Building A faster Car

[philcav7]

I know you folks see these types of post all the time and it may seem redundant, but I’ve been searching around trying to learn as this is my 7 year old son first year in scouts.

I quickly put together a 3 wheel wedge car with a canopy weight, bent in a vice polished axles for his pack race. He won. Fastest car on every pass. Now we have districts.

I ordered a used kit of derby parts/tools on eBay. Virtually all common tools are included for prep.

I have a few questions:

Many suggest straight axles in an angled hole, rather than bent rear axles. I understand this is to ease alignment and reduce variables. I will have the typical axle straightener/bender die that’s hit with a hammer. I do not have a drill press. My other option for drilling angled holes would be shimming the body at a 3° angle in the jig and using the pro body tool to drill. Has anyone tried this before? Is it advisable?

Nail heads. Does reducing their diameter make sense? What’s the ideal size of the nail head?

Considering nail head diameter, is a coned outer hub or simply removing the step a better choice? I have the pro hub tool to prep these surfaces.

Wheel base: I don’t have the rules yet, but if I do need to use factory slots or spacing, should I cut the back of the car off and glue to the front, shifting wheel base back? What is the ideal spacing from the rear of the body?

Assuming washers can not be used, is super glue and graphite mix glue and buffed on the contact area the best route?

I’m not sure if I can run oil, probably not, is there a preferred graphite to use? My other car I used hardware store graphite mixed with alcohol and packed it into the bore.

Body shape. I used a modified wedge design with the com about 3/4”. I couldn’t get an exact balance on the blade I was trying to balance on. I don’t have one of the legit tools. I see many use a super thin 3/8- 5/8” design. Is that a better platform? I will use whatever tungsten weight fits best for body selected.


Other worthy comments:
I’m a skilled woodworker and have virtually any tool at my disposal except a drill press. I sold mine as I rarely used it and needed space in my shop. My capabilities are strong in general.

I plan to build 2-3 cars to test at a race in 2 weeks and take the fastest one to districts. I’m hoping the track owner and some fellow racers can help my cause or tuning/tweaking.

I plan to shave outer wheels down to round, polish bores, dress inner outer hubs and polish bores. Axles will get all the love too. I understand these elements are paramount.

That’s all I can think of at the moment. Thanks for any guidance and support.

 

[philcav7]

These are the tools I bought.

 

[philcav7]

This is the pack race result which my son won.

 

[TRE]

Send all that back

 

[philcav7]

Send all that back

I didn’t pay that much for the stuff. Those are the retail values of the included components. For what I paid, it was worth while.

I know it would be easier/cheaper to simply buy wheels and axles that are done already, but doing the legwork ourselves has value with value with my son to actually create the car.
Trust me, I highly considered buying wheels and axles and not fooling with it.

 

[Mojo Racing]

Keep the pliers. LOL

and the axle press... I use mine to hold my axles when I am cutting the slots in the heads.


Graphite... DD4H Zero Friction graphite beats all of the others... hands down

 

[TRE]

I didn’t pay that much for the stuff. Those are the retail values of the included components. For what I paid, it was worth while.

I know it would be easier/cheaper to simply buy wheels and axles that are done already, but doing the legwork ourselves has value with value with my son to actually create the car.
Trust me, I highly considered buying wheels and axles and not fooling with it.

You will slow the wheels down with that stuff

 

[TRE]

I didn’t pay that much for the stuff. Those are the retail values of the included components. For what I paid, it was worth while.

I know it would be easier/cheaper to simply buy wheels and axles that are done already, but doing the legwork ourselves has value with value with my son to actually create the car.
Trust me, I highly considered buying wheels and axles and not fooling with it.

Do you want my honest opinion...its all junk except the pliers

 

[philcav7]

I understand that importance of accuracy of tools equipment. I rely upon tools for my livelihood and quality of work.

They main things I was after in this lot was the wheel shaver, and the press to straighten axles, and arbors to polish wheels. Are the tolerances of these tools not up to par for accuracy? What other options are out there? While looking around, this brand of tools is all I really found.

I have top shelf calipers, gauges, angle finders, and squares so I can quickly validate accuracy of results of these items.

 

[B_Regal Racing]

I had purchased all of that stuff when I first started racing a long time ago. The thought was if I could get faster, I could pass the information on to my kid. I used it all and started league racing to gauge my speed. I never came close to being competitive. I remember putting an axle in the press and beating on it with a hammer trying to straighten it. Wheel shaver to true a wheel - nope. I did keep it though for making raised wheels in street stock (I can not turn my own wheels but always on the look out for someone who can give me the precision I want). The mandrel just destroyed bores, and if I was lucky enough not to, I ruined the hubs. And yes, I will admit it, one or two of my earliest cars were on a treadmill. Don't modify the wheels - you'll be faster leaving them alone. We can help you select the best wheels and axles if you are using them from the kit (or buy true wheels).

Get the DD4H prep kit and you'll be much faster. Don't believe me? Send a car in using those tools you purchased and follow it up with another car using John's procedure. Folks here can also help you use his products correctly. If you do not get faster, I'll buy John's products from you.

https://www.derbydad4hire.com/Black-Ice-Extreme-Wheel-Bore-Polishing-Kit-POL-KW.htm
https://www.derbydad4hire.com/Red-Rocket-Wheel-Bore-Polish-P-RR.htm

- and -

https://www.derbydad4hire.com/Krytox-GPL-100-Oil-DerbyDad4Hire-Secret-Mix-L-002.htm
*** or ***
https://www.derbydad4hire.com/Zero-Friction-Graphite-Lube-T-016.htm

And with all of those wheel modification tools, this is what you would make:
https://www.derbydad4hire.com/The-Dynasty-BASX-set-of-4-wheels-W-BASX.htm

They are not weight reduced, just trued...

 

[philcav7]

I had planned on picking up that polish and some weights after the kit I ordered came and I sorted though what’s all there as far as tungsten.
Thanks for the links.

 

[Chief]

Yep! I think I bought most of that stuff too. People use gimmicks to get us to spend our hard earned money...BUT as I like to say, education is Expensive! Mojo is right on and THANX Mojo, I now have a decent use for that axle press thing...I never thought to use that to hold the axles for the groove haha!!! I have had that thing going on 10 years now11 But all of the stuff I bought is just taking up space collecting dust, because it is junk. Search this forum and ask any questions you have, I promise you will not be disapointed!!! B_Regal, I will arm wrestle ya for that stuff if he dont want it HAHAHAHA!

 

[philcav7]

Yep! I think I bought most of that stuff too. People use gimmicks to get us to spend our hard earned money...BUT as I like to say, education is Expensive! Mojo is right on and THANX Mojo, I now have a decent use for that axle press thing...I never thought to use that to hold the axles for the groove haha!!! I have had that thing going on 10 years now11 But all of the stuff I bought is just taking up space collecting dust, because it is junk. Search this forum and ask any questions you have, I promise you will not be disapointed!!! B_Regal, I will arm wrestle ya for that stuff if he dont want it HAHAHAHA!

Thanks for the reply.
I’m ordering a few things from derby dad once I see how much tungsten comes with the lot that I already purchased.

How many oz of tungsten cubes should I plan for a ladder style car?

Besides the black ice wheel & the axle polish, what else should I pick up? I’ve read about sailkote or pledge for final prep before graphite.

 

[Bubblegum]

4 oz and 1 oz putty or 5 and 1 depending on body and accessories weights.

 

[Cubscout Dad]

hi