Pinewood Derby FAQ (2024)

FAQs

Are bent axles legal in Pinewood Derby? ›

No loose materials of any kind (such as lead shot) are allowed in the car. No bent axels, and all 4 wheels need to be on the track. Once a car passes inspection and is entered into the race, only race committee members can touch it.

Paint, decorations, decals, and weights can be added as long as the final car stays under five ounces.

Can a pinewood derby car be shorter than 7 inches? Yes, you can make your car shorter but it is not recommended. A shorter car will have a lower center of mass at the start so it will have less energy to convert into speed when going down the track.

Baking your Pinewood Derby wooden block helps to remove the moisture so that you have more wiggle room to add extra weight at the end. Remember, every little bit of weight in the right place makes a difference! Bake it in the oven at 250° for about 2 hours.

Slide the axles and wheels onto the car and glue into place. Use an epoxy or nonresin glue, and make sure you don't get any on the surface of the axle where the wheel rides.

Sanding the wheels

Work up to as fine of grit as you can find. Only sand enough to remove imperfections and make the wheel round as possible. You can get a wheel mandrel to put the wheel in your drill at Michael's, Hobby Lobby or various other hobby supply places.

If the weight is placed towards the back of the car, it has longer to "drop" (by several inches) than if the weight is placed towards the front of the car. This difference is highly significant in terms of race times. Therefore, weight should be concentrated towards the rear of the car.

First, the basics: Your car should weigh as much as it's allowed. In most races, a Pinewood Derby car's weight is limited to 5 ounces. If your car weighs less than that, add coins or other weights.

If you decide to glue them in, it will add at little weight, so leave some room to spare. We ended up using six pennies. With the pennies a snug fit, and the hole on top, we didn't even bother with glue. You can get the pennies out by slapping the car against your hand.

“Our employees will use our tools to cut a seven inch block of pine into a winning race car.

What is the best angle for a Pinewood Derby car? ›

The rear wheels should be set at a 3-degree angle (camber). This angle reduces friction as only a tiny portion of the wheel makes contact with the track.

The wedge is a classic and probably the easiest shape (besides keeping a block) to build your Pinewood Derby car. The Wedge is the foundation of many cool car designs, and it is designed to be aerodynamic and is a one-cut wonder.

Wheels may be sanded/lathed/filed to smooth out molding imperfections in the tread area. The contact surface of the wheel must be flat as it sits on the track. Beveling, tapering, significant rounding, pointing, shaving, concave, wafering, etc. of the wheel contact area is prohibited.

Most pinewood derby rules limit the length of the car to 7" so don't add any LEGO pieces that extend past the front or back of the block. You can add LEGO pieces that make your car wider but the width should not exceed 2 3/4 inches. As a general rule, the height of your car should not be greater than 3 inches.

So I suggest visiting a local body shop and either ask them to prime your pinewood derby car for you, or ask them to sell you a small quantity of primer. You won't need more than 4 ounces per car. Make sure to get the two or more parts that make up the primer.

Axles, wheels, and body shall be from the materials provided in the kit. Additional wheels can be purchased separately. Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited. No lubricating oil may be used.

Bent axles can be used to: Reduce friction. Align the car to run straight. Adjust the car to use the rail riding technique.

OPTION 1: The bend point on an axle should be about . 325-. 375” from the bottom of the axle head. Mark the bend point on the axle and clamp it in a bench vise.

Wheels may not be tapered or rounded. Only wheels and axles from the official Pinewood Derby kit may be used. Beveling, routing, tapering, perforating or any other significant altering of the shape and performance of the wheels is prohibited.