Pinewood Derby

[Tiny]

My 2nd grader wanted a gladiator instead of a race car. We may not be the fastest down the track this year.....but if there's an off-road circuit, he'll crush it.

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[texanjeeper]

That's great ! You should carve some balsa wood fenders that go over the tires. ? That's the great thing about the Gladiator, not much in the way of rounded edges.

See if you can transfer some of that weight up front, maybe carve out underneath the hood and put some lead weights up there, that will balance out the Jeep nicely. It's better to have the weight up front anyway.

 

[Tiny]

That's great ! You should carve some balsa wood fenders that go over the tires. ? That's the great thing about the Gladiator, not much in the way of rounded edges.

See if you can transfer some of that weight up front, maybe carve out underneath the hood and put some lead weights up there, that will balance out the Jeep nicely. It's better to have the weight up front anyway.

I might do some fenders and tinkering if I have time tomorrow. Gotta check in for out pit inspection Friday after work

 

[HopSlammer]

Your 2nd grader already knows,
WHEN you get there is not as important as HOW you get there!
Smart kid, have FUN!!

 

[blau iii]

That's great ! You should carve some balsa wood fenders that go over the tires. ? That's the great thing about the Gladiator, not much in the way of rounded edges.

See if you can transfer some of that weight up front, maybe carve out underneath the hood and put some lead weights up there, that will balance out the Jeep nicely. It's better to have the weight up front anyway.

You need as much of the weight in the back as possible for a fast derby car... Science man.

 

[texanjeeper]

Yes but you should have some weight in the front too.....I've had control issues when I loaded it too much in the back. Sometimes it's good to have a day or two just to launch them and see how they're performing and make adjustments as you go.

 

[Klutch]

Very cool!

- Aerodynamics are irrelevant with Pinewood Derby. The speeds aren't fast enough to make a difference. So, no reason a Gladiator derby racer can't be fast.

- The maximum weight for the entire car is typically 8 ounces. I used lead fishing weights. Weigh the car to get a baseline. Then drill out the back and insert weights until you're just over 8 ounces. Then use a tiny drill bit to drill out the weights until you're at around 8.000000 ounces. (In this Gladiator racer, you would likely have to insert the weights into the cab area.

- You can make it faster by putting the wheels on the nail and putting the nail in a drill press or portable drill. Use a sanding block against the spinning wheels to get them perfectly smooth. This makes a HUGE difference.

- Use a nail file to de-bur the axles.

- Typically, graphite is the only allowable lubricant. I used to dissolve powdered graphite in alcohol and dip the axles into it. When the alcohol dries, it leaves a nice coating of graphite behind. Use a Q-Tip to swab the wheel holes with the graphite solution.

All this adds up to a very fast car which is a lot more fun than being eliminated in the first heat.

 

[blau iii]

Very cool!

- Aerodynamics are irrelevant with Pinewood Derby. The speeds aren't fast enough to make a difference. So, no reason a Gladiator derby racer can't be fast.

- The maximum weight for the entire car is typically 8 ounces. I used lead fishing weights. Weigh the car to get a baseline. Then drill out the back and insert weights until you're just over 8 ounces. Then use a tiny drill bit to drill out the weights until you're at around 8.000000 ounces. (In this Gladiator racer, you would likely have to insert the weights into the cab area.

- You can make it faster by putting the wheels on the nail and putting the nail in a drill press or portable drill. Use a sanding block against the spinning wheels to get them perfectly smooth. This makes a HUGE difference.

- Use a nail file to de-bur the axles.

- Typically, graphite is the only allowable lubricant. I used to dissolve powdered graphite in alcohol and dip the axles into it. When the alcohol dries, it leaves a nice coating of graphite behind. Use a Q-Tip to swab the wheel holes with the graphite solution.

All this adds up to a very fast car which is a lot more fun than eliminated in the first heat.

All super helpful and spot on recommendations! I use bullets instead of fishing weights. Gets some interesting looks from the "karen" moms...

 

[kevman65]

Just drop a 392 in it.......

 

[GCoop]

I am really surprised that no one has brought this up yet. This vehicle is obviously overloaded and a hazard. The manufacturers load capacities are there for a reason people!!! Dont encourage this.


Seriously though--Very cool project!

 

[Tiny]

We have a 5oz weight limit (142g) which I am spot on this year! I did polish axles and thank God it's black because it is loaded with graphite. I did exceed the payload but swapped out for max tow springs so I hope that helps . Looking forward to a fun day Saturday. We run our derby like a big fair so the kids are gonna have a blast with games and such in between heats. We have a few tvs we're setting up to display the races live while the kids not racing are mucking about.

 

[DocMike]

I think you need plywood in the bed.

I am really surprised that no one has brought this up yet. This vehicle is obviously overloaded and a hazard. The manufacturers load capacities are there for a reason people!!! Dont encourage this.


Seriously though--Very cool project!

 

[Gvsukids]

I think a Max Tow version would be able to carry more.

 

[texanjeeper]

+1 on deburring the axles ! This is a must, and right before the race drop some graphite powder on the axles where there will be friction.

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