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Post by Crash Enburn on Apr 12, 2017 8:06:03 GMT -5
I still wonder about mini-fenders to cover the hubs...
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Post by The Zeebzob on Apr 12, 2017 8:56:04 GMT -5
Question about the bearings though: When you need more speed for your bearings car...where do you find it? Like, everyone seems to be using the Zeeb-cut for wheels nowadays. The cars look like identical planks. There's not much in the way of aero innovations. Does it mostly come down to finding the best bearings and looking for that perfect tune? There is more into it than you would think. Bearings, wheels, wheel material, wheel size, axles, retainers, body shape, body material, guide pin shape and angle and of course tuning. All of these factors can make a difference. Experimenting with different wheel diameters on front vs rear to change the angle of the car on the track for instance can make a difference. A real huge factor that I am starting to put more weight into now more than ever is how they run in traffic. The car I built for the MotM and KoH was faster than Floyd in testing (solo runs), yet Floyd ended up higher in the standings than the new car. Here are some fun facts, though, as it relates to my cars on my track. The times listed below are what my cars averaged. My 2013 Nationals winning car was running about a 2.870 back in the day. One of the big names in the hobby said then that the unlimiteds "have hit the wall". They were going as fast as were were ever going to get them to go. My 2015 Nationals winning car was running 2.863 at its best. Due to my wheels breaking when the car flipped out of the stop section and having to be swapped out for a backup set, it was running 2.865 when I got it back home. Floyd runs a 2.862, in its heyday, 2.861 or 2.860. (Best run ever for it was a 2.858) My 2017 Nationals car Mary Jane Rottencrotch runs 2.858 (best time ever was 2.855)....and it didn't make the finals. So, they did not hit the wall. Gains are being made one millisecond at a time. Each more difficult and vastly more precious than the last. |
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Post by Vitamin K on Apr 12, 2017 9:14:04 GMT -5
Question about the bearings though: When you need more speed for your bearings car...where do you find it? Like, everyone seems to be using the Zeeb-cut for wheels nowadays. The cars look like identical planks. There's not much in the way of aero innovations. Does it mostly come down to finding the best bearings and looking for that perfect tune? There is more into it than you would think. Bearings, wheels, wheel material, wheel size, axles, retainers, body shape, body material, guide pin shape and angle and of course tuning. All of these factors can make a difference. Experimenting with different wheel diameters on front vs rear to change the angle of the car on the track for instance can make a difference. A real huge factor that I am starting to put more weight into now more than ever is how they run in traffic. The car I built for the MotM and KoH was faster than Floyd in testing (solo runs), yet Floyd ended up higher in the standings than the new car. Here are some fun facts, though, as it relates to my cars on my track. The times listed below are what my cars averaged. My 2013 Nationals winning car was running about a 2.870 back in the day. One of the big names in the hobby said then that the unlimiteds "have hit the wall". They were going as fast as were were ever going to get them to go. My 2015 Nationals winning car was running 2.863 at its best. Due to my wheels breaking when the car flipped out of the stop section and having to be swapped out for a backup set, it was running 2.865 when I got it back home. Floyd runs a 2.862, in its heyday, 2.861 or 2.860. (Best run ever for it was a 2.858) My 2017 Nationals car Mary Jane Rottencrotch runs 2.858 (best time ever was 2.855)....and it didn't make the finals. So, they did not hit the wall. Gains are being made one millisecond at a time. Each more difficult and vastly more precious than the last. I remember the Flippin' Jimmy incident! Mostly because you had snarked at Kinser recently before that about how you'd never had a car go "ass over teakettle" on the stop section.  The recovery and comeback was a heck of a Cinderella story, though. Good luck going forward! Definitely a class for the most precise of the precise.  |
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Post by The Zeebzob on Apr 12, 2017 9:28:05 GMT -5
I remember the Flippin' Jimmy incident! Mostly because you had snarked at Kinser recently before that about how you'd never had a car go "ass over teakettle" on the stop section. The recovery and comeback was a heck of a Cinderella story, though. Yeah. Karma She's real. And she is a bitch! |
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Post by The Zeebzob on Apr 12, 2017 9:40:12 GMT -5
One other thing I wanted to mention. Mary Jane, I took the vinyl off of it and ran it just to see what difference it would make. Remember, it runs 2.858. Without the vinyl, 2.867...so yeah, aero is HUGE.
