Using Gee Fenders

[DJofSYN]

Hello fellow members. Am thinking of trying out the Gee fenders for our district race. Is there any advantage to using these over balsa fenders other than they're already shaped very thin so there's no need to sand them? I noticed they are hollowed out also. Is this for adding weight? And does the shape of the body have any advantages over others while using the Gee fenders? Ex. Wedge vs a 3/8" body from front to back? Thanks in advance.

 

[5KidsRacing]

You can make your own fenders that work as well as Gee fenders, but Gee fenders are just easy.... It is a cost vs. time vs. skill level thing... Thin to win... 1/4"-3/8" in rear tapered to nothing in the front.

 

[DJofSYN]

You can make your own fenders that work as well as Gee fenders, but Gee fenders are just easy.... It is a cost vs. time vs. skill level thing... Thin to win... 1/4"-3/8" in rear tapered to nothing in the front.

Yes I figured the time is the big factor. I made my own balsa fenders for the last 2 cars. I had to glue 3 pieces of 1/16"balsa together and I used a tire mandrel with fine sand paper over a wheel to get the shape. The only problem with balsa is it's very hard to get it very thin because it just falls apart. I'm talking about the top edge over the tire and below. If you touch it or brush against something it just splinters. I figured the Gee fenders I won't have to worry about that which is nice. Also the paint absorbs into the balsa very easily. So that's even more work if I want to remedy that.

 

[TRE]

go to hobby store and 1/2 balsa..thin ca glue all over the balsa that makes them strong and paintable

 

[DJofSYN]

go to hobby store and 1/2 balsa

Yes that's how I wound up with the balsa I actually think it was 1/8" that I used last time and glued 3 layers together. I need one layer to act as the spacer so it doesn't interfere with the track. I wasn't sure what the overall width was so that's why I glued 3 pieces together. Now I'm learning the difference. I might see if they make a thicker piece of balsa so I don't have to glue them again. That was a real p.i.t.a.

 

[bracketracer]

I tried using the water thin type of CA glue on the last few sets of balsa fenders I made. If you apply it to the end grain it soaks through the balsa easily and stiffens it. Be careful though, because the first time I applied it to the block of balsa before I started shaping it, I actually glued the finger that was on the opposite side of the block after the glue soaked right through the 1 " thick block! I hold it from the sides now! lol

 

[bracketracer]

Oh, and re: GEE fenders, if you want a testimonial- my son built a car this year that was identical to last year's car except I bought him a set of the regular GEE fenders this year. I think we have the scout build down well, but this year's car was .009 faster than last year's car (scouts here are allowed to enter 1 car for each year they have been in scouts so we were able to run both cars on the same track and compare) and I feel safe saying that most all of that was due to the fenders. If they're installed right, they work and they're easier for sure.

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

Oh, and re: GEE fenders, if you want a testimonial- my son built a car this year that was identical to last year's car except I bought him a set of the regular GEE fenders this year. I think we have the scout build down well, but this year's car was .009 faster than last year's car (scouts here are allowed to enter 1 car for each year they have been in scouts so we were able to run both cars on the same track and compare) and I feel safe saying that most all of that was due to the fenders. If they're installed right, they work and they're easier for sure.

Just curious....was this a 2 fender car, a 4 fender car, or, did it also have the trailing fenders? I am just trying to wrap my brain around where & how much of the .009 came from.

Thanks!

 

[DJofSYN]

Just curious....was this a 2 fender car, a 4 fender car, or, did it also have the trailing fenders? I am just trying to wrap my brain around where & how much of the .009 came from.

Thanks!

Cars can be identicallying built yet anything could be playing the role of getting that extra time taken off. It could've been drilled better or the weight placement could've been a touch off, anything and everything plays a role. We built an identical car this year also but I shaved the fenders way thinner than the ones in my profile pic. And I used a lighter block which gave me extra room to add more weight. Our car was faster also. I guess overall experience leads to better cars

 

[bracketracer]

Just curious....was this a 2 fender car, a 4 fender car, or, did it also have the trailing fenders? I am just trying to wrap my brain around where & how much of the .009 came from.

Thanks!

The regular GEE fenders come as a four piece set, he used all four. No trailing fenders.

 

[DJofSYN]

The regular GEE fenders come as a four piece set, he used all four. No trailing fenders.

The regular GEE fenders come as a four piece set, he used all four. No trailing fenders.

The dynasty Gee fenders are the newest version right? I noticed the dynasty are a touch lighter and come in a set of 4 also. Are all 4 identical or are the front fenders a little smaller?

