adding weight
- Thread starter zracre
- Start date
Its been a almost twenty years but I recall reading an article about the eta engine back in the 80's. I was curious on what made it so economical and i seem to remember that it had the lowest tension valve springs springs known to mankind. The reason why the rev limit are so low is because anything over 4500 RPM is "supposed" to result in terminal valve float. :119: I would be interesting to know if what I remember is true. And for those truly curious, whether these eta part's so offending to BMW's racing tradition could be easily replaced with more sporting parts from higher performance 325 series engines the as we know BMW probably "intended" to use.....
whatever.....
zracre
New member
So back to the subject... If I weld a bunch of bars to the right rear side of the cage (it may look funny but what the heck) as well as other areas...is that legal? Id just hate to be hit in the right rear so I'm making it safer!! 
...seriously though I have about 45# of lead in it now and need to gain about 115# somewhere. That is alot of cage! suggestions? I really dont want the silly tiny spare in the car but its going in...good for a few #'s I guess. Also adding a coos suit (about 25# im guessing)
...seriously though I have about 45# of lead in it now and need to gain about 115# somewhere. That is alot of cage! suggestions? I really dont want the silly tiny spare in the car but its going in...good for a few #'s I guess. Also adding a coos suit (about 25# im guessing)Evan, the rules specifically state that "Any number of additional reinforcing bars are permitted within the structure of the cage." There is no limitation to the size (diameter, wall thickness) of these tubes.
However, do keep in mind the "unintended function" rule and don't be obviously absurd about it. Recall that last year a Spec Miata had a mongo-bongo kill switch plate, was bounced by a Tech Inspector, and it was upheld on appeal. I think if you're smart and reasonable about it, you'll be just fine. - GA
However, do keep in mind the "unintended function" rule and don't be obviously absurd about it. Recall that last year a Spec Miata had a mongo-bongo kill switch plate, was bounced by a Tech Inspector, and it was upheld on appeal. I think if you're smart and reasonable about it, you'll be just fine. - GA
I've seen some really interesting additions to roll cages on cars with drivers that are quite a bit lighter than the 160lb average. A problem I don't have. There are options like bars from the rear supports to the main hoop, down low. From the main hoop to the front hoop at the door sill. From the front hoop to the front supports. Under and even over the dash, across the front hoop. As long as they don't connect to the floor and are of the proper size tubing, you can beef that sucker up to meet weight without the ballast. Of course, it's expensive, and if you jump a berm the car will be so stiff it'll bounce like a golf ball, but won't bend.So back to the subject... If I weld a bunch of bars to the right rear side of the cage (it may look funny but what the heck) as well as other areas...is that legal? Id just hate to be hit in the right rear so I'm making it safer!!
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I only need to pick up about 20-25 pounds and am thinking about adding a couple of bars to the cage. My cage is already pretty stout but there's actually some additional bars I've been thinking about but never installed beause my car was already 90lbs overweight. So I guess I'll be doing them now - I need the weight, have the pipe, have the notcher, and have the welder......might as well!
I thought you called that "dinner"?
(why do I get the feeling I'm gonna get a love tap sometime this season when I'm being lapped by a certain orange Honda....)
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Seriously, you might as well go ahead and paint that target directly onto your bumper now. You ever been tapped mid-corner? :119:
Tristan Smith
New member
So back to the subject... If I weld a bunch of bars to the right rear side of the cage (it may look funny but what the heck) as well as other areas...is that legal? Id just hate to be hit in the right rear so I'm making it safer!!
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And you could fill the spare with water too, just make sure that you really secure that thing down well.
Wait is that against the rules????? Does it say that anything but air can go in???? Does it fit the intent of the rule?????Wait, sorry wrong thread. I'll go back to the SB one now.............
Matt Rowe
New member
And you could fill the spare with water too, just make sure that you really secure that thing down well.
Wait is that against the rules????? Does it say that anything but air can go in???? Does it fit the intent of the rule?????Wait, sorry wrong thread. I'll go back to the SB one now.............
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Well, factory air carries a percentage of water in it. That percentage is unspecified and 99 or even 100 is a percentage.
Now, filling it with mercury would be wrong as that is not part of the factory fill.
Racerlinn
New member
lateapex911
Super Moderator
Ugly Nissans?
(And kevin, if I knew you better, well, nevermind!
Re: the video, Linn- that wasn't a tag, that guy got payed to take you out! Who was the guilty party?
Racerlinn
New member
Hey, watch those ugly Nissan comments, we resemble that remark....
Besides, Kevin sucks the decals right off my car when he goes by.
If I make it back to MO this season, my goal is to not get lapped by Kevin. Nice, huh?
As for the video, this particular SM pilot made the dive to the inside due to the fact that I came into T1 and T2 slower than normal. It's the beginning of the 2nd lap of the race and the first and second place ITA cars (the 240 and the MR2 - both of which I had beaten the previous day) were right in front of me (I was on ITA pole but had a horrible start when I had to check up because of a car in front of me). So my plan was to just follow along a few laps, learn something about where they were strongest in the infield, practice some race-craft, and generally take it easy and not try to win the whole thing in the first few laps. The tire smoke in front of us also caused me to enter slower than normal (call me Mr. Cautious this day - bad idea). After watching it over and over and discussing it with others (including some SM pilots, a local steward, even Mr. Amy here) it seems to be a consensus that he either locked a tire or just plain decided he was going to move me over. After the race I expected to be speaking with a Steward, but never saw one. I did talk with the other driver after I got out of impound and watched his in-car video. His opinion was that I ran over him (it was his right front fender in to my left rear wheel). We shook hands and agreed to disagree. I found out later that he was new to SM and was running this race to meet his license renewal requirements. He sustained more damage than I and limped the car around the rest of the race (I lapped him twice). I almost caught the second place 240 by the end of the race but ended up third, which was pretty good considering the over 1/2" of toe-in I had on the left rear tire. Ended up with doing body work, a corded tire, swapping out some control arms and having to re-align the car. Plus it probably cost me $200 worth of Kumho-bucks, which I really could use considering I'm a budget-racer.
Chris Wire
New member
So back to the subject... If I weld a bunch of bars to the right rear side of the cage (it may look funny but what the heck) as well as other areas...is that legal? Id just hate to be hit in the right rear so I'm making it safer!!
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Evan,
Go ahead and add the bars. As you can tell from the photo, I wasn't at all concerned about cage weight. We'll see if I feel differently when I finally get to roll the thing across some scales, but with a wife and two kids, I'm not taking any chances.
I'll simply have to make up for the extra weight with an additional dose of insanity! :119: :119: :119:
