Post by 4wheeldrift on Jan 25, 2010 16:48:29 GMT -6
Like many here, I'm pretty new to this activity. We just attended our first event (jr's a Tiger Scout) and it was pretty thrilling. But one thing I'm curious to address is that I noticed in reviewing the video after the fact was how his car in some races was about 1/2 car length back by the time they hit the curve. This was on a 3 lane wooden track that by my calculations (assuming 1/24 scale) was 30ft, although this seems odd as the tracks seem to be typically 32' no? my numbers must be off or is another scale used? I tried backing into the track length knowing the time and MPH.
Anyhow, I've searched the boards and understand the various things you can do to optimize the car. His was a standard wheel base wedge that had what I now understand the newer BSA wheels. It weighed 5oz with a COG maybe an inch in front of rear axles. All 4 wheels touching and nothing else crazy like camber adjustments. In looking over the newer wheels, I saw they were already coned and did not have any mold marks on the outside let alone the nails now have crimp marks lower on the shaft.
As a result I didn't feel the need to change anything on them. I applied graphite and spun them periodically with a dremel but that was it. I know other folks were polishing axles and lathing wheels.
So the long winded question is what are the main issues in overcoming the MOI? Weight of wheels, rolling resistance, combination of both? I think the resistance was not an issue cause in pretty much all cases he made up the delta to win the race. Or was this cause I got lucky with alignment? It seemed to track pretty straight and wasn't banging off the center rail like a few others I had seen.
Anyhow, we're still buzzing over the weekend's event but I really would like to understand more of the MOI issue and how to overcome it.
TIA
Anyhow, I've searched the boards and understand the various things you can do to optimize the car. His was a standard wheel base wedge that had what I now understand the newer BSA wheels. It weighed 5oz with a COG maybe an inch in front of rear axles. All 4 wheels touching and nothing else crazy like camber adjustments. In looking over the newer wheels, I saw they were already coned and did not have any mold marks on the outside let alone the nails now have crimp marks lower on the shaft.
As a result I didn't feel the need to change anything on them. I applied graphite and spun them periodically with a dremel but that was it. I know other folks were polishing axles and lathing wheels.
So the long winded question is what are the main issues in overcoming the MOI? Weight of wheels, rolling resistance, combination of both? I think the resistance was not an issue cause in pretty much all cases he made up the delta to win the race. Or was this cause I got lucky with alignment? It seemed to track pretty straight and wasn't banging off the center rail like a few others I had seen.
Anyhow, we're still buzzing over the weekend's event but I really would like to understand more of the MOI issue and how to overcome it.
TIA
