The second to try his hand at the shoes. They are very similar to BSRTs offering. The hook area is different, but they also are delicate and thin.

#5 Wizzard: The most recent entry into the sweepstakes, and the most different from any came before. They are wider, and thicker gauge copper. The hook area is VERY similar to what I will try to get you to do with the other offerings.

( In the spirit of full diclosure, this writer had a small hand in the design, and manufacturing recomendations of the Wizzard offering. I will try to be as evenhanded in my tips and adjustments.)

The main goal here is to lower lap times, and make your car more of a winner. So you need to try different things and think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to mix it up from left to right. And from manufacturer to manufacturer.

The first thing to star with is the hangers. Be shure they are tight on the rivets, and they are clean.
Let’s do stockers first: 
Choose a set that has not been screwed with and is clean and free from corrosion. We will need to pay very close attention to the hook area.
Find a stock shoe spring, unmolested, and install your shoe. Look at the chassis from the side, there are three area we will be changing. The hook, the area where the spring makes contact, and the very front, or “window”.
We will also be adjusting the hanger in two ways. As you look from the side, the gap between the plastic and the copper, and as you look from the bottom, the “twist” of the hanger.

Now as you can tell by now, there are multiple adjustments. Just do one thing at a time, and you will be rewarded.
First thing to try is the hook. Remove the shoe, take your pliers, and grab the tail. Bend the tail so it points straight down. Reinstall the shoe and check your adjustment by trying to move the shoe from left to right. You want this movement to be as minimal as possible.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh259/ssrinkc/DSC005831.jpg


If there is too much, you will need to bend the hanger down, towards the plastic. Remove the shoe, Place your screwdriver into the hanger window and gently bend the front end of the hanger down. Just go a little at first, at try the shoe for fit, repeat as needed, until the shoe has free up and down movement and small side to side movement.
Be VERY carefull when you are bending the hanger, it very easy to break the hanger so go slow!
This adjustment can be maddening, so be patient. You will probably go thru a couple of shoes before you figure it out, That’s why we start on stockers, they are cheep.

Once you get this where you want it, it’s time for the limiting bend. This limit’s the travel and is also a very important adjustment. Once again, grab your pliers and stand the shoe on the tail, pointing straight up. You are looking down the shoe, thru the window. Grab the very top of the copper, lining up the tip of the pliers with the top of the opening, then bend the tag so it points forward, bend it as far as you can,

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh259/ssrinkc/DSC005841.jpg

we will end up with this tag folded over, forming a hem.


http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh259/ssrinkc/DSC005861.jpg


Now, you can simply install the shoe and spring and adjust for contact as normal. At this point be sure to get the twist right, this sets the flatness in the left to right plane. Then manipulate the tag so you have the limit you want. Be sure that the front tires are the size you want. If you change the tire sizes, you will need to adjust the shoe limit accordingly.
As you lift the front end and set it back down, you want to see the smallest movement.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh259/ssrinkc/DSC00589.jpg


As you get this close, you need to get out the shoe sander and get that contact patch flat. The last adjustment is for spring tension. I always leave the spring alone and adjust tension on the shoe. Try to run the lightest tension you can. This will increase cornering speeds, and reduce the braking distance. The better the chassis/power combination, the lighter tension you can run.

Your tension is too light if:
Power is intermittent
Shoe(s) get a black residue
Right and left turns react differently.

Your tension is too heavy if:
Car deslots on entry of a corner,
Off the corner, or at the start. Car “front end hops”
Front tires are off the setup plate.


To adjust the spring tension,remove the shoe. Place the tip of your pliers in the bend closest to were the spring sets. then close down and bend the hook down, increasing the distance between the chassis and the shoe. to increase tension, simply bend the other direction.
Now it may be easier for you to play with the spring. If that is a more comfortable adjustment for you that's fine. As you play with that, keep in mind, that the JL springs are a little heavier in tension. This can come in handy.

This is the basics of shoe adjustment. From here on out, we will simply use these basics to adjust the other brands.

As for American Line shoes, they are my “go to” shoes. If nothing else is working, I go to these. They are VERY close to stock shoes in weight, thickness, and shape. You can tell them by the sharp corners on the hinge end.
You will want to bend the rear tang, and limit the fronts as usual. You can usually get away with a little less spring tension on these. Also, they tend to stay adjusted and not get tweeked in a wall shot, or by hooking a rail.


OK,
That does it for now. I will get into the BSRT and Slottech shoes in the next installment.
 
#96 ·
Hell Roger, I can't even remember my name sometimes. They are THE choice when it comes to t-jet shoes. I just assume that folks know them and they don't need to be mentioned.:cool:

And how would you know of such a thing, Braids and Bianchis and all? You don't happen to own a Bianchi do you?
 
#98 ·
Now that we have gotten comfortable with the stockers and the AMLs It’s time to try a different animal, the BSRT and Slottech shoes.

These are different from stockers in a few important ways. The first is weight. They are 30% lighter than most stockers, and they have a very different hook area. These two main things make them a great alternative for the fray racer.

As far as the hook area goes, I usually try to make it look like the stockers. Bending the hook and getting the tension close. The front is pretty close to a stock also, in the way you adjust for travel.

Many folks have used these with great success by leaving the hook alone and using it stock. You may want to experiment with both ways before you decide.

The main difference in the settup is the flatness adjustment. Get these very close BEFORE sanding. You can bend these while sanding them, causing a false reading. You will also find that these tend to want more tension. Be careful when adding tension, this will tend to lift the front end, causing deslots.

Also, Pay very close attention to the twist of these shoes, they are ALL twisted,. I find that I need to adjust this on every pair I use.
You will probably find that these shoes will improve your overall H.P. at the expense of handling. If you get them adjusted PERFECTLY, they are VERY fast. But it is very time consuming to do. And they tend to bend easily in a wall shot.

Overall, I use these shoes on many of my routed track cars, They do work great on sectional tracks, but the tendency to hook on track sections is too great and I have begun to avoid them for this.


Next issue:
Wizzard shoes, and on track adjustments.
 
#100 ·
Now that we have gotten comfortable with the stockers and the AMLs It’s time to try a different animal, the BSRT and Slottech shoes.

These are different from stockers in a few important ways. The first is weight. They are 30% lighter than most stockers, and they have a very different hook area. These two main things make them a great alternative for the fray racer.

As far as the hook area goes, I usually try to make it look like the stockers. Bending the hook and getting the tension close. The front is pretty close to a stock also, in the way you adjust for travel.

Many folks have used these with great success by leaving the hook alone and using it stock. You may want to experiment with both ways before you decide.

The main difference in the settup is the flatness adjustment. Get these very close BEFORE sanding. You can bend these while sanding them, causing a false reading. You will also find that these tend to want more tension. Be careful when adding tension, this will tend to lift the front end, causing deslots.

Also, Pay very close attention to the twist of these shoes, they are ALL twisted,. I find that I need to adjust this on every pair I use.
You will probably find that these shoes will improve your overall H.P. at the expense of handling. If you get them adjusted PERFECTLY, they are VERY fast. But it is very time consuming to do. And they tend to bend easily in a wall shot.

Overall, I use these shoes on many of my routed track cars, They do work great on sectional tracks, but the tendency to hook on track sections is too great and I have begun to avoid them for this.


Next issue:
Wizzard shoes, and on track adjustments.
While I agree that many of these points are valid with the 504's, I don't believe the Slottech shoes have these difficulties. They are thicker than 504's, have a different rear hook, and a smaller window (and they are not all twisted). "Pros" have been using these without issues since their release.
 
#99 ·
Thanks for the tips, Tim.

I've been mainly using the Slottechs, but a couple nights ago took the time to adjust some stock shoes and was rewarded with a faster, better handling car. So, tonight I decided to try the same on another car. After totally mangling 2 pairs of shoes, the car was a bit slower than with the Slottechs. I guess that is just part of the fun of tjets.
 
#105 ·
The only thing i would add to the conver. so far is about the corian shoe sander, .99c will buy you a knife sharpening stone at most hardware stores, you can "True" you contact patch with this before putting it on the car. Once on the car, a few minor adjustment tweeks and your "Swipe" will run from front to back.
 
#107 ·
Actually, when doing this you can test before putting power to the car. On a test track, with the car in place (ready to push forward), coat the top of the rail - 4" long or so - with a sharpie then push the car over it. You will see your results.

I've been doing this for a couple years now. Look at an untouched shoe under magnification, every brand is full of pits and scratches from manufacturing...invisible to the naked eye buy they are there.

Stone first then polish the patch to a mirror finish with a buffing wheel. If you do just this to a car, the difference is tremendous. This is why I never dremel my race-prepped shoes. (and the stone will show you the damage a dremel can do)

This stone thing, by the way....more than just for shoes. :thumbsup:
 
#109 ·
Hey, thanks for the report.
If Ward said they were good, then they were GOOD. That guy is topped only by Royal when it comes to shoes. I know that Trek uses them alot. maybe I could get him to show me the ropes on them.

What kind of tension were you running? softer or harder?
Do you ever run any smaller dia. fronts, say around .305-.300?
 
#110 ·
Tension was likely on the high side as I kept launching if I approached the overpass too hard. I do like good tension, taking advantage of restricting shoes, and I probably could've controlled it better with a slightly heavier front. My biggest problem is time/distance, every time I've raced with the great east coast guys (VHORS/ECHORR) I usually end up with an hour or less prep time before the race. Still always fun though, and I enjoy the fact that while not in the winner's circle yet, my self-built cars are definitely in the hunt. :)
 
#111 ·
Running with that crowd you will need the ponies! Take the advice of a prooven race looser: lighten up on the tension, and work with the patch. You want that washed out "X" pattern on the patch.
When that shows up, then reduce tension and watch your laptimes. I know, it feels slower,but it's really a quiker lap, and you stay on for a larger lap total.

As an aside, I HATE time/distance racing. It's the lowest common denominator of race formats. A sellout for the promoters.
I like shorter spint races, and I think it gives the newbees a chance.
 
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