Reversed raised wheel any speed gains to be had or just a bad idea?

[CH3NO2]

My two boys took 1st and 2nd at the pack level again this year because of the advice from this forum of pros.

A BIG thanks to DerbyDad and the Pros here for passing the knowledge and tools on to the next generation.

We were thinking of mounting the one raised front wheel backwards, since it is non-moveable any way, they mount it tight to the body and fenders to keep it from spinning already.
Bad idea or maybe worth a try?

They cannot use washers or sliders because it is against the Scout rules, but I do not see in the rules that you can not mount one wheel backwards.

Worse case scenario if doesn't pass tech we can always switch it quickly since it does not roll anyway.


Thanks!

 

[Pacfanweb]

I would think it would catch more air that way and slow you down vs being mounted normally.

 

[Ballistic Racing]

Mount it backwards & it's like a small parachute. When it's mounted normally, the body is keeping some of the air from going inside the wheel.

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

Actually... You can gain speed because it changes the width of the front end. I have several cars that got faster by doing it. The only way to know though is to run it both ways. You can change your speed quite a bit with the raised wheel.

 

[GravityX]

What if an aero shield where to be mounted via the axle on the backward mounted NDFW? It's not a washer and it wouldn't be mounted to the body either. Of course, you could always build a fender skirt to connect the forward and rear trailing fenders together to cover the entire wheel. Just some thoughts.

 

[Cubscout Dad]

Could you mount it backwards and use packing tape on the outside to fix the air flow?

 

[CH3NO2]

Just relooked over the rules again:
Additional items such as wheels bearings, washers, bushings, Wheel and Hub covers are also
prohibited.

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

Actually... You can gain speed because it changes the width of the front end. I have several cars that got faster by doing it. The only way to know though is to run it both ways. You can change your speed quite a bit with the raised wheel.

Can you share ... did these cars have fenders? Was the NDFW mounted straight or was the axle bent?

 

[CH3NO2]

Yes, both of the cars have full fenders and the NDFW are straight BSA nails, holding the wheel tight with no spin on the wheel at all.