Front Wheel Inset

[3171scott]

Can you inset the front wheel to much? Has anyone played around with changing a cars front inset/offset to see how it affects the cars tracking and how much steer is needed? I would think every car would have a sweet spot, maybe i'm wrong.
What do you guys think?

Thanks Scott

 

[Crash Enburn]

Yes, you can inset the wheel too much. If you cut it in 1/4" or so, your car is going to have to crab its way down in order to clear the rail.

While an interesting idea in changing the amount of inset and testing each, there's not much way to do it.

• Cut an inset; test.
• Cut a little more out; test.
• Cut a little more out; test.
• "*Dang!* Previous cut was faster!"

You could use a square dowel as the piece your axle is drilled into, then simply move the dowel in and out of the body to find the sweet spot. Good luck on that. /images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[txchemist]

Start with one washer in place- do what crash suggests and then add one more washer to bring you back to fastest. This is why wood putty was invented. My grandson took way too much off and washers were not allowed, so out with the wood putty. The fixed car held the track record at district for 2 years until his younger bother just beat it.

 

[TRE]

i am starting to think dont take any off..i have a car that i didnt take any off it seems to run better

 

[cycrunner]

Scott, I will repeat how I answered your question on the APR forum:
The reason to inset the front dominant wheel is so that wheel when it rides on the rail the car is right in the centerline of the track. On my track I adjust the amount of wood I remove from the car - you see 1/16" often on forums, so the centerline of the car and the centerline of the rail coincide. This insures that when the car runs down the track it is running as straight and in line with the rail as possible. I just make sure that the amount of wood I remove achieves this goal. Hope this helps.

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

I do what kinser suggested to me. I sand the DFW side down 1/16". It's tapered from the rear so it's cleaner and you can barely see that the DFW is in closer than the rears. I'll take a picture today after our district race. Kinder has some pix of his too

 

[3171scott]

Thanks guys, I think i m just thinking to much.

Thanks for the advice.

Scott