[Tropi]

Front wheel rotation - which do you prefer?​

1. Independent Rotating.	20	41.67%
2. NOT Independent Rotating.	12	25.00%
3. It depends on something - sometimes one, sometimes the other.	9	18.75%
4. I don't think it matters, I don't care or I don't understand the question!	7	14.58%

 

[Tropi]

I've been meaning to raise this question for for some time but, as usual, other things distract.

What reminded me, was the Guide Position topic currently running.
These things are quite closely related.

There are racers who swear by independent front wheel rotation and, if their cars haven't got it to start with, they convert them to it as a matter of urgency.
There are others who, equally definitely, prefer a solid front axle.
There are those who reckon some cars should have it and others should not - let's hear about the differences please.
There are others who have never given it a thought and just race it the way it comes.

I would hesitate to even wildly guess the proportion that might prefer one or the other and I hope my categories cover the possible responses reasonably well. The poll won't mean a lot, but might give a VERY rough indication of proportions. However, the REASONS for choices will, I think be well worth seeing, as there are usually good reasons for the choices people make in this area.

I'll kick off by saying that I think the subject of front wheel rotation is nowhere near as simple as it might at first seem and I haven't even made up my mind which selection I will make myself yet! Please treat the poll as a only a bit of fun, but I am most interested in the discussion of pros and cons, not being at all certain of some facts.

 

[Intergrali]

dont think it matters unless the track is made of R1 curves

Inte

 

[McLaren]

I like independant, but the problem is crappy plastic stubs make the wheels wobble and loose all advantage.

If slot.it or someone would produce metal stubs...

Lotus

 

[GRAH1]

It depends on track surface and wether or not I run a tripod arangement.For an abrasive surface I prefer independant wheels for gloss a straight axle is often better although I do some times make one wheel independant on a fixed axle ,usualy if I am forced to run with the wheels touching.

 

[Scott B]

QUOTE Front wheel rotation - which do you prefer?

I like mine going the same way as the rears.

Sorry!

Scott

 

[Wankel Ickx]

Wow. 61% for independant rotating at the time of writing.

I surely hope someone at SCX, Margate, Ninco, Cartrix... reads this thread.

[Edit]Granted, only thirteen voters! Hardly a mass movement, is it.

 

[astro]

i voted independent rotating because all things being equal, its a better system and can't see the advantages of a solid axel

and when i say 'all things being equal' i do mean a very select number of things, excluding manufacuring costs, design, implimentation and all those carefully chosen other factors have been ignored!

I have not yet seen a real life example of a non-sloppy freely rotating example of the free rotating wheels, but I would like it!

 

[a Bill]

In HO racing independants are the only way to go but in 1/32nd racing you tend to lean more towards the tripod arrangement so...

 

[JAK]

I think you should have split category 4 into its relevant sections as doesn't matter is an opinion while not caring or not understanding means you will/can not give an opinion.

I've had to vote 4 (I don't think I understand the question

) because until I bought my bargain Fly Corvette C5 last week I had never come across a slot car with Independent front wheels and I've not been able to run it yet. It may not get run as stock anyway as I have a project that could use the chassis.

 

[goldfish_samurai]

I voted for independant ... As I have two SCX SRS cars and one fly capri - and these are the best handling cars I own. However, I do appreciate that there are other fundimental differences in these vehicles that set them apart from the rest.

 

[Otello]

I didn't vote because my unswer is not there...
IMHO the best solution is independent rotating wheels, BUT with one axel, not 2 stubs.
I mean: like the TSRF car.

Ciao
Otello

 

[j-c]

QUOTE I like mine going the same way as the rears
and preferably in front of the rears.

QUOTE Sorry
me too!

j-c

 

[Gaugemaster Controls]

QUOTE I like independant, but the problem is crappy plastic stubs make the wheels wobble and loose all advantage.
If slot.it or someone would produce metal stubs...

How do you think metal stub axles would make a difference? The chassis is still plastic after all. To make a difference wouldn't the chassis need to be metal and the stub axles have metal bearings if this is a rigidity issue?

Aaron

 

[speedyweenie]

I think the issue with Fly independent axle stubs is not what material they are made from, but the fact that they fit loosely into the chassis bushings and allow excess movement (some would say slop). This in turn, often causes the wheels to rub on the fender wells. It is a fairly simple matter though, to eliminate the wobble but still maintain the advantages of independent wheel rotation. As related several years ago by Larry S., just enlarge (carefully!) the axle holes to 1/8", insert short lengths of 3/32 ID brass tubing as bushings, reattach wheels to existing stub axles and voila - no more slop! This is a quick fix and has become standard procedure for most of my Flys.

Of course, for those who are averse to tweaking and demand out of the box perfection, the question remains why is there so much slop designed into the chassis in the first place?

mp

 

[a Bill]

How do you think metal stub axles would make a difference? The chassis is still plastic after all.

I agree with that. Stub axles are probably not going to work in a plastic chassis car unless the stub axle assembly is a rigid part of the chassis. As in, braced beyond belief. Stub axles in themselves are not a very good idea on plastic chassis regardless of material used for the wheel to ride on.

As I mentioned earlier, in the HO world independants are the only way to go. In the larger scales I see that 1/24th uses the tripod so independants are worthless. In the 1/32nd camp there seem to be two groups, one that uses the tripod and one that actually puts the front tires on the track. For those that have tires touching the track, independants will improve your cornering.

With HO cars you'd see an improvement in cornering immediately even if you were running "O" ring tires instead of the stock width tires. The monster meats used in 1/32nd up front for 'scale' appearance are definitely a hinderance.

Hmm, that reminds me. I need to bush my front wheels.

 

[subarumy98]

I like the idea of independent rotating wheels, but invariably they are done with short stub axles that give a lot of excess movement, and hence chance of body rub.

As such, I generally convert the stub axles to a solid axle, so that I have a solid play-free basis from which to work.

Have converted Fly 908/03 and Viper in this manner. The benefits of a solid frnt-end have outweighed the cons of having the 2 sides of the car linked. It has definately improved the Flunder (908/03); as its wheelbase is soooo short to start with, that it need help in stabilising the front in any case.

T

 

[Larry LS]

All my cars use independent front wheels even if they are tripod types. The wheels in a tripod setup are used in the corners to prevent too much rock or tipping of the chassis. Why should the one wheel tipping over, be forced to drag the other wheel and axle along with it, when it does touch and roll in hard cornering situations.

Minor point you say but still a factor. I prefer a one piece axle with provison to allow at least one wheel to turn differently from the other. In most cases I prefer each wheel to rotate freely, even from the axle. At times I have a rigid mounted axle and on others I have a floating axle. Track tuning should determine which type.

For a non tipod car just consider the arc each wheel makes from a top view point, while turning through a corner. The travel distance is somewhat greater for the outside wheel. So if it is linked solidly to the other wheel and axle on the inside, it must force the inside wheel and axle to make the same longer revolution through the corner as it does, allowing it to drag or spin unnecesarily. Didn't make sense to me.

But that just one mans opinion per usual!

 

[McLaren]

I agree with Ottello, I think the ideal is two wheels on one axel, spinning freely.

The reason the plastic stubs do not fit the chassis is because they sqaush, bend and buckel and all sorts. I agree a bushing would help significantly, but I think 'un-bendable' metal stubs would also help and be easier to implement.

Lotus

 

[LSIntegra94]

Ah, but what do you do when you can not fit a solid axel? How about this as a solution? Gets rid of those pesky plastic stub axels too.