Ballast mounting

James,
I have to use 50lbs. I used two 5/8 bolts with 4x4 backing plates on both. I snugged the weights up against the back ridge where the seat mounts and the tunnel. The bolts went through a ridge on the underneith of the car so there were two layers of sheet metal to go through. I was considering chaining them to the cage because I wouldn't want those bad boys flyin around in a roll over!! :D

Also, maybe your cage needs a "little" reinforcement!!
 
I have the same issue. I am about 100 light in my 86 Golf. I have run it with passenger seat, spare tire and very full gas tank. This was with the old autopower cage. Got a new cage welded in last year (which is surely lighter), and cut off two 48# chunks of 1x10" steel at work to make things more right. IMO on a fwd car, I don't really want to add a lot of weight in the back - it will only increase the polar moment of inertia. I figure I will try to find a factory type replacement sound deadening asphault sheet (is dynamat the same stuff?), stick it down, re-install the sand bags and sound/heat insulation pads, reinstall the carpet, run it across the scales and add one or both of the weights as needed. That way all the weight that goes back in is as low in the chassis as I can get it.

I have been concerned about how to secure the weights as well. I figure I will use 4 5/8" bolts with a 1/8" backing plate on the bottom and top side, and locate them so they don't go through the 'frame rail' under the car.

I don't know if I will get all of this done by mid March when I plan to run my first event this year, so we may still use the wheel/seat/gas method at least one more time.

Chris
 
Originally posted by lateapex911+Jan 11 2006, 11:51 PM-->
I thought I had heard something about the location rule opening up? Or am I dreaming?
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Yes, saw mention of it in the grape vine, but untill I see this change approved with an effective date, I am sticking to the current book.

<!--QuoteBegin-JLawton@Jan 12 2006, 07:48 AM
James,
I have to use 50lbs.  I used two 5/8 bolts with 4x4 backing plates on both.  I snugged the weights up against the back ridge where the seat mounts and the tunnel.  The bolts went through a ridge on the underneith of the car so there were two layers of sheet metal to go through.  I was considering chaining them to the cage because I wouldn't want those bad boys flyin around in a roll over!!  :D 

Also, maybe your cage needs a "little" reinforcement!!
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Jeff, I thought about that, but really my cage already got significant reinforcement when I redid my door bars so they wouldnt be arm rests!!! Seriously the original bars where so high they where just below the window line!!!

I am going to put my spare back in which I weighed last night at 15.8#, and 75lbs in the front passnager floor to get the 90lbs I am estimating I will need in the. I will use 5/8 hardware but I am going to use a reinforcement on the top and bottom of the floorboard. I am considering adding a sheet of 1/8 or 1/4 fromt he center well to the door frame just to beef up that area.

Now if that opens up, sure I would put all the weight in the tail of the car. But for now thats enough.
 
Matt got me to thinking and, actually, if you want to be really technical about it, snug against the stock seat mount may be too far back. Forward of the seat logically would mean no further back than the spot on the floor directly beneath the most forward part of the seat. And that is forward of the seat attachment point in the vast majority of cases. On the other hand, w/ reference to the floorboard the seat attachment point could be deemed the relevant point. Yea, that's the ticket.

Perhaps not but my first thought was that JamesB was asking how far he could legally take the reinforcement allowance. I.e. could you sandwich the floorboard between 2 pieces of, say, 1/2" steel? Sounds like a good jacking plate.
 
Acutally, in a VW, the farthest back you can mount the weight and still be legal is the front of the pasanger seat mount. I dont have a good picture, but I can take one. I was actually asking to see if racers found they needed/wanted more bracing of that area for safety reasons or not. This weekend I am going to look at the floor pan. If it turns out that rust is getting to that area too, then im going to weld a piece of 1/8" from center well to door jam just to beef up that area.

Then probably use jeffs method of mounting it under the body and tac welding the bold heads to those pieces. inside the car I am going to make a2-3" wide strap the full diameter of the weights I am using for both bolts to pass through and secure the weight. I think this would ensure that my floor does not get fatigued and start cracking and I will feel that even in the event of a roll that the weights would not break loose on me.
 
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Originally posted by bldn10@Jan 12 2006, 04:07 PM
could you sandwich the floorboard between 2 pieces of, say, 1/2" steel? Sounds like a good jacking plate.
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how thick can something be before it will be ballast too? i too am playing with some backing plates from scrap i have around and am concerned that it could be too much.

is 1/8" too little? is 1/2" too much? at what thickness / weight does a backing plate become ballast?

the rules basically said i have to have it securely fastened, right?

tia, tom
 
Good point, I figure if 1/8" ontop of the stock body as reinvorcement is enough, the backing plates with be 1/8 also. After looking over the floorboard there, its better for me to do this. Of course I am going to wait till closer to the start of the season before I mount the ballast just to see if rumors are true. If they turn out to be false then I know my position anyway.
 
my basic thoughts was since the bolt in cage needs 3/16" that that would be a basis to defend a 3/16" plate backing the ballast mounts. i plan to make it essentially the size of the ballast blocks inside the car.

i was planning to weld in some 0.080" plate similar to weld cage mounts on the floor pan / tunnel area and also at the ~90° for the rocker at the other side. then between these two would be two pieces of angle (perpedicular to the car).

my ballast is ~ 50 # blocks that are about 2.375 by 6 by 12. i will have essentially 3 of these mounted side by side in a row. they will be sitting on the angles supported by tunnel and rocker and the floor.

i still have my spare tire as some of the ballast if i need to do that instead. really not sure what the best thing is to do with regards to distribution. in the back would help the corner weights more but in the footwell area is the best place with regards to being low. at least for my 85 crx si in itb.
 
Okay so I'm late at getting around to adding ballast. But I wanted to clarify a couple things.

1. It shall be in segments no heavier than fifty (50) pounds,
and shall be capable of being removed to be weighed
apart from the car.
2. 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, and shall utilize large-diameter,
load-distributing washers.[/b]
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-Can two 50# segments be stacked and mounted with four 1/2" bolts? Or must each segment be completely separate?

-What about two 25# segments? Only two 1/2" bolts are needed right? Or do they each have to be mounted separate?

Thanks, the car goes on the scales offically tonight and I need to make sure I can get the 100#+ to fit in the footwell before I run out of time.
 
2 half in bolts per segment, you cannot stack 2 50# segments is what I got. And thats fine with me, I want to mount the extra 25# I need to give me a little more buffer room so im not micro managing my weight with fuel.
 
I used two 45lb golds gym weights from Wally world. The only way they can fit in the footwell is to stack them. I think it actually worked out better than using two chunks of lead because the weight is distributed over a greater area and I think that's a little safer. Plus the handles on the weights allowed me to tether the weights to the roll cage. Not sure if it's totally legal per the letter of the rule, but it's what I did. I plan on getting rid of one of the 45lb weights once I add a cool suit and other "ballast" so I guess I'll be completely legal then.

Be sure and check under the car before you determine your mounting position. I had to modify my original idea because the frame "rail" split the passenger floor pan right down the middle.

David
 
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