Search found 60 matches

by mebetree
Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:33 am
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Seemingly last minute weighting questions...
Replies: 16
Views: 13121

Re: Seemingly last minute weighting questions...

I think you have a 42' best track, not a 35'. A 35' is four 7' sections (28'), the 4' curve and a 3' stopping area. Pin to pin it's a little under 31' once you account for the starting gate and finish line sensor placement. The fastest cars in our pack using that length are running 2.52's (with one ...
by mebetree
Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:02 am
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: Do Rules Help?
Replies: 61
Views: 55917

Re: Do Rules Help?

"What are the leaders going to do when the rules make all things "stock" and the one child/parent still wins because they put more time into the car and build with skill." That's my point. The kids who "go for it" can do so without buying parts on-line or using expensiv...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 08, 2012 2:42 pm
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: Do Rules Help?
Replies: 61
Views: 55917

Re: Do Rules Help?

We've always impounded cars about a week before the race. The only difference for us... Okay. To clarify, the maintenance of an impound lot creates new issues for those who don't/can't currently impound . As for leagues, that has little to do with our pack races. Our first year in Cub Scouts, we wi...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:38 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Single most important element???
Replies: 16
Views: 14227

Re: Single most important element???

There is no single important element. But if you do a great job on the axles, hit 5.0 oz and have the wheels aligned properly, you should be competitive in most packs.
by mebetree
Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:35 pm
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: Do Rules Help?
Replies: 61
Views: 55917

Re: Do Rules Help?

The solution to much of this is to have two classes... The cars would be weighed and impounded at the same time. :unsure: The maintenance of an impound lot for one week creates new issues . Then have an optional "pro" class where the handful of nuts who really want to go at it can do so a...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 08, 2012 11:50 am
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: Do Rules Help?
Replies: 61
Views: 55917

Re: Do Rules Help?

The solution to much of this is to have two classes at your packs derby. Have every scout compete in a "stock" class where ONLY the parts in the box, and BSA replacements (axles and different colored wheels) are allowed. I'd go as far as not handing out the wheels and axles. Instead I woul...
by mebetree
Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:05 pm
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: Do Rules Help?
Replies: 61
Views: 55917

Re: Do Rules Help?

We try basing our rules on the theory that someone shouldn't be able to buy their way to victory. We feel that speed gained by carving the body, weight placement, changing the wheelbase, cleaning up the stock axles, cleaning up the stock wheels, canting axles, railriding with a lifted front wheel, e...
by mebetree
Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:53 am
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Arrrrrrrg! Why do we do it!
Replies: 12
Views: 11636

Re: Arrrrrrrg! Why do we do it!

Our pack track is stored in my house. It is SO tempting to set it up a month ahead of time and use it for testing and tuning. So far I have resisted the urge. I did make two runs on a shortened track the night before check-in just to make sure it wasn't going to hop off the track in the transition b...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:52 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: How are the wheels this year ?
Replies: 15
Views: 18534

Re: How are the wheels this year ?

I didn't "test" the colored wheels but I did use them on both of my son's car this year. I would say they feel a little bit harder. We don't use lathes (banned) but do hand sand them while on a mandrel and they took longer to get right than the black wheels. One wheel had a weird problem w...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:40 am
Forum: General Topics
Topic: Tungsten
Replies: 16
Views: 16690

Re: Tungsten

IMO the big advantage to tungsten is that if you like hiding your weights internally, you can get away with a much slimmer vehicle.
by mebetree
Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:06 am
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: Using a maple block
Replies: 29
Views: 21401

Re: Using a maple block

Again, I wasn't really worried about cheating with this car. It's just that it's been my experience that if you try using a dremel or other power tools to try hollowing out pine that thin that you are going to accidentally crack it along the way. I was curious if it was maple or some other wood. I w...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:56 am
Forum: General Coordinator Topics
Topic: How to keep eBay cars out of your race
Replies: 82
Views: 129758

Re: How to keep eBay cars out of your race

There are a few scouts/parents that simply can't get the wheels and axles straight every year and they refuse to accept help. But then their kid is embarrassed on race night because the car stops 5 feet from the finish. We started leaving out a section of track the last two years to make it more li...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:30 am
Forum: General Coordinator Topics
Topic: How to keep eBay cars out of your race
Replies: 82
Views: 129758

Re: How to keep eBay cars out of your race

Let me clarify, there have been accusations of cheating three years straight but the first two years involved a different scout. This is the first year the cubmasters son had a fast car and was accused of cheating. My own kids were accused of buying their cars this year too because they were so fast...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:32 am
Forum: General Coordinator Topics
Topic: How to keep eBay cars out of your race
Replies: 82
Views: 129758

Re: How to keep eBay cars out of your race

The problem is the parent in question is our cubmaster. The consensus among the other leaders I have mentioned this to is to let it go because short of a receipt from Velox, there is no hard proof. The cubmaster is running B&G in two weeks and after that his son bridges to Boy Scouts so everyone...
by mebetree
Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:05 am
Forum: General Coordinator Topics
Topic: How to keep eBay cars out of your race
Replies: 82
Views: 129758

Re: How to keep eBay cars out of your race

- A new car must be built by the scout (with help from an adult) each year for the event. - The car must be built using the parts in the official BSA kit provided by the pack. - The only items allowed to be used that are not in the official BSA kit are weights, alternative color BSA wheels, axle gua...