Older Supertrack's repair?

[ARGOJIM]

I get this has become the Adair and Channel track forum do to the popularity and diversity, however this is for owners still using the older supertrack set.



Many of us have dealt with the bent guides on the old style supertrack for years with many tires being cut, so today while trying to bend some guides ,all guides actually, for an owner to get a month or so out of I came up with a plan.


First the pins must be tight, not wore out as the also contribute to track shape.

The newer supertracks measure 11 inches across the top, once the older tracks are bent they also measure near 11 inches, both tracks measure near 10-1/4 to 1/2 at the bottom radius and the newer style has closed guides to aid in keeping track straight.

The plan is to set those tracks you don't use all summer in the sun, cut some wood at 11 inches ( a couple 2x12's would be best) and wedge them in the guides at the radius start for a week or so in the heat and stretch ( wood should extend up full length of guides), then remove them from the sun and let them cool a couple days, then remove wood.
This should slightly renew the tracks some for minimal cost. These sections are no longer available and this should re-flatten curved tracks.
Plastic has a memory but it gets short it the cold, if it's out of shape it will stay there. What I have found is the tires actually ride the guides when off machine and when on machine any turning, combined with sharp guides, will pinch or puncture the tires.

Any experimenters out there? I have none to try and like to the know results, test could be quickened significantly with use of a heat source to soften tracks quickly.

Any thoughts out there ?

[plott hound]

the super tracks that were on my old conquest were worn really bad.guides were almost sharp enough to cut yourself on.i never measured the distance between the guides but I did doctor them up a lot.first I hit every guide with my 4" grinder to round them off nicely.then I semi melted the top of guides with a propane torch to further smooth them out and get rid of the grinding burs.i ended up with the guides looking some what symetrical .only took a few hours to do it and they looked great.i never replaced any pins although they were wore pretty bad.im sure those tracks will be in use for a quite a few more years yet.

[ARGOJIM]

That particular set of tracks is in very good condition for 15 years or more old , other than the guides, they also have ice cleats mounted which aids in the deflection of the one side's guides. only a few guides are sharp.
Someone had replaced the pins with home made and slightly longer.

[guyvapeur]

I have remolded a few track segments that had been bent inward and were causing tire problems. I laid the track down, placed a pipe wrench on the piece (much the same as ARGOJIM put the pliers) I wanted to bend out and then applied heat with an electric heat gun. I added weight to the pipe handle and heated a large area of the guides. Slowly the piece took shape and I moved onto another segment. They have kept this shape for a couple of years now.