One of the first things I do when modifying a car for speed is fix the axles. By “fix” I mean to make them so they don’t spin freely or move from side to side. Hot Wheels vary when it comes to how the axles behave.
Some cars have good clips that keep the axles pretty tight while others are so loose it looks like the wheels are going to fly right off. The less your axles move from side to side the less your wheels will also move, or wiggle. The less your tires wiggle the less time your car will spend wobbling down the track, letting it go a lot straighter.
Once you have your car apart just mix up a small bit of JB Kwik and apply a dab over your axle, affixing it to the chassis.
Before you plop down the JB Kwik, make sure your axles are evenly spaced in relationship to the chassis. Push the tires out as far as they’ll go and try to keep the spacing even between each tire and the chassis.
Wait a good 10 minutes and the JB Kwik will be set and you’re ready to roll.
A little dab of JB Kwik goes a long way
I would also recommend that you elevate the chassis when you apply the JB Kwik to the axles. Don’t set it flat on the table when you do it. If the tires are resting on the surface this will push the axle up.
Put a piece of clay or some popsicle sticks under the chassis to get it off the ground enough that the wheels have clearance.
Not only will this insure your axles are sitting properly, but it will also keep the car body higher so your tires have plenty of room to roll.
Will this work with superglue?
Super glue does work but I’ve found it doesn’t hold up for long. Especially if you’re doing a lot of racing, I’ve found the super glue gives out after minimal beating…usually separating from the plastic chassis while keeping the axle encased in glue.
If super glue is all you have, it will work, but if you can spring for a $5 bottle of JB Kwik it will hold together much longer.