Gears done

Just heard from Scott, the 6 gears are done and will be shipping back today.   So now I will remove the ones in the car plus a couple more and get those sent out.  This should put me in good shape for Mosport and Le Circuit Mont Tremblant in Quebec.  The Quebec event is in July, a track with an abundance of F5000 history. 

New tires

No, not new race tires but trailer tires.  Not as exciting, but necessary.

Along with the new tires I might do a little more work on the trailer.
The leaf spring suspension could use some new parts.

Gears sent

Shipped 6 gears to Minnesota last week to have the dogs reground.  These gears are what I will start out at Mosport this year.  Once these come pack I'll ship 6 more. 

Goodyear tires

As you know, I really liked the Goodyear tires over the Avons.  Goodyear is making them again for F5000 cars.  In there catalog they now list them for F5000 cars.  It was listed as just Can-Am in the past.   So this year I will be back on them.  That's a big positive.

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

Back in the shop

As always, my first task is spending 3 hours putting  away tools and cleaning.

One of the top items on the list for next year is to stop having to work on the gearbox during the race event.  All of the dogs on my gears are worn(above photo).  The arrow on the right shows how the corner is worn.  There is a race shop out in Minnesota that will  re-cut the edge to put a nice 90 degree corner back on it.  It's not to expensive, in fact I can have ten gears cut for what one new gearset would cost.

Happy Thanksgiving

New addition for the tool box

A Hewland Forksetting Jig.  This tool enables you to setup the shift forks with the gearbox out of the car.  As you start the setup you want the clutch ring(dog) centered on hub between the two gears.  What happens if it's not centered the one dog doesn't fully engage.  So after just a little bit of wear it fails.  This might be happening with my 3rd gear, it always wears the most.  I'll save this project for the winter.

Not new, just needs a little straighten and cleaning.

Not 100% sure it fits, but does have HEWLAND DG stamped on it.

2018 race schedule

The F5000 group schedule is:

VARAC Candian Vintage Grand Prix at Mosport June 14-17  (tentative)

Road America July 19-22

Rolex Montery Motorsports  Reunion  August 18-19, 23-26

My schedule:

VARAC at Mosport June 14-17  I'm going even if the group doesn't go.  It's a great club and fantastic track.

Sommet Des Legends  Circuit Mont Tremblant QC.  Early July.  This is tentative, this event has not been confirmed yet on the 2018 race schedule. 

Road America July 19-22.  Most likely. 

Rolex Montery.   No.  Glad I did it once, but no reason to repeat.  

That should be it

I went back to my original radius rod setting that add about 1/2" to it's length which increase the distance between the axle and A-frame. 

This setting  gives me the clearance that I needed.

Just double checking to make sure my toe-in toe-out settings remained the same after the adjustment.  They did.

Back to the original problem

Now that the axle parts have been replaced, I can focus on the start of this problem.  A wheel base modification was done to try to correct the car from hunting on heavy braking at Road America.  However several other changes also happen at the same time, I believe the wheelbase had no connection with the problem at Road America.  So it's back to my original chassis settings to cleanup this problem of the axle hitting the suspension, once and for all.

I removed the spring and lowered the car to simulate race conditions.

A little side tracked

Yes, I got little side tracked.  Every once in awhile I need that aviation fix.  AOPA was having a fly-in at Groton, CT.  Just a little over 3 hour drive.  Decided to go for a couple of seminars and volunteer parking aircraft. The weather is just perfect.

A little more about the Fly-in. Click here

The event really starts today at 4pm and continues Saturday till 3pm.

This was a all day seminar on ditching.

TBM 930  The Ferrari of the sky.

Yes, this could be your home for many days.

Race trailer "Fitting"

Before winter sets in I wanted to make sure this race trailer idea was more than just a vision.  In my head, the construction of the trailer made me think that it would be a good fit.  Fortunately it worked out. Went through the process of loading and securing the car to the trailer.

Measuring the trailer tongue weight.

It's important to have the correct tongue weight.  With the trailer empty it's around 475 lbs.  With the car it's 350 lbs.  Once I load up the box that should bring it to 550 lbs.  I'm look for 500- 650 lbs.

I have to relocate a couple of the tie down pickup points.
But overall it turned out better than I had imagined.  Still have to
take a road test.

Wrapping up the rear suspension

Just finishing attaching the rear suspension parts.