Building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Discussions related to building cubmobiles.
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sporty
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Building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

Well,

I started building a second cubmobile. Last year I built one for the first time. I am using the one I built from last year as a reference. Taking the good from it and trying to prevent the mistakes I made on it and not doing it on the new one.

FYI, Last year my son got 2nd place, He would have had first, if not for jitters and over steering.

The current one I am building I have already got over 25 hours into it and its not even put together. Infact i have 3 pieces and they are not even done yet.

the front piece and rear 2x6 (28" long), I have tried to add aero dynamics into it, with rounding in the front and angles on the rear end. More angle at the bottom than at the top. To Try and give lift. However at low speeds I don't think it is even a factor, But Perhaps every little bit helps.

Lots of sanding and primer. So far I have used over 10 cans of spray can primer on the 3 pieces. 60 grit, 100 grit, then 320 and 400 wet sand.

I'm trying to get it very smooth for when I paint it. I am not happy with the paint job from last year, I can see the grain in the wood and not enough gloss/shine to it.

I also just ordered 4 of the comtech wheels, $12 each for the 10" ones.

Been looking all over the net for pictures for creative idea's.

I plan on prepping and painting everything before assembly.

I am looking at having over $200 into this one, last year I had around $140.

Alot more sanding and painting this year and more time into it.


More to come.

sporty
Last edited by sporty on Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

Here is link to web site pictures of 2004 Cub Mobile and Future 2005 Cub mobile. Still in early Building stage. More Pictures and info to follow.

Sporty

http://home.insightbb.com/~ryan.johnson ... html-.html
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by clemsontigerfanatic »

I like your site.
We had our last weekend. Our car was pretty basic.

One car had a steering wheel and foot brakes.
One car had army camo. and a roll bar made out of PVC pipe with camo netting over it.
I definetly like the ones with plywood floor boards and the brake in between 2x4 or 4x4.

Our Bears were pretty excited doing this for the 1st time. I was scared the car was going to break before the race started. They stood on the rear 2x4 and were bearing down on the push bar.
We had rubber between the stop blocks and the 2x4 base.
I think the Comtech wheels with there double sleeves on a smooth axle rod underneath the 2x4 are the way to go.

The big things were getting a big push at the start and driving straight. The closer the stop blocks are the better.
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

Wow,

Sounds like some really neat cars, Do you havew any pictures, sounds like some real creativity at work.

The race here is done by ramp, no pushing. You mentioned the com tech wheels, were any winners using them ?

At are event, they like us to stay within the rules. No metal or steering wheels, except for the bolts and screws and wheels.

Last year a gentleman made a steering bar with pipers pipe and they made him take it off. It was neat looking tho. a bar into each end of the 2/x4 near the wheels. looked like a upside down u then in the middle had a bar coming out in the middle to the driver.

I'm pecking away, got some more sanding and paiting done today, looking like rain tho.

sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by clemsontigerfanatic »

sporty wrote:Wow,

Sounds like some really neat cars, Do you havew any pictures, sounds like some real creativity at work.

sporty
only picture is 11 cars lined up in a line . I dont have them on a website.
No one used the Comtech wheels.
Mine were to narrow. I bought them before I found out our tread had to be 1 3/4" wide.
A lot of these cars are several years old . Which is good considering how much it costs to build one. We plan on donating ours to the Pack after we are done.
If you have a way of me posting to your website let me know
Good Luck
Last edited by clemsontigerfanatic on Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by clemsontigerfanatic »

sporty wrote:
At are event, they like us to stay within the rules. No metal or steering wheels, except for the bolts and screws and wheels.

Last year a gentleman made a steering bar with pipers pipe and they made him take it off. It was neat looking tho. a bar into each end of the 2/x4 near the wheels. looked like a upside down u then in the middle had a bar coming out in the middle to the driver.


sporty
The one car with a steering wheel at our race was made out of wood, It sticks straight up , not angled. It pulls on the ends of the front axle via cables. The brake pedals went to a metal strip behind the back wheels. It worked great.
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

Impressive, some really inventive people.

Awesome !

sporty
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

I have add a few new pic's to the web site.

Pictures of the Front and Rear (28 inches long ) (6 inches wide)

These piece's are done being painted. I started working on the steering blocks. Be 2 or 3 more days before i have them sanded and painted.

I am hoping the wheels will be here Monday, If I am really lucky they will be here today. SInce ups does not delivery to residental on Saturday.

The main center piece is on its last coat of primer and I will paint later today.

Here is web site link again -
http://home.insightbb.com/~ryan.johnson ... html-.html

Sporty
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

I didn't get a chance to work on much over the weekend. The wheels did come in the mail on friday.

I will get some decent pics of needed for my web site. The spin time is much less that the wheels on my sons other cub mobile.

