QA

Quick Answer: How To Put Wheels On A Pinewood Derby Car

How do you put wheels on a Pinewood Derby car?

Pinewood Derby Axle Installer Lubricate the wheel and axle – Slide the axle into the wheel. Place the wheel/axle on the base with the pointed end of the axle up. Place the Axle Guide in the axle slot. Hold the Axle Guide in place with your thumb then gently press the car body straight down on the axle.

How close should wheels be on Pinewood Derby car?

How close should pinewood derby wheels be to the car? The hub of the wheel should be a credit card thickness (about . 03″) away from the car block but can be as much as . 1″.

Can you glue axles on Pinewood Derby car?

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 a Pinewood Derby car have 3 wheels?

Especially when using axle slots, it is often quite difficult to get all four wheels to touch the ground evenly. In fact, many times people end up with three-wheeled pinewood derby cars by accident! Don’t let your car design be accidental.

Are Bent axles legal in Pinewood Derby?

Wheels and Axles Rules Official BSA wheels must be used. The wheels may not be cut, drilled, beveled or rounded. You may remove the seams and imperfections from the wheels.

How can I make my derby wheels 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.

Where do you bend Pinewood Derby axles?

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.

How much weight does paint add to Pinewood Derby car?

Paint only adds a few grams (hundredths of a ounce). We generally weight up to 4.9 oz and then do the last weight adjustment at check-in.

Where do you 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.

What can I use for weights on a Pinewood Derby car?

Below are several suggestions for adding weights to your pinewood derby car. Zinc Top Weight. Lead Wire Weights. Tungsten Weights. Tungsten Canopy.

What is the fastest Pinewood Derby car design?

The Black PRO Car is our fastest pinewood derby car. It pushes the Speed Limit! It is track-tested car ready to race featuring our race winning PRO friction-free BSA Ultra-Lite graphite-coated wheels and PRO BSA graphite-coated grooved axles.

What is the best weight for a Pinewood Derby car?

First, the basics: Your car should weigh as much as it’s allowed. In most races, a Pinewood Derby car’s weight is limited to 5 ounces. If your car weighs less than that, add coins or other weights. As far as where you should attach those weights to your car … well, let’s just say opinions differ.

How can I make my Pinewood Derby car faster?

10 Tips and Tricks to a Fast and Cool-Looking Pinewood Derby Car Bake your block. Max out your weight at the regulation 5 ounces. Use all of the graphite (dry lubricant is usually allowed). Sand and polish your wheels and axles. Check alignment. Spend time on sanding. Use a high-quality paint. Add decals!.

How do you make a Pinewood Derby car go faster?

Build a Fast Pinewood Derby Car in 6 Steps Step 1: Reduce friction to speed up your car. Step 2: Lubricate Axles and Wheels. Step 3: Prepare and Polish Axles – Essential for Speed. Step 4: Balance and tune your Wheels to Maxiumize Speed. Step 5: Add Weight to Increase Inertia.

Is there a minimum length for Pinewood Derby cars?

All cars must pass the following inspection to qualify for the race: Width shall not exceed 2-3/4 inches. Length shall not exceed 7 inches. Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces.

Why is my pinewood derby car slow?

Pinewood derby cars are gravity-powered vehicles. In every place where moving parts are in contact (wheels rubbing on the track, the axles, the car body, and the guide rails) friction is at work. Even the air flow over the car body is a form of friction that slows down the car.

What kind of wood is used for pinewood derby cars?

Pine – Any of a variety of soft, light-colored woods used for pinewood derby kits. Ponderosa Pine – A soft western pine. Sugar Pine – A soft, western pine noted for a sweet smell. White Pine – A soft eastern pine.

How tall can a pinewood derby car be?

The maximum height of the car cannot exceed 5 inches (Adjust this limit so that the cars will pass under your finish gate). 5. The car must have 1 ¾” clearance between the wheels.

Do fenders help pinewood derby?

Pinewood Derby Fenders / Air Guides Add pizzazz to your pinewood derby car with our sleek fender accessories! Fenders improve air flow over the wheels resulting in a few milliseconds of advantage, during a tight race. Both front and rear fenders are available and are typically used together.