Things You'll Need
Instructions
Attach the mousetrap to the car so that the bar on the mousetrap faces away from the drive axle when it&'s in the closed position. The drive axle is usually the rear axle, and should have an exposed section in the center, according to the traditional mousetrap car design.
Tie some string to the center of the snapper arm on the mousetrap. Make the knot tight, so it doesn&'t come off while pulling the car forward.
Wind the string around the rear axle. You don&'t want to attach the string directly to the rear axle, because it will stop the car in its tracks. You need to drape the string over the back of the axle, then wind it tightly around until you have no more excess string.
Lift up the snapper arm, and roll the vehicle backward on the floor to keep winding the string around the rear axle. Hold the axle, lift the car, and place it on the ground to roll it backward some more. Continue until the snapper arm returns to the open position.
Set the mousetrap, according to the original manufacturer instructions.
Push the trap release with a pencil to send the car rolling forward. While it probably won&'t snap shut on your fingers, it&'s probably a good idea to use a pencil just in case.