So I recently came across a whole pinewood derby set up. Just about all tools and a track to atleast get this hobby kick started. Over the passed few years my scout and I have fallen in love with pwd and up til now only built one car a year. Since buying this set up we have made atleast 10 cars. We can’t seem to break 2.564 on a 30 ft best track. (That’s what our pack uses). We have achieved perfect alignment and have played with all sorts of different axles (high shine polish and the ole pledge trick) and wheels (lightend with a high bore polish) as well as weight placement and a ton of different steering points. I don’t remember exactly but I feel the best time last year as 2.450 which means we’re a good ways off. We’re running 3 wheeled rail rider, in original slots with bent axles, graphite only. Any thoughts?
Grrr I need some help
- Thread starter Dennis
- Start date
There will be differences in the track even though the recorded length is relatively the same, 30 ft vs. 30 ft. A lot of different factors can affect times, i.e. timer location, starting gate release, the slope of the hill, clean track vs a dirty track, among many other things. You really need to get a test run on the actual track the race will be held on to gauge times correctly. In the meantime, tune the car on your track and get the best times. For all, you know, that 2.564 may be a record holder on the Scout track. Good luck!
Bent axles??? If you’re bending your axles in the rear instead of drilling at a 3 deg. cant, you’re loosing speed.
I just ordered a 3 deg drill jig. It should be here in a few days. So dumb question... although I achieved zero toe in the rear wheels with bent axles in 0 deg drilled holes; canted drilled holes with straight axles will go faster?
and original slots are not square or aligned...
You can take a square and put it on any of your cars, and more often than not, you will see they are not square.
One cub leader came to the house so I could coach his son... and he said he had to use axle slots (dad made those rules)... so I put a square on his axle slots. from one side to the other was almost 1/32" off. Dad was like... it could be your square... so I drew a line with my square along the axle slot and flipped it to the other side and showed him that the square was still on the line, and the axle slot was still off.
I am just saying, using axle slots will more often give a misaligned car than an aligned one.
You can take a square and put it on any of your cars, and more often than not, you will see they are not square.
One cub leader came to the house so I could coach his son... and he said he had to use axle slots (dad made those rules)... so I put a square on his axle slots. from one side to the other was almost 1/32" off. Dad was like... it could be your square... so I drew a line with my square along the axle slot and flipped it to the other side and showed him that the square was still on the line, and the axle slot was still off.
I am just saying, using axle slots will more often give a misaligned car than an aligned one.
Yes... almost all of the time, it will be faster, and it will be a LOT easier to tune.
If bent axles were faster, we would all be doing it
I agree with GX. You cannot compare track times to one another. All tracks will be at least slightly different.
Only way to know for sure is to run on the track you'll be racing on.
Only way to know for sure is to run on the track you'll be racing on.
Yes sir. But I’m sure my aluminum best track would produce faster times than an old wooden track. So if their fastest time last year was 2.45 on wood and I’m running 2.546 on aluminum... means I have a lot of time to find. Just don’t know where I’m missing.
It could also be the angle, the gate, the switch... all of that could contribute to 0.1 second difference.
The best thing to do is improve your times on YOUR track and not worry about the track at the race... quit trying to make your track even with theirs... most likely wont happen.
If you keep improving your cars, you probably wont have anything to worry about...
The best thing to do is improve your times on YOUR track and not worry about the track at the race... quit trying to make your track even with theirs... most likely wont happen.
If you keep improving your cars, you probably wont have anything to worry about...
Dennis, don't make an apples to apples comparison between these tracks you're talking about. I can promise you if you run your car down my 30 ft track, times will be different from your track, for all the reasons mentioned in my other response.
Like Mojo said, "...improve your times on YOUR track..."
Most of all, HAVE FUN and ENJOY the learning curve.
Like Mojo said, "...improve your times on YOUR track..."
Most of all, HAVE FUN and ENJOY the learning curve.
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