Where to buy supplies

[AlabamaDan]

Hi everyone! It's been a while.

Pinewood Derby season was on hold over the summer, but my boy ended up getting 3rd place at district! He's very proud! One year to go and try for 1st!

We're building a cubmobile for the first time in our pack - at least in alot of years. I was wondering where people recommend getting parts. Is there someone who puts together kits? I'll read more on wheels.

Thanks,
AD

[sporty]

I do not know of any major vendor for parts. no kits either.


I have not checked in awhile, if my free cubmobile manual is still working and here, but try that, I listed tips and where to buy at.

The only thing left of our cubmobile is rusty axles and wheels and the machined aluminuim axle mounts I had made for ours. kits tore it town and burned the wood from it. lol.

Key tips- brass bushing's 2 per crossmember for the main bolts, especially the steering bolt. rubber bushings between the front crossmember help for stiffness also. and also for the brake, if you use the stick / hockey puck. kept it from movign easily and falling down and dragging off the ramp.

Make a triangulation, I gave how to do this also, well work the $20 to ensure a true cubmobile.

and please use hard steel rod from fastenal for the axles.


Sporty

[*5 J's*]

Sporty has some good info on here - just search around.

I got my wheels from Comtech and am quite happy with them. I do not, however, reccomend the hub caps. They are plastic disposable plates with a hole cut in the middle.

For axles I used 1/2" hardened steel rods from McMaster that Teeeman mentions here.

I routed a 1/2" x 1/2" slot in the 2 x 4's to set the axle into, then secured by placing a 1/2" x 1 1/2" mending plate over the axle. Note: you need to offset the front slot if you place the steering bolt down thru the center.

The misc hardware I picked up at Tractor Supply for cheap. If you PM me an email address I can send you the bill of materials I sent out to all the folks in our Pack.

[derbyspeed]

I actually used a shepherds hook that I had laying around for my axles, they worked perfectly with the wheels I purchased from Big R.

I cut the rod from the shepherds hook in two peices for the front axle so I wouldn't have to offset the pivot bolt. I used U-Bolts to hold the axle rod in place, most everything purchased from Lowes.

I built the LCG (low center of gravity) Cubmobile, I finally put all the pictures in a video. We never had the races so I am selling it on ebay right now.

Here's the video link: http://youtu.be/lIojP-AnP9Y" target="_blank

[AlabamaDan]

That's a good idea to use a shepard's hook. We've been hitting people up alot lately for money (dues, campout fee, popcorn) and are trying to be resourceful in building the cubmobile.

So far I've located used lawnmower wheels to use and this is saving about $30 per car. I'm also planning to solicit the local junkyard for seatbelts tomorrow. But as for the wheels...I've been reading on here that I should try and clean the grease out of the bearings and just lube them with oil and WD40 - is that right? How do I get to the bearings?

[sporty]

well most bearings are low end and they have the flanged design. just using lighter fluid to get into the seems of the flanged bearings, and the lighter fluid will go right in, then just spin the wheels and used compressed air to get it all out of there. Typically you want do to this a few times.

Once dry, they should spin allot easier and faster and longer spin times.

The only oil to use is wd-40 or while in storage, I use to use boca bearing lightning lupe or gpl100 oil, which is costly for this application of use.

The more you use the cubmobile, the more the wheels will break in and run better. Somewhere on here is my picture of my homemade bearing break in for the cubmobile wheels.