Tuning Board Height

[DuckOfAllTrades]

I am upgrading my tuning board...no more cruddy shelf for me! Giving myself a much smoother surface as well as more accurate marks for drift and bounce back as well as better bounce back. No more cobbled together mess! This is just step 1, covering surface with glass will be step two.

My question is what height should the tall side of the board be? Like how many inches from the ground to the bottom of the board. Or how fast should it be rolling?

Would love to get your ideas as I finish setting up and leveling the board.

 

[Chief]

I do not have the nicest tuning board, but for me, I dont want it to move very fast at all. Look around at some of the pis and videos of the other memebers on here and maybe that will help. Bulldogs was cool with adjustable feet, and he had a plate on his for placing the car in the same spot consistently.

 

["The Fonze"]

Yes as @Chief states, the car should move slowly down the tuning board. Also the bounce back distance can tell you a lot about your car.

 

[Chief]

Yes as @Chief states, the car should move slowly down the tuning board. Also the bounce back distance can tell you a lot about your car.

Bounce back???? Huh? Do tell, I dont have bounce back...I have a child? What have I been missing??!!

 

[DuckOfAllTrades]

Thanks guys! I’ll look up those videos. Thinking of making mine adjustable.

So if I set it so it rolls barely enough to make it to the end, I should be ok? I’m worried on my old one I had it set too high.

 

[Chief]

I think mine is about 3/4 taller on one side and that might be too much?

 

[DuckOfAllTrades]

I think mine is about 3/4 taller on one side and that might be too much?

That’s where my old one sits.

 

[B_Regal Racing]

Over 4 feet, my is raised 1", just enough to get a car rolling. Two things I take in consideration: 1) I do not move my tuning board (keep it level and the incline the same) and 2) I do not compare my measurements of drift to another tuning board. For whatever reason, my cars may drift differently on another board (close, but different). As a side note, install a small aluminum flat bar at the top of the tuning board, maybe 12 to 18 inches long, so the car comes of the same way every time. It will help measuring steer.

 

[B_Regal Racing]

Parallel with the board. The FDW can ride along the bar as if it was on the track so the car settles before getting to far down the board. It will ensure the car leaves the tuning board start point from the same spot every time. There is too much ambiguity trying to line up a car against a line, while at the other end of the board, adjusting to the 1/2 inch.

 

[Dizzy]

Over 4 feet, my is raised 1", just enough to get a car rolling. Two things I take in consideration: 1) I do not move my tuning board (keep it level and the incline the same) and 2) I do not compare my measurements of drift to another tuning board. For whatever reason, my cars may drift differently on another board (close, but different). As a side note, install a small aluminum flat bar at the top of the tuning board, maybe 12 to 18 inches long, so the car comes of the same way every time. It will help measuring steer.

So is your board 4 ft. Total in length, the one that I'm using is but I've wondered if most people made sure they had a full 4 ft of travel or use a 4 ft board and put the car as close as you can to the back. I know it isn't a big difference...

 

[B_Regal Racing]

Mine is short - 6 1/2 ft in totalt lenth. There is 18" riding along a rail, 4' of tuning area (where the lines/gradients are drawn), and 1 ft for stopping (just a foam bumper and the end).

 

[Jimmy & his 2 Kids]

All interesting stuff here. With taxes coming I might finally be able to stop using a shelf as well. Now isn’t there also a big “show your tuning board “ thread going here somewhere?

 

[Dizzy]

Mine is short - 6 1/2 ft in totalt lenth. There is 18" riding along a rail, 4' of tuning area (where the lines/gradients are drawn), and 1 ft for stopping (just a foam bumper and the end).

Thanks, I kinda thought I was probably using way to short of a board (shelf). I will have to get a longer one and also add the strip for it to ride along.

 

[DuckOfAllTrades]

I have a couple of pieces of test track, the cheap plastic kind you buy at a scouting store. I thought about taking a section and putting an extension at the end of my tuning board where where I could place the car on this test section and letting it roll onto the tuning board. Possibly even constructing a starting device. But the track is so cheap, I don't even know if it would work for this or would be a waste of time.

 

[Mojo Racing]

I glued a piece of polished aluminum, that I got from Home Depot, to my tuning board so the car will roll a few inches before it starts it turning. This lets me align the car, and for the car to "settle in" before it starts turning.

 

[Dizzy]

I glued a piece of polished aluminum, that I got from Home Depot, to my tuning board so the car will roll a few inches before it starts it turning. This lets me align the car, and for the car to "settle in" before it starts turning.

How do you stage the car, with the front wheel already touching the rail?

 

[Mojo Racing]

yep... with mine touching