How much is too much weight.

[oxford]

I am building a car for the local unlimited class and the maximum weight is 13 oz. John mentioned that cars tend to run slower times over 8 oz.

So on a 35 foot aluminum track, what do you feel is the ideal car weight for the fastest times?

Thanks!

 

[Rocket car]

Between 6.5 and 7ounces. With John's oil process. With bearings 13 ounces.

 

[Kinser Racing]

If it's truly unlimited, you're going to want to go with bearings.

 

[3phase]

I've never had or seen a set of unlimited wheels in person. Can they support that much weight?

 

[Kinser Racing]

I've never had or seen a set of unlimited wheels in person. Can they support that much weight?

IDK. Probably not the fastest, lightest ones. I would never go 13oz. I believe that OPA (I could be wrong) did some testing with bearing cars and said that after about 7oz the times started to fall off.

 

[quadad]

In addition to speed, I am thinking 'build something survivable'. At that kind of weight and with only a 35' track, the cars might destroy a normal stop section or do who knows what while flying down the track.

I would also be hesitant to go to the max weight. Never raced a bearing car over 5 oz though, so have no idea where the sweet spot might be. Would be nice to see how acrylic wheels handled the extra weight vs. delrin or some other tougher material.

 

[Crash Enburn]

Odds are that everyone in that race will try to go for the max weight. Go 6 - 7 oz and take home the hardware.

 

[Chief]

Halo Blu has had recent experience with this exact topic...I was hoping he would be able to give some hints how it went for him and what he did?????

 

[Rocket car]

In addition to speed, I am thinking 'build something survivable'. At that kind of weight and with only a 35' track, the cars might destroy a normal stop section or do who knows what while flying down the track.

I would also be hesitant to go to the max weight. Never raced a bearing car over 5 oz though, so have no idea where the sweet spot might be. Would be nice to see how acrylic wheels handled the extra weight vs. delrin or some other tougher material.

Some moron took a metal 6lb car and send it down the track last year. Totally destroyed the stop section.
I was not happy!!

 

[OPARENNEN]

Between 6.5 and 7ounces. With John's oil process. With bearings 13 ounces.

My own bearing tests came out at between 7 and 7.5 oz

 

[GravityX]

I think a 13 oz car, with acrylic wheels, if it developed a wiggle, it would certainly be a death wiggle, as the wheels destroyed themselves in the process. Now, put a bearing into a heavy wheel and you might have something. Think sturdy and add oil to the bearings, if you go the full 13 oz. A 13 oz bearing car is a whole new game.

 

[g.o.racing]

+1 on oppa

going to 8ozs and above takes the car a long time to get up to speed.
if on a longer track say 60 foot the heavy car may catch up.
when building scout cars that run on 32 foot track,-the start section and the finish line the track is about 28 to 29 feet ill will run slightly under 5 oz for a faster start