Our 2013 John Deere green car

[j.m.]

This is our car for our final race of cub scouting. It's been fun, and as we started out very bad 5 years ago with not knowing anything and finishing last, to finishing 1st every single run but 1 that it ran second. This car made a total of 22-24 runs between pack race and districts. This car set a track record for districts, and had every dad that paid attension to the times, keeping track of it's progress through out the day.

[DerbyDash]

Congratulations your win! I'm sure you son must be thrilled.

If I missed it in one of your other posts I apologize but where did you end up with the COM, type of weight used, rail rider and anything special done that you think can help? Always looking for "words of wisdom" to help us with our next build...we have two more years and my son wants to "go faster" if we can.

[whodathunkit]

Congrats on the win!
The JD Green paint looks cool.

[j.m.]

DerbyDash... The car is a 4 on the floor railrider with tungsten 5/32" dia. tig welding electrodes pressed into the side of the car. Very clean and easy to do for any youngster. Wheels were trued on a lathe, as they were pretty bad this year. Center of mass is right at 1" in front of rear axle. The car had to run on an aluminum best track for pack race, then run a gentle transition wood track for districts. We were affraid to get anymore aggressive with the com with the best track. When tuning a 4 on floor car, the non dominant front wheel just has to touch the flat plate, it doesn't have to have any actual weight on it, so the tuning process gets very touchy at that point. All wheels need to run to the outside , and the car needs to have proper drift at the same time only having weight on 3 axles.

[DerbyDash]

DerbyDash... The car is a 4 on the floor railrider with tungsten 5/32" dia. tig welding electrodes pressed into the side of the car. Very clean and easy to do for any youngster. Wheels were trued on a lathe, as they were pretty bad this year. Center of mass is right at 1" in front of rear axle. The car had to run on an aluminum best track for pack race, then run a gentle transition wood track for districts. We were affraid to get anymore aggressive with the com with the best track. When tuning a 4 on floor car, the non dominant front wheel just has to touch the flat plate, it doesn't have to have any actual weight on it, so the tuning process gets very touchy at that point. All wheels need to run to the outside , and the car needs to have proper drift at the same time only having weight on 3 axles.

Thank you for the information. My son is looking to go faster and we think going thinner from the wedge design he used for the past years may be a way to do that. I think your car is a design my son would be able to build without too many issues although, as usual, the tuning would be key.