Tech inspections

So whats your thoughts on tech inspections at the drag strip? Do most strips inspect the cars? Are they strict if they do inspect?
Just wondering, the tracks around here don't care, they leave it up top the person racing. You can pretty much race what you bring. I don't have seatbelts (yet) in my 55 (only raced 3 times) and didn't wear a helment the first two times only running 95 mph or so. I see 9 second cars with no roll cage..........9 second cars with drum brakes.............I mean they don't even look at your tires to see if they are bad. Should it be up to the people or should track officials look out for peoples safety.
I am not talking about the experienced racers, really talking about the people who are not aware or don't care what kind of condition their cars is in.
It would actualy be helpful for the experienced racers..........it would keep the inexperienced racers from getting beside you in a race and..................

9 second cars with no roll cage?...........I would think that they are experienced racers.....if they are running 9 second 1/4 miles.

9 second cars with disc brakes?.........What would they have other than disk brakes.

It's not much of a track if they have no inspections...........I wouldn't race there.

Is it a sanctioned race track?
Disc Brakes? "That's a good thing''.

I raced at at track in North Carolina one time that was like that. I was used to Tech Inspections at our Pennsyvania track, but when I got to the track in NC all you did was pay your entry fee and race. Seemed a little strange to me at the time, but I kind of wrote it off to the track being an outlaw track, not sanctioned by any formal group.

Not a good thing, and not too far removed from Saturday night street racing.

Don

If there's no tech, then you probably don't have to sign a waiver or release either. In the event of an incident, who pays? Your insurance company will yell foul because you are racing and the track owner will disavow any liability because he probably has no insurance. If faced with a suit, he would probably just fold up and do something else for a while.

I'm sure some will say what a good deal it is not having to put up with tech inspections. I think for the safety of the new guys, especially the young ones who still suffer from the invincibility complex, there should be some sort of inspection. Belts and helmets should be an absolute minimum. I can't imagine running without seat belts and a helmet, things do break and things do happen fast at 95 MPH.... I suppose racing there is fine, but I'm sure I would have the safety equipment on me and installed in the car that would give me a chance at surviving!!!!!

You do sign a waiver before you enter. The two tracks I have been to are like that. 10 bucks car/driver in the country. around 15 to 20 in the city. I did edit my origanal post, ment to say drum brakes in a 9 second car. Some people should simply be band from the track, like the guy who pulled beside me in a stock 90 model mustang that was raged out. He was hanging out his DOOR in the water box watching his back right tire spin. The track official was trying to get his attention to tell him to cut it out, but he wasn't having any of that. After the light went green I just let him go. He told me later in the pits that he had just bought the car that very afternoon.................To bad our tracks aren't a little more stricked....................................

now as being part of a flegeling outlaw track, tech is important, we are abiding with the nhra book as much as we can,i have already had the discussion about my car as i dont have a true bar and its a convertable no under 13.5 pass, the second that it happens i will be advised to either put a block under the pedal or no race.
i agree with this completly and also participate in the tech inspections, the guys that racew all the time at nhra tracks have all the bases covered as they have been through it, the ones to watch for are the guy who dust off the old hot rod from the back yard. some are pretty good others need work and we have turned guys away and encourage some to come as early for tech as if its a minor thing we send them home to fix it and tell them to get their butts back and if they pass well get them in the line.
try to be nice to the guys if you have to fail them and try to help give them advice to get the car in shape to pass.

I've been know to grouse about getting a car ready for tech either my own or a customers.....but every rule has a reason ,usually based on some catastrophic event in the past. The rules are there for a reason.

unfortunatly if left strictly to the racers,no matter how safe YOUR car is if the guy in the other lane has a problem it can quickly also become yours or a spectators.

I think some NHRA requirements have gotten a little out of hand as well as the egos of some inspectors. Luckily our track still uses common sense for the most part. Its a shame how they are puttin' it to racers. For a small example, new belts every two years. SFI is a bit silly IMO.

A new set of belts every two years is ok by me, not a major expense in the upkeep of a drag car. If you saw some of the seat belts these clowns show up with otherwise you would understand the reason for the rule. Some get left in the car when the car is washed on the inside, others are old, soaked in oil, etc. As Mike said, every rule has a reason for being....

