Do you use aftermarket wheels or axles?

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Do you buy/use aftermarket wheels or axles?

Wheels Only
0
No votes
Axles Only
1
7%
Both
6
43%
Neither
7
50%
 
Total votes: 14

DerbyAddicted
Master Pine Head
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Do you use aftermarket wheels or axles?

Post by DerbyAddicted »

Hi all. Just wondering what the consensus is on aftermarket wheels and axles. Part of me wants to turn to the darkside, but I also feel that if I buy aftermarket wheels/axles, that takes the bulk of the work out of the PWD car and for the most part only leaves tuning.
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Scrollsawer
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Re: Do you use aftermarket wheels or axles?

Post by Scrollsawer »

I dunno, I tend to think that the body of the car is the biggest build element as it's the biggest item to factor for, and the one item in the kit that has such variability year after year. Wheels and axles? The same work efforts are applied to those two items year after year with little variability. Dull by comparison.

The wood block is to us, as the slab of marble was to Michelangelo. :angel:

Scrollsawer
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Master Pine Head
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Re: Do you use aftermarket wheels or axles?

Post by DerbyAddicted »

In general, yes the body has the biggest potential for being a blank canvas and variation. But the reality is (at least in the "go fast" world of PWD) most cars are 1/4" builds or wedges of some degree
Shawn Stebleton
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Re: Do you use aftermarket wheels or axles?

Post by Shawn Stebleton »

Our pack and district require use of the standard Pinewood Derby kit. We have bought extra wheels and axles from the Scout Shop, but I don't consider those as "aftermarket" parts--just more of the same of what was in the box. My boys learn to develop patience by doing 4 wheels and axles every year. Sometimes they have to do things they think is boring, which is a good life lesson.
Shawn
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Vitamin K
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Re: Do you use aftermarket wheels or axles?

Post by Vitamin K »

I advised a busy mom in our den that, if she wasn't able to do axle polishing with her kids' cars, the next best thing would be to grab some Revell axles at Michael's. Would that be 'aftermarket'?
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Master Pine Head
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Re: Do you use aftermarket wheels or axles?

Post by DerbyAddicted »

Vitamin K wrote:I advised a busy mom in our den that, if she wasn't able to do axle polishing with her kids' cars, the next best thing would be to grab some Revell axles at Michael's. Would that be 'aftermarket'?
While they are an improvement over the "stock" axles, I don't consider those "aftermarket". I was meaning more like the grooved axles or equivalent.
TXDerbyDad
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Re: Do you use aftermarket wheels or axles?

Post by TXDerbyDad »

The Chinese axles are better, but they are slightly undersized compared to kit axles. I'm not sure about axle slots, but they are a bit too loose for my liking in #44 axle holes without drilling holes underneath and glueing. As for other axles and wheels, no I do not use them. Given the quality of the current wheels, I can get a near flat second car on our 40 ft wood track with stock wheels with some light prep work on a candy bar car with almost 4 oz of tungsten, though I do measure them before using them to match up the backs as well as possible.
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