K'Nex Roller Coaster Manuel D'instructions page 3

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hen your K'NEXROLLER COASTER is up and running. youll
have hours of fun watching the Coaster Car zoom around the loop
and whip around the track! You'll be proud of having buflt a really
impressive project.
To make sure the building of the Roller Coaster goes smoothly, its
important to follow the directions carefully. If you havent built v.hth
K'NEX before, you'll want to pay special attention to the Introduction.
Introduction
The KNEX building system is made up of Connectors. Rods and
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Trim (Tires.Pulleysand some special RollerCoaster parts). Rodsfit
into Connectors in three ways - through the hole: end of Rod snaps
into opening of the Connector; long portion of Rod snaps onto
Connector opening. These connections are shown in the pictures
here. Take a minute to practice them, getting the feel of KNEX
before you start. (#1)
KNEX instructions and parts are color-coded. so when you build.
you match the color and shape of the parts in the picture instructions
to the color and shape of the parts in your set. For instance, all blue
Rods are the sarne length, all red Connectors are the same shape.
Each time you see a blue Rod or red Connector in the instructions.
you know exactly which piece to use.
Black and gray Rodsare the exception to this rule. They are the
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sarnelength, but the black Rod, made from special material, is very
strong. It is only used in special situations,as youll seewhen follow-
ing the instructions.
While other Connectors are joined with a Rod in between, blue
and purple Connectorscan fit each other directly. Thesespecial com-
binations are important in building the Roller Coaster, so be sure that
when you combine blue and purple Connectors.you hear a "click"
that tells you they're together tightly. (#2)
When you attach the small tan Connector. be sure the •arrn" is
positioned exactly as shown. Thisarm locks in to control motion and
is essential to the proper functioning of the Roller Coaster. (#3)
The Tire in your set fits over one of the gray Hubs; these gray
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Hubs are also the wheels of the Roller Coaster Car. On the Roller
Crochet en U
Coaster, the Tire is used as a weight.
"U" shaped Hook
Building Tips
n Occasionally youll seeKNEX pieces pictured in the directionsin a
pinkish-gray color unlike any pieces you seein your set.Thiscolor
is used to show parts or sections you've already built. to differenti-
ate them from parts or sections you're going to add. (#4)
Pin
You will build an assembly from directions showing parts in their
Goupille
actual KNEX colors. When you're ready to add more parts, the
assembly you've already built is shown in pink-gray. while the
parts you're adding are shown in their actual colors.
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• Be sure to put Rodsin the correct slotsof Connectors,soyou have
the proper angles in your finished model. This is particularly impor-
tarrt in the Roller Coaster framework,
together gold Connectors and gold Rods.
To add several Connectors to a <ngle Rod for a solid effect. don't
try to put all the Connectorson at once. Attaching them one at a
tme makes constructing
About
to K'NEX
where you'll be snapping
much easier.
the K'NEX Roller Coaster
Even if you've built with KNEX before, the Roller Coaster has
some special parts you haven't seen —
Gold Connectors —like standard yellow Connectors with a tab
a
added: the tab accepts the Tubing which forms the Coaster
track. (#5)
Gold Tubing —split round Tubing fits over Connector tabs firmly,
forming curves and surfaces for Coaster Car to follow. Tubing
can be cut with scissors. (#5)
Gold Splicer —because you may need to cut Tubing for the Spiral
n
version of the Roller Coaster (the one without the Loop), the splice
piece is provided. It snaps over any Rod except the small green
one, and has a projecting tab like regular gold Connectors.
Tubing snaps right onto the tab from either side. (#6)
When you use the Splicer, snap one piece of Tubing on from the
left and one from the right. The two pieces meet in the middle, with
the Splicer giving them the support they need. Be sure to smooth
down the Tubing to eliminate bumps in the track.
n Gold Rod —while it's the sane length as a red Rod, the gold Rod
has special "stops" at each end that keep track apart at a uni-
form distance. (#7)
To build track structure, attach gold Connectors (with no other
Rods snapped into them) to slots at each end of gold Rod. Add
other Rods to gold Connectors only after gold Connectors have
been attached to gold Rods. (#8)
Black Link —Links snap together to form a long Chain that picks
a
up the Car and takes it up the steep incline. This Chain is the key
to the successful circuit your Coaster Car is going to make, so it's
vital that it be assembled properly.
