How to Upgrade Your Track ower and Controllers

Improving your slot racing experience starts with upgrading your hand controllers. The standard controllers that come with most racing sets are quite basic and don’t provide much control over the car. You may find that they aren’t very responsive, working effectively only in the last 50% of the trigger. These controllers typically function more like an on/off switch, which can make driving less enjoyable.

DS Racing Hand Controllers

Upgrading from a standard racing set hand controller to a DS Hand Controller will greatly enhance your control over the car and boost overall driving enjoyment. DS hand controllers are a popular choice for both home and club racing, offering increased sensitivity and smoother power delivery throughout the entire throttle range, giving you full control of the car at all times.

Choosing the Right OHM

The OHM rating determines the sensitivity of the controller. For example, a 15ohm controller is the most sensitive, while a 55ohm controller is the least sensitive. For home circuits, we recommend using a 35ohm resistor.

Still experiencing power drops and surges? Or perhaps you’re looking to expand your track circuit, but your current power supply isn’t up to the task?

Most racing sets come with a power supply fixed between 12v and 18v and a low amp rating, typically ranging from 800ma to 1300ma. With many modern models featuring strong magnets, it takes around 800ma just to get them moving from a standstill, meaning both cars end up competing for the available amps. We generally recommend at least 1 to 1.5 amps per car.

To enhance the power and performance of your circuit, you can easily upgrade by replacing your standard power supply and powerbase with one of the transformers available on our website. We offer a variety of options suitable for powering small, medium, or large slot racing tracks for both home and club circuits. You can choose between fixed voltage or variable voltage transformers depending on your needs.

For example, if your circuit is used by people of varying skill levels, including small children, opting for a variable voltage transformer is essential. It allows you to lower the power supplied to the track, making it more manageable for younger or less experienced users.

When upgrading your power supply, we also recommend removing the existing standard powerbase from your circuit, as it can limit the performance of your new transformer. We can provide custom wiring looms to connect the power supplies to all types of home or club tracks, whether analogue or digital circuits. Additionally, we offer a range of lap counting systems in collaboration with DS.

Before upgrading your power supply, ensure that your cars and track are in good condition.

Car Maintenance

Check that your car’s braids are clean and in good shape. We recommend using PSR Braid Cleaner for this. You can also refer to our guide on Basic Slot Car Maintenance for more tips.

Clean Rails

If your circuit hasn’t been used in a while, it might need a quick cleaning. We suggest cleaning the track rails by wiping them with a lightly oiled cloth and PSR Braid Cleaner to remove any surface dirt. This will improve the cars’ pickup around the track. If the rails have become tarnished or dull, using a Track Rail Rubber may be necessary.

Clean Track Surface

The track surface might also need cleaning, as dust buildup can reduce grip. You can easily wipe the surface with a cloth, or simply drive a car around the circuit for a few laps to help clean both the rails and the track.

Power Taps

You can improve power consistency around the track by adding power taps. These are wires that connect rails near the powerbase to other track sections farther from the powerbase. This method is typically used for larger or older circuits.

Power is supplied directly to the track.