I should re-phrase my comment by saying that some rules steming from SFI are a bit silly for slower cars . However, I do feel a sense of safety when I buy an sfi approved part.

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Originally Posted by bcrector

I think some NHRA requirements have gotten a little out of hand as well as the egos of some inspectors. Luckily our track still uses common sense for the most part. Its a shame how they are puttin' it to racers. For a small example, new belts every two years. SFI is a bit silly IMO.

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I concur on all points. It's been a while since I last raced (well, raced legally) but I feel that the good, conscientious inspectors outnumber the other kind by long shot.

I'm speaking, of course, of those at reputable strips.

Aw, you'll occasionally run across some self-important dude who feels that unless he finds something wrong he has failed in his responsibility, and just HAS to make note of some "concerns". Like, one guy wrote us up because I used a 3/8" stove bolt (instead of a "grade-something or better") as a pivot for our hand brake lever. With due respect, I would have had to really pull like the devil to shear that bolt. That recommendation was listed under "descretionary comments".

But all in all, I'm grateful to the people who volunteer their time and expertise to do that job.

Jim

I like the OUTLAW tracks because its a free country ...if you want to jump out of a airplane you can,if you want to climb a sheer rock face with out a rope you can and if you want to die in a car on saturday night you can do that also.:LOL: I have seen some of these tracks in the midwest and I can tell ya they are unsafe....but there should be tracks like this in a free country,just be aware that you are at one and be careful.
The approved or teched tracks should be here too ,with the SFI rated and inspected rides with safety gear galore to keep you and the guy in the other lane safe.But if you want to race at a outlaw track that should be available too.
No matter how many laws we make and no matter how far we run the smokers off ,we are still gunna die and get sick and wreck perfect sfi teched cars.
I feel the individual needs to take responsibility for his or hers own actions,its not the governments fault ,its not the polices fault and its sure not the track owners fault for someone being a moron and having an unsafe ride.When he goes down the track and dies its his fault ,not anyone elses fault,its not A.D.D. its not osamas fault and its not because of the war......its simply a personal issue and to force these morons into conformity is only helping destroy common sense and the ability to rationally think.The idiots will thin themselves out....but not if we force them into compliance,they will learn nothing on there own and only become acustomed to being catered to in the form of protection from there own lack of common sense and they will pass this down to there kids in the form of no common sense.
Ohh one more thing.....why is there no k rail down the middle of the 2 1/4 mile lanes 6 foot apart that 2 people are doing 150 to 280 mph down ?A out of controll car does not care if a solid yellow is suppose to represent a wall.

I cant believe tracks with poor/no tech still exist in our litigious society. Her in cali a 'signed release' isnt worth the paper its written on. Promoters cant require someone to release liablity from what will surely be perceived by the court as negligence. Bottomfeeding lawyers would eat that up. Ive only experienced tech at sacramento, famoso, and sears point and all were good with sac not always being as consistent but not anything I would consider unsafe. But one thing I didnt like was the fact that everyone knew the sac fire truck needed a jump for the first start of the day and would usually be blocked behind other vehicles. That was back in the day and has since been taken care of. OBTW ive helped tech and if a stove bolt was used in the braking system and the rules clearly stated that a grade bolt was to be used I would have required that it be corrected before it ran.


im just sayin

This video has been posted a zillion times, but still points up the importance of safety inspections, good seat belts, etc.

http://www.hotroddersauctions.com/fo...orld-vt30.html

Give it a minute to download.

Don

Posted by shawnlee:
"they will learn nothing on there own and only become acustomed to being catered to in the form of protection from there own lack of common sense and they will pass this down to there kids in the form of no common sense."

Don't look now, but that has been happening in this country for quite a while now.

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Originally Posted by Mike in Motown

OBTW ive helped tech and if a stove bolt was used in the braking system and the rules clearly stated that a grade bolt was to be used I would have required that it be corrected before it ran.

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I agree, Mike. If the rules had addressed that situation and required a grade bolt, we would have used one. The rules didn't. We were allowed to run with my hardware store bolt.

