Anyone using a scatter shield?

M

Mike Spencer

New member
I see no specific threads about this, and I'm asking because my pressure plate came apart at about 8000 RPMs at VIR a couple weekends ago. :eek:

During the ensuing cataclysm, the various pieces cut electrical wires, punched a hole in the hood and took a major "bite" out of the passenger-side frame rail. Enough that the structural integrity of the car may have been compromised. More damage may have been done, but I won't know until I get the engine/tranny out. :shrug:

Afterwards, at least a half-dozen people suggested I invest in a scatter-shield. Quick searches on the web have turned up a "universal" Kevlar blanket and the possibility of a "SFI legal" bell-housing for the rotary engine made by Lakewood.

I'd be interested in hearing any thoughts or experiences with this.

Thanks,
 
after hearing what happend to your car... and what happend to the Jenson of Ron's last year, I think that might be a rules creep worth having!

hoop
 
I've been going to club races for 20 years and can only remember one clutch/flywheel explosion in all that time, but it was a good one.

It happened 2-3 rows in front of me at the start of an IT race. Somebody did a 2-1 power shift and the tack must have seen the far side of 9000 rpm. The car was a ITB Rabbit. After the race I came over to look as the results. It looked like a grenade went off in the engine compartment! The engine and trans, what was left of them, were totally seperate with each piece hanging from their mounts. Hood dented, firewall dented, radiator trashed, and the driver OK! Two other cars got flats from the flying parts and I had to dodge a couple myself. I know one bounced up and hit the underside of my car and left a good dent in the floor on the pass. side.

Most FWD cars don't have an option. They don't make scattershields for them. The best you can do is install a piece of steel plate between you and the clutch/fly wheel. The rest of the car will have to take it's chances.
 
iambhooper said:
after hearing what happend to your car... and what happend to the Jenson of Ron's last year, I think that might be a rules creep worth having!

hoop
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Rules creep? :shrug:

9.1.3.D.1.m states, in part

The addition of an external scattershield per GCR 9.3.39., is permitted and recommended.

It looks to me like we can do it now.

After my crank failure last year, which left some shrapnel holes in the transmission tunnel on the passenger side, I added some 1/4" 6061-T6 plate. I was thinking about some Kevlar sheet, but it doesn't seem to be allowed.
 
I've seen the kevlar blankets, they seem like they would be pretty universal. I'm surprised they couldn't be placed to help protect the driver in a FWD.

I did see an RX7 turn into shrapnell once, or rather I saw the result. While doing something like checking timing in the paddock (not sure what he was up to) the throttle jammed open. Everything stopped only because the flying pcs severed a fuel line, which subsequently caught fire and burned up most of the car. The driver was not so lucky, broken jaw & ankle.

The other moral of this story is that fire & rescue are set up to respond much faster to track incidents than paddock fires.
 
Contact Peter Shadowen at RoadnRace Automotive. Info at roadnrace dot com. He fabricated a nice shield for his GT Rabbit after he split an engine and transmission in half. It utilizes the two upper bellhousing mounting bolts and the cast hole near the clutch cable. It won't keep the parts from coming out the bottom, but should prevent them from entering the driver compartment. I was behind him when his came apart. Quite an explosion.
 
Mike Spencer said:
During the ensuing cataclysm, the various pieces cut electrical wires, punched a hole in the hood and took a major "bite" out of the passenger-side frame rail. Enough that the structural integrity of the car may have been compromised. More damage may have been done, but I won't know until I get the engine/tranny out. :shrug:



Thanks,
Click to expand...

Wow...........

That's TWO....this year!
Mine exploded mightily at Pocono this july. What a mess, for me and others. Inspection found ALL the PP bolts present and accounted for, sheared in the flywheel.
 
MMiskoe said:
I've seen the kevlar blankets, they seem like they would be pretty universal. I'm surprised they couldn't be placed to help protect the driver in a FWD.

I've used the automatic transmission blankets on the inside of the car for years. Keeps you safe and your feet cool and in one piece. Has pases tech several times at the nationals. Buy them at swap meets for $20 bucks or so.
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