Hi All,
I have received some negative feedback to replies on this website. Hopefully these were isolated incidences. I am trying to help and if I see a direct violation of the rules or CCr I have replied.
There are a couple of things that people should know.
Tech does not DQ anybody. We report what we find to the regional series director and control. They do the DQ. We can make logbook entries at any time.
Here is the procedure I use if there is a question about a rule or there needs to be a clarification during the next update. Contact the regional series director. Have him contact Carter. Keep the documentation. If this is an incorrect procedure then I need to know the correct procedure.
Only getting an ok from a regional director does not mean you are legal in other regions.
Right now there are issues with camber plates. Some people are trimming their strut towers. Do not do it unless you have the ok from Carter. Keep the documentation. I am trying to get clarification on this one.
There is also an issue with mounting ballast. The rules have conflict in them. I am trying to get clarification.
Tech information
rsafreno wrote:
So I take it you are a tech inspector? Good to have that perspective on the site.
Beats me. I would think this is a standard NASA procedure, right?
What is the conflict? Here’s the rule:
9.3.13.2. Ballast is permitted, and shall be securely mounted in the passenger foot well, aft of the firewall, and shall be forward of the passenger seat. Alternatively, ballast may be mounted using the passenger seat mounting points, if the passenger seat is removed.
9.3.13.2.1. Ballast shall be in segments no heavier than fifty (50) pounds.
9.3.13.2.2. Ballast may not exceed one hundred twenty five (125) pounds maximum. Spare Tire weight per 9.3.9.7 is considered separate from this rule and may be added in addition to the allowed 125 pounds.
9.3.13.2.3. Each segment shall be fastened with a minimum of two (2) one-half (1/2) inch bolts and positive lock nuts of SAE grade 5 or better unless the ballast is mounted using the four (4) passenger seat mounting points and replacement bolts, and shall utilize large diameter, load distributing washers.
9.3.13.2.4. Holes may be drilled in the passenger foot well floor pan for purposes of mounting the ballast and the floor pan may be reinforced for the same purpose.
The most frequent violation of this rule I have seen is that each segment is not fastened with 2 bolts. Usually each stack is fastened with 2 bolts.
I guess a strict reading would prohibit you from bolting ballast to the floor where the seat used to be. You have to use the seat mounting points. But then you have to drill them out to accommodate the 1/2" bolts, which prevents you from being able to re-mount a passenger seat easily.
Steve D.
Steve, I believe you don’t have to drill them out, 9.3.13.2.3 says “unless”. From what I’ve seen, the common infraction here is mounting ballast aft of the passenger seat location instead of the footwell or the passenger seat mounting location.
Rich, your procedure description helps on the specific series rules. Can Tech DQ someone for safety violation in the GCRs? Ballast location is a strange one though - the location and amount is a series rule, but fastening it properly should be a safety issue.
9d3 wrote:
Steve, I believe you don’t have to drill them out, 9.3.13.2.3 says “unless”. [/quote]
True. The catch is that you have to use all four mounting points - something that isn’t typically done (or really practical given the size/shape of most commonly used ballast plates.
Steve D.
Yes I am a tech inspector. I hope to be racing SpecE30 soon. We do not know it all and do the best we can. We are all volunteers.
Safety is not a DQ, however a safety violation may get a fine if you have been on track and not going on track until it is fixed. This is up to control. A safety violation during an inspection will be fixed before the log book is signed.
There have been different tech interpretations on the ballast mounting rule. One was if you removed the seat you could use the seat 4 mounting points. One upgraded bolt and load spreading washer for the ballast. This is in conflict with requiring 2 1/2" bolts. There are cars that have ballast mounted this way. The other interpretation is that you must use all 4 bolts to mount the ballast. This is why I am asking for a clarification in the rules when they are updated. We do not agree with a single bolt however one car used a 1" bolt. I did not see any of the other cars with a single bolt so I do not know the outcome in tech.