First alignment

[maxspeed]

Have a test board and decided to go with the bent axle procedure.My question is do you always start the alignment with the dominant wheel off the car and roll it forward and backward? We must use the axle slots and keep four on the floor. I've read Stans alignment procedure as well as others if anyone has a favorite post or link on alignment please let me know.

[doct1010]

Have a test board and decided to go with the bent axle procedure.My question is do you always start the alignment with the dominant wheel off the car and roll it forward and backward? We must use the axle slots and keep four on the floor. I've read Stans alignment procedure as well as others if anyone has a favorite post or link on alignment please let me know.

We always run 3 wheels touching and start with the rear and then move to lifted wheel. Since it isn't contacting track we tend to spend a little less time with it and try to get close just in case it should touch. We spend far more time on rear wheels than any other. We shim front wheel last and adjust as needed. The computer applet (based on Stans methods)mentioned here often is very helpful with tuning. Keep in mind with four touching a little more difficult to RR but not impossible.

[Go Bubba Go]

Have a test board and decided to go with the bent axle procedure.My question is do you always start the alignment with the dominant wheel off the car and roll it forward and backward? We must use the axle slots and keep four on the floor. I've read Stans alignment procedure as well as others if anyone has a favorite post or link on alignment please let me know.

IIRC we start with all 4 wheels on, moving the car forward and backward and looking just at the wheel movement (in or out) on the rear wheels and making appropriate tweaks.

Then we remove the dominant wheel and align the car for steer.

Then we remove the non-dominant wheel and replace dominant wheel and align for steer.

Then we put both front wheels back on and do any minor tweaks.

Note that we have to have 4 on the floor, so we worry a little more about non-dominant wheel alignment than would someone who has that puppy up off the track.

Bubba

p.s. Search on "LBW" (short for Learn to Build a Winner - Stan's book) and you will find a number of good threads on alignment.

[derbster]

When checking alignment using the applet, how far do you let the car roll when determining if a wheel moved in or out? thanks

[PWD_addict]

When checking alignment using the applet, how far do you let the car roll when determining if a wheel moved in or out? thanks

It's always been quite obvious within the first foot or so but we let it roll 4 feet to check it. Watch from over top with good lighting as it rolls and you can usually see it move quickly. The problem we've found with checking after it's stopped is that sometimes, the way you stop the car moves the wheels in or out.

[joe]

Keep in mind with four touching a little more difficult to RR but not impossible.

Absolutely right! I've only done this once. But the results made me situp and take notice. The 3-wheelers have that loose wheel hanging and other front end torques acting on the dominant wheel, it costs something! The 4-wheeler does not. My friend in another Pack recently brought his son's car over for alignment. His son is autistic and can paint the car and design it, and cheer for it, but not much more. They had to have 4 wheels touching, but we made a railrider out of it anyway. The COM was almost 2 inches in front of the rear axle, good aerodynamics. The car finished second in the Pack, and broke the track record along the way. The kicker? The darn thing was only six inches long!