Trucks in the PWD!?

[ranman106]

One thing I noticed in our PWD was the presence of trucks. These trucks were fast! In fact, the truck that placed 2nd in the Bear Division also took 3rd in Pack. Has anyone noticed this as well? What are your thoughts?

[Gavin Chafin]

I built a pick-up truck. I got the plans from Max-V. It was cute, and it wasn't slow, but it wasn't real fast either. I think I'd skip building a truck.

[Darin McGrew]

We had a semi tractor a few years ago, but IIRC it wasn't very fast: high CG, high rotational inertia, more time invested in appearance than speed, etc.

[gpraceman]

Off topic, but related to trucks racing...

I wonder how many organizations out there run the semi-truck races? I've seen some Canadian pack sites showing these type of races, but I don't know that I have seen a US one. Racing semi-trucks would be even more of a challenge, I would think.

[MaxV]

I built a pick-up truck. I got the plans from Max-V. It was cute, and it wasn't slow, but it wasn't real fast either. I think I'd skip building a truck.

Pick-up trucks can be fast, but they have some disadvantages:

1. The relatively large front surface area means poorer aerodynamics.

2. Due to the weight of the wood in the in the cab area, the payload needs to be at the very back of the bed to get a good balance point; this can look odd. (This could be corrected by hollowing out under the front of the truck).

3. Using the slot closest to the end of a block as the rear axle (best performance) makes the truck look a bit odd.

4. Hollowing out the bed is more work than many people want to get into.

On the other hand, they can be made to look nice!

[Darin McGrew]

Hollowing out the bed is more work than many people want to get into.

Rather than carving the bed from a solid block of wood, it would be easier to cut the block down to the level of the bed bottom, and then build up the sides with balsa or basswood.

The same goes for creating a lightweight cab: It's easier to build a cab from 1/8-inch-thick balsa or basswood than to carve a cab (let alone a hollow lightweight cab).

Then there's more room for weight in the back (disguised as whatever junk is being carried in the pickup bed).

[terryep]

The semi trucks are built and raced by the scouts. I havn't seen them race but had to build my finish line tall enough to allow for them on our cub track.

Terry

[Stephen's Dad]

My son got a truck kit for Christmas from my thoughtful cousin who knows he's in scouts now. Had it been legal for him to use it, I'm sure it would be fast. The Chinese made wheels are spoked so they're lighter than the BSA wheels. They're also cast & finished much better & feel like they're made from harder plastic. The axles supplied were either full axles with retainer button hubs or a very nicely finished all chrome nail that would require no modifications to spin well. Even the BSA wheels spin better on these than they do the BSA nails. Much better.

The wood block was pre-carved. I have issues with this but can see where a single Mom or an all thumbs Dad might appreciate it. It would be illegal here.

The kit is called "Woodshop Racers" from Peachtree Playthings of Atlanta GA. Made in China.

The kit included a precarved truck block. Two types of axles. A cast non-lead weight with mounting screws. Very nice spoked wheels. Paint & brushes and decals to finish the truck in any of several styles.

According to the packaging, 2 other car type kits are also offered by these folks.

I don't know what bothers me more. The precarved body. Or the fact that Chinese made wheels & axles are far superior right out of the box to the BSA provided ones.

I'll be watching for these kits at Stephen's derby next month. I really hope I don't see any there.

[terryep]

One cub showed up at the first PWD meeting saying his mother got one of the pickup kits from the scout shop... we had to get clarification from the coordinator and "no they are for the scouts"...

Terry

[ranman106]

Just to clarify, the trucks raced in our PWD were hand made, not precut, and all had solid beds with the weights set up like tool boxes, etc.