How to add weight to a Panther Pinewood Derby Car
The heavier your pinewood derby car, the faster it will go. Most race rules limit the weight to 5 oz so you want your car as close to the limit as possible. The Panther block will need about 2.8 oz of additional weight to bring it up to the 5 oz limit.
You should install the weights in your car before you paint it.
Before adding the weights to your car, put the car block, wheels, axles and any other accessories that you will be adding to your car on a scale. Then add the weights until the total is 5 oz. (paint will add very little to the weight of your car).
When your car is complete, weigh it again. If it is over 5 oz, drill a few holes in the bottom of the block about an inch behind the front axle to remove some wood.
Below are several suggestions for adding weights to your Panther pinewood derby car.
Lead Wire Weights
Lead is inexpensive, dense and is easy to work with but lead is toxic. Always use gloves when working with lead and make sure that none of the lead is exposed after you install it in the block.
When weighing the car and weights, cut three weights that are 1 3/4" long or less and two weights that are no longer than 1/2". You can cut the weights with a hack saw, coping saw or wire cutters. Additional weights, if needed, can be drilled into the bottom of the car.
You will need:
- One set of Lead Wire Weights
- Drill and 5/16" drill bit.
- Wood putty.
- Sandpaper
- Hack saw, coping saw or wire cutters.
- Clamp the block on a flat surface.
- Using a 5/16" drill bit, drill five holes straight into the back of the block, in the pattern shown in the above. The depth of the holes should be 1/8" deeper than the length of the weights.
- Remove the clamp from the block.
- Insert the weights in the holes. The end of each weight should be at least 1/8" into the end of the block. This will leave room for the wood putty. Drill the holes deeper if needed.
- Weigh the block, wheels, axles and weights again. Adjust the amount of weight if needed for 5 oz. If additional weight is needed, drill shallow holes in the bottom of the block in front of the other weights. Be careful to not drill through the top of the block.
- Seal the weight holes with the wood putty. Allow to dry in a warm place for 12 hours.
- Sand the wood putty until smooth and flush with the car block.
You can now paint your pinewood derby car and add the wheels and axles.
Weigh your car one more time and add more weight if needed or drill wood from under the car if it is too heavy.
Tungsten Weights
Tungsten is very dense but it is more expensive than the other weights. The density gives you a speed advantage because more of the weight can be placed farther back on the car.
You can use a combination of cylinders and a flat weight for optimum results.
Cut the Fine Tune weight to bring your car up to the 5 oz limit.
You will need:
- Four Tungsten Cylinders
- One Tungsten Plate
- One Fine Tune Cylinder
- Drill and 3/8" drill bit
- Wood putty
- Sandpaper
- Screw driver
- Clamp the pinewood derby block to a flat surface.
- Using a 3/8" drill bit, drill two holes straight into the back of the block high enough so that you do not drill into the axle slot. The depth of the holes should be enough to hold two cylinders each.
- Remove the clamp from the block.
- Insert the weights in the holes. The end of the weights should be at least 1/8" into the end of the block. This will leave room for the wood putty. Drill the holes deeper if needed. The fine tune weight can also go in these holes or you can drill a hole in the bottom of the block in front of the rear axle for this weight.
- Weigh the block, wheels, axles and weights again (don't forget the flat weight). Adjust the amount of Fine Tune weight if needed.
- Fill the weight holes with the wood putty. Allow to dry in a warm place for 12 hours.
- Sand the wood putty until smooth and flush with the car block.
- Paint your car and add the wheels and axles.
When the paint has dried and the wheels are on the car, install the flat weight to the bottom of the car behind the rear axle slot using the supplied screw.