Ballast

Eric Nelson · Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 3:44 pm Post subject: Ballast

Does anybody know why the ballast rule is now written to require two bolts on a weight over 5 lbs? I heard this is a Rotax rule but I've never seen it required in SKUSA, IKF, WKA or anywhere else in karting. I'm building a kart with an XS seat and there's going to end up being so many weight holes for the surface area, experience tells me the fiberglass will tear between them. Then there will be a weight with two bolts, laying on the road.

Jason Vehige · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:43 am Post subject:

Eric,

Please write a request/letter here on the issue.

http://www.sebscca.com/

I could only guess that the rule came from a fear of someone hanging a 25 pound barbell weight with one bolt......
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Jason Vehige

08 Gillard Charlotte / SGM sl204
05 Vanspeed Sirio / SGM sl204

paul rees · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 264

Jared Langenfeld · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:17 am Post subject:

I thought the rule has always been written as 1 5/16" grade 5 bolt per 5 lbs? I have 20lbs on the back of my seat with two bolts per 10lb weight, granted, I don't have an XS seat.

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2008 Mike Wilson with Honda CR125 shifter

Tom Reynolds · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:23 am Post subject:

This was an item from the 2009 agenda just before I got on the KAC. I cannot tell what the triggering factor but I do know when it failed to make the 2010 rulebook, the SEB was very pressuring to make sure it appeared as quickly as possible in a tech bulletin. I cannot accurately comment if it was letter or incident driven.

Eric Nelson · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:34 am Post subject:

LOL thanks Jason, I'll do that. You're right, I've seen that one, 25 lb barbell weight attached with a single bolt in the center. Or duct tape even worse!

Now I can see how to get it done, with the block-type weights. The problem I am having is the customer provided the usual diving-type weights which are curved, the only flat portion is at the center. Two bolts there would be so close they would just tear through the "soft" seat I'm using. And bolting to the arced part of the weight will just crack the fiberglass.

Sorry, not trying to reinvent the wheel here... it just seems to me that it's much easier to tear the punctured fiberglass martix than it is to puncture it in the first place. Most rules I've seen don't require multiple bolts for 10 lbs, but rather require a minimum O.D. for the backup washer, to prevent the bolt head from pulling through. IKF requires the backup washer be metal.

Thanks again everybody!!

Joe Ricard · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:47 pm Post subject:

I really like Jared's solution. Those weights look real nice and clean. Might be the method I need to put 100 pounds on the Mini Max JA kart.

Is that a mini bread pan form.
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Arrow AX-8/ Rotax Sr.

Ron Dodson · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 51

Can you melt down the diving weight and pour it into a more usable form?

Jason Vehige · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:14 pm Post subject:

FINALLY a topic where my weight is a good thing... no worries about melting lead or weight bolts.... Cool

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Jason Vehige

08 Gillard Charlotte / SGM sl204
05 Vanspeed Sirio / SGM sl204

Pax Rolfe · Joined: 28 Feb 2010 Posts: 18

If you take a big hammer to those curved diving weights, they flatten out pretty quick. That's what I did when I remembered that lead is a pretty soft metal.
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Pax
Tulsa, OK

Jared Langenfeld · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:49 am Post subject: