Cleaning Scalextric track

Light cleaning of the track surface is recommended for daily use. Always ensure track is unplugged before doing this. We recommend using a damp cloth or very lightly oiled cloth. This removes light grime and dust from the track surface. Wipe surface dry afterwards.

Always do this before using the Scalextric layout as this will help ensure you get the best grip from the car tyres.

Corrosion and heavy tarnishing

Again, ensuring track is unplugged, use a mild abrasive material to shine up the running surfaces of the pick-up rails, making sure that the male and female connections at the ends of the track sections are also bright and shiny. Be aware that sometimes no amount of cleaning of heavily corroded rails and connectors will return the track to a useable state and replacement of track in this condition is the only alternative.

How to repair power breaks or weak power sections on a Scalextric layout. 

When a car stops on a circuit this can indicate TWO breaks in electrical continuity since electricity travels in both directions around the track. If there was only one break then you would not notice it as electricity flows in both directions.

The way to correct this problem is to:

• Run a slot car at full throttle while holding up the back wheels. Slowly make your way around the track and listen out for areas where the speed drops.

• When you find the dead spot, turn off the powerbase and use a screwdriver to make a small dimple in the track where the metal connection where two track pieces meet.
• Retest as before. If the problem persists, you will need to replace the track piece and the one before it.

When your powerbase short circuits, the standard orange light will change to a red light, alerting you to the problem.

The way to correct this is to:

1. Remove all cars from the track.
2. Unplug the powerbase, wait for 10 seconds and then plug it back in.
3. Check the slot car braids are straight and not overlapping and then return them to the track.
4. Run the cars to see if the short circuit has been resolved.
5. If there are still problems, unplug the track again and check the entire layout for loose braids, screws or anything else that might be causing the issue.
6. Repeat steps 1 – 4.
7. If the short circuit persists, try changing the slot cars. If they run fine after re-repeating steps 1-4, the slot cars may need attention.
8. If this still doesn’t work, the powerbase will need replacing.

If a lane change track piece fails to operate, follow this simple procedure:

• Disconnect the lane change track piece and check that the rail connections are all good.
• Check that there are no obstructions in the slot preventing the flipper from physically moving. It should 'flip' freely.
• Ensure that the track piece hasn't been bent (stood on, for instance) which will also cause the flipper to jam.
• Reconnect the track piece and turn power on.
• Manually move the flipper into the position which would cause the car to change lane. Manually push a car over the track lane change sensor (this is a round hole about one car length before the flipper). The flipper should flip back to the 'straight ahead' position.
• If the above procedure has not identified any problems, please contact our Customer Care team for further assistance.

Ideally, it is best not to nail, screw or glue the track to a baseboard at all. The reason for this is that plastic and metal, the two ingredients of Scalextric track, expand and contract at different rates. So, on hot days the plastic will expand larger than the rail. Of course, the rail won't let the plastic expand evenly as it is gripping the plastic. This causes the track surface to warp.

When the track is laid loose, the circuit can 'grow' and absorb any expansion due to heat. If the track is not allowed to move freely (i.e. nailed down) then any expansion will only lead to uneven surfaces.

If the layout is to lay flat, leave the track loose. Keep the layout in a dry room with a constant temperature. This normally means that the loft, shed and garage are not ideal places.