Hints and Tips From The Internet - there are plenty more go and have a look 1. Understand and follow the rules. The fastest car can't win if it never gets a chance to race. 2. Fast cars usually have a low profile that offers the least resistance to the air-stream. Character figurines glued to the car and other excessive trim can slow down a car, even if just a little. The aerodynamics of a car can effect the car's performance but it is not the highest priority. 3. Axles. The "nail" axle out of the box will look pretty bright and shiny but its appearance is deceiving. First, it will have at least two metal webs that reach from the nail head to the shaft. These are small but will ride next to the outer wheel surface. Use a fine mill-cut file to remove these webs. Mount the axle in a drill motor or drill press and rev it up to perform the filling tasks. Next, you'll find that axles are out-of-round by as much as 2 to 5 thousandths of an inch. Again file them to make them regular then use 400 grit wet-n-dry sandpaper with water or light oil to polish them back out. Axles should be polished to provide a surface for the wheel to roll without restriction. Use a good metal polish and soft cloth for this step.. 4. Weigh the car to the maximum, 5.00 ounces. The higher mass per volume helps overcome drag and friction. If your scale isn't extremely accurate provide an easy way to add or remove weight on race day. Try using wood screws with washers under them you so can add or remove the washers as necessary. 5. Try putting the weight towards the rear of the car. The theory is that the higher weight pushes the car for a longer period of time. The track section joints can provide a significant jolt to the car & can make the car's front wheels jump up. So be careful. I have seen most cars do well with three 3/8" holes drilled from the side. Two behind the rear axle and one in front of the rear axle. The 3/8" leads worms work well here. 6. Insure that your car is tracking straight. A car that bumps the lane guide more often gets slowed down more often. A "front-end alignment" may be necessary A slot is fine for installing the wheels but ensure your cuts are absolutely square to the car body. New holes drilled into the body are good too but make sure they are also drilled at the same distance from the bottom of the car. You will find it handy to be able to remove the axle on occasion. It is more difficult to repeatedly replace the axles or wheels on slotted axle mounts. They just get too loose. 7. Use a good dry lubricant. Dry graphite seems to still work better than the white Teflon compounds. 8. Insure your wheels roll smoothly and are not binding. A good test is to spin each of your wheels with your finger and let them run to a stop. It should take 20-30 seconds for well tuned and lubricated wheels to stop completely. You may want to rub some dry graphite on the surface of the car body where the inner wheel hub touches. You can't use washers so minimize the friction of these rubbing surfaces. Another trick is to rub the entire surface of the wheel with graphite too. Messy, but it doesn't hurt. 9. Never, never, never roll your competition pinewood car on the ground or concrete. These rough and dirty surfaces can ruin the car's wheels, axles and alignment.
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