Each Link has two "U" shaped hooks at one end. and a pin at the
other end. The hooks of one link catch onto the pin of the next link
(#9) to make the Chain that goes from the base to the top of the long
incline. Always attach hooks in the same direction.
Chain Links must be installed with the pin ends heading
incline. The hook ends (with the "U" shaped hooks pointing up) head
toward the base of the incline. On the Chain, you will make four
"pick-ups" that catch the Coaster Car and start it moving upward.
Place these pick-ups at four equally spaced points around the Chain.
The pick-up is made of a red Connector and a blue Rod. illustrat-
ed in #10. Be very careful to position the bottom opening of the red
Connector onto the Chain as shown; this leaves the middle
opening vacant, and lets you put the blue Rod in the top opening. If
you put the red Connector on backward, it will not pick up the Car.
How to follow your
Roller Coaster directions
In this instruction book, you have directions for two K'NEX Roller
Coaster models. one with a Loop and one that Spirals. Both sets of
instructions are laid out the sarne way.
You will see a large photograph of the complete Roller Coaster
divided into numbered Sections. This is called a "schematic."
individual Sections are shown in greater detail on other pages, so you
can see up close just how that area of the Roller Coaster is put
together. As an example, when you build "Section 2," it is shown in
four individual photographs. There are photos 2a, 2b and 2c. with a
complete photo showing Section 2, Assembly 2a, 2b, 2c- where all
the parts in the Section are put together. You can check the Section's
position in relation to the whole Roller Coaster by referring to Section
2 in the schematic photograph.
Some details are shown only in the Loop version directions.
When building the Spiral version, youll refer back to the Loop for
those details; areas where you need to do this will be indicated.
The heading of each Section tells you how many gold
Connectors you 'Will use in that Section. This is for gold Connectors
only; don't confuse them with yellow Connectors which may also be
used in the sarne Section.
And dont forget that, when you see parts in a pinkish-gray
it means you've built that area before and are ready to add more
pieces (shown in their actual colors) to it.
To power your Roller Coaster Car. you'll build a hand crank that
turns the Chain, picking up the Car and sending it around the track.
Some builders may want to add the KNEX Motor Pack (sold sepa-
rately), so instructions for Motor installation
Troubleshooting
Because the KNEX Roller Coaster is large. there are times when
some pieces may shift or an alignment
are some things to look for. to put you back on the right track —
If the Coaster Car doesn't catch onto the pick-up
the base of the incline, spread the red and gray Connectors
front of the Car apart slightly. There should be some space
between them. Also. make sure Chain
same direction. as shovm in the instructions.
• If the Car falls off at the top of the incline,
white Rod in front of the axle up or down slightly.
• Should Car come off track after completing
position of gray and red Rods on the bracing structure to the side of
up the
and underneath the incline. Also. be sure that
Rod at the front of the Car is not down
a When the Car goes around the Loop, but can't
because it hits the side of the Loop, check position of orange
Connectors and blue Rod. The three orange Connectors between
the two halves of the Loop, and the orange Connector with the
blue Rod snapped in sideways. keep the Loop at the proper
Connector
tance from the Car.
If the Car doesn't go around the Loop. make sure all Tubing
firmly snapped in place. Run your fingers around Tubing on the
Loop, to make sure it all feels smooth.
If Car falls off the Loop. check gold Rods to make certain they
are all in proper position around the Loop.
The curves of your Roller Coaster are very sensitive
Make sure that all Rod, Connector a-rd Tubing
solid. If they're not snapped together firmly. problems can occur.
The
Don't severely twist or bend Tubing,
permanently kinked.
color.
are included here.
problem may develop. Here
on the chain at
at the
Links are all going in the
adjust the center
the Loop. check
the center white
too far.
get up the hill
dis-
is
areas.
connections are
or it may become
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