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Post by Nitro Kid Racing on Feb 9, 2009 17:09:28 GMT -7
Today I was at the Hoppy Shop, and I asked a couple of people on there opinion on which is better, Graphite or Lubricants? I never get a straight answer on this topic, and it is bugging me. So What is the best to use on these cars?
Now if Glenn and David haven't already tested this already, I challenge them to test every Graphite, and Lubricant you can buy on the Pinewood derby websites, and make a video on it.
Which is really the best?
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Post by Zeebzob on Feb 9, 2009 17:28:37 GMT -7
Graphite is a lubricant....I'm assuming you are referring to oil when you say lubricant....  ? From reading many posts on this, Glenn and David have always stood behind Hob-e-lube.....the speed of their cars is all the testing I need. But I think Carolina uses oil and his cars are plenty fast! The trick with oil is how you apply it. Carolina may need to give a tutorial....or maybe he wants to keep his technique a secret  |
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Post by Carolina Gravity Sports on Feb 9, 2009 18:08:17 GMT -7
I like using graphite on all wheel/axle combos except the heavier pure stock wheels. I tend to get slightly faster times with oil than with graphite. Just for comparrison, the Pure Stocker I raced this past weekend was running hob-e-lube and I tweaked that car everywhich way possible and all I could get was a 2.982 avg here at home. Ying Yang with new wheels/ lube (oil) and set-up was runing 0.01 to 0.015 seconds faster. I plan on converting Cherry Bomb over to oil and see what it will do, that will very interesting to see. The key I have found with oil is the wheel bores have to be asolutely perfect. There can be no imperfection in there. It needs to be smooth as glass. Also, a single wide groove works better with oil than mutliple grooves. When you get it right, you can run 30 to 40 runs with no problems.
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Post by Nitro Kid Racing on Feb 9, 2009 18:32:28 GMT -7
What type of oil do you use?
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Post by Carolina Gravity Sports on Feb 9, 2009 18:44:41 GMT -7
I use Krytox 100, and as far as application, I put a couple of drops on the front of the wheel and couple on the back. I'll spin it by hand a few times and then blow the excess out with canned dry air. Wipe off the excess. I do all three wheels this way and then run it. Nothing special. The krytox will evaporate away and will need re-lubing from time to time. The whole key is wheel prep and axle prep. I haven't tried oil with the nickel axles from LA but after our Adult class at Districts, I plan on converting Cherry Bomb then. We have to run graphite, no oil. Cherry Bomb has a set of LA's Multi-grooved axles now. I got a set of his solid nickel axles and cut the same axle groove design that is on Ying Yang's Awana axles. I hope they work. Only one way to find out.  |
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Post by Shade Racing on Feb 9, 2009 18:50:42 GMT -7
I like using graphite on all wheel/axle combos except the heavier pure stock wheels. I tend to get slightly faster times with oil than with graphite. Just for comparrison, the Pure Stocker I raced this past weekend was running hob-e-lube and I tweaked that car everywhich way possible and all I could get was a 2.982 avg here at home. Ying Yang with new wheels/ lube (oil) and set-up was runing 0.01 to 0.015 seconds faster. I plan on converting Cherry Bomb over to oil and see what it will do, that will very interesting to see. The key I have found with oil is the wheel bores have to be asolutely perfect. There can be no imperfection in there. It needs to be smooth as glass. Also, a single wide groove works better with oil than mutliple grooves. When you get it right, you can run 30 to 40 runs with no problems. Carolina hit the nail on the head & another trick with oil is less is best I couldn't get it right with nye oil so I switch to graphite |
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Post by Nitro Kid Racing on Feb 9, 2009 18:51:05 GMT -7
What axles do you recommend for the oil use?
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Post by Zeebzob on Feb 9, 2009 18:52:36 GMT -7
Thanks Carolina, I have a ton of respect for you and your cars. Your comments on this are very insightful. But if you get another .010 - .015 out of Cherry Bomb, we are all in BIG trouble  |
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Post by Carolina Gravity Sports on Feb 9, 2009 18:56:03 GMT -7
So far I've only tried Awana axles with oil. I don't know how others will do. |
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Post by Nitro Kid Racing on Feb 9, 2009 19:01:09 GMT -7
Do you need grooves or not?
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Post by Shade Racing on Feb 9, 2009 19:09:34 GMT -7
Thanks Carolina, I have a ton of respect for you and your cars. Your comments on this are very insightful. But if you get another .010 - .015 out of Cherry Bomb, we are all in BIG trouble Carolina is a friend & I test on his track; I'm not telling anything but look at the pure stock track record from last year impressive 2.967  |
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Post by Nitro Kid Racing on Feb 9, 2009 19:37:22 GMT -7
Would it make a difference if you had axles that were .88 verses .96? The bigger bore axles will prevent wobble, but does wobble matter?
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Post by Carolina Gravity Sports on Feb 9, 2009 19:58:34 GMT -7
0.096" might be a little tight. The awana's are around 0.092" and yes they do tend to take some of the slop/wobble out. I have 1 set of awana's I'm running that are chrome plated to around 0.093" ( I not tellin which car they are on). I don't think I'll go any more than that.
Anytime your wheels wobble or start to wobble, you are going to loose some speed. Energy is wasted in that wooble and you want to use that energy for speed.
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Post by Nitro Kid Racing on Feb 9, 2009 20:03:58 GMT -7
Where can I get chrome plated axles?
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Post by Carolina Gravity Sports on Feb 10, 2009 6:30:24 GMT -7
Nitro - I wouldn't worry about the chrome axles too much. I have a hard chroming kit myself and have played around with it. It took many tries and settings and many ruined axles before I lucked up on a set that was good. Looking back now, I wished I would have spent that money on a nice hobby spray booth. Anyways, I have it now and in the future will venture down that chroming avenue again. I have focused more on wheel and axle prep and alignment. That I believe will give you your biggest gains in speed. As long as you have the Block that is. If you want to try a harder surface axle then you can't go wrong with the ones LA has to offer on his website. They are nickel plated and I believe run around 0.090". So that right there will give you a slightly larger axle to take some of the play/wobble out.
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