On this show, the Tunnel Ratz and the Hammerlocks will need to have a one track mind...rather, a one wheel mind. They will be building a vehicle called a monowheel which consists of a single, large wheel powered by an engine in the middle where the driver also sits. There are two "courses" with the team with the fastest aggregate time advancing to the semi finals. The first race is a three-man relay up and down a straight track 100 meters long. The second race is a normal "road course."

The Tunnel Ratz are thinking light and ambitious. They will make their own wheel from a sheet of steel and attach a chain along the inside. A moped motor will have a sprocket at the rear instead of a wheel which will engage the chain and turn the wheel around driver and engine. A frame with other sprockets will rotate freely inside their wheel, which is where the driver/engine sits. Making an almost perfect wheel will be tricky as will finding enough chain. It's an all-around complicated design.

The Hammerlocks are worried about weight. A tractor tire will be the main wheel with a scooter providing the power directly from the engine and wheel to the inside of the big wheel. They will use bearings to let their interior frame roll around the big wheel freely. The problem is with size...fitting an engine and a Hammerlock (big guys) inside of a tractor tire might be difficult. Also, the heavier the wheel is, the harder it will be to turn and it will also have a tendency to tip over because of a high center of gravity.
 
 
 

Hammerlocks' TC Rod Gibson	Tunnel Ratz TC Geriant Owen
The Hammerlocks' design	The Tunnel Ratz design
Robert checks out their big wheel	Sicknote gets to making a custom wheel
This moped should provide enough  power for the Hammerlocks' beefy design	Sicknote's cutting job leaves a little to be desired but an angle grinder should smooth the wheel out
Expert Kerry McLean	The drive sprocket goes in
If you're a wrestler, this is how you bend steel	The inner-wheel is done and it seems to check out
Shopping trolley wheels serve as  bearings for some free-wheeling	Uh oh...looks like a tight fir for the beefy wrestlers
The chain is prepared for welding	One of three "guide sprockets"
This frame will lend support and a place to mount driver and engine

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