For a truly FAST Pinewood Derby car, three key areas must be aligned properly. Miss them, and you.....
LEAVE SPEED ON THE TRACK!
Let Turbo Derby walk you through the 3 Keys to Speed
Key Alignment #1 - Rear Wheels
Set the rear wheels at a 3-degree angle (camber). This greatly reduces friction as only a tiny portion of the wheel is making contact with the track. It also makes the wheels ride against the Pinewood Derby axles’ heads instead of the car body, which helps the car stay faster. The axle holes (and therefore the wheels) must be at the same height, precisely parallel to each other.
Rear wheels must be perpendicular (90 degrees) to each other and to the car body. Additionally, the wheels must be directly across from one another.
If rules allow, the rear axle holes should be placed ⅝ inch (0.625 inch) from the rear of the car. This increases stability and maximizes the amount of weight that can be placed in the rear of the car.
If the Derby car’s wheels are not parallel and perpendicular to each other, they will be in a toe-in or toe-out orientation, or a combo of these two. Any of these positions will notably slow the car.
Key Alignment #2 - Fore/Aft
For maximum speed, the front and rear of the car must be level with each other, height-wise. This can be measured by comparing the distance to the track (or other flat surface) at the front and back of the car.
However, to increase stability and guard against wiggles that reduce speed, the fastest Pinewood Derby cars will steer (or drift) into the center rail. This is achieved by canting the front wheel at an angle (negative camber) and by turning the wheel slightly (toe in).
Canting and turning tilts the wheel and raises the front of the car.
That creates a problem. When the front of the car is higher than the rear, it causes a toe-out orientation on the rear wheels, increasing friction and reducing speed.
To mitigate this issue, the front axle hole must be placed a PRECISE amount higher than the rear axle holes, ensuring that the rear wheels are not placed in a toe-in or toe-out position.
Key Alignment #3 - Side to Side
When the car steers into the rail, the front wheel rubs the rail, and the rear wheel can end up doing the same.
To eliminate this problem and maximize speed, the front of the car’s body, where the wheel is attached, is cut in a PRECISE amount, allowing the rear wheels to be an equal distance from the center rail. This better guarantees the rear wheels do not go down the track slightly sideways, increasing friction and killing speed.
These three key alignments can be very hard to achieve with most current tools. But when they are right, the car is nearly…
UNBEATABLE!
So what is the solution?
And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!