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How do you make fast cars?

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Many of our customers have passed on the following ideas. Here they are for you.

Reduce Air Drag

Thinner cars run faster.

Placement of the Weight

Put it in the back of the car, but not so far back that the front end is unstable. The best way to do this is to turn the car around (design it to run backwards). The axle spacing in the kit is not symmetric. By running the car backwards you'll be able to put the weight further back, keeping the weight on the hill longer thus pushing the car further and faster.

Center guide problems

Almost everybody has enough clearance on the flat part of the track. The problem occurs where the track has the tightest radius, which is usually at the bottom of the sloped part of the track. Bevel the front and back bumpers just enough so they don't rub anywhere on the track.

Reduce Wheel Drag

• Three wheels have less drag than four.
Before you start to carve the car, fill in the axle slots provided in the kit with epoxy. Put the car on its side in a vertical drill press with the top against the fence. Drill perfectly aligned axle holes (slightly undersized) for the two rear wheels and ONE front wheel. Put a thin (.02-.04) shim between the top of the car and the fence. Drill the second front wheel. When the car is assembled, it will run straight and true (less drag from side to side) on three wheels with the fourth serving only to keep the car in the lane but with much less drag since it isn't rubbing on the track.


• Minimize the wheel/axle contact area.
(For those who have access to the tools) Each end of the wheel hub rubs against something, the outer edge against the nail, and the inner edge against the car body. If the hub is slightly hollowed out (concave) there will be less surface area rubbing and less friction. The hollow will also serve as a graphite well.


• Minimize the wheel/track contact area.
A usual recommendation is to buff the wheel smooth. A better recommendation is to buff the wheel to enhance its running on a thin edge. This will reduce the drag if the wheel is at all out of perfect alignment.


• Make the wheel lubricate itself.
(for those who have endless supplies of money) Using right-handed and left-handed taps of the appropriate size, tap the axle hole in each wheel from both sides (one side with the LH tap, one side with the RH tap) 2/3rds of the way through so that when the wheel is rolling forward the graphite flows toward the middle. This not only keeps the graphite in place, but changes the contact friction between the wheel hub and the axle from a sleeve bearing to an edge bearing.

Reduce Axle Drag

Put each axle part way into a hand drill. Polish the head and area where the wheel hub rubs with toothbrush and toothpaste. (And, yes, you should have the drill spinning!)

The Slingshot - Absolutely illegal, but a lot of fun!

Place a small finishing nail in the lower rear center of the car (like an exhaust pipe). On the way to the starting line, secretly place a rubber band over the nail, stretch it under the car, and out the front. Place the rubber band over the starting dowel as you put the car down on the track. Be sure the starting gate goes down quickly (otherwise the car will launch straight up) and watch the fun. Great for parent's open racing or for an exhibition race between the Cub Master, Council Member and perhaps Rector of the church that sponsors the Pack. (Be sure the Rector gets the illegal car.) P.S. the rubber band will end up on the floor under the track!

One of our guiding philosophies is "Educate and Innovate, Don't Legislate!" Put simply, this means if someone comes up with an idea how to make their car faster, let everyone know about it. This levels the playing field. If you make a rule banning the new innovation, you will have to worry about people trying to get around the rules. See the link at the top of this page, 'Free Book - How to run the Pinewood Derby.'