We recommend installing axles with a 1.5° bend for the front of the car and 2.5° bend for the rear. The axles heads are marked in the direction of the bend. Install the axles with the mark straight up. The alignment procedure requires turning the axles while they are in the car slot.
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.
How do you bend a derby axle without a bender?
Lay the axle into the indention you’ve made, with the alignment mark at the 12 o’ clock position. Clamp it with the pliers at the edge of the wood. Place your other hand over the one holding the pliers and apply gentle, steady downward pressure. Less is more, and it’s better to underbend than over.
How do you bend axles?
Using your 3/32″ hex key, loosen the set screw in the spring collar and slide it to the mark for the desired degree of bend and tighten. Place your thumb on the knob and pull the lever smoothly and steady with your index finger until the spring fully compresses to bend the axle.
How do I know if my axel is bent?
Top 6 Signs of a Damaged or Broken Car Axle
- Leaking.
- Brake Pad Misalignment.
- Wheel Wobbling & Vibrations.
- 4. “
- Vehicle Strains. Car axles are fairly resilient, but when they’re under pressure, you’ll feel it in the gas pedal.
- Car Won’t Budge. The most obvious sign of a broken axle is when your car tires won’t rotate.
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.
Should I glue pinewood derby axles?
7. Create Glue Holes: Glue the axles firmly in their holes to ensure that they stay perfectly placed, but make sure you don’t get glue on your wheels. 8. Add Weight: Remember to make your Pinewood Derby car as heavy as the rules allow.
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.
Should you bake your pinewood derby car?
Per the Pinewood Derby rules, the car’s weight shouldn’t exceed 5 ounces. One way to ensure your car doesn’t exceed 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.
Is it legal to sand Pinewood Derby wheels?
Wheels may be lightly sanded and polished to remove imperfections. This light sanding and polishing is the only wheel modification allowed.
How can I make my Pinewood Derby wheels faster?
Use All of the Graphite
High-carbon graphite is used to lubricate the wheels of a Pinewood Derby car for increased speed and performance.
What is a crush Bend?
In the crush bending process is when a tube is simply bent without any internal support. This is a common bending process that ends up “crushing” or crinkling the tube’s bending point. Crush bends have a faster turn around and are more cost-effective in the long run.
What are the 4 types of bend?
There are generally four (4) different methods of tube/pipe bending that can also be classified according to complexity. You’ll encounter the following: compression bending, rotary draw bending, roll bending, and mandrel tube bending.
What happens if you bend the axle?
If your axle shaft is bent it will ruin the alignment of your vehicle. When this happens your vehicle will pull to one side and/or wobble. It can be hard to spot bad wheel alignment while you are driving.
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.
What causes axles to bend?
While they’re designed to be very strong and should last for a long time, they can be damaged. This can occur during an auto accident, running over a curb, or even hitting a particularly deep pothole at higher speeds. The result is a bent axle.
Are axles supposed to be straight?
Axles are supposed to be bent. Without this bend, loading a vehicle or item of equipment onto the trailer would cause the axle to flex down, turning out the tires and wearing the inside of the tread pattern.
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 is the best place to put weight in 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.
What is the best angle for a pinewood derby car?
Some of the derby dads that I’ve talked to say that 1/2 to 1 degree is the way to go, just enough to get the wheels to gravitate out. I know lots of people hold 3 degrees as kind of a standard.
Can you use wd40 on a pinewood derby car?
No wet lubricant is allowed.