READ THIS IF YOU ARE SHIPPING RAZOR WHEEL CARS

[DerbyDad4Hire]

The broken acrylic wheel is very common during shipping. I think I have found the culprit! You need to make sure the top foam piece holding the car down is narrow. I would say around 1/2" and glued in the center. The wide ones are snapping wheels when USPS punts the box.

 

[tmeyer]

This just happened to me on both of my new cars on the return trip from the last race.

My USPS flat rate box has a hole thru the outside and each car had a broken rear wheel.

To John's suggestion, I am planning to notch the foam piece that is on the lid of my boxes around the wheels. The foam piece will be around 1" wide, but only be 1/2" wide around the wheels between the notches.

Another tip that a wise man once shared with me, make sure that you glue your top and bottom pieces of foam to your Legends box.

Thanks again for the suggestion John.

 

[zeebzob]

I have been doing this for a few months now. It seems to have helped.

 

[GravityX]

I guess this would be my biggest fear about running this class, wheel breakage during shipment. But the solution sounds good, along with the given evidence by Zeeb. Great insight guys!

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

Also CUT THE FOAM AWAY FROM THE WHEELS. You can't make a little slot and even hope the wheels will make it.

 

[IAE Racing]

Hopefully, this will take care of the problem. I am in the process of trying to file a claim with USPS though. Still working through it. I can share more, when I know more.

 

[GravityX]

In an alternative to what has been suggested. It has, what I believe, more clamping area, even though it doesn't appear that way. We'll find out soon enough as John can report once the car arrives there Friday. There is plenty of clearance around the wheels but it doesn't appear that way in the picture. Should have taken a top shot.

I'm giving this a try. Hope it works. Bounced it around some and it seemed pretty solid.

 

[bracketracer]

In an alternative to what has been suggested. It has, what I believe, more clamping area, even though it doesn't appear that way. We'll find out soon enough as John can report once the car arrives there Friday. There is plenty of clearance around the wheels but it doesn't appear that way in the picture. Should have taken a top shot.

I'm giving this a try. Hope it works. Bounced it around some and it seemed pretty solid.

It does look close front to back around the wheels.

Did you try tossing it off the roof of the house? It's hard to replicate what a postal worker can do to a package......

The new car looks great Paul!

 

[Kinser Racing]

GX you need it to go lengthwise. The car will break right at the weight pocket with all of the weight in the back and nothing to support it.

 

[GravityX]

GX you need it to go lengthwise. The car will break right at the weight pocket with all of the weight in the back and nothing to support it.

Good catch. I never considered that. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Maybe when it arrives I can have John glue an additional piece and tee if off the other piece in there to support it. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[cycrunner]

A critical feature in making your own Acrylic wheels is to machine a generous radius where the wheel transitions to the hub. Acrylic is very hard and stress risers in sharp corners can easily initiate cracks that will progress and result in failure. Another thing is to only use cast Acrylic rod stock - not extruded! The latter material has a lot of residual stress due to the extrusion process and cracks will result!

 

[bracketracer]

A critical feature in making your own Acrylic wheels is to machine a generous radius where the wheel transitions to the hub. Acrylic is very hard and stress risers in sharp corners can easily initiate cracks that will progress and result in failure. Another thing is to only use cast Acrylic rod stock - not extruded! The latter material has a lot of residual stress due to the extrusion process and cracks will result!

Do you think the grain of rod stock is better for PWD wheels than the sheet stock I've been using?

 

[cycrunner]

I really don't know about the sheet stock - I was curious if anyone was using it instead of the rod material.

 

[tmeyer]

I received my cars back in the mail today. I had another hole in my USPS flat rate box. The hole went thru two layes of card board this time. The good news is that the notches that I cut in the foam attched to the lid of my car carrier boxes really did the trick on preventing broken razor wheels. All of my cars were free of damage.

 

[cycrunner]

I got my cars back today also and all are OK too.

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

YAY!!!! By the way, it was great having you race with us Cycrunner. Very cool cars. I will tell you that the fastest wheels I have run were not from rod. I do not know my butt from a hole in the ground when it comes to the different types of acrylic though. Still learning... maybe I need to try the rod...

 

[cycrunner]

It never occurred to me to use sheet stock instead of rod stock. Not sure how I would go about making wheels out of that.
By the way glad your are better after your accident!

 

[GravityX]

I got my cars back yesterday. My shipping foam for my Unlimited held up real well. Car is still intact, but I will be adding a small piece of foam towards the back of the car to help support the weighted end a little better.

 

[Kinser Racing]

I got my cars back yesterday. My shipping foam for my Unlimited held up real well. Car is still intact, but I will be adding a small piece of foam towards the back of the car to help support the weighted end a little better.

Good deal!

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

I found the culprit that was breaking more wheels. People were cutting back the top piece but not the bottom base. The foam was close to the wheels and when the box got chucked SNAP! Make sure NO foam is within and inch of the wheels side to side.