Road course tech inspection issues...
 

I did a breif search and didn't find anything.

For those who race, whether with some club or on your own, what are some show stoppers for tech inspections?

Specifically, I've relocated my battery to a bin, but I haven't really planned on a cutoff switch. It's an Optima Yellow Top secured in an aluminum frame, which is bolted to the floor pan.

I know NHRA rules require a specific box and a switch, but I don't care as I don't really care to drag, not at a sanctioned event anyway.

What are some other things, not including cages or extinguishers that should be taken into consideration?

Thanks!!!

Different clubs may look for different things.

The biggest show stoppers I see all the time are improperly mounted batteries and fluid leaks. People don't appreciate how heavy a battery is (even small ones) and that it needs to be bolted down properly, not merely sitting in the tray. After that your basic stuff like brakes, wheel bearings, no broken wheel studs etc.

If you know which group you plan to run with give them a call. There's probably someone who would be happy to go over their requirements with you or even personally inspect your car before you show up at the track.

What he said. Everyone checks for regular maintenance issues. Any leaks; oil, diff. fluid, tranny fluid, P.S. fluid, radiator fluid, windshield wiper fluid, will get you out of an event. Most places won't care if you relocated the battery so long as it is properly secured. After that, funny noises are always looked down on, like a P.S. pump going bad, or bad belts, ect. Some clubs may even require a certified mechanic to go over your car before an event. Anyway, for the most part, if it is in good mechanical shape you shouldn’t have any trouble. But like he said, call and ask, better safe than sorry.
Daniel

NASA's rule book is available by download from their website. You will need a copy of the SCCA CGA if you're going to race with them, anyway, so might as well get it - you have to order a hard copy from the national office.

You may find this helpful. It's the technical inspection form from the last Mazda Drivers Event at VIR. It covers the basic areas you need to look at.

http://www.mazdadrivers.com/04_full/...ction_form.htm

-bill

Every event I've been to requires a cut off when you relocate the battery. Honestly, you've done 90% of the hard work already. The cut off is fairly easy to wire in.

-Trent

IMHO, metal battery boxes are what fires are made out of.

When (if you plan on when, not if..you end up building safer cars) you crash, that battery becomes 100s and 100s of pounds of highly motivated mass.

Ive seen alum battery boxes with securely mounted battereies in them fold and fall over like so much cardboard..contacting the battery post(s), and creating havoc anywhere near it.

Please use a non conducting box, or line the inside of the box with a high density material that can try to prevent the posts from finding the -soft- alumuminum tray if the worst happens.

About cutoffs, a breaker/fuse at the battery would be nice as well, at the least.


If you have a harness bar, or mini cage..be prepared to show that the seat cannot be stopped from reclining by either. If it can, you could and should be sent home.

IF you seat clears the bar/cage, ensure that your head couldnt come in contact with the same bars if in a collision the seat recliner comes free, and the seat goes back. Dont call me anal over these, we just dont want you to lose your head. :)

If you have harnesses, make sure you have a proper harness bar, ideal angle for the shoulder straps leaving the seat, is 90d off of the angle of your spine.

But...to make things simple..

HP mods: For HPDE, theyre up to you, and how much you wanna spend when you discover the joys of external combustion.

Safety mods: Things like cage, seats, door stripping..anything that involves the space where you sit in (interior), you must follow the CCR rules concerning race preparation. The USDOT says stock seats and belts are perfectly safe. Once you leave the realm of DOT approval for your interior design..you belong to the CCR. Please understand that safety is more important that lookin good at a bargain price.

IE: Cheap CF "race" seats, 4-point 'ketchup packet' harnesses, cages not big enough or made from the proper materials (ERW tubing is now illegal for new cages, must be DOM)..etc.

Make sure you have something covering the positive terminal, I got cought on this one, but good old duct tape worked like a charm.

Thanks for the input guys. The extent of any future racing is still up in the air. With this current car, I don't know how much I'm going to get into it. I'm probably going to be more into open events as opposed to any sanctioned ones, but I just don't want to get somewhere and find out that they adhere to certain rules and I get screwed since I'm not covered in a certain area. Still in a learning phase for me (as far as road racing goes).

I read over this and don't see anything pretaining to it, but I want to ask anyway.

My gas door retaining pin is broken, so the door does not stay shut. The gas cap itself if fine, the door just won't stay shut. Would that be something I'd need to fix before I do my first track event? Or would some 100mph tape be sufficient?

tape would be fine, or just take the door off... it like two screws....


M.

"ketchup packet"? Are they so named because your guts come squishing out when the lap belt ends up in your abdomen?

About the rollbar... is ERW type grandfathered in? I installed mine like 3 years ago and getting a new one would suck.

edit: I just got back from a NASA event at summit point. The tech inspection was pretty sad. They gave me some crap for not having seat back braces, but said just get it fixed for next time. No biggie. But they didn't actually inspect anything, just glanced at the pre-tech form I had filled out.

Hey thanks! I can make use of that as well. :)