Search found 6835 matches

by Stan Pope
Sun Jan 01, 2017 4:40 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Want to take it to the next level
Replies: 79
Views: 95333

Re: Want to take it to the next level

I have a 5 1/2" wheelbase on our Mid America cars. I did that because someone, or many, on Derbytalk told me too. That's the only experience I have with an extended wheelbase car. The thing I remember being told is not to put the front wheels as far forward as they will go. Too much chance of ...
by Stan Pope
Fri Nov 11, 2016 2:27 pm
Forum: General Topics
Topic: Don't use magnets as weight
Replies: 10
Views: 18760

Re: Don't use magnets as weight

Yes! Matches my understanding exactly! Good catch, guys!
by Stan Pope
Mon Oct 31, 2016 11:53 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: 4-wheel Canted
Replies: 2
Views: 12169

Re: 4-wheel Canted

I concur with Speedster. In particular, the front wheels, if they touch the rail, need to touch very low on the rail to minimize the effects of friction. (If you want a more in-depth discussion of the physics, ask.) It is really important that the rear wheels be kept off the rail for the entire run....
by Stan Pope
Sat Oct 22, 2016 9:58 am
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Weight Dynamics Demonstration
Replies: 3
Views: 12359

Re: Weight Dynamics Demonstration

Neat test! Do you have the partial differential equations that describe your observations?
by Stan Pope
Mon Sep 19, 2016 10:31 am
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: Be part of History - in setting the World Record !!!
Replies: 6
Views: 25889

Re: Be part of History - in setting the World Record !!!

What is a problem as you mentioned is the waveform distortion - voltage spikes caused by the inductance of the wire. They can be addressed by a combination of a low pass filter, clipping diodes and a current limiting resistor. Okay! Thanks for your expertise! I know just enough about it to be dange...
by Stan Pope
Thu Sep 15, 2016 1:20 am
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: Be part of History - in setting the World Record !!!
Replies: 6
Views: 25889

Re: Be part of History - in setting the World Record !!!

What about the voltage drop on the wire from start gate to finish line? Might also be waveform distortion. 2000 ft of wire could be an issue. Or has this been tested and proven okay... no "repeaters" required along the pathway?
by Stan Pope
Sat Jul 30, 2016 11:24 pm
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: The ultimate in performance data collection
Replies: 11
Views: 27125

Re: The ultimate in performance data collection

Yes, for me, too, tonight! Wonder what went awry last night? The rest of my I-net seemed to be working fine. :( I wonder if it is light enough that it could be attached to a finished car to be used as an adjustment tool during "test and tune night" at the pack's track (when the timer is cu...
by Stan Pope
Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:46 pm
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: The ultimate in performance data collection
Replies: 11
Views: 27125

Re: The ultimate in performance data collection

Is it me or are the links in the target page (the ones that start out ct.busin...) all bad? I do not agree with this method of evaluation precisely because it alters the car in order to make the measurements. Sadly, because of the bad links, I was not able to estimate how much it would alter the car...
by Stan Pope
Mon May 02, 2016 9:55 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: 3D Printed Mustang
Replies: 12
Views: 19490

Re: 3D Printed Mustang

I believe that any Cub Scout who can write the program for an NC tool to carve out his PW car should be allowed, even encouraged, to do so!
by Stan Pope
Mon Apr 18, 2016 1:08 pm
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: District results...
Replies: 4
Views: 12201

Re: District results...

Good going! Congrats!
by Stan Pope
Sat Apr 09, 2016 10:52 am
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Lightnin's Simple Alignment Test
Replies: 19
Views: 48734

Re: Lightnin's Simple Alignment Test

Regarding concern #2, if this is about detecting a dog tracking alignment, then that has been easily visible when pushing it down the board and pulling it up. Backing up, in particular, is highly sensitive to it because once the car goes off angle it just gets progressively worse as you pull up. Th...
by Stan Pope
Thu Apr 07, 2016 9:16 am
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: How to precisely verify alignment
Replies: 4
Views: 12001

Re: How to precisely verify alignment

You don't need expensive gages to test a square; just a straight edge. Just draw two lines with the square from the same edge point ... once with the heel on one side of the line and once with it on the other side. If the square is "true," then the two lines will "line up."
by Stan Pope
Wed Apr 06, 2016 1:04 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: How to precisely verify alignment
Replies: 4
Views: 12001

Re: How to precisely verify alignment

Good vid! Thanks for sharing!
by Stan Pope
Tue Apr 05, 2016 10:49 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Lightnin's Simple Alignment Test
Replies: 19
Views: 48734

Re: Lightnin's Simple Alignment Test

Great, LB! I didn't find where you described biasing previously. :) If I understand, we described identical solutions for #1. This is important since the forward/reverse roll test is difficult with preferred tight hub-body clearance! And, I think, that test loses accuracy as the camber angle increas...