helping a friend align

[davet]

My co-worked asked me today to help him set up his boy's car for a race in 2 days. He said they race on "an old wooden track". I know they've done absolutely nothing to the axles, wheels and have a huge heavy body so there will be room to make improvements. He also asked if they should lube the wheels. I'll be doing these adjustments during our lunchbreak at work tomorrow. Should I give it steer or not? I was going to get the rears to go to the heads and steer the front with a bend of around 5 degrees or so.

You guys helped my boy make it to districts this yr and I trust what you have to say. Thanks

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

Yep, insert the rears canted and bend the front and make it a rail runner. If the rear wheels don't hit then the chances of winning are very high.

 

[davet]

Should I be concerned about it jumping the track with toe-in or will a steep bend on dfw prevent that?
What would a good drift be for a wood track? Thanks.

 

[Crash Enburn]

*make sure that a three-wheeler is legal...

 

[davet]

*make sure that a three-wheeler is legal...

I told him to bring his rules to work but you bring up another point. I may not be drilling new holes and could be using the slots. If it turns out to be 4-wheeler or at least one front lightly touching do I still make it a railrunner?

 

[TRE]

if you can bend the rear axles and get it tuned

 

[Quicktimederby]

Do not bend the rear axles!!!!!! If using the slots just insert the axle on a angle, you will keep the rear alignment correct by doing it this way, do not bend!

 

[W&K Creations]

I drill holes whether there is a slot or not....the drill bit I use has a diameter slightly larger than the width of the darn slots cut in the block so you can drill a nice round hole/channel right in the slots that will have enough there to hold axels at install and then just add some glue in the slot to hold it firm if need be.

If you cant drill the rears canted with the block then id use the drilling tool from Goatboy....if you don't have that then insert the axels into the slots and then adjust them for cant....I did this once by putting fishing line in the slot and when installing made sure the axel tip when over the fishing line in the slot...then it was a matter of just pulling up slowly to get the cant I wanted....I did have to relax the slots quite a bit however (folded sandpaper and thin file) as the axel is definitely bigger and after tapping it in is pretty well wedged in there....

You could try tapping the axels in at a cant to begin with and then push down or pull up to adjust...

Or you could try drilling a canted hole right in the slot itself by hand/eyeball...if you have a steady hand and a way to lock the block itself down....

Bending rear axels would be my last choice as QT said, tunning becomes now a bear....but it can be done I guess although ive never tried it....

if the rules allow 3 only on the floor, id redrill the side you don't want to touch, higher...drill a hole at the top of the slot with just a small overlap and it will look like its in the slot without an issue. However, is you have enough bend in the FDW axel then when installed properly, it should tilt/lower the FDW wheel just enough so the other side doesn't touch....only way to know for sure though is to try it out and roll it on a smooth flat surface and see...

safe steer is 4 in over 4 feet to start with if you cant tune and adjust, depending on where all the weight in the car is.

This all assumes a wooden track with a center guide rail of course LOL....

 

[davet]

Good point. I can't find the rules for my buddy's Pack anywhere. He doesn't know if he has them. This may just be rears to the head and axle polish on a straight runner.

 

[GravityX]

4" of steer over 4 foot is a good starting point.

 

[Kinser Racing]

Do not bend the rear axles!!!!!! If using the slots just insert the axle on a angle, you will keep the rear alignment correct by doing it this way, do not bend!

This was great advice the first time you gave it. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[Guest]

Do not bend the rear axles!!!!!! If using the slots just insert the axle on a angle, you will keep the rear alignment correct by doing it this way, do not bend!

This was great advice the first time you gave it. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

It must take a lot of patience to be QT.

Like Einstein waiting for the clerk to calculate the change, when he would give him a dime to make it easier on him.

 

[davet]

The Den leader had cut the block for him but had it cut backwards. Paint and stickers already done with paint around axle holes also. Painted yesterday.

Redrilled the rear holes to the back, added a ton of weight by drilling 3/8" holes and putting bolts in behind the axle. Sanded the paint from around the axles holes. Prepped axles for oil then got called away at work. Looks like I'll be here overtime and won't get back to finish it with him before he goes home.

He grabbed straight, polished axles I had and took my graphite. He'll rub the body with graphite and take it with him. It was 2.0 oz short on weight when he brought it to work finished with fresh paint.

Better than nothing I guess.

 

[Guest]

The Den leader had cut the block for him but had it cut backwards. Paint and stickers already done with paint around axle holes also. Painted yesterday.

Redrilled the rear holes to the back, added a ton of weight by drilling 3/8" holes and putting bolts in behind the axle. Sanded the paint from around the axles holes. Prepped axles for oil then got called away at work. Looks like I'll be here overtime and won't get back to finish it with him before he goes home.

He grabbed straight, polished axles I had and took my graphite. He'll rub the body with graphite and take it with him. It was 2.0 oz short on weight when he brought it to work finished with fresh paint.

Better than nothing I guess.

Oh dear!
2oz light!?
Well I suppose it can be fixed with some pocket change etc.
Sorry you could not make it there.
He sounds pretty resilient though.

 

[davet]

When he brought it in and I saw it was cut backwards I wondered if the Den leader's car was also cut that way. We added weight up to 4.96 but then I had to leave for a call at work and left him without axles or wheels being done. I felt bad drilling into his car because it had just been painted the night before. Paint around axle holes and everything. We sanded that off and put some graphite on the sides. He was able to grab some polished axles and graphite I had in my toolbox and finish at home.
We haven't worked the same days again since so I don't know how he did.