Colored wheels are here !!!!

General topics of interest to racers and race coordinators alike.
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sporty
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by sporty »

I put together two quick videos. turn volume all the way up to here.

new package look also.

Image

Wheels out of the container-

They look like the same molds and the same wheel, just the color.
Image

Sporty
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by PWD_addict »

I would suspect that the "good" mold numbers for these should be the latest good mold numbers (check out MaxV's site) http://www.maximum-velocity.com/wheelaxleqa.htm#bsamold.
I went to the main Scout Shop and picked up a pack of each color to show off tonight at Roundtable. Turns out I have a mold #13 in three different colors. We can make the other color the lifted wheel. I think my youngest son (sibling racer this year) will really like that.

These colored wheels makes an already fun thing even more fun!!!

I suspect Maximum Velocity will now have to make room for matched sets of particular colors of wheels!!
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WarpSpeedINC
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by WarpSpeedINC »

We have found early on that the #9 mold (number barely visible) is very good in both side to side run-out and as molded axle bore condition.
They also seem to be harder than the "Black" standard wheels.

They're pretty cool looking!

Image

Image
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quadad
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by quadad »

So has anyone prepped and compared these wheels to the standard ones ? I read where they are about the same initial weight, but wonder:
- Are they easier to prep ?;
- Are they overall more consistent ?;
- ... leading up to ... "Are they easier or more likely to win with ?"
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sporty
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by sporty »

I will Pm you.


Sporty
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by gpraceman »

sporty wrote:I will Pm you.
Why not just let everyone know your experience with these?
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sporty
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by sporty »

gpraceman-

I wanted to share a very indepth report on the wheels to him. Can't let all my speed secerts out ! :lol: :lol:

I also felt that since I was the one who initially posted about the colored wheels months back. That it may appear biased on my review of them.

none the less- Here we go !!

The Colored wheels are just as good as the standard black wheels !

Some say they are a little softer. This may be true. But I also do not feel that it is a issue.

The plus side is due to the lighter color. you are able to better see you're work and the progress on the wheels.

Easier to see your mistakes or what needs done better, especially on the yellow wheels. Really stands out.

Red still gives you a good view of what you are doing or need to do. They just stand out more over the black wheels.

blue naturally is darker, but still was easier to look at and check your work or what needs to be done on them then the black.

I did not buy any orange wheels.

Like when prepping the wheel bore or removing the mold mark.

The testing we did and the kids had a blast playing with the cars and taking axles off and changing wheels and they were pretty ruff.

So I can say they hold up just fine ! some of the cars were not so lucky in the wood department ! :cry:

The inner bore might be a little more tricky to prep, but the results will be the same.

A very good set of wheels ! they also weigh the same.

Some say that blue is harder for those racers than like harder wheels.

I actually like a little softer wheel, to dampen the sound and hopefully absorb a little more shock and bounce virbration.


There is no reason not to use them. The performance will be the same with the colored wheels !

Either way, if you get worried about some of them being a little softer, then go with the blue ones or use the black.

They held up well and perform just like the black ones.

Naturally keep in mind, matched sets and certain mold numbers always perform better than other wheels.

I hear that mold number 9 seems to be the best ones to get !

But my son who you seen in the video of him removing the mold mark on them.

Well even the non mold matched wheels and non #9 wheels, seem to perform decent also.

we just didn't buy enough to have all the wheels mold matched.

Like any factor, The key issue is going to be your level of exspectations of the wheels.

The amount of work and prep you put into them. There are always some mold numbers wheels that perform better out of the rest.

but the overall key is going to be ones ability to prep and work on them to get them to perform at a top level.

since the yellow and red do appear a little softer, finer grit sandpaper is a plus ! when removing the mold mark, they also seem to remove faster and easier.

Careful, as you all know, to much pressure and left to long on the sandpaper can melt them some.

That video of my son, is a very good example of light quick touches with the pro wheel mandrel to remove the mold mark.

also the lighter colors, it was much easier to see out of round wheels or uneven surface when removing the mold mark, versus black wheels.

The lighter color as I mentioned before, makes it easier for you to do the prep work.

100 grit then going to finer grits, 320,400,600,800,1000,2000,4000. 16,000.

love the micro fiber sand paper, not cheap, but works very well.

I know some vendors sell some of it. I buy strait from the mfg. i ran into it a few years ago when we started out in soap box derby for polishing the axles on the them.

Okay, Said a book, hope this is helpful

Sporty
quadad
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by quadad »

Thanks Sporty.

I guess the most surprising part to me is the characteristic differences in the various colors of wheels. Who would have thought that one color would have different properties (softer, harder, etc.) than another ?

I am mostly interested right now in how to advise the Pack regarding this years races (allow or not allow colored wheels). Seems like there is no reason to disallow them. I have enough left over that I won't be using them.
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OCTom
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by OCTom »

Being the district chair for our PWD I thought I should chime in about the rules and these wheels. First it's probably too late for this season as the rules were put out in December (or should have been) and it was clearly stated the wheels from the kit must be used. I never like changing rules midstream.

That being said PWD is all about fun. The cost on these is well within most budgets and if they perform equally, why not?
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by pack529holycross »

OCTom wrote:Being the district chair for our PWD I thought I should chime in about the rules and these wheels. First it's probably too late for this season as the rules were put out in December (or should have been) and it was clearly stated the wheels from the kit must be used. I never like changing rules midstream.

That being said PWD is all about fun. The cost on these is well within most budgets and if they perform equally, why not?
I have an easy approach - simply put out an advisory that official BSA wheels have ALWAYS been available for purchase separate from the "full" kit, and now the vendor provides them in different colors.

Secondly, also publish a clarification that "must have come from the BSA kit" refers to the TYPE of wheel, and not necessarily the exact wheels in your box ( this would border on the rediculous to have to devise a system to enforce such a stringent rule interpretation ).

Third, remind everyone that since enforcing the TYPE of wheel used and the modifications permitted [ by your unit rules ] is far easier than WHERE you got your wheels, there are no performance advantages to be gained by restricting cars to black wheels.

Bottom line - the wheels are here to stay - why make the kids wait another year to use them when BSA clearly wants them out in the field THIS racing season.

nicholas

PS - there is a HUGE opportunity here to weed out those who would completely bypass the ENTIRE construction phase by REQUIRING colored wheels this year... it would be funny to see people who bought an EBAY car try to figure out how to yank the \axles and replace the wheels and alignments... mwaaahhhaaaaaaa ( evil laugh )
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Nitro Dan
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by Nitro Dan »

pack529holycross wrote:...( this would border on the rediculous to have to devise a system to enforce such a stringent rule interpretation ).
I would classify the rule more as draconian. When properly enforced the rule is very effective at keeping over-zealous parents from purchasing professionally altered wheels from third party vendors. I used to think that devising a system to enforce this rule would be unweilding at best; however, last year our pack recorded the mold numbers from all the wheels in each kit and then cross referenced them to each cub that received a kit. This was done by writing down the mold numbers of the wheels on an index card and then taping that card to the kit in advance. When the kits were handed out, the cub's name and den where written at the top of the card and the card was filed alphabetically in a file box (by den and then name within den). We have 65 kids in our pack and surprisingly enough, this took very little time (much less than I was expecting it to). At inspection, a pen light was flashed into each wheel and the mold numbers were verified against what was recorded on the index cards. All the wheels matched without incident (I was on the committee and one of the inspectors). I was quite shocked to see how simple this process was and how little time it actually took.

I'm still undecided if this is how the rule should be enforced and even had them revisit the rule during planning stages this year. They made some minor changes, but all in all they are still going to record the mold numbers from wheels again this year. I'm still going to be working on them to find a way we can make the colored wheels more acceptable. When we come up with something that fits, I'll be sure and let you all know about it.

-Nitro Dan
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by GravityRacer »

I'd like to think that a wheel with all the same markings (i.e., from a separate box or color set) on it as the wheels that come in the kit box included in any PWD that any group- Pack, District, Council, Region, National- would be good enough. I guess it comes down to education and the flow of information. IMHO, some people do not care to go and find out what is really going on, and instead force their personal views on the rest, which is quite a common occurrence. That really is a shame for the boys involved.
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sporty
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Re: Colored wheels are here !!!!

Post by sporty »

Has anyone else noticed the different axles in the colored wheel kits ?

Are they the same with the new wood kits with the blue on the box ?

The ribs on them I would called them or bumbs are different.

Sporty
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