Maybe it was just a CYA situation with the inspector, I don't know, but as I sort of indicated, our inspectors had the authority to disqualify a car at their discretion if they thought an unsafe condition existed whether it was specifically covered in the the rule book or not. I agree with that rule.

I just didn't (and don't) see that that particular part posed any threat.

Jim

You're right to a point, Shawn. It is (or was) a free country. A comparison I use is that I don't care if a guy riding a motorcycle wears a helmet or not, he obviously knows what his head is worth. If he runs into me on his motorcycle whether or not he is wearing a helmet will have little effect on the damage done to me or my car. As for Outlaw tracks, I avoid them like the plague. I hate the thought of some clown in the other lane having dime store hardware and less then adequate bracketry holding his front end in place. When that grade junk bolt breaks and the car makes a hard turn it could be either me or the guardrail he hits depending on which way the car goes. I don't like the thought of someone else's penny pinching or lack of knowledge being the demise of my car.....

The rules and SFI standards are there for a reason. Most have been implemented by a comittee with members far more knowledgeable than I on metallurgy and ASE standards on hardware. I'll continue to take their word for what is safe and what is not....

Individual freedoms and rights are fine, unless they interfere with the rights and freedom of another......

Posted by Dave Severson:
"Individual freedoms and rights are fine, unless they interfere with the rights and freedom of another......"

I used to work with an old guy who said "your freedom ends where my nose begins".

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Originally Posted by techinspector1

I used to work with an old guy who said "your freedom ends where my nose begins".

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I believe I've heard that once or twice.

In most cases if you build it by NHRA Rulebook there's no problem wherever
you race. Kinda simple**)

We
Don't have tech down here in south MS either.

heck

Have only been to one track that did (bowling green, KY).



Mississippi, where our street cars are faster than your race car.

We
Don't have tech down here in south MS either.

heck

Have only been to one track that did (bowling green, KY).



Mississippi, where our street cars are faster than your race car.

our tech here is a breeze, but at least im smart enough to care, and use better stuff when i make mods to my car, right now i am trying to fugre out the legal way of mounting a 5 point harness, i know your not supposed to just bolt it to the pan it'll pull through dont they make plates for this? or just use any old good piece of 1/8 inch steel? grade 8 bolts are a "duh" situation.

our local track was unsanctioned, outlaw, until 2 years ago. now IHRA. they still had a tech inspector, i first bought my 8.90 dragster i rolled up to tech the 1st time running it. he stood about 30 feet away and said it was fine have a nice day. did not look at the chassis certification, or ask if i was licenced to drive the car. a friend of mine had a rikity 69 camaro, rust bucket, no harness or roll bar, only a lap belt, slapped a well built motor, trans, and rear end. tech looked at it and asked what e.t. it ran, he said its never been driven. he said ok run it. he cracked of a 10.105 1st pass. the tech guy was waiting for him back at his trailer and told him he was done until he got a cage and harness. also seen guys run 145 mph 1/4 on bikes there wearing jeans and a sweat jacket. not any more , tech is a very good thing and should be manditory to some degree everywhere.

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Originally Posted by shoprat

In most cases if you build it by NHRA Rulebook there's no problem wherever
you race. Kinda simple**)

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Very well put, Shoprat!!!! Both NHRA and IHRA rules are available, even on line if you don't want to wait for the Pony Express to bring them.... As stated before, there are reasons for all these rules... If you don't think you need rules and safety equipment that meets the standards....Well there's a lot of dead guys that used to believe the same thing. Even with the best safety equipment in the world people get hurt racing..... Why bet against the odds?

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A comparison I use is that I don't care if a guy riding a motorcycle wears a helmet or not, he obviously knows what his head is worth. If he runs into me on his motorcycle whether or not he is wearing a helmet will have little effect on the damage done to me or my car.

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Dave,

If he doesn't care about his head, I don't care about it either. Yet, when he ends up in the hospital with brain damage and incurs several hundred thousand dollars in medical bills that he can't pay, he starts to affect my wallet also.

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Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

Dave,

If he doesn't care about his head, I don't care about it either. Yet, when he ends up in the hospital with brain damage and incurs several hundred thousand dollars in medical bills that he can't pay, he starts to affect my wallet also.

