Hi just want to say that this site is awesome years of knowledge and willingness to help each other out as this is my first posts this is my boys third year in scouts as we start to build his car as we bought everything from john the new fenders we are eager to find out how much speed the car will pick up first of all our pack track is made out of wood with a gradual slope around 35 ft as the district track is a 42 best track and the biggest question mark is at council will explain later first year it was a 35 ft best track as a tiger my boy made it to council with a 3 flat car last year we made it back to council out of the district with a 3 flat car he has won his pack and finished 2nd in districts the past two years to get to council and it just seems he gets blown away this year we are rail running and got the bullet to do that with last year at the council race we were totally surprised along with other parents from the area that were expecting to race on the best track only to find out council told nobody that they made a shorter 32 ft wooden track that had no hardner on the track and the only stop section they had was bath towels to stop the cars at the finish line so we were running on bare wood we set the car up for 3/4cog the other cars would get the jump off the line and as my boys car was catching them at the end just ran out of track is 3/4cog alright to run or do we have to move weight forward or will making it a rail runner be what we need to help him get over the hump providing we can make it past each track maybe some of the experienced guys can im in at give there opinion thanks
How to adjust to different tracks
- Thread starter nwo racing
- Start date
- Nov 24, 2011
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Welcome to the forum. Here's where to start.
http://www.pinewoodderbyonline.com/post/keys-to-win-from-the-pinewood-derby-king-5782181
http://www.pinewoodderbyonline.com/post/keys-to-win-from-the-pinewood-derby-king-5782181
Hi NWO.
First of all, Kinser's link to his build tips is spot on and will allow for a strong car on any track.
To answer your COG question:
COG is not responsible for faster starts, but is vital for maintaining speed to the finish. Faster starts are usually attributed to factors like lighter wheels, 3 wheels touching vs. 4, and your lubrication/polishing processes. In other words the faster your car allows gravity to break the starting friction of your wheel/axle system, the faster your car starts. Since pinewood derbies are drag races, a fast start can allow a car with a slower top speed to win (much like drag racing).
As to the rail runner question:
Always do it if the rules allow. The only way a car can beat a rail runner is if it is built dead straight, the track is built dead straight (way less common than one would imagine), the car is set on the track perfectly aligned, and no vibrations or drafts from other cars make it bump the track......One bump of the back tires = a slower car. Rail runners eliminate that problem to give you a consistent run in every lane, every time.
First of all, Kinser's link to his build tips is spot on and will allow for a strong car on any track.
To answer your COG question:
COG is not responsible for faster starts, but is vital for maintaining speed to the finish. Faster starts are usually attributed to factors like lighter wheels, 3 wheels touching vs. 4, and your lubrication/polishing processes. In other words the faster your car allows gravity to break the starting friction of your wheel/axle system, the faster your car starts. Since pinewood derbies are drag races, a fast start can allow a car with a slower top speed to win (much like drag racing).
As to the rail runner question:
Always do it if the rules allow. The only way a car can beat a rail runner is if it is built dead straight, the track is built dead straight (way less common than one would imagine), the car is set on the track perfectly aligned, and no vibrations or drafts from other cars make it bump the track......One bump of the back tires = a slower car. Rail runners eliminate that problem to give you a consistent run in every lane, every time.
- Nov 24, 2011
- 3,903
- 30
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Kickaxe, those are guidelines from DerbyDad4Hire. I agree with them but I cannot take credit for them. I reposted them and pinned the in the build section so they wouldn't get lost in the forum.
G
Guest
Guest
The track you have described sounds like the one we just ran on a couple of weeks ago, see the link below. We ran 4" of steer over 4 foot.
http://www.pinewoodderbyonline.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1281255119&postcount=1
http://www.pinewoodderbyonline.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1281255119&postcount=1
Kinser, thank you for clarifying that. I should have said Kinser's link to DD4H's build tips instead of "his" build tips.
GravityX.....WOW may I never meet that track. Raced a few doozies myself and hope to never see one like it again.
and Laserman, thank you for the kind words.
GravityX.....WOW may I never meet that track. Raced a few doozies myself and hope to never see one like it again.
and Laserman, thank you for the kind words.
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