Derby Talk

A quick solution is to just use the opposite side for your DFW when you build your next car. If you can use razors go for it and you can still rail run. One thing you have to keep in mind for thin wheels is the stop section. If cars are consistently banging into a bumper you run a higher risk of bre...

LOL. pretty sure with how much you have read through multiple forums you should have know better :) Yes barely squeeze the trigger on a hand drill. It should be going slow enough that you can count the revolutions if you wanted. I like the zip tie idea, i was thinking of trying a ratchet clamp but I...

I am all for working on the stock axles but it would make the process a lot easier not having to deal with filing the crimps and burs. I think that is where a lot of people trying to work on them from the first time mess things up. I actually don't mind the stock axles. I wish our Northern Star Coun...

It is my understanding that the double step was added to address the flashing under the axle head. Instead of finding a better axle they changed the wheel. This was another misguided attempt to even the playing field between people that know how to file off the flashing and crimps and those that don...

If there are less than a handful I would let it go and save the trophies for next year. Not the first time a derby allowed exceptions for cars under extenuating circumstances.

If wheel base is really the only difference run them all together. Extended wheelbase isn't necessarily faster. If the official rules still let you shift the wheel base back to the 5/8" from the back I would not separate them. The only advantage of an extended wheelbase is stability. It is more...

Funny how DW have videos to tell people how to modify their tool to make it work right. I guess I am crazy to think that when you buy something new you shouldn't have to "fix" it before you can make it work.

Biggest challenge I see is getting an arbor that replaces the stock one they use. Then installing it without any run-out. If I read it write, I believe that even the wheel vendors chuck a pin and calibrate it to like the 10,000th for run-out and press fit the wheel on it.

3 day shipping you may want to try 5 business days to be safe.

Also for staging you want to set it close to the rail it is going to ride against. Just leave a sliver of space. Having it staged to the opposite side actually ends up increasing the distance the car travels from start to finish. One aspect of rail riding is making as straight a line as possible bet...

As for getting MV kits over BSA kits I think it is fine for a pack to do so if they choose. I think it does even the field a little and eliminates a lot of flaws inherent in the BSA kit. There are plenty of other ways to support your district/council. The families that put in the work will usually a...

Ok some things to keep in mind for next time... You did the right thing in-setting the rear wheel on the DFW side and steering toward that side. You do want both the rear wheels and the DFW with negative cant. A center rail car the DFW is canted opposite if the rear. Negative cant= /---\ Positive ca...

How did you polish the axles? It's easy to over polish with the lower grits if you haven't done it before. We're all 3 wheels canted like this /----\? Does smooth out the wheels mean you polished the inner wheel bore or the wheel tread? We're you using the slots or drill your axle holes?

BASX with the step removed and tread trued are about $20 with shipping. That alone will give you a good boost. If you'd rather invest in a tool, a dial indicater, a 0.0965" gauge pin, and some scrap wood can make a wheel run out checker. Then you can at least pick out the best raw wheels. If yo...

Variable slope table is a good way to test coefficient of friction. Whichever car starts to roll at the lowest angle likely has the lower CoF.