Tungsten vs Lead
Tungsten vs Lead
Maximum Velocity ran another test in Vol. 14, Issue 7 regarding height of the weight. It has been discussed in Posts whether racers using Tungsten have an advantage over those using lead. If we have 2 "Perfect" cars and the only difference is the lead is a bit higher, than it shouldn't make any difference in speed. Are we wasting our money buying Tungsten?
Re: Tungsten vs Lead
FWIW, some of the boys over at the league forums still claim to be using lead.Speedster wrote:Maximum Velocity ran another test in Vol. 14, Issue 7 regarding height of the weight. It has been discussed in Posts whether racers using Tungsten have an advantage over those using lead. If we have 2 "Perfect" cars and the only difference is the lead is a bit higher, than it shouldn't make any difference in speed. Are we wasting our money buying Tungsten?
That said, tungsten /will/ give you a smaller moment-of-inertia, so it's possible that gives an advantage on a track with a tight curve section, like a BestTrack.
One possible "weakness" of the Max-V study was that he moved the weight, but he didn't change its total distributed area.
Re: Tungsten vs Lead
When I did a ton of testing.
this was one area I looked it.
First.
Some of the real factors are getting the weight balance point and the weight concentration to be about the same for testing.
I often found. That was much harder to do with lead over tungsten. Especially for exstended wheel based cars.
stock wheel base was a bit different.
Low profile and less wood. Providing you say with 4.25 oz of weight to use.
I had to go much higher up with the weight when using lead to keep the same balance point. When comparing to tungsten.
My overall results that I seen.
We're with a exstended wheel base car. The tungsten was a advantage over lead.
However on stock wheel base. It was much closer of a comparison.
Since I'm not a great stock wheel base builder. Where as I'm much better with exstended wheel base set ups.
I would say in a stock wheel base configuration. Lead and tungsten are fairly close.
I still feel that tungsten edged out to be better . But it was much closer.
Where as exstended wheel base. I recall a biggerbigger overall difference.
In the end. The plus comes with its much easier to work with tungsten and safer.
In the past. Top ultimate speed racers in soap box derby racing. Spent big $$$ on plates of tungsten to beat out and get a edge over others not using it.
that's down hill gravity at its most advancedar level of racing.
they juice the rubber tires to absorb the vibration in the paved road surface. To limit the loss of and reduce caring friction due to the track surface.
got off topic here.
but my kids did race soap box derby and my won son won loral champion ship and went to the world championship.
Sporty
this was one area I looked it.
First.
Some of the real factors are getting the weight balance point and the weight concentration to be about the same for testing.
I often found. That was much harder to do with lead over tungsten. Especially for exstended wheel based cars.
stock wheel base was a bit different.
Low profile and less wood. Providing you say with 4.25 oz of weight to use.
I had to go much higher up with the weight when using lead to keep the same balance point. When comparing to tungsten.
My overall results that I seen.
We're with a exstended wheel base car. The tungsten was a advantage over lead.
However on stock wheel base. It was much closer of a comparison.
Since I'm not a great stock wheel base builder. Where as I'm much better with exstended wheel base set ups.
I would say in a stock wheel base configuration. Lead and tungsten are fairly close.
I still feel that tungsten edged out to be better . But it was much closer.
Where as exstended wheel base. I recall a biggerbigger overall difference.
In the end. The plus comes with its much easier to work with tungsten and safer.
In the past. Top ultimate speed racers in soap box derby racing. Spent big $$$ on plates of tungsten to beat out and get a edge over others not using it.
that's down hill gravity at its most advancedar level of racing.
they juice the rubber tires to absorb the vibration in the paved road surface. To limit the loss of and reduce caring friction due to the track surface.
got off topic here.
but my kids did race soap box derby and my won son won loral champion ship and went to the world championship.
Sporty
