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 you put weights on a 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.
Is it better to put weight 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.
What is the best way to add weight to a pinewood derby car?
Sand and paint your block but do not add the wheels. 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.
Where is the center of gravity on a pinewood derby car?
Many racers try to place the center of gravity (COG) of their car at a certain distance in front of their rear axle. You find the COG by simply balancing the car on a fulcrum (a ruler or paint scraper will do), and measuring how far in front of the rear axle the balance point is.
What is the best weight distribution for a race car?
50-50 Weight Distribution
For a high performance road car, what is the ideal weight distribution? For RWD front engine, 50-50 weight distribution. It’s the layout of choice for RWD performance cars from BMW, Mercedes etc for many years.
What makes a derby car go faster?
5 Quick & Easy Tips For Improving Your Pinewood Derby Car’s Speed
- Put all of your weight in the back.
- Lube the car at the body/wheel friction point.
- Spend a fair amount of time on axle prep.
- Make sure your wheels are ready.
- Finally, once your wheels are mounted, check their alignment.
Which part of a car is the heaviest?
Among the heaviest parts of a car or truck are those that compose its “heart” — the engine. Items in the engine bay, such as the engine block, pistons, crankshaft and various accessories are made of high-strength, heat-resistant metals.
How do you increase the speed of a pinewood derby car?
Use All of the Graphite
High-carbon graphite is used to lubricate the wheels of a Pinewood Derby car for increased speed and performance. Tube-O-Lube is an odor-free, extra-fine dry powdered lubricant that is dark grey/black. Graphite should be used with adult supervision only.
Do heavier cars corner better?
In theory, a lighter car may handle corners better than a heavy car on a wet roads, as it has less inertia to continue in a straight line, however its lighter weight, there is less friction or adhesion to the road.
Does graphite help pinewood derby car?
Powdered graphite is an excellent lubricant to reduce friction on pinewood derby axles. Why do you want to reduce friction on your axles? It’s simple physics; reduce friction to make your car faster. Stated another way, the fastest cars have the least friction.
Should you bake pinewood derby car?
Per the Pinewood Derby rules, the weight of the car shouldn’t exceed 5 ounces. One way to ensure your car doesn’t go over the weight limit is to bake the block! Naturally, wood holds water, and water adds weight. You’ll want to help your Scout by baking the block in an oven at 250 degrees for one hour.
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.
Which axle is the front on 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.
What weight should I use for my derby car?
Tungsten is the best weight for your pine derby car because it allows you to pack more weight in a smaller area giving you more flexibility in your car design and more accurate weight placement for speed. Package contains eight 3/8″ diameter cylinders with chamfored edges for easy insertion.
How should weight be distributed in a car?
As stated before, heavier items should be closer to the rear wheels of your vehicle on the trailer while lighter items should be closer to the back.
Does weight in the back of a car help?
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.
How long do car Derbys last?
Normal heats can last anywhere from 10–30 minutes, while an entire event can take place over the span of a few days. The last running car that makes contact with another driver wins the event.
What is the best shape for a fast Pinewood Derby car?
wedge
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.
How do you reduce drag on a derby car?
Taper the Bottom of Your Car at the Front – This will keep it from rubbing against the track at the bottom of the slope as the track becomes flat. 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.
Is the front or back of the car heavier?
That’s your general rule of thumb for weight distribution. Front mounted car is heavier and noticeably so. Rear mounted cars are the same just reverse the order. A central weighted or electric will of course be different.