No track, how low can fenders go?

[1reason]

My son is getting ready for District's and I'm wondering how low, especially on the front wheels to place the bottom (of homemade) fenders?

We don't have a test track, and based on pictures, I think we're being overly conservative, but I know we need as much help as we can get because the competition is tough (we took 3rd last year).

How low can the front (or rear for that matter) go before they may rub the track during the transition (or any other time)?

 

[Crash Enburn]

It's kinda hard to say. Depends on the wheelbase, the distance from the nose to the front axle, the curve of the transition (depends on the track), etc.

But, if you consider that on most tracks, the center rail is 1/4", and most races spec a bottom clearance on the body of 3/8", you've got an 1/8" to play with. So, as long as the front of the front fender clears 1/8", you should be golden.

The rear fenders just need to clear the track surface when the car is flat. They cannot be affected by the transition.

 

[pony express]

As long as they don't touch the ground-track surafce they should not touch the track. They will touch the rail if they are not cut right. Generally if you don't have a track keep the inside edge of the fender further out than the wheel edges and that is safe. If the fender touches you lose. It's very late for fender education and no track. The biggest thing we all had to learn on fenders was getting them from not touching the rail, not so much as the track bottom surface. If the fender is closer in to the rail than the wheel you'll probably have trouble. You can start the fender in tight, but the bit of the fender that hangs 1/8 inch below the bottom of the car is where you can get into trouble. Keep in mind where the rail is and what clearance you have from the bottom of the car. Once that clearance is met then the fender must be further out than the wheel edge.

 

[Vitamin K]

If it's a Freedom track, you don't really have to worry about a transition. If it's a BestTrack, you have that 48" radius curve to watch out for. Just keep the fenders reasonably trim and you should be okay.

Another word for first-time fenders: Make sure you carve out the bottoms to make certain that your fenders won't contact the rails at all. They should be clear of the inner edge of all four wheels.

 

[ngyoung]

The fender won't bottom out in the transition unless you make them low and flat on the bottom near the front of the car or behind the rear wheel. As long as the wheels are the lowest point the rest of the bottom will not touch