My son's car won our pinewood derby last weekend. The track was in rough shape. His times were right around 2.56. I’d like to have seen a better time but in fairness the track was in bad shape. The car had a fair bit of wiggle in the rear but it was still ran well. The rail riding front wheel was somehow making contact with the track because at the end of the race, when the car was stopped, that lifted wheel was spinning really fast. Im wondering if that wheel touching might have been the cause of the rear wiggle and probably caused a little slower run. Anyway, Im planning to pull that axel and give it a bend to make sure it doesn’t roll at the district race. The car ran 8 total races on a pretty beat up track. What steps would be recommended to get the car prepared before the district race, considering it got som wear and tear.
Preparing Car For District Race
- Thread starter ChristopherK
- Start date
There is no doubt that if the non dominant wheel is spinning that you will slow down. Aside from making sure it doesn’t touch the track, I’d recommend just re-prepping the car. Clean everything out and redo oil (if your running oil) or graphite(if your running graphite). If you won pack with basically 4 wheels touching, you should be okay going into districts.
Thank you for the advice. I’m going to lift that wheel. Do you think I should immobilize it? If it hits the rail and spins a little that might create a variable?
Once it’s lifted, I would make sure it does not spin. It shouldn’t hit the rail at all, but if it’s free like the other three it may cause the car to vibrate a little. If you have a tuning groove in the axle just make the gap between the hub and the wood tight enough so it doesn’t spin.
Thank you again for the help. I’m not sure if we’ll come on first or last at the district level, but I guess that’s what the derby is all about. I just wish the race wasn’t a month away. That’s a long time to think about it.
No Problem! Try not to worry about it to much, Lol! But I get it, the race is a nervous excitement. If you’re prepping your wheels and axles and are building a aerodynamic rail rider with weight in the back, you will almost certainly be at the top!
Good luck!
Good luck!
Wait so you're saying that the NDW should never be free spinning? But wouldn't a wheel that can't spin cause more drag if it were to happen to ever unintentionally touch the track? Or, is that a moot point because if the car is set up properly, there should never be a situation when that wheel would ever touch. I'm a total novice so forgive my ignorance. Are you saying that a fixed NDW reduces the possibility of wobble?
Yes! This is what I meant by that. It is true that if it’s spinning and just so happens to touch the track that it would be far better than if it weren’t spinning, however, if the wheel is properly lifted, than it’s best that it doesn’t spin.
The wiggle is caused either by poor rear alignment or not enough steer. If you can't tune the rear then add more steer as stated above. 1/2" to 3/4" additional over 4'.
The NDW should not be touching the track. If there was a bad seam in the track right at the end it may have caused your NDW to get over and touch the side. It may not have been touching all the way down. Also, could it have contacted the stop section and made it spin?
Our rules require all 4 wheels to be free spinning. Check your rules before tightening the NDW. Even if its allowed I would not do that.
The NDW should not be touching the track. If there was a bad seam in the track right at the end it may have caused your NDW to get over and touch the side. It may not have been touching all the way down. Also, could it have contacted the stop section and made it spin?
Our rules require all 4 wheels to be free spinning. Check your rules before tightening the NDW. Even if its allowed I would not do that.
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