wheels may be sanded to remove mold marks .... how much is too much

[TWarwick07]

I set up my nephews car for his pack race and sanded the tread on the wheels and also rubbed them with graphite. He won the pack race going undefeated and setting a track record. when the rules for the district race came out it says wheels need to be run "out of the box " and only sanded to remove mold marks.

Now i didnt sand any crazy designs or corners off the wheels but i did sand the whole wheel surface with a mandrel on a drill.

Obviously i will bring a spare set of wheels just in case but have anyone ever heard of cars being DQ'd for sanding wheels??

Thanks, First thread created /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[Rocket car]

With that set of rules as long as the bumps are on the outside of the wheel you should be fine.

 

[TWarwick07]

Thanks for the heads up, i was sure to leave the bumps, should be ok then

 

[Kinser Racing]

If you put graphite on the outside of the wheels I would clean them. They run faster clean.

 

[TWarwick07]

If you put graphite on the outside of the wheels I would clean them. They run faster clean.

any recommendations to get the graphite off the wheel surface

 

[BulldogRacing]

alcohol will do it

 

[TWarwick07]

Thanks guys, very grateful for the quick replies.

 

[Mojo Racing]

any recommendations to get the graphite off the wheel surface

Mr Clean Magic Eraser

 

[TWarwick07]

Not expecting to place at districts, my nephew wanted to build a tank. so we built what he wanted. not much competition in the pack but he did beat the only competitive car heads up all 4 times they raced. I used a pencil for the cannon and chopped the front of the block off and mounted it on top. that made the car very short but extended the wheel base by default. if we bring home a trophy it will be a miracle.

 

[bracketracer]

I used a pencil for the cannon and chopped the front of the block off and mounted it on top. that made the car very short but extended the wheel base by default.

How does chopping the front off the block extend the wheelbase?

 

[TWarwick07]

How does chopping the front off the block extend the wheelbase?

I cut the block right behind the axle slot so now the wheels are right at the end of the block, i will post a picture when i get the car back from my nephew

 

[Crash Enburn]

How does chopping the front off the block extend the wheelbase?

I think he meant that *visually*, it made it an "extended wheelbase" as there was no (or less) nose or tail beyond the wheels.

Idea: Modify the cannon. Make it long enough such that it brings the tank up to the full 7" allowed length. Put a 'T' end on it, to help support it at the start peg and to break the beam at the end. It may not be as aero as a thin car, but you will pick up some speed.

 

[bracketracer]

I think he meant that *visually*, it made it an "extended wheelbase" as there was no (or less) nose or tail beyond the wheels.

Idea: Modify the cannon. Make it long enough such that it brings the tank up to the full 7" allowed length. Put a 'T' end on it, to help support it at the start peg and to break the beam at the end. It may not be as aero as a thin car, but you will pick up some speed.

Yup, that's what I figured he meant. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[TWarwick07]

Idea: Modify the cannon. Make it long enough such that it brings the tank up to the full 7" allowed length. Put a 'T' end on it, to help support it at the start peg and to break the beam at the end. It may not be as aero as a thin car, but you will pick up some speed.

The rule says nothing can hang past the starting gate but how tall are those starting pins usually ?? If i had a large enough tab on the end of the cannon would it act as a quick start for the car

 

[Crash Enburn]

The pins are usually about 3" tall. I meant for the cannon to be resting against the pin as the front of the car. That way, your rear wheels would be at the full 7" behind the pin, maximizing the potential energy for your car. Er, tank.

Unless you are using an old wood track with a manual start gate, there is no benefit to the "quick start".

 

[TWarwick07]

The pins are usually about 3" tall. I meant for the cannon to be resting against the pin as the front of the car. That way, your rear wheels would be at the full 7" behind the pin, maximizing the potential energy for your car. Er, tank.

Unless you are using an old wood track with a manual start gate, there is no benefit to the "quick start".

Going to give this serious consideration. Thinking about replacing the pencil with a wooden dowel and some type of 1/4 inch cross tip on the end

I am assuming it would be a modern aluminium track

 

[txchemist]

We had an "old timers" race a while back to celebrate our Packs 50 year anniversary.
More than one old car with a quick start front rolled over my shortened start pins (to eliminate a bounce back) I had. It was interesting to see some of the super crowned wheels that were used by some who did not cant, but there were plenty of old cars with canting by hand.

Anyway, might aim the gun a bit lower unless you know the pin height, or make it adjustable.

 

[TWarwick07]

I was thinking i would have to aim the gun alot lower right now it is sitting 1 and a half times the hight of the block.