How to Make a Mouse Trap Car Go a Farther Distance

A spring-loaded mouse trap can be used to power a toy mouse trap car.

Building a mouse trap car is a great experiment for science teachers to use to work with their students, teaching them some physical science basics. By making a few simple design changes, a mouse trap car can be built for speed or for traveling long distances (but unfortunately, not both). If you have a mouse trap car that is built for speed, you can make a mouse trap car go a farther distance by making a few modifications.

Things You'll Need

• Mouse trap car
• Tape measure
• 4 round plywood disks, 4-inch diameter
• Cordless drill with bits
• Epoxy
• Wire coat hanger
• Wire cutters
• Pliers
• String

Instructions

1. Remove the wheels of the mouse trap car. Measure the diameter of the car's axles, and drill a hole in the center of each of the 4-inch plywood disks that will serve as the new wheels.

2. Mix some epoxy, and glue each of the four plywood wheels onto the ends of the axles.

3. Cut a section of wire coat hanger measuring 18 inches in length. Straighten the bends in the coat hanger if necessary. Then, glue the 18-inch long piece of wire onto the mouse trap car's spring-loaded lever arm. Set the car aside to allow the epoxy to dry for 24 hours.

4. Make a small 90-degree bend in the end of the 18-inch wire attached to the spring-loaded lever arm with a pair of pliers.

5. Tie a string onto the bend in the end of the lever arm. Stretch the string toward the rear axle, and cut the string 1/2-inch past the rear axle.

6. Tie a loop in the end of the string, and place the loop over the hook in the center of the rear axle. Pull the lever arm rearward, and begin winding the string around the rear axle. Continue pulling and winding until the lever arm is pointing straight back behind the car, and the string cannot be wound any tighter. Hold the arm securely to prevent the wheels from turning.

7. Place the mouse trap car on a flat surface, and release the spring-loaded lever arm. The car should be propelled forward, and with the modifications, should go much farther than before, albeit likely slower.

Tips & Warnings

• Two factors go into making a car go farther: a longer lever arm and a greater differential between the rear wheel and axle diameter. Experiment with these two factors to coax even greater distances out of your mouse trap car.

References

• Doc Fizzix: How to Make a Long-Distance Mousetrap Car
• Mousetrap Car: How to Build a Mouse Trap Car
• Can-Do: Mousetrap Racer