Axle hole heights

Jan 29, 2012
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I have been testing with different axle hole heights and just wondering what the most of you are doing. I am drilling the rears 5/32" high, 5/8" from the back end. I am currently using a 5" wheel base, but built a car with four different wheel base lengths starting at 5" - 6/32" high and moving back and 1/8" and down 1/32" for four holes. I was surprised at which was faster. I know there are a lot of variables at play and could have been the mount of drift I had for the fastest run. I have read 3/32", but can't help but think that makes the front of the car to high. My son is a Bear and this is our third year in cub scouts. I have also sent a couple of cars to race, but was 35 out of 40. That was a graphite car against mostly oil cars. I have not perfected the oil yet.
 
i do things somewhat against the grain with reguards to axle hole height. i try to drill the rears at a 1/16" from the bottom. and the fronts about a 1/8" up from the bottom, this lowers the front end a bit, i believe this allowes less air under the car and what air does get under flows freely out the back as the rear is higher. when i get them drilled, i sand the top to a wedge, getting as close to the front axle hole as i dare. then i sand the bottom flat as close to the holes as i can.
 
What does that do for the toe out on the rears? Assuming you cant your rear wheels. The 6/32" front hole produced the fastest time on that particular car.
 
My thoughts are that once the holes are drilled how you cut the body shouldn't matter, the hole relationship should not change, just my $0.02.
 
In my book you want the car level or the nose a tad higher. However with the bent axle that takes some experiment to hit the sweet spot.
 
wouldnt the nose higher act as a air scoop ? more air in less air out causes a high pressure area under the front end?
 
For folks that are good with the silver bullet. Like yourself. Level works great. It is easy to do but you need to build a few cars to get the hole height correct.

For folks just starting the nose up aproach gives them a little more lee way.

If you lift a car up you will notice toe-out on canted rears. Push it down you have toe-in... Level no problem as long as holes are drilled well...
 
It also depends on the amount of bend in the front axle and the wheel base. Thanks, I have some practice drilling holes and testing to do.