Size of Vehicle

[MoMoney$$$;)0)]

Hello fellow participants,

So I wanted to know what size (width and length) you guys were aiming for in the size of your car and what type of weight you may also aim in the building of the car. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Also, related to the weight factor I was wondering where the weight distribution should be in the car [towards the break (i.e. the front) or towards the back]. Any thoughts would also be appreciated as well.

Thanks,

MoMoney

[cheese]

Hello fellow participants,

So I wanted to know what size (width and length) you guys were aiming for in the size of your car and what type of weight you may also aim in the building of the car. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Also, related to the weight factor I was wondering where the weight distribution should be in the car [towards the break (i.e. the front) or towards the back]. Any thoughts would also be appreciated as well.

Thanks,

MoMoney

There are many factors to take into account when decided your weight and size. Usually, a car that has a larger wheel base will be more stable, and potentially easier to drive straight.

For weight, you need to find the balance between being too heavy so that your vehicle has a hard time breaking, and being too light so that you don't have enough speed to get a good time.

Weight distribution is usually better to have on the breaks as to prevent skidding, but you also don't want the drive wheels to have zero traction because of the uneven distribution of weight.

[Things2do]

Hello fellow participants,

So I wanted to know what size (width and length) you guys were aiming for in the size of your car and what type of weight you may also aim in the building of the car. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Also, related to the weight factor I was wondering where the weight distribution should be in the car [towards the break (i.e. the front) or towards the back]. Any thoughts would also be appreciated as well.

Thanks,

MoMoney

Weight distribution is usually better to have on the breaks as to prevent skidding, but you also don't want the drive wheels to have zero traction because of the uneven distribution of weight.

By "drive wheels to have zero traction," do you mean that the weight should not be so far in front of the rear end as to have the back pop up off of the ramp? Otherwise, I must've been really out of it when I read the Rules. Which is quite possible...

As for size, I'm planning on using my long, sorta narrow Scrambler car with the weight about halfway between the middle and the front of the car, spread out a bit to lower the center of gravity.

[CPScienceDude]

My vehicle right now is 45 cm long and 20 cm wide. I'm planning of having my center of gravity more towards the back to gain more speed. Though, I will plan on having to move my center of gravity if necessary. Aiming for a weight of around 1500g.

[fyuan483]

hi. i am looking at the rules and i’m not very understanding what “when the vehicle is placed flat on the floor, the dowel must be approximately perpendicular to the floor, extend to within 1.0 cm of the floor, and extend at least 20.0 cm above the floor”. do any of you know what this means?

[knightmoves]

hi. i am looking at the rules and i’m not very understanding what “when the vehicle is placed flat on the floor, the dowel must be approximately perpendicular to the floor, extend to within 1.0 cm of the floor, and extend at least 20.0 cm above the floor”. do any of you know what this means?

It means what it says.

- You must have a wooden dowel, which needs to be about 20cm long or longer.
- It must be vertical ("perpendicular to the floor") when the car is running on the floor.
- the bottom of the dowel must be within 1cm of the floor (don't touch the floor with your dowel, but it's got to be close to the floor because the ES will use this as the reference point on your vehicle)
- The top of the dowel must be at least 20.0 cm above the floor (ie the dowel is about 20cm long or longer)

[fyuan483]

oh ok. i got it. thank you!

[MTV<=>Operator]

Is it ok if my dowel is flush with the bottom of my vehicle? My vehicle is already less than 1 cm from the ground and I'm worried that if I move the dowel further down it will touch the ramp surface. The dowel is completely visible from the front of the vehicle.

[Vortexx2]

Is it ok if my dowel is flush with the bottom of my vehicle? My vehicle is already less than 1 cm from the ground and I'm worried that if I move the dowel further down it will touch the ramp surface. The dowel is completely visible from the front of the vehicle.

I think this is perfectly fine

[Airco2020]

Is it ok if my dowel is flush with the bottom of my vehicle? My vehicle is already less than 1 cm from the ground and I'm worried that if I move the dowel further down it will touch the ramp surface. The dowel is completely visible from the front of the vehicle.

I think this is perfectly fine

My only worry is that they use the bottom of the dowel to mark where you stop and they measure from there. As long as the people measuring can tell where the dowlel is it should be OK.