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Bingo! Thanks Jack.

so what are the rules for securing harness's? anybody got the rulebook? :LOL:

Tech has it, he'll probably see the post. I have the book, but not a clue how to post a pic of the correct installation. Pro Z might have some shots of his in his gallery. Big thing is the location of the upper mount for the belts. I think he had a pic or two of his 'maro with the belt mounts????

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Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

Dave,

If he doesn't care about his head, I don't care about it either. Yet, when he ends up in the hospital with brain damage and incurs several hundred thousand dollars in medical bills that he can't pay, he starts to affect my wallet also.

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There's a guy in the nursing home here in a coma from a motorcycle crash, he was hit by a drunk driver and suffered severed head injuries. That was 25 years ago, and he's still in the same condition today... Yeah, the drunk was in the wrong, but Jerry is in the coma......

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Originally Posted by gassersrule_196

so what are the rules for securing harness's? anybody got the rulebook? :LOL:

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Crotch Strap:
The crotch strap must be anchored even with or behind the chest line of the driver. Lay a flat board against the driver's chest/stomach with him seated in the car in driving position. Looking at the board from the side of the car, follow that line down to the floor. The strap needs to anchor there or behind there, never in front of that point. The strap should be mounted so that the line of pull is to the front of the car. If mounted directly to the sheet metal of the floor of the car, put a very large and very thick flatwasher on the underside to prevent the nut from being pulled through the sheetmetal in the event of an "incident", as NHRA calls them. A bulletproof installation will be to extend the belt back to the driveshaft tunnel bar that I have described under seat belts below and cut a hole in the seat for the belt to come up snugly against your privates to attach to the seat belts.

Seat Belts:
Seat belts should be installed so that as you view the driver from the side, the belts go down to their mounting position at a 45* angle. As viewed from the rear, the belts should be the width of the driver's body and parallel with the centerline of the car. The best way I have found to mount the seat belts is to install a bar across the car between the left and right sides of the "B" bar, or main hoop with a whoopee in it for the driveshaft tunnel. 1 1/4" x 0.125" mild steel or 0.083" CM should do the trick.

Shoulder Belts:
The anchor for the shoulder belts should be from exactly even with the driver's shoulders to a point no lower than 4" below the driver's shoulders. In no case can the belts be mounted higher than the driver's shoulders. (Think about the car on its lid and the driver "falling up" into the belts and bumping his noggin). The place to mount these is to the crossbar that goes between the left and right sides of the "B" bar. This crossbar forms an intersection with the side bar at a point about halfway up the "B" bar. Its placement is determined with the driver sitting in driving position, then installing the bar according to the height of the driver's shoulders. The belts should go from the driver's shoulders back to the crossbar parallel with the centerline of the car.

Here is a visual to go along with what Richard said.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL160.../233914535.jpg

Yea...........what they ^^ said..........:D

thanks for the clarification tech, ive went and picked up the grade 8 bolts yesterday man o man have they gotten expensive :LOL:

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Originally Posted by gassersrule_196

thanks for the clarification tech, ive went and picked up the grade 8 bolts yesterday man o man have they gotten expensive :LOL:

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I just bought 25 1.250 x 3/8 grade 8 at Fastenall 25 for $10.00 I don't think thats bad at all

these were 1.39 each!

My Fastenal rep comes around every other Wednesday and restocks me... I get all my grade 8, stainless steel, electrical goodies, drill bits, and tape. Sometimes the invoice is really scary, especially if I forget to bill out the hardware I use on customer's cars!!!! I sure do like the service, though. I hate having to leave the shop and go get stuff....especially on days like today with another 6" of snow!!!!! Got to someday get the good software program that would automatically load all the prices on the invoice.....

Dave, we used to add 2% to every bill to cover shop supplies. This included hardware used such as bolts, nuts, washers, roll pins, cotter pins, tie wraps, etc., etc. The customers groused about it for a while, but when they realized that we were actually using the parts on their vehicles and not gouging them, they settled down. We explained to them that the mechanic could just walk over and help himself to get the job going and didn't have to settle down at a table on the customer's time to look up part numbers, write them down, take the requistion to parts and wait for it to be filled, yada, yada, ad nauseum.