Spring Steel Chassis Mod

[eap9]

If I would like my Box 12 spring steel chassis to have more bite, should I grind the outer rails or the center rail?

Would the car also handle better if I lower the front end by cutting the integral guide tongue and installing a solder on guide tongue in combination with a cut down guide flag?

[Slotracer152]

I would consult your local BS rulebook before you go grinding anything

[eap9]

We have an outlaw 12 class where anything goes as long as you use a c can and ceramic magnets. So doing chassis mods is within the rulebook.

[Phil I.]

If your chassis has the piano wire outer rails, you can replace them with .047 piano wire. If it helps but you still need more, replace them with S7 stainless pin tubing. That should do it. If you have a a one peice chassis, you can thin the center rail. Take .005 of one side if the center rail at a time! Be very carefull! It does'nt take much to go TOO far. This was the only way I could get an RJR chassis to work...even in heavy glue...
Use a thinned flag cause they are just about as low as you can get anyway...There are even some 27 chassis that use intregal tongues..
PHIL I.:)

[zaprp]

If you want more bite, take .005 at a time from inner W and test on the track (rails that connect center rail to motor box legs/rails) These effect the chassis bite more than any other rails on the car and don't give up overall chassis strength like doing outer rails or center rails. After you have removed some, if more bite is desired, remove .005 at a time and test from outer W (rails that connect outer rails to motor box legs/rails). It depends on what the rails are to start as to how much you should take off. What are the dimensions as they are now? Usually you don't want to remove any from motor box rails. ONLY if needed take as little as possible off Outer rails-.005 and maybe some off center rails as a last resort--.010. Center rail should always be thicker than outer rails, and the more you remove from main rails, the more "glue sensitive" it becomes.

YES, a chassis with a solder guide tongue will usually handle better than an integral tongue. probably need to switch to a regular flag, or run a bunch of spacers with the cut down guide. Don't forget the slight upward rake angle when you solder on GT. About .005 is what you want.

[Phil I.]

You heard it from DA MAN on this one! He ain't kidden about .005. The rails are THAT sensitive...Good luck and let us know.
PHIL I.

[eap9]

Hello Craig.

Thank you for the informative reply. Should the rake angle of the guide tongue be about 10 degrees?

What advantage does a tripod have against a perimeter chassis and vice versa?

Tahnk you.

[zaprp]

I'm not sure exactly what the angle would be in degrees, but if it is an .050 thick steel chassis, use a piece of .055 under the front of tongue. When it is in "race trim" (guide, braid, rear tires etc) it should (any car should) raise the rear tires off the block by .030 +/- when you press down hard on the front of the guide. Make sure the guide is tight with no wobble, but turns free. When the guide noses down at the front because of lack of angle or being loose, besides added friction or drag, excessive braid wear/burn (that can be a real problem on higher powered cars), it effects handling to the point that it can make a good car into a junk car!!!

A tripod typically is slightly quicker in the turns. A perimeter is typically more consistant and more forgiving, but a wedge has typical characteristics of both. It takes someone good at watching and recognizing what a car is doing on the track to actually see the diference!

[eap9]

Hello Craig.

I am not sure how a wedge chassis looks like.

Also do you believe that a chassis is only as good as the body that is being used with it?

[zaprp]

"I am not sure how a wedge chassis looks like."
It's half way between a perimeter and a tripod as far as the outer rails are shaped

"Also do you believe that a chassis is only as good as the body that is being used with it?"
YES--It has often been said "You can take a slate block, put a guide and a motor on it, and if you have the right body on it, it will handle great"--LOL

[eap9]

Hello Craig.

Thank you for the help. I was able to make my Ace Boxstock chassis, which was meant for heavy glue racing to handle well in light spray glue. I thought I would not be able to use that chassis again because before I modified it, it really stinks!

By the way, I am also very impressed with the Slick 7 Express 3 chassis that Monty Ohren used for the all out Boxstock 12 RTR that I bought from him. Handles like a dream and very forgiving. Won a major race out of the box!

Thanks again.

[MSWISS]

Guide rake is pointless to try or even talk about.Back when we ran at Bedrock
raceway me and Barney Rubble tryed guide rake and it did absolutely nothing.All the total lap world records are held by an integral car.Yeah,Beuf's
(C12,G27, & G7 Record Holder)pretty good but nobody is going to confuse
Brian Eardley(I-15)with Mike Stuebe.