Mid-America: Air Shields - Should they stay or should they go?

[CivilWarTalk]

You know them, those pesky disks of plastic that you've got to gingerly install between the body of your car and the wheels. Those darn things can be a real bugger to get installed right.

Usually they are plastic, there are the homemade ones that are made from the Revell Tube plastic, and the high end 3-D Printed ones. Sometimes they are called sliders, sometimes they are weighted. Some people even make them from hardware store flat washers.

Admittedly, they seem to work pretty well, they can make your car faster when properly installed.

And I do think they have a place running in the pro leagues....

However, I'm wondering if this is really a product that Mid-America should continue to allow in it's many various forms...

I think we can all agree that Mid-America racing is held up as the premiere Cub Scout Racing event every year, and that the rules for the race are very good.

But I wonder if a tweak is in order.... Should "Air Shields" be banned?

Now, I'm not advocating using a BASX style rule in MA, I think outer fenders in their various forms should stay.

What do you think?

Maybe @xanthrum could weigh in on the idea?

Vote in the poll, you can vote for up to two responses. Anyone who votes Yes AND No is a complete dunderhead...

 

[FDM]

The only reason I can find of banning them is that it makes it a lot harder to see (even with the clear ones) if material has been removed from the inside of the wheels. But to be honest if you generously apply the graphite, it is also almost impossible to see if material was removed from underneath the wheel thread.

 

[bracketracer]

Since MA rules only inspect for lettering, I don't have a problem with clear shields.

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

I'm a little biased towards the wheel covers. Mine are not difficult to install unless you have trouble inserting an axle into a drilled hole! It's probably the easiest part of the entire build. They can be clear and do not inhibit the inspection of the lettering which MA requires.

Rule changes are usually a reaction to the wrong scout winning....

 

[FDM]

If the MA only inspects the lettering the clear shields would obviously allow for that. It also looks that those shields are easy to install (although I never used them myself), if its something a scout with a little help (if needed) can do then I see no point of banning them. I am thinking of trying those shields out next time since our races do no prohibit from using them as long as you can see the inside of the wheel. I was wondering though, how do you set the wheel gap with these things and how much gap you can use, I assume if you leave to much gap you will have to much turbulence between the shield and wheel.

 

[bracketracer]

FDM, you set the gap by feel since there's no way to insert a gap gauge with the shield.

 

[derbychip]

They are not hard to make if one does not want to purchase ones, same as fenders. IMO if air shields go fenders shall as well. I don't foresee any change in the ma rules on this

 

[aircooled]

I'm on the Mid-America board and also inspect the cars. From my point of view I do not see any changes to the rules dealing with air shields or fenders. We have a great event folks just need to read the rules.