Weight distribution / placement question

[dad&3boys]

First, I'm interested in your feedback on weight distribuition (I know this will vary from track to track). I've seen suggested anywhere from 90% back axle / 10% front axle to 75% back axle / 25% front axle. Thoughts for a rough wood track? Thoughts for a smooth alum. track?

Next, for arguments sake, let's assume that the COM is set at 1" in front of the rear axles for both car 1 and car 2. Also, let's assume that car 1 theoretically has all weight over each axle, say 1 ounce over front axle and 4 ounces over rear axles (again, I said in theory). Compare this to car 2, that has all 5 ounces directly over the COM, 1" in front of the rear axles.

Question 1 - assuming the same COM, is car 1 more stable than car 2?

Question 2 - again assuming the same COM, do you have any thought on the weight placement in regards to potential energy? Car 1 would have 1 oz of weight move off the incline sooner, but 4 oz on the incline longer, vs. car 2 which would have all 5 oz on the track for a period of time in between.

Thanks, and hope this isn't too confusing.

[speedie4u]

Car 1 should be faster, if i gathered this right.

Car 1, should also be more stable.

[itsmine]

my son and I just placed first in our derby the wieght dist. was 75% rear and 25% front. The stability is what got us our win the 2nd place car had 90 rear and 10 front and wobble in the straight away. Hope that helped

[Bigtex]

Itsmine,

Do you know what the track length was and was is a wooden or aluminum track?

[itsmine]

It was a 32 foot and wooden

[itsmine]

There is a derby in Hockly on the 28th you going