1/16 off
- Thread starter BlewBYu
- Start date
Please reference this cool picture to help illustrate an answer to your question.
OK. On the left side of your diagram, we have the DFW with positive cant. The rears (Not shown) have reverse cant, hence the bottom of the wheel is farther away from the rail. With the DFW being closer to the rail, and the rear wheels being further away, why is it necessary to take 1/16 off the body of the car on the DFW side?
With the amount of positive cant I use, a lot of time I have to add shims to the DOM side. Defiantly not take any away.
- Nov 24, 2011
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It's not necessary. It's really the builders preference. The idea is to try to get the car to track evenly spaced from the rails.
V
Vitamin K
Guest
1/16" is just a good starting point. If you look at the "pros" cars, though, you see DFW wheels with enough cant on them to make the little beads touch the track.
Also, even though the negative camber on the rears theoretically provides enough clearance to keep them off of the track, if your car experiences any sort of sway or oscillation, having the rears centered will help you avoid accidental touching.
Amount of DFW camber would be a good discussion in and of itself. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif
Also, even though the negative camber on the rears theoretically provides enough clearance to keep them off of the track, if your car experiences any sort of sway or oscillation, having the rears centered will help you avoid accidental touching.
Amount of DFW camber would be a good discussion in and of itself. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif
- Nov 24, 2011
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It's been discussed. It was somewhat inconclusive. I still run em like the day I started getting fast. As much bend as possible to fit though the bore.
Think about this. This scenario assumes the car tracks straight and wheels migrate properly. Using an un-notched body, let's put a axle into the DFW side with a minimal angle, say .5 degree, put as much steer in the car as you can. Slow roll the car down the track. Where do you think the rear of the car is when it comes to a stop? Visualize the center line of the body. Also, imagine the location of the wheels in relation to the rail. Where is the center line of the body positioned? Centered? Biased? What about the wheels, where are they positioned in relationship to the rail?
Now bend the DFW axle to a racing angle of, let's say 5 degrees, for the sake of argument. Again with an un-notched car body and using the same amount of steer as above. Visualize the DFW now, the bottom inner edge of the wheel now tucks under the body of the car. Slow roll the car again. Now where do you suppose the rear wheels are located in relationship to the rail? What about the center line of the car body?
The amount of the notch, or lack of, depends on the amount of bend you have in the DFW axle. Reference the illustration to help visualize things. What else affects the depth of the notch?
Now bend the DFW axle to a racing angle of, let's say 5 degrees, for the sake of argument. Again with an un-notched car body and using the same amount of steer as above. Visualize the DFW now, the bottom inner edge of the wheel now tucks under the body of the car. Slow roll the car again. Now where do you suppose the rear wheels are located in relationship to the rail? What about the center line of the car body?
The amount of the notch, or lack of, depends on the amount of bend you have in the DFW axle. Reference the illustration to help visualize things. What else affects the depth of the notch?
Kinser Racing said:
Yep, I notch the DFW side to center the car over the rail. I center the car over the rail to make my cars easy to stage.
Exactly.bracketracer said:
I didn't answer the questions I posed in hopes of generating discussion. Hoping to provide a better understanding of why we do certain things.
I bought a 2ft section of Best Track to use as a setup aid. After drilling the axle holes I mark the center of the car in the front and rear. Install an old set of wheels and axles and washers that I plan to use and set the car on the track so that it is centered. Then just measure from the rail to the inside edge of the wheel to determine how much to notch the body to bring the DFW into the rail while keeping the rear wheels centered over the rails.
I just try to center the rear of the car across the rail as much as possible as LB and others pointed out. I do this just to keep the aero the same around the car/wheels, reduce chance for touching when swaying and for the staging issues. I don't mark my cars for staging and try to build them so the standard staging Joel does works for me.
- Nov 24, 2011
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Mr.B your method will only work if the wheels hubs are cut the same. Chances are good they are, but check it.
There are things here that would seem to be common knowledge but many guys that have answers to things can have atypical results. It's the you need to find what works for you rule, it's real! It's not something were telling you to blow smoke in your face. I know you've read it before. No offence intended here, okay? I have learned that some of the things that work for say QT don't work for me and I'm sure he could say the same thing.
There are things here that would seem to be common knowledge but many guys that have answers to things can have atypical results. It's the you need to find what works for you rule, it's real! It's not something were telling you to blow smoke in your face. I know you've read it before. No offence intended here, okay? I have learned that some of the things that work for say QT don't work for me and I'm sure he could say the same thing.
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