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.
Where do I 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.
Should weight be on top or bottom of pinewood derby car?
Weight should be placed towards the rear of the car. You can drill the weight holes in the bottom, side or rear of the car as shown in these examples. Stay at least 1/8″ away from the axle slots.
How do you glue weights on a pinewood derby car?
Epoxy can be used for attaching metal accessories to the car and, since it does not shrink when dry, it works well for gluing weight into holes or pockets. It can also be used for gluing wood to wood, but I recommend yellow, white, or tacky glue for that use.
What is the front and back of a pinewood derby car?
Which end is the front of a pinewood derby car? Either end can be the front of the car but the end of the block farthest from an axle slot gives you an advantage if it is the front of the car. The reason for this is that you can put weight farther back on the car if the rear slot is close to the end of the block.
Where should weight be distributed in a car?
Keep an Eye on 50/50 Weight Distribution
This is because the weight helps anchor the vehicle to the road. The goal for vehicles is to be as close to 50/50 weight distribution as possible. This is because a vehicle is a lot safer with weight evenly distributed over all four wheels.
Where should stick on wheel weights be placed?
“The best placement would be at the extreme inside and outside of the wheel.” The farther apart the weights, the more “couple” force, or the side-to-side wobble of a rolling tire, can be counteracted. “We’ve lost the outside and two or three more inches because the weight has to be behind the spokes.
Can you put weights on top of pinewood derby car?
When the paint has dried, mount the weight on the top of your car as far to the rear as possible. The weight should not extend past the rear of the car. Glue bottom weights to the bottom of the block to bring the total weight (including wheels and axles) to 5 oz.
Which wheel should be raised on pinewood derby car?
Lift One of the Front Wheels, so it Doesn’t Touch the Track – If your competition allows it, raising one wheel is an easy way to reduce friction. Decide which wheel to lift by sending your car down a straight line and seeing which side of the line it drifts toward. If it drifts left, raise the left front wheel.
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.
Can you use duct tape on a pinewood derby car?
No tape will be allowed and no other lubing or modifications will be permitted.
How much should a pinewood derby car weight before paint?
about 4.9 ounces
Adding weight. The bottom of a wedge body with holes drilled for weights. Before painting the block, you will want to add enough weight to bring the block, wheels, axles, and any accessories to about 4.9 ounces.
What is a good pinewood derby time?
Pinewood Derby Results. The average times with just weight added was 3.288 seconds. There was 0.188 seconds between the fastest and slowest car, about 23 inches. The average time was 2.994 seconds, about 44 inches faster than without graphite (0.353 seconds).
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.
Where do you drill the axle on a pinewood derby car?
If your rules don’t specify the distance between the axles and the end of the car, drill the rear axle hole 5/8″ from the rear of the block. This will allow you to add weights farther back on the car.
How do you distribute weight?
You have to distribute the weight more or less evenly from front to back, but you can skew your figures a bit to load a little heavier in the middle and lighter at the front and rear. This helps distribute the weight a bit more evenly over the length of the trailer.
How should weight be distributed when standing?
Your weight should be 50-50 on your left and right legs and between the balls of your feet (those cushioned pads just below your toes) and your heels. I’m surprised how many people think their weight should be supported by their toes.
Do wheel weights go on the inside or outside?
Clip-On Wheel Weights can be placed both on the inside and on the outside of your rim. Once placed in a precise location, a Clip-On wheel weight adds to the overall weight of your tyre. The major advantages of using Clip-On weights are: They are faster to attach/remove.
Do stick on wheel weights keep falling off?
Sometimes on a new or refurbished rim the weight will apparently stick well but over a matter of days or a week or so will fall off as the paint or lacquer surface is still curing which can “lift” the weight.
Why do people put weights on the back of their car?
This is a good thing for snow traction. The weight flattens the shape of the front tires a bit, even if they have the same tire pressure as the rear. This increases the friction between the road and the tires on the wheels that are responsible for moving the car. More friction means more road grip.
Should I sand my pinewood derby wheels?
Running the drill at low speed, carefully sand the tread area of the wheel just enough to take off the mold “flash” at the outside edge of the tread and smooth the tread area down to take out the “dimple” which is typically where the wheel was cut off the “sprue” or mold tree.