We just completed our first Cub Scout PWD and left disappointed. I’m getting geared up for next year already and want to refine our wheel canting technique. Assuming the rules allow for drilled and angled axel holes, and 3 wheel rail rider, I am wondering if it is worth the extra cost to buy trued/speed BSA wheels? Since canting considerably minimizes the wheel surface touching the track, it seems that I would really only need to sand off obvious defects from the basic BSA wheel where it contacts the track, and then polish that area so it is extremely smooth. Do trued wheels add noticeable speed in the Cub Scout races?
Wheel prep and canting
- Thread starter G8TR Racer
- Start date
A lot of folks here will tell you to buy speed wheels. Which do help but other areas can contribute more for the cost/prep time.
I'd focus on axles prep, Center of Gravity, car shape, wheelbase, proper alignment, and 3 wheeled rail rider. Not in that order. And good wheel prep too. Then if you really want to spend the money get the speed wheels. But at the pack level if you do the things listed above well you should have a very competitive car.
One issue I've encountered is that since I only used to build one car a year if I implemented too many changes and didn't test/adjust the change in between I could actually slow down my car if I did something incorrectly, negating any good adjustments.
You need to get atleast 1.180 trued wheels the fit all rules and will speed you up
Agree with TRE. If your rules allow, a wheel trued up on a lathe is no doubt faster. Better yet if it is shortened, has the inside and outside tread edges trued also, and is lightened. That is if your rules allow it. Doesn't matter if you are canting the wheels or not for these things to help.
Scott
Scott
Agree with the guys above, plus trued wheels are cheap and if your tracks set up well can be reused plenty.
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