lowering the car for minimum ground clearance.

[savageone]

We have to use the slots on our Scout car. We fill the ends of each slot with epoxy and drill our axle holes 1/8" up on the rears and 5/32" up on the front. Drilling the holes at these heights gives a high ground clearance.

I think there might be a slight aero advantage with the car lower and being sealed off to the track so to speak. Is there any benefit to add material such as balsa or basswood to lower the stance of the car to the 3/8" minimum ground clearance?

 

[5KidsRacing]

I don't know.... My cars are typically higher and thicker than everybody else's... I don't know if that is good or bad, it is just the way I build them.

 

[Pacfanweb]

What about having the front slightly lower than the rear?

 

[chromegsx]

What about having the front slightly lower than the rear?

Sounds like a rear spoiler on a nascar. Keeps the backend sticking to the ground at high speeds. I think most cars are built this way anyway due to the wedge like profiles. I don't see the logic in keeping the underside of the car higher in the back.

 

[The Iceman]

We have to use the slots on our Scout car. We fill the ends of each slot with epoxy and drill our axle holes 1/8" up on the rears and 5/32" up on the front. Drilling the holes at these heights gives a high ground clearance.

I think there might be a slight aero advantage with the car lower and being sealed off to the track so to speak. Is there any benefit to add material such as balsa or basswood to lower the stance of the car to the 3/8" minimum ground clearance?

You know I've thought about this a bit too, Putting on a ground effect package. Not only on the front but the sides too. But then I can't test without a track!

Ice

 

[GravityX]

I'm not sure if having a lower car would benefit any. Would a car that is low to the track then create air drag underneath the car? My axle heights are drilled at the same heights all the way around the car.

There is always one sure way to find out the answer, build it and roll it down the track. That's what I've always done. You don't know until you test.

 

[LightninBoy]

We have to use the slots on our Scout car. We fill the ends of each slot with epoxy and drill our axle holes 1/8" up on the rears and 5/32" up on the front. Drilling the holes at these heights gives a high ground clearance.

I think there might be a slight aero advantage with the car lower and being sealed off to the track so to speak. Is there any benefit to add material such as balsa or basswood to lower the stance of the car to the 3/8" minimum ground clearance?

You know I've thought about this a bit too, Putting on a ground effect package. Not only on the front but the sides too. But then I can't test without a track!

Ice

Aero drag is a function of the frontal area. Therefore, anything you do to increase the frontal area will increase drag unless that added area makes a corresponding reduction in the drag coefficient. The drag coefficient can only be determined experimentally in a wind tunnel. So given that I don't have a wind tunnel, I try to avoid anything that increases the frontal area.

 

[savageone]

I agree about the frontal area. Whatever we add underneath the car to lower it to the track, we would subtract from the top of the car, so the frontal area would not change.

I'm surprised that none of the league guys with tracks, and a ton of experience, have not worked in this area.

 

[The Iceman]

I would love to see the drag coefficient difference between one single fender that spans from front to back compaired to two single seperate Fenders.

Ice

 

[txchemist]

You have both the change in drag coefficient, but also surface area drag to deal with. At pinewood speeds, presently the two fender is way better. All the top builders can do it both ways. You can get single fenders and shape them from a number of venders but if it is speed you want, look at the GEE fenders..

 

[Guest]

I agree about the frontal area. Whatever we add underneath the car to lower it to the track, we would subtract from the top of the car, so the frontal area would not change.

I'm surprised that none of the league guys with tracks, and a ton of experience, have not worked in this area.

Hey Savage,

I have played with some low riders. It is really tricky to stay thin AND low.

This is because you have to put the axles in at about 5/8" from the ground.

To lower the car body by .25" so it is just above the guide rail means that the axles are higher than the body of the car unless it is about .375" thick minimum.

I have been thinking about different set screw variations to attach the axles on top of the body but only sticking in a little bit towards the centerline, but nothing to show just yet.