 

[bracketracer]

We had bought the "Dynasty High Performance GEE DIAMOND Fenders" also, all four appeared to be the same size but my son used the "Dynasty High Performance GEE Fenders" on his car. They appear to be a little larger than the Diamond GEE's and also are all four the same. They have a built in 3 degree cant so they angle to match the rear wheels automatically but for the front I had him cut the side of the nose at an angle to match the fender to the wheel camber. With the longer, uncut, inner hubs on scout wheels, he also cut some 1/64" plywood shims to glue to the body side as needed to space the fenders so they lined up with the wheel tread.

 

[DJofSYN]

We had bought the "Dynasty High Performance GEE DIAMOND Fenders" also, all four appeared to be the same size but my son used the "Dynasty High Performance GEE Fenders" on his car. They appear to be a little larger than the Diamond GEE's and also are all four the same. They have a built in 3 degree cant so they angle to match the rear wheels automatically but for the front I had him cut the side of the nose at an angle to match the fender to the wheel camber. With the longer, uncut, inner hubs on scout wheels, he also cut some 1/64" plywood shims to glue to the body side as needed to space the fenders so they lined up with the wheel tread.

That's good info. Thank you. I'll be trying out the diamond Gee then. I have to use the stock wheels with just the usual sanding for the district race so I'll find a way to space them also. Again thank you.

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

We had bought the "Dynasty High Performance GEE DIAMOND Fenders" also, all four appeared to be the same size but my son used the "Dynasty High Performance GEE Fenders" on his car. They appear to be a little larger than the Diamond GEE's and also are all four the same. They have a built in 3 degree cant so they angle to match the rear wheels automatically but for the front I had him cut the side of the nose at an angle to match the fender to the wheel camber. With the longer, uncut, inner hubs on scout wheels, he also cut some 1/64" plywood shims to glue to the body side as needed to space the fenders so they lined up with the wheel tread.

Sooooooo .....you want the outside of the fender to be somewhat flush with the outside of the wheel tread?????? Or ......how are you supposed to line them up? I hope that question makes sense??

Did you need to shim out both the front and back or just one of them?

Maybe a picture if you are willing.

Thanks!

 

[bracketracer]

Sooooooo .....you want the outside of the fender to be somewhat flush with the outside of the wheel tread?????? Or ......how are you supposed to line them up? I hope that question makes sense??

Did you need to shim out both the front and back or just one of them?

Maybe a picture if you are willing.

Thanks!

On the regular GEE fenders the top lip is square cut and just as wide as the tread. Just line that up with the tread while the car is sitting on it's wheels, keep the fender as close to the wheel as you can without it rubbing and you'll be good.

I don't think he had to shim out the DFW fender since he inset that wheel, I believe it was just the NDFW fender and the two rears. When he cut the inset for the DFW I had him only cut in the width of the wheel and leave the nose in front of the wheel full width so he had enough meat there to do the angle cut. I'll see if I can get a pic in the AM.

 

[DJofSYN]

keep the fender as close to the wheel as you can without it rubbing and you'll be good.

I use a rubber band over the tire. Then I place the fender against it. Easy to glue in place like that. I also my daughters hair ties( the small ones). They fit perfectly

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

On the regular GEE fenders the top lip is square cut and just as wide as the tread. Just line that up with the tread while the car is sitting on it's wheels, keep the fender as close to the wheel as you can without it rubbing and you'll be good.

I don't think he had to shim out the DFW fender since he inset that wheel, I believe it was just the NDFW fender and the two rears. When he cut the inset for the DFW I had him only cut in the width of the wheel and leave the nose in front of the wheel full width so he had enough meat there to do the angle cut. I'll see if I can get a pic in the AM.

Bracket Racer

Thanks for all of the information! We are considering trying the GEE fenders for the first time on his car for the districts. Having never used fenders they are new to us. We can not change the width of the car at the axle locations, so we could not notch or narrow the DFW inward. I spoke with DD4H and he told me that narrowing would not be needed. I figured I would run a slightly tighter gap on the DFW vs. the DRW to try and help with the DRW rub concern.

I have seen Johns video about using the rubber band for spacing and planned on trying that. However, I had not considered the DFW angle ...I may have to re-think how to make that fender angle to match the steering wheel??????

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

keep the fender as close to the wheel as you can without it rubbing and you'll be good.

I use a rubber band over the tire. Then I place the fender against it. Easy to glue in place like that. I also my daughters hair ties( the small ones). They fit perfectly

DJ,

If we go forward on this, this will be our first attempt to use fenders and I certainly don't want to screw up his chance at districts. Thanks for all of the guidance and information that all of you so willingly share. It is VERY much appreciated.

 

[EvilJester]

Do you guys think its worth removing what the fenders weigh from the COM weight to add fenders? Would you assume this a good trade off? We have a fenderless scout car that runs very well. Our district race is approaching and they allow tuning but it must be the same main body. I interpret that as, we could add fenders.

 

[Crash Enburn]

The Gee fenders weigh next to nothing. Homemade balsa fenders are almost as weightless. Odds are, you could add fenders and not need to adjust your weight at all.