Pro Axle Bender
The Pro Axle Bender is a fully adjustable Pinewood Derby Car Axle Bender designed to give builders a wider range of bend angles. By simply adjusting the stop collar with a 3/32″ hex wrench, bend angles of 0.5° to 10° can be achieved for a wide range of tuning options,
The tool features a blade & Fork design pivot for accurate tracking and Derby Worx’s exclusive “Bending Cup” which allows stainless steel & titanium axles to be correctly bent without adding a groove or notch at the desired bend point. The main shaft has 3 machined rings which when matched with our bending chart takes the guess work out of axle bending of axle bending and makes setting up your cars for a Rail Rider or a straight on alignment a snap!
Usage Instructions
The Pro Axle Bender is a fully adjustable precision tool designed to bend all Pinewood Derby Car axles for alignment and tuning. Its unique cup-in-lever design prevents distortion in multi-groove axles and eliminates any additional grooving at the bend point for stainless steel axles. Derby Worx recommends using the Rail Rider™ method for ease of set up and maximum performance.
To use the Pro Axle Bender, you will need a 3/32” hex key wrench, a pointed Sharpie marker and prepped racing axles. (All burrs removed and polished)
- Make a dot on the axle head with the Sharpie. This will be your reference mark for the bend as well as for installing and adjusting the axle in the car.
- Measure 3/8” or .370” from the axle head and place a dot on the axle shaft in line with the dot on the axle head. This is where the bend will occur and will provide the proper amount of axle for the wheel hub to ride on. This distance is a good reference for B.S.A. wheels, other wheels may require different bending points, and the tool is designed to accommodate all wheel types.
- Loosen the knurled thumb screw and lift the clamp cap. Insert the axle through from the inside placing the axle head in the cup machined in the lever. Place the dot on the axle head up at 12:00 and the dot on the shaft at the edge of the clamp cap and firmly tighten the knurled knob to hold the axle.
- Using your 3/32” hex key, loosen the set screw in the spring collar and slide it to the mark for the desired degree of bend and tighten.
- Place your thumb on the knob and pull the lever smoothly and steady with your index finger until the spring fully compresses to bend the axle.
NOTE: The bend chart is a guide line; always try a test axle first. If not possible, bend in small increments for the first axle.
Settings
B.S.A / D.W. Pro / Stainless / Titanium
Full ——– 8º ——— 10º ——— 6º ——— 4º
1 ———– 4º ———– 6º ——— 3º ——— 2º
2 ———– 2º ———– 3º ——— 2º ——— 1º
3 ———–.5º ———–.5º ——— 0º ——— 0º
TIP: A small amount of racing lubricant in the axle groove on the lever will make for a smoother bending.
*** FACTORY SET FOR BSA AXLES AT 2.5° . ***
Pro Axle Bender
A bend of 2.5° is what we recommend as a good base line and use in our Rail Rider videos. If you have not moved the adjustment collar from when you received the tool, it is already factory set for 2.5° on a BSA axle. Since there are so many different available axles and limited room on the center shaft for index marks, we have developed base line adjustments, and from there it is just a matter of splitting the difference. For instance: on a BSA axle the first mark from the top is 4° and the second mark is 2°, so half way between the 1st and 2nd mark is 3°, then 3/4 of the way down from the 1st mark is 2.5°. It is a good idea to test your bend on some old axles first after making any adjustment to the tool, but the nice thing is, once the tool is set to your desired setting, it will make exactly that bend every time. This is most important when establishing perfect alignment of the rear wheels. Remember, always start your alignment on the rear wheels first, taking the time to establish zero-toe before moving forward to set your steer. There is a lot of overlooked speed in simply getting the rear wheels set correctly, and you will notice the car free up and almost roll effortlessly when they are correct.
