Front Weight?

[Bretts_daddy]

Hi all,
I'm a new member and this is my first post. My son has his Pinewood Derby in a week and we're getting ready to add weight to his car. I know the primary place to add weight is in the rear, specifically 3/4" - 1" in front of the rear axle but would it make any sense to also put a little weight near the front axle too for added stability as well as a boost out of the gate? My sons pack is a strict by the book, stock only race (i.e. - no railriding, no bent axles, no riding on 3 wheels etc.), his cars design is a shark (he's 8, very into sharks right now...lol) so it already has more weight towards the front with the body than the rear with the tail by design so maybe he doesn't even need to worry about the front and just put all his weight towards the rear. We also did put the axle hole closest to the end of the block in the rear and the on furthest from the end in the front. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[TRE]

I will post this for the 1000 th time...put 2 0z behind the rear axle and the rest right in front

 

[Bretts_daddy]

so the majority of weight goes behind the rear axle and not 3/4" in front?

 

[TRE]

Yes put 2 0z behind the rear and whatever is left over to bring the car up to weight put right in front of the rear axles

 

[txchemist]

When racers talk about something like 3/4" in front of the axle, they are talking about where the center of gravity is.
Extra weight in the front does not give any boost out of the gate.
You will have a hard time getting that car even close to a good COG if most of the wood is in the front.
Take a look at TRE's 2018 BASX champ in his badge ablove. A thin plank (1/4"-5/16" thick) with all the weight as he says. Build that and glue a small, light as possible shark to the wood plank. It will slow the plank down a bit. but be way faster than not getting a good COG, you also solve the problem of a good wheel base and space for the axles.

 

[Bretts_daddy]

Yes put 2 0z behind the rear and whatever is left over to bring the car up to weight put right in front of the rear axles

How far (in inches) behind and in front of the rear axle?

 

[Mustang1]

Like the last post said most guys on here have thin planks for cars and when they say 2oz behind that pretty much means the entire space behind is weight that is recessed up underneath the car then the rest of the weight usually an additional 2oz is recessed in front of the rear axle usually within a 1/16 of an inch

 

[Bretts_daddy]

Like the last post said most guys on here have thin planks for cars and when they say 2oz behind that pretty much means the entire space behind is weight that is recessed up underneath the car then the rest of the weight usually an additional 2oz is recessed in front of the rear axle usually within a 1/16 of an inch

Well, that doesn't apply as we don't have a plank car...somehow the weight placement must be adapted to my son's shark design so I'm hoping for some help with that, thanks .

 

[Loud2ns]

Maybe a picture would help.

 

[Stumpm2]

Well, that doesn't apply as we don't have a plank car...somehow the weight placement must be adapted to my son's shark design so I'm hoping for some help with that, thanks .

I would put half the weight you can add in front of the rear axle and the other half you can behind the rear axle. You can probably put more weight than this behind rear axle, but half and half will be safe and conservative.

 

[TRE]

Well, that doesn't apply as we don't have a plank car...somehow the weight placement must be adapted to my son's shark design so I'm hoping for some help with that, thanks .

it doesnt matter what kind of car you have put 2 oz behind the rear axle

 

[Chief]

it doesnt matter what kind of car you have put 2 oz behind the rear axle

Sooo? About how many cubes is that? Or should I use plates? Maybe some lead??? TRE what do ya think??? HAHAHAHA Im sorry I couldnt help it...too easy! You seem frustrated..

 

[Chief]

 

[Bretts_daddy]

Maybe a picture would help.

 

[Chief]

Thats a great looking car but if there is any way to make it about 50% smaller I would. Keep the design just make it thinner if ya can. Is your track a wood track or aluminum? You do not have room for a weight pocket behind the rear axle, you need to remove as much wood as you can. if you hollow out the bottom, cover it with tape when your done. I do not know what you have for weight but you are going to have to get creative. Make sure the weight doesnt move around use elmers if you have to. Take a look through all the pics of cars on this site to get yourself some ideas. Sorry not much help there. Make sure you work your wheels and axles really good and follow all the tips you can on this forum, and you should be very competitive. Good luck to you.

 

[Pinewood Outlaw]

Well with the back of car behind the axle cut the way it is I say your only option at this point it drilling weight holes in the rear right above your axle slot and using round tungsten weights.

 

[Bretts_daddy]

Thats a great looking car but if there is any way to make it about 50% smaller I would. Keep the design just make it thinner if ya can. Is your track a wood track or aluminum? You do not have room for a weight pocket behind the rear axle, you need to remove as much wood as you can. if you hollow out the bottom, cover it with tape when your done. I do not know what you have for weight but you are going to have to get creative. Make sure the weight doesnt move around use elmers if you have to. Take a look through all the pics of cars on this site to get yourself some ideas. Sorry not much help there. Make sure you work your wheels and axles really good and follow all the tips you can on this forum, and you should be very competitive. Good luck to you.

Thanks for the complement! I really would hate to re-shape his car and make it smaller as he really likes it as it is. I mean i have a band saw so it would be possible but I'd hate to screw up as it's his only car and we're a week away from the race. Could i drill holes in the rear tail section and put some 1/2oz. weights as close to the axles as possible and maybe a hole on each side just in front of the rear axle?

 

[Bretts_daddy]

Well with the back of car behind the axle cut the way it is I say your only option at this point it drilling weight holes in the rear right above your axle slot and using round tungsten weights.

I have plenty of those!

 

[Chief]

Do whatever you have to do to get the car to 5 oz. Then FOCUS on wheels and axles. Please search this forum for that.

 

[Bretts_daddy]

Do whatever you have to do to get the car to 5 oz. Then FOCUS on wheels and axles. Please search this forum for that.

I plan on polishing my axles, filing off the burrs, boring/truing the wheels, polishing the wheels and of course using graphite. I'm kinda' busy right now though to be pouring over a ton of threads on this (although I'm sure there's a wealth of knowledge i just don't have the time unfortunately)...are there some quick tips you can provide? I forgot to add that our Pack's track is neither wood or aluminum...it's plastic if that makes any difference? I did get an axle hole drilling kit which I've used to round out and center the axle holes.