Drilling a raised wheel for your pinewood derby car is easy. Just align and secure the PRO Driller™ Tool so the raised wheel hole is above the left (or right) front axle hole. Then drill into the bottom, center guide hole.
Can you drill a hole in a axle?
To achieve excellent wheel alignment, an important factor in building a competitive pinewood derby car, using accurately drilled axle holes (instead of slots) is the method of choice.
How do you drill a hole in a Pinewood Derby car?
Drill Weight Holes in your Pinewood Derby Car
- Drill evenly spaced 3/8″ holes for steel and tungsten cylinder weights.
- For drilling weight holes in the back, bottom and side of the car.
- Drill straight into the car block or at an angle to match the slope of wedge type cars.
Where is the best place to put weights on a Pinewood Derby car?
Best Location to Weight Your Pinewood Derby Car
When deciding on where to weight your car, you should try to reach a final balance point of the car 1 inch or less in front of the rear axle. To achieve this, place 2/5 of the added weight behind the rear axle, and the remaining 3/5 in front of the rear axle.
Do you glue Pinewood Derby axles?
For pinewood derby cars, white glue works fine for gluing wood to wood (such as adding wood accessories) and for repairing chips or cracks in the wood. It can also be used for holding the axles in place.
Can you drill through bearings?
If you’re drilling steel ball bearings, they’re most likely case hardened, and cannot be drilled with standard drill bits. Luckily, the case hardening is very shallow. Use whatever grinder you prefer to grind a small flat spot roughly the same diameter of the hole you’d like to drill on the ball bearing.
What does flipping an axle do?
The main reason that spring axles are flipped is to create additional ground clearance. Most trailers come with the springs mounted under the axles and lower to the ground. Axles are generally underslung from the factory, offering a lower center of gravity, more stability, and better aerodynamics.
Can you jack up on the axle?
You can safely jack up a car or truck by placing the jack on the axle. For this to be done safely, there is a series of steps that should be followed: Check the capacity of the jack you are using. Make sure the vehicle is immobile.
Can oil leak out of an axel?
If you start to notice oil drops on your driveway, it could be a sign of a leaking axle seal. Transmission starts slipping as you are driving on the highway. You might not see spots on your driveway, as the axle seal tends to leak more at high speeds.
Is it better to have more weight in front or back of pinewood derby?
PUT MOST OF THE WEIGHT IN THE BACK
Science says the heaviest part of your car should be about 1 inch in front of the rear axle. The idea is that the farther back the weight is, the more potential energy you have because your center of mass is higher up on the track.
Do I need to drill pilot holes in pine?
Drilling a pilot hole reduces the pressure to drive a screw through the material. Drilling a pilot hole into softwoods like pine and spruce typically isn’t required unless it falls under the other categories listed above.
Does a longer wheelbase make a pinewood derby car faster?
The longer the wheel base, the greater the turning distance (a short car turns much more quickly than a long car). A pinewood derby car should go as straight as possible, so a longer wheel base is an advantage.
What is the fastest pinewood derby Shape?
But aerodynamics rule the day, and the best shape is a simple wedge. Just like a spoiler on the rear of a sports car, the wedge shape allows as much air to flow over the top of the car without hinderance while keeping the car pinned to the track.
Should I bake my pinewood derby block?
Should I bake the pinewood derby block? The short answer is no, do not bake the block. The idea behind baking the block is to remove moisture which will make the block lighter. You can then add more weight to the back of the car.
Do heavier pinewood derby cars go faster?
Much has been written about the physics of pinewood derby cars, and this is one rare case in racing where heavy = fast. Aerodynamics have little effect in such a short race, but weight does and putting the weight at the back of the car will make your car faster on the flat of the track.
Can you use wd40 on a pinewood derby car?
No wet lubricant is allowed.
Can you use duct tape on a pinewood derby car?
No tape will be allowed and no other lubing or modifications will be permitted.
Should you sand pinewood derby wheels?
The hub can be coned using a lathe, a rotary tool or drill press with a grinder bit, or a special hub tool for pinewood derby wheels. When the plastic has been removed, the hub surface should be sanded first with #220 and then #400 sandpaper and buffed with a plastic polish.
Is it OK to hammer a bearing in?
Yes, you can use a hammer. First , make sure you are using the correct hammer and you are not striking the surfaces that make contact with the rolling elements. Second, make sure the bearing is pre-loaded.
Can drill be used as angle grinder?
Drill Attachments for Grinding
You can use a drill arbor adapter, It will give your drill a 1/2 inch arbor that will allow you to fit any grinder wheel with a 1/2 inch arbor hole onto your cordless drill to function as a grinder in a pinch.
Can you drill a hole in hardened steel?
Go to a hardware or home improvement store for a cobalt bit that is designed specifically for drilling through steel. You want a cobalt bit, as it’s a type of high-speed steel (HSS) that has more cobalt in it and is strong enough to cut through hardened steel.