On the Subject of Wheel Covers

[Mojo Racing]

Okay.... so I am seeing in another thread the discussion between wheel covers and aero setups that mount to the body.

Didn't people get away from using the wheel covers that mount to the wheel because it added weight to the wheels? and then there is the rule about bringing the weight down just to add it back...

Am I out in left field on this? I am not a physics major, but less weight to start the roll of a wheel is better... even if it is a piece of tape or whatever is added to the wheel.

That, and there is a loophole now that lets us add something to the body... just not outside the wheels.

 

[LightninBoy]

Okay.... so I am seeing in another thread the discussion between wheel covers and aero setups that mount to the body.

Didn't people get away from using the wheel covers that mount to the wheel because it added weight to the wheels? and then there is the rule about bringing the weight down just to add it back...

Am I out in left field on this? I am not a physics major, but less weight to start the roll of a wheel is better... even if it is a piece of tape or whatever is added to the wheel.

The premise would be that the aero benefit from the wheel cover trumps the MOI disadvantage from the extra weight. The idea has merit - if you can find a light material and trim it carefully so that it doesn't contact the track. And it also carries a risk that the wheel cover will come loose and dramatically impact the car's times.

 

[Mojo Racing]

That makes sense...

I guess it is much easier to secure an aero package to the body and expect it to stay connected than to put a piece of tape on a wheel and HOPE it makes it through the USPS adjustment services and the races to follow.

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

I tried the tape method last year and had a hard time getting it to stay in place on the 2.0 gram wheels. The slash cut also leaves very little surface area for the tape to attach. I also get very nervous using a razor blade to trim around a $40 wheel.

I'll stick with the way I'm doing it now.

 

[GravityX]

....

 

[Vitamin K]

I'd be pretty loathe to attach any kind of rotating mass to my wheels. That said, I wonder if there would be any merit to filling the wheels with some kind of foam to block airflow without adding significant weight?

 

[BulldogRacing]

I'd be pretty loathe to attach any kind of rotating mass to my wheels. That said, I wonder if there would be any merit to filling the wheels with some kind of foam to block airflow without adding significant weight?

I think it would be hard to balance the foam. I don't want anything but the wheel rotating, anything that blocks air I like mounted on the side of the car.

 

[Kinser Racing]

Thin boxtape weighs very little. I tried Carolinas method before I knew what I was doing. By the way, most of you guys dont know this but Carolina was a contender, one of the fastest guys when I started racing. Chances are if he started racing again he'd be smoking quite a few people. Ya, he's that good!

 

[Guest]

By the way, most of you guys dont know this but Carolina was a contender, one of the fastest guys when I started racing. Chances are if he started racing again he'd be smoking quite a few people. Ya, he's that good! [/QUOTE]

Carolina was a great builder/racer. Back in 2010, my first half year of league racing I came in 3rd place in "Super Stock" to Carolina by .001 of a second. However Bnb took first place and his margin of victory was a lot more than .001. I think Bnb went undefeated in that class for the whole season. If you go to PDDR and look under 2010 King of the Hill there is a picture of the top 3 cars. You will see Bnb used the tape over the wheel opening method. How he got that design on the tape, I am not sure?