Want to build a cool AND fast Pinewood Derby Car?  Below are a few tips to help you with pinewood derby car racing with building a car that will certainly be the fastest in the bunch.

  1. Handle the wheels and axles.    If you will cater to these parts of your car you will be able to increase speed dramatically. Be sure that you have enough lubrication on your wheels and that they are  even.  The axles are also very important parts that contribute to speed, so be sure they are smooth. Polishing them is a good idea,  be careful on how you do it.
  2. 2. Carefully add weights.  Adding weights willy-nilly is certainly not the best thing you should do when it comes to your derby car. Mostly you will see that the weight limits for such cars are limited at 5 ounces. The secret here is that you should make sure to add weights to your car as close as possible to the limit, but without actually going over it. You can use lead weights and the good news is that you can easily find them at your local hardware store or online at DerbyMonkeyGarage.com or DerbyMax.com. After you will have installed the weights make sure they are flush with the car’s surface. If not, the weights will actually slow down your machine by adding drag as you will race it.
  3.  Don’t underestimate the painting.  The paint can easily have a dramatic effect on the car so that is why it must be done properly.  Before putting paint on your car, make sure you sand it properly and make it smooth. Then, you will need to add 1 primer coat followed by a few other light coats. If you put 2 heavy coats on it, the car will be heavier and it will also take a longer time to dry it. Using the multiple-coats method you will not only make your car look better, but also lighter and thus improve its aerodynamics.
  4. Inserting the wheels and axles.  You need to do this very carefully and the wheels will need to be inserted as straight as you can. Most of the times it’s recommended that you leave someone with experience to handle this step to make sure it’s done correctly. There should be a small amount of space between the car’s chassis and the wheel’s inside.
Derbymax Rail Riding Alignment Kit

Derbymax Rail Riding Alignment Kit

Test your car properly. Now it’s time to test your derby car on a smooth surface. If possible, test it on the pinewood derby car racing track to see how it races.  We hope the above tips help you to build the fastest derby car in the race that will help you be the winner!


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