Derby Talk

Does anyone know which has a lower friction coefficient when running oil .03 " Teflon, or the polished nail head?

Is this why some people use headless axles?

Thanks in advance.

It's hard for many people to give you a answer, Due to mostly. being that most scout races require the stock axle and do not allow for a teflon bushing, ect.

So, I wanted to convey that, because it will be hard for people to help you, in answering this question. As so many packs due not allow this. So less people have done it or tested with it, ect.

The best shot of giving you a reply, that may help you. Is as follows.

Some of the reason people use the teflon bushing, is they are also running needle axles or a smaller diameter axle and the teflon bushing or used as the axle head, Is smaller and easier to work with, then trying to polish and get accurate a more typical axle head.

But you are also outside of my realm of beung able to truly give you a strait forward and good reply to you're question.


All I can say, is sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. In part there are different kinds of teflon out there, Some who sell it for this application. I asume they have build many cars and track tested it and confirmed it is faster and a better way to go when allowed.

Back when I tried them. It was a pain for me to cut them and get them flush and true or for that matter. I was turning down teflon rod to get the size i wanted or was atempting to do and use.

out of 60 I made. i was able to get 8 to 12 I liked and used. But mine where for needle axles that had no head. for bearing cars.

I never got it right or did well with it. I recommend asking and contacting others at another forum who have more expierence with this.

Sporty

Hey Sporty,
Thanks again for clarifying. I understand.
I am trying to make a car with fenders that cover the outside (hub area) of the wheel.
Would it be necessary to cut the side of the fender to allow for calipers to measure before a race?
Or could I drill a hole in the top of the fender to allow for a micrometer?
Sorry for all of the questions.
Could I make a tool that will fit into the fender area, like a thin piece of plastic that has a half circle (7.5mm dia.) cut from the edge?

Well I would recommend consulting the race you will be entering. the rules they have are the best way to determine what you need to do or can do. I can't 2nd guess what the scout pack race is allowing or not allowing.

If it's adult racing, Consult their rules and regulations.

Sporty

Teflon tubeing types...

PTFE- Polyetrafluoroethylene
FEP- Fluorinated ethylene propylene
PFA- Perfluoroalkoxy

PTFE-Polyetrafluoroethylene.. Very-Lubricious- lowest coefficient of friction of any polymer.

I was curious of this as well a while back as I had put some of the teflon like material on the bodies where the hub could potentially come in contact. Maybe it's not that scientific of a test but I basically spun the wheel when it was resting on the axle head and then in comparison with it in contact with the slide-glide. The wheels spun for way longer periods when riding the axle head. I was thinking at the time that if the teflon had a lower coefficient of drag that I'd maybe purposely migrate the wheels against the body versus having them migrate out to the axle head.

Thanks Whodathunkit! That's exactly what I was thinking right after I asked the question. Thanks also to 4 wheel drift. I did the same experiment with the same results.
Thanks again to everyone on this forum. It is a fine group of folks.