Update 2019 results - Still need assistance

Secrets, tips, tools, design considerations, materials, the "science" behind it all, and other topics related to building the cars and semi-trucks.
Speedster
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: Update 2019 results - Still need assistance

Post by Speedster »

Yep, there is a better way. Lets forget about League racing completely. I bend all my nails at 1 1/2 degree with that $75.00 axle bender. Rear wheels are set with Negative cant. If you are going to drill holes, drill them in as straight as possible. Some folks put a pin or tack in the front of the car without the front wheels on the car. The car must be level. The head of the nail will have been marked with a sharpie so you know where the angle of the bend is. Both rear wheels need to migrate to the axle heads and stay there while moving the car forward and backward. Any adjustment is going to be very, very slight. The rear wheels will now not try to steer the car and cause unnecessary friction. You cannot achieve this if fenders are covering the wheels.

The Dominant front wheel should be set with Positive cant and tow-in. A drift of 2" in 4' is a good starting point. After I do the final test on my Best track the drift ends up being 2" in 3'. That's as fast as the car will go.

Prepping the wheels is critical. A car will only go as fast as the slowest wheel. The bores must be polished with Novus 2 polish and scratch remover. Novus 2 can be purchased on the Internet. Check the Search function and learn how to lube the wheels.

The Nail. I don't care what folks think of me. The only thing I do to the nail is to very carefully remove the 2 casting marks under the head. The casting marks on the shaft are not involved in the race. Again, there is a very shiny Zinc coating on that nail. Turn it in graphite if you want. You will put an invisible coating on it. I do not sand the axle with any grit of paper.

Here's what I'd like to see happen. I'd like someone to say, To all who keep taking 1st place in their races, please tell me how you build your car from the shape you choose to every, every step you do after you choose the shape. Does everything you do make the block go faster? We'll a learn something.

A reminder. This is about Physics. This is about you. It has nothing to do with your relationship with your scout.
RacerRemy
Apprentice
Apprentice
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:45 am
Location: US

Re: Update 2019 results - Still need assistance

Post by RacerRemy »

So update, it does indeed look like we are advancing to districts.

Since our race, I took a much closer look and identified a few things we need to fix.

The first was our fenders were flush against the body, so actually closer than all but the DFW. Infact the rear trailing fender broke off sometime during our race.

I'm not sure if it hit, but error on the side of caution, it did and broke, or the car was dropped. The wheel near was hit and wobbled after but not before.

I picked up some other tools including the wheel hub tool, hub shaver, pro wheel shaver and bore polishing kit.

So work some new wheels, fix the fenders, and realign something more aggressive like 4" over 6 feet?

Is there any difference or reason to test with a guide rail or would a glass table be the preferred surface?


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