The other ones were 12 inch that I got at blains farm n fleet. I used brake fluid oil to clean the bearings and loosen them up and then just used wd40 on them to get a free spin time of over a minute and 20 seconds.

The only thing with them is that they wobble some, not as good with smoothness.

Now the new ones, the 10" com tech wheels, are smooth and no wobble at all. With a sealed bearing, there is not much I can do with them. But spin them and see how much they will loosed up. I played with 1 for about 30 minutes yesterday and got a spin time of only 27 seconds.

I am concerned about the lack of spin time, if after I time test the newly built cub mobile and the old one from last year. And the old one is faster, then my son will use the one from last year or I might order different bearings for the comtech wills.

I'll keep you posted on this as it develops.

I have to go to a metal fabrication shop, I want to have metal bent around the axle bolts that will mount to the bottom of the wood for the wheels. I looked around and just didnt find anything yet that i feel will work good enough. I may add a metal plate under the axle bolt, to prevent the bolt from going into the wood.

I didnt do this last year, One last years cub mobile, I used rubber pipe clamps, like a U that screwed into the wood. I also had larger axle bolts and the size worked out well. I found that at true value hardware store.

Sporty
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

More Pitures add to web site. See previous posts for link.

Added pictures -

Painted, glossy Frame

Primered seat, made. Out of ply wood, 1/4 thick.

New Wheels and Comparison Shot of Wheel on last Years Cub Mobile.

Some of you maybe wanting photos of when it is finished, I wanted to show more a step but step method and better pictures. Often when I have looked for pictures I find pictures of what I am not looking for.

And for a 1st time builder of a Cub Mobile it hay help you.

Sporty
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

Cub Mobile 75% done.

I added 4 more pictures, some assembly done on it now.

Added some decals, have more vinyl lettering and pin stripes to add. I should have done sometime this week. Maybe thursday or Friday.

sporty

Link is 4 replies up tp pciture site.
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

Will i added photos to website,

Wheels are on, seat and back.

All is left is some more decals and front steering blocks and break.

(90% done)

I added a picture of steering bolt/rubber & picture of axle bolt/clamps.


sporty

Time trial and comparion this weekend.
http://home.insightbb.com/~ryan.johnson6/wsb/index.html
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Stan Pope
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by Stan Pope »

"Oversteer" -- Issue: youngster's fine motor control
"Jitters" -- Issue: Youngster's strength to withstand steering torques caused by uneven pavement.

Question: Do rules allow you use leverage in the steering to improve performance on each aspect?
Stan
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by clemsontigerfanatic »

Stan Pope wrote:"Oversteer" -- Issue: youngster's fine motor control
"Jitters" -- Issue: Youngster's strength to withstand steering torques caused by uneven pavement.

Question: Do rules allow you use leverage in the steering to improve performance on each aspect?
We had 1 car in our District that had a steering wheel with cables. Thats
as close to leverage that I've seen.

Each Pack or District has its own additional rules for this race. The basic design in the Bear handbook is just that very basic. Most of the "additional rules" have to do with size or type of wheels, screws no nails, use a smooth rod with U bolts instead of the lag bolt to hold the wheel, change to the braking system, distance for the stop block, helmets must be worn, etc.

The key is to put the stop blocks 1/4" or less away from the main frame and not to have to steep a hill.

I've seen many different braking systems that work better than the basic design. One thing we have to remember is that in order to get a lot of partitcipation the cars need can not take to long to build or to costly.

Personally I like seeing cars that are anything but the basic design. Unlike the pinewood derby cars these cars are used over and over again year after year.
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sporty
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Re: building a cubmobile & tips and hints.

Post by sporty »

The annual CubMobile race in our area, Is Held at A local mall Parking lot. Dj and Local Announcer at the race. Typically over 30 racers. Entry fee is around $25.00 Paid before the event, I think they do allow for same day registration just might cost more but not for sure on that one.

And alot of the CubMobile's are the same ones used from the previous year or shared.

BTW- $25 is what i use to pay to race professional on a non big event at cordova drag way.

They typically have about 80 people show up to watch the event.

The cost of building a cub mobile surprised me, You can easily spend over $200 in building one. On the other hand you can get buy fairly cheaply if you all ready have some of the items needed. The bolts costs me more than the wood did. The Comtech wheels were acutally cheaper than the wheels I got last year buy a couple of dollars. The nice paint job is what ran me more with the paint costing alot per can and vinyl decals.

I would agree rules very from pack to pack and how the event is held from a race event to just doing a event.

I looked on the video tape of last years race and there were only maybe 5 cars that were exactly like the plans.

Creativity is rewarded with the best of show/design trophy. Most if not all of the trophy's are dontated buy local businesses.

sporty
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