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Post by Vitamin K on Apr 12, 2017 10:09:30 GMT -5
One other thing I wanted to mention. Mary Jane, I took the vinyl off of it and ran it just to see what difference it would make. Remember, it runs 2.858. Without the vinyl, 2.867...so yeah, aero is HUGE. Without the vinyl, are you exposing the cut-out sections of wood? |
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Post by cramjet on Apr 13, 2017 0:33:36 GMT -5
It seems to me that the difference is in the bearings. At least at my level of experience.
There is a way John and I think Jewkes "prep" bearings and you pay a little extra for it. There is a noticeable difference between prepped and not. I don't know what John used on my bearings, but I am getting close to that performance. I ordered another set from him (will probably get them tomorrow) to see if I can match what he did and crack the code.
Still, I think some bearings are going to just be better than others so, for some, it's like "you can't polish a turd".
I miss your podcasts Zeebzob. You should have gotten my new Rooney clip a while back. |
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Post by Professor Moriarty on Apr 13, 2017 0:49:51 GMT -5
It seems to me that the difference is in the bearings. At least at my level of experience.
There is a way John and I think Jewkes "prep" bearings and you pay a little extra for it. There is a noticeable difference between prepped and not. I don't know what John used on my bearings, but I am getting close to that performance. I ordered another set from him (will probably get them tomorrow) to see if I can match what he did and crack the code.
Still, I think some bearings are going to just be better than others so, for some, it's like "you can't polish a turd".
I miss your podcasts Zeebzob. You should have gotten my new Rooney clip a while back. Gotta admit... I miss your Andy Loony character. |
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mrchips
Lost Soul
Bawhaha. Lost Soul. Nice!
Posts: 22 
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Post by mrchips on Apr 25, 2017 0:53:00 GMT -5
It seems to me that the difference is in the bearings. At least at my level of experience.
There is a way John and I think Jewkes "prep" bearings and you pay a little extra for it. There is a noticeable difference between prepped and not. I don't know what John used on my bearings, but I am getting close to that performance. I ordered another set from him (will probably get them tomorrow) to see if I can match what he did and crack the code.
Still, I think some bearings are going to just be better than others so, for some, it's like "you can't polish a turd".
I miss your podcasts Zeebzob. You should have gotten my new Rooney clip a while back. If you want to know... Pm me. |
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Post by Professor Moriarty on Apr 25, 2017 23:10:43 GMT -5
No need for a PM mrchips... you POS. |
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mrchips
Lost Soul
Bawhaha. Lost Soul. Nice!
Posts: 22
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Post by mrchips on Apr 25, 2017 23:47:28 GMT -5
You jealous Joe? Already told Cramjet so he will test and confirm.
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Post by Professor Moriarty on Apr 26, 2017 2:42:53 GMT -5
You jealous Joe? Already told Cramjet so he will test and confirm. Oh... Gotcha.... I lost the thread of what we were talking about... Sorry about that... I will retrace to see what I missed. |
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Post by Professor Moriarty on Apr 26, 2017 2:46:01 GMT -5
Awww hell... Is this bearing talk? Allow me to direct you to a fella that has seen a few sets of bearings in his day The ZeebzobAndy.... LOL! That avatar is too much! |
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Post by cramjet on Apr 27, 2017 1:28:11 GMT -5
Oh yeah! It works! Big thanks to Mr. Chips! |
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Post by Professor Moriarty on Apr 30, 2017 2:12:58 GMT -5
Oh yeah! It works! Big thanks to Mr. Chips! Right on! |
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"
The recovery and comeback was a heck of a Cinderella story, though.
