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    Wind Up Dragster

    I set out to improve a previous design I had "Wind Up Toy Car" and ended up with a completely different design. I wanted the toy to be something that kids will actually play with and be durable enough to hold up to some abuse. I also didn't want to use any glue, so I ended up using a self tapping machine screw (10-24 x 5/8 FH) so parts could be replaced. I made 4 of them for some gifts for a family friend and they have 4 boys who would put this design to the test! Considering all of the windup toys on Thingiverse, I don't think there is anything with this kind of performance (see the video)

    I kept changing the design trying to get more performance... more winds and torque from the main spring. It was getting ridiculous. I was up to 3 turns with marginal torque on a PLA spring that weighed 200 grams! I ended up going with a metal spring from Amazon ($1.50 each sold in a 5 pack for 6.99) and that made all the difference. This light spring offers substantial torque and 4 full turns! The car turned out looking more like a dragster and certainly much faster. I ended up tucking the wheels inside the sides for maximum durability. Note: the launcher was an afterthought and probably not needed. If you decide to make one, the LAUNCHER LATCH has to be glued to the LAUNCHER AXLE

    YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/Ssj7bcomgM8

    Note: The car featured at the end of the video has an 11 turn spring but I ditched that design because the car travel was so long that it was no longer practical, the 4 turn spring is what I ended up going with

    The challenge became making it as impact resistant as possible due it's high speed and long travel (well over 60 feet). It's almost 100% kid proof :)

    It's very easy to print using standard PLA. Everything was printed with 30% infill, no supports with the following exceptions:

    DRIVE GEAR: 100% infill
    PAWL: 100% infill (flip 180)
    SLIDING GEAR: 100% infill with supports touching base plate only
    WINDER: 100% infill

    Use the exploded view for assembly with the following notes:

    1. Make sure the parts rotate freely, a light sanding or filing may be needed on some surfaces
    2. For maximum performance, put a light layer of Vaseline on the rotating parts (not on the gear teeth, that's not necessary)
    3. You will need 7) 10-24 x 5/8 FH screws. These will self tap but use a handheld screwdriver and don't over tighten.
    4. I used a #64 rubber band on the rear wheels but anything that will make them non-skid should work
    5. The car is designed around this exact torsion spring from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WZWZBV9?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

    I've included the Solidworks 2018 files